BEHAVIOR DISORDERS IN EARLY CHILDHOOD
Misty is playing in the house corner. She has tied on an apron and is standing near the play kitchen thinking about whether she wants to pretend to wash dishes, pretend to shop for groceries and put them away or rearrange the house corner. The aide, Miss Patty, looks over at Misty and smiles. Her back is to Jordan who is walking up behind her carrying a small Tonka truck. He was going to play with it but now he thinks he might want to play in the kitchen. Why didn't Misty ask him to play with her? She should play with him. She should get out of the kitchen and let him play. Why did Miss Patty smile at Misty? She almost never smiles at him. Why does Misty get everything? It's not fair. All he has to play with is this stupid truck. Jordan lifts the truck over his head and slams it down on the top of Misty's head as hard as he can. Misty lets out a scream that can be heard by the fish down in the lake.
When the center opens the next morning, Misty is there with three stitches in her head. Holding on to Misty's hand is her mother and she is not a happy camper. "That child, has caused trouble here for the last time. Can't you people tell he's a danger to the other children? Look at her!" Misty's mother points to her daughter's head, and you find you really are speechless. At last, you manage to get out,
"We don't discriminate against children because of disability. Jordan has a severe behavior disorder. He has the right to be included in the classroom with the other children. He has an aide, Patty Leben, who acts as his shadow during the day to prevent behavior problems."
"Discriminate?!" Misty's mother is looking at you as if you are the dumbest person ever. She puts her hands on her hips and lectures, "Discrimination is when you don't let someone come to your school because they're black or Indian or born with one leg. Not letting someone in your center because they smack other children hard in the head with trucks isn't discrimination. It's just having the sense you were born with. I talked to that aide after school yesterday. Patty, she's a nice lady but there is no way to keep that Jordan from hurting other children unless she is stuck to him like his real shadow. "
FIVE MINUTE ASSIGNMENT: The most common reason children with disabilities fail in inclusive placements is behavior problems. What would you do if you ran this center?
Next page, preventing behavior problems before they occur.