Does your kid's school use "scream rooms" for time outs?

[kenny]

http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2012/01/11/parents-furious-over-apparent-use-of-scream-rooms-inside-middletown-conn-elementary-school/

 

[Lulie]

Nope, teachers scream at them in the classroom. It takes about 2x for a 4 y/o to get it, FAST.

 

[Maisie]

It appears the rooms were set up for special needs students. I have an Autistic son and I would be furious if he was shut into one.

 

[wakingdreams53]

Looks like that school decided that the best way is to follow that movie Matilda.
Scary room for "disobedient" children.
Not okay whatsoever. If I found out that something like this was happening in my sisters school (first grade), I'd homeschool her from that day forth.

 

[Loves Vintage]

Kenny, I was just ABOUT to post this! I read the article here: http://nhregister.com/articles/2012/01/12/news/doc4f0e5eed4110c594217514.txt?viewmode=fullstory I was curious if the teachers here might have any experience with use of these rooms? I find it extremely odd, but what I found the most strange about the whole thing is that the school has to notify the parents within 24 hours of their child being put in one of these rooms. Wow! I guess I am just shocked that the school wouldn't call the parents to tell them that they need to get to the school right away.

 

[Lottie]

Wow, if I found out that was happening at my childs school I would be removing them asap.

We did have a time out room at my secondary school, but it was a big room where you went if you were being disruptive to sit on a chair and think about your actions. On Wednesday third period you got a fantastic view of the boys hockey practice from the windows.

 

[Puppmom]

This makes no sense to me. DH works at a school for kids with special needs. Most of them are autistic and, in some more extreme cases, have a tendency to hurt themselves. How in the heck would this help a kid who punches himself in the face until he's knocked out? Leaving any child with special needs alone without supervision is total nonsense.

 

[Loves Vintage]

My impression, from reading the article and comments from local parents, is that the rooms are not used for "special needs" students only, but for any student whose behavior is deemed "out of control." I understand that the article leaves the impresssion that the rooms were created for special needs students, and though that may have been the case, the rooms are being used across the entire student population.

 

[Amys Bling]

No, and it doesn't seem right to me...

 

[mrs taylor]

well isn't that just lovely.

as the mother of an autistic child IN CT. I have to say I'm shocked and appalled.

 

[yennyfire]

IMHO, that's the basis for a lawsuit.

 

[zoebartlett]

It doesn't seem right but I wonder, if a child is having a meltdown, where do you take them?

 

[that_someone_special]

W T F

That is sick.

 

[asscherisme]

well isn't that just lovely.

as the mother of an autistic child IN CT. I have to say I'm shocked and appalled.

Ditto.

 

[asscherisme]

IMHO, that's the basis for a lawsuit.

As a parent of more than one autistic child, I could not agree more. I would not tolerate this in my children's schools. NO way.

 

[partgypsy]

Well, that's not going to work.

 

[TravelingGal]

It doesn't seem right but I wonder, if a child is having a meltdown, where do you take them?

In my day, it was the principal's office. Guess these days the principal doesn't want to deal with it?

 

[Snow_Miser]

It doesn't seem right but I wonder, if a child is having a meltdown, where do you take them?

In my day, it was the principal's office. Guess these days the principal doesn't want to deal with it?

Meltdowns are very difficult to handle, but having a "scream room" is totally unacceptable. I have one student who has been identified as autistic this year. He is very large, almost my size, and extremely hefty. I teach third grade. This child has meltdowns daily: screaming, rolling on the floor kicking, yelling insults, and harming himself. It is very overwhelming and causes a lot of distractions for other students.

I have two colleagues who interact with this student on a regular basis who assist me during these times. We remove the child from the classroom, and either allow him to sit in the office or sit in the SLP office.

I am so at a loss of what to do to help this child, while not taking away learning time from other students, but I would never lock him in a small room or closet and let him scream it out.

 

[mrs taylor]

now that he'd been diagnosed, is he eligible for an aid?

 

[zoebartlett]

It doesn't seem right but I wonder, if a child is having a meltdown, where do you take them?

In my day, it was the principal's office. Guess these days the principal doesn't want to deal with it?

Meltdowns are very difficult to handle, but having a "scream room" is totally unacceptable. I have one student who has been identified as autistic this year. He is very large, almost my size, and extremely hefty. I teach third grade. This child has meltdowns daily: screaming, rolling on the floor kicking, yelling insults, and harming himself. It is very overwhelming and causes a lot of distractions for other students.

