Free 25 Biggest Mistakes Teachers Make and How to Avoid Them by Carolyn Orange Page B

often got on the wrong one and had no ride home. On those occasions I was left at school with no one around until my mother came looking for me.
    Some teachers erroneously believe that responsibility for their students ends once the children leave school property. This may not be a conscious thought, but it is reflected in some teachers’ actions, such as making a very young student miss the bus. In this scenario, the teacher placed an academic task above the well-being of the child. There was little or no concern for what could happen to the child if she missed the bus. The primary concern was that the child learn to write well. The obsession with making sure that children are writing well appears to be an egotrip or a way for this teacher to appear competent. I wonder if the teacher ever asked the question: What good would it do children to learn to write well if they didn’t live to write? This teacher’s actions endangered a child’s life and, at minimum, placed the child at risk.
    Sensible teachers would not put their students at risk under any circumstances. They realize that they are liable if their actions endanger a child. This little first grader was at risk from older students and undesirable characters that may hang around schools. Astute teachers know the possible dangers and they make sure that all of their very young childrenare escorted to their bus and are accounted for. They are aware of the fears and anxieties a child experiences when they are lost or alone in a situation and they would not subject their children to such an experience.
SCENARIO 6.3
Blurred-Eye View
    My worst experience in school was not being able to see the chalkboard because I needed glasses. I was called on to read and explain a lesson we previously did, but I couldn’t see. Everything was a blur. The teacher got upset with me and embarrassed me in front of the class. She said that I needed to stop squinting my eyes and making faces at her and just read and get involved with the rest of the class. I was trying. She sent a note home, telling my mother that maybe I needed my eyes checked. Well, I got cat eyeglasses and hated to wear them, but I did. Mrs. J. had everybody turn to look at me.
    Students with visual impairment exhibit obvious signs such as squinting, holding their book far away from or close to their face, and leaning forward trying to see the board. These students may complain of headaches, of blurred vision, or of irritated eyes. Some students may stop paying attention to assignments that are difficult to see. Students with this type of physical challenge need help, not shame.
    Well-trained educators “red flag” behaviors such as squinting and neck craning. They monitor the student’s behavior to confirm that the student is having a visual problem. If their suspicions are confirmed, caring teachers tactfully ask the student if he or she is experiencing difficulty seeing the board or assignments. Once teachers have established that there is indeed a visual problem, the next step is to notify parents and/or appropriate school professionals (DeMott, 1982).
SCENARIO 6.4
Discrimination by Isolated Exits
    My worst experience was in high school when the school wanted me to leave class later than everyone else because they said it was dangerous to have a wheelchair in the halls with all the students. I had a real problem with this because I wanted to see my friends and be a part of the crowd. To me, they really made me feel different than everyone else. This is something I’ve always tried not to do.
    This student’s predicament is at the core of the hotly debated issue of inclusion. The movement toward full inclusion involves the education of all students in the regular classroom regardless of the severity of their handicaps or disabilities.
    The Education of All Handicapped Children Act, Public Law 94-142 (1975), was amended in 1990 to require states to embrace the concept of doing whatever is necessary to provide the