Can I Push Just One Value?? Pretty Please???

That story of the first IEP (I try not to use to much teacher-eese here, but by now the uninitated may have figured out that the IEP is an annual {roughly} meeting that happens for SpEd kids and their parents) is probably my favorite, but the whole reason I got to thinking about it was the wackiness of my most recent IEP.

At least one regular ed (that's non-SpEd, nothing about my normalcy or dietary fiber intake) teacher must attend these meetings. SpEd teachers loooove the reg ed teachers who attend these meetings. There's much begging on their part to get us there.

I was begged and begged and begged to attend the one that was held last week. The girl is in my English class and since our semester just began, I really barely know her(although I should probably tell you that she is #4 of the four pregnant girls in 24 hour fame). I told the teacher I would dash in for a moment as I have my after school English class, but to expect me. The SpEd teacher was uncomfortably eager to get me there. "I will cover your 5th Block!" "How long can you stay? Five min?? Ten???". Finally, I asked if there was some big surprise scheduled for the meeting. If she needs me this badly, is something wrong? Should I wear body armour? No surpirses, she responds. Just come.

So I go. I have some reading scores and a writing sample. I go and give my basic talk about reading levels and how to improve them. I talk about the State test she will take at the end of the course and again stress reading. The English II exam is the only State test that's written on grade level. I again urge her to read more. Read at home! Find a book she enjoys!! Read-ity read read read!!!

...and in comes mom to save the day.

"You know, I wouldn't worry about that reading comprehension stuff. Mine
wasn't never no good anyways."

There's so much talk about how as a teacher I should impart values. Then at the same time, I am told not to force values on kids. Don't worry, I want to respond, I don't tell your kids about sex or birth control (I never wanted to, but now might rethink that stand. ), I talk about faith without endorsing any one faith or any levels of practice, but can we agree that this value matters? Can we get together on this idea that reading matters? Please??