I have two colleagues who interact with this student on a regular basis who assist me during these times. We remove the child from the classroom, and either allow him to sit in the office or sit in the SLP office.

I am so at a loss of what to do to help this child, while not taking away learning time from other students, but I would never lock him in a small room or closet and let him scream it out.

Yeah, it's hard to find places in schools that a child can go if he/she's having a hard time. I think at some point, there needs to be a conversation about whether a regular school setting is in the best interest of the child. Plus, like you mentioned, it's so hard on the other kids. Is it fair to them? By the way, this isn't really towards your child specifically, but just a general question for anyone dealing with heavy-duty kids.

 

[Snow_Miser]

I have an aide for half the day. 1.5 hours in the morning, 1.5 hours in the afternoon. I also have four other students who fall under the special education under that she is also supposed to help.

With this particular student, it was recommended that he be placed in an alternative learning environment while he was in another school district, so they moved to the district in which I teach. We are contemplating making the same suggestion (after documenting his behavior and defiance) but apparently parents can sue school districts if they don't feel that we are providing the least restrictive environment for their child.

It is so difficult. This child is very intelligent, but his behavior prevents him from completing work and interferes with the education of the 18 general education and 4 special education students.

Please don't get me wrong. I choose to work with students with special needs, and love it, I'm just not convinced that the current set up at my school is most beneficial to all students.

 

[mrs taylor]

I understand completely. It's difficult when the parents can't see the situation in terms of the big picture and focus rather on the style of education they want (in lieu of what's best for the child.) My daughter is mainstreamed right now, but if that ever needs to change for her benefit, or the benefit of the whole you best believe I'd be on it.

It really is a challenging topic in general and there are no easy answers. I just don't think this particular one is awesome. Though after speaking to some local teachers and ex teachers I can certainly see what they were attempting to do. They just fell short.

 

[kenny]

This is such a complex and heart breaking subject.
Thanks for all the contributions.

 

[KaeKae]

This is such a complex and heart breaking subject.
Thanks for all the contributions.

You are SO right, it is very complex and heartbreaing.

I work with children with autism and there is so much to address, for each individual child, that it's mind boggling. As an aide, it's not my job to work it all out, but to do as the teacher directs, and still, it never feels like I do enough.

Snow miser, the little guy I spend most of my time with sounds very much like the student you described. Fortunately for me, he is not nearly as big, and is not at this time included in a second grade class. As it is, he needs constant one-on-one attention, and the rest of the class is effected because while I am not techinically his personal aide, I may as well be, so the teacher is minus one assigned classroom aide. We heard about two months ago that he will be getting a one-on-one, but no one has been hired.

I am hoping that the reports of this 'scream room' are inaccurate. I just cannot imagine how anything like this could be happening in a public school in 2012. Having a safe, appropriate place to go makes sense. We have what we call the 'Sensory Room," that we can take our students. In there are mats, tunnels, spinners (like a big Sit 'n Spin,) exercise balls...It's between three other classrooms, doors are open and an adult always remains with the child. The point is the child is able to work off some energy in an appropriate way. From what I've seen, all the child has to do is ask to go, and we'll get him there, and often we offer it, if we see a child getting worked up/frustrated/upset. Heck, sometimes I wish I could spend a few minutes in there, during my own break!

 

[Asscherhalo_lover]

I teach children diagnosed with Autism in a school specifically for children with disabilities. If a student in my class is having a violent episode either with them self or with another student or staff member we deal with the situation in our classrooms. We never leave a child unattended, that is just insane! These parents should be outraged by this and hopefully the school district will learn a lesson.

 

[mrs taylor]

I checked, it seems that this room is part of each of the SN's child's IEP. Apparently they are never left alone. The same cannot (it seems) be said of a child that doesn't have an IEP.

 

[Snow_Miser]

I am hoping that the reports of this 'scream room' are inaccurate. I just cannot imagine how anything like this could be happening in a public school in 2012. Having a safe, appropriate place to go makes sense. We have what we call the 'Sensory Room," that we can take our students. In there are mats, tunnels, spinners (like a big Sit 'n Spin,) exercise balls...It's between three other classrooms, doors are open and an adult always remains with the child. The point is the child is able to work off some energy in an appropriate way. From what I've seen, all the child has to do is ask to go, and we'll get him there, and often we offer it, if we see a child getting worked up/frustrated/upset. Heck, sometimes I wish I could spend a few minutes in there, during my own break![/quote]

That sensory room sounds so cool! I think that area would be a great place for all students. School can be very overwhelming and stressful at times.