January 22, 2009In the spirit of “whatever it takes,” I open this blog in hopes of embracing a new work family via this new professional learning network in the telephone area code of (717). Essentially and initially, its beginnings are about what I, Sandy Pottieger, am learning through networking with my readers and fellow educators while waiting for a new work family to adopt me. As a lifelong learner, my interests are broad. As a school counselor professional, my interests hover in many webs of life.Welcome and thank you for joining me on this endeavor. I look forward to learning with you.Sincerely,Sandy Pottieger
Pottieger Learns and Networks 
Hi, Sandy,
I must be a bit north of you, from the 570 area code, but recently discovered your tweets and this blog. I love your questions about the TSS at the high school level, and your other posts! I, like you it seems, have also played fast and loose with careers over the years, and finally have been able to do the least well-paying, most personally rewarding, one I’ve dabbled in: teach. I just love the earliest years, when math and reading concepts are beginning to gel, which is why I did my Master’s in Early Childhood.
I have three sons, one of which is autistic and defies most stereotypes, he was brilliant enough to take the SAT in 7th grade and do better than most high school seniors (won a college scholarship right then). After that… he stayed at home and reported to a tutor who visited to administer tests for 30 minutes every two weeks and give him his reading/work assignments. Our school district’s policies were no tss after lower school years, “too stigmatizing”. My son never made it into high school to BE stigmatized, would have needed a tss worker to help him into it. Of course, at my local high school, all the needs kids are “integrated” by having them bus and clean tables in the lunch room. How depressing!
So, please do gather information about how to help the system serve older children’s needs while you are working in it. Older students seem to get “blanket prescriptions” about things like tss presence, rather than individual needs being considered, or they just fall through the cracks in the system. You’re looking at an area where you could make a huge difference in many student’s lives. I wish you wisdom, strength and power!
~book
ps I just followed you on twitter, feel free to dm me
Comment by Sue R. — March 4, 2009 @ 2:08 am |
Thanks for stopping by. As for your autistic son, I would have thought that a TSS would have been a great tool to help your son make the transition to HS. Hopefully schools will change that ‘policy’ and instead do what’s best for the student!It makes me wonder now how many of the high school students had TSS services (wrap around services) when they were younger in school. In my eye’s mind, I keep seeing these young children (one client is preschool age) with TSS services grown into their future selves still struggling with issues…skipping school…fighting…roaming the hallways…unfocused. There’s got to be a way to help teachers who can hardly teach because of other issues affecting the student’s academic performance. Does the identified patient/client have to be identified to the students? Can’t the teacher just have paraprofessional help in the classroom, helping ensure every students’ right to education?
Also, I was amazed to hear that there is not enough TSS staff to fill the county’s needs at nearly every agency!
I will keep my eyes and ears open about serving older students…bus and clean tables IS VERY depressing!
Comment by San — March 14, 2009 @ 9:49 pm |