Description
Book SynopsisThis book is a true story of one family's journey into inclusive education. Having previously been told that her son Benny had failed to function in two exclusionary special education classrooms in New York City, Berman's family set off in search of a school where Benny would be accepted for who he was, while having the opportunity to grow and flourish academically, socially, and emotionally alongside his brother, Adam. Connor's interest was piqued when Berman shared her desire to document the ways in which the new school community had supported Benny throughout the years. Together, they thought, surely other teachers, school and district level administrators, parents of children with and without disabilities, teacher educators, and student teachers, could learn from such a success story?
The result of their collaboration is this book in which Berman skillfully narrates episodes across time, describing ways in which children, teachers, educational assistants, parents, and a pr
Table of Contents
Jan W. Valle: Foreword – Introduction – Prelude: Summer 1972 – Leaving a Restrictive Environment Behind – Climate – A Free and Appropriate Education (FAPE): How Appropriate is Misery? – First Impressions: Instantaneous Behavior Shaping – Behavior: Addressing Impulsivity – Creating Classroom Community: Embracing Difference – Friendship: Reversing the Status Quo – Communication: Balancing High Expectations with Acceptance – Setting Goals: Letting the Child be the Guide – Extraordinary Extra Curriculars – The Informal Bending of Boundaries – Grade 5 in the Penthouse – Teaching in My City – Brothers – Graduating Boulder – Ongoing Questions: Dialogue – Epilogue – Index.
