Child beyond; What good is a building?

The child beyond produced by Radio host the University of Texas under a grant from the Educational Television and Radio Center in cooperation with the National Association of educational broadcasters where. The child is there beyond the hurt and the handicapped beyond the defect and the difference beyond the problem and its probing. There is a child beyond. How can we reach him. How can we set him free. Radio house the University of Texas brings you child to be on a series of recorded programs devoted to the exceptional child in our society problem areas of difficulty. The avenues of adjustment open to him in these programs we talk to teachers doctors therapists psychologists authorities in the field of special education and to parents of exceptional children for each of

these in his own way is a specialist in living and working with exceptional children. Or put another way by our series commentator Dr. William G will each is a specialist in working with a child whose difference makes a difference. Ordinarily I'm thinking about the exceptional child in planning for him. We deemphasize that difference for our exceptional children our first of all children and only secondarily children with problems or handicaps. They resemble other children in far more ways than they differ from them. And it is to their advantage and to ours to focus our attention upon these likenesses. They give us a clue to what our blind children are deaf children are cerebral