When What You See isn't the Whole Picture

Arnold was a sixth-grade student placed in a self-contained classroom primarily due to significant trauma rather than cognitive or academic need. His father had been cooking methamphetamine in the basement of their home, which resulted in an explosion. The home environment was unstable and unsafe, with frequent exposure

The ARD Meeting That Broke the Silence—and the Trust

ARD meetings can be intimidating for parents, and this can be even more true when the parent does not speak English. To support these families, the ARD committee includes an interpreter to ensure parents can make informed decisions about their child's placement, progress on goals, and preparation for

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A Close Knit Classroom

During my time as a special education teacher at a female youth correctional facility in Lakewood, Colorado, I formed close relationships with several of the girls living there. One evening, after significant disruption on the unit, the teachers were asked to stay well into the night. While we waited, the

Nothing to Hide, Everything to Say

It was my first day at a female youth correction facility in Lakewood, Colorado and I was excited to work with female youth who needed support from special education service providers to make progress. I was with the students for breakfast and then they transitioned to their schools for their

Selfies, Security, and the Surprise Wi-Fi Incident

When I worked as a special education teacher at a maximum-security juvenile detention center in Golden, Colorado, I was assigned a nearly impossible task: create a self-contained program for the most disruptive and violent students in the facility. On day one, tensions were high. The students knew the

When Breakfast Becomes a Shockingly Good Lesson

As a special education teacher working at a drug and alcohol rehabilitation center, we start every academic school day with the students eating breakfast. As part of promoting healthy choices, we want to ensure that students start the day well-nourished, since not all families in the program are able

Christmas Cookie Crip Chronicle

As a special education teacher working at a drug and alcohol rehabilitation center that accepted students on Medicaid, many of the students I served came from environments marked by significant negative influences. These included generational gang involvement, parental substance abuse, peers met in detention facilities, and engagement in delinquent behaviors

Safe Enough to Sleep

I was a special education teacher in a juvenile detention facility for two years at a maximum-security correctional center in Golden, Colorado. My task was to start a self-contained program for the most severe, disruptive, and violent students who qualified for special education services. Emanuel was one of

Ponds, Pods, and Peculiar Decisions

Background - I was a special education teacher in a juvenile detention facility for two years at a maximum correction facility in Golden, Colorado. I was tasked with starting a self contained program for the most severe, disruptive, and violent students at the facility who qualified for special education services. One

Noise-Canceling-Noise

Background - I was a special education teacher at a juvenile detention facility within a maximum correctional facility in Golden, Colorado, for two years. I was tasked with starting a self-contained program for the most severe, disruptive, and violent students at the facility who qualified for special education services. Charlie

The Shock Collar

Mathew (pseudonym) was a sixth-grade student in a self-contained classroom in a small rural town in Colorado. He was approximately eleven years old and had been placed in the self-contained setting due to significant behavioral concerns. Mathew frequently took on the persona of a cat—scratching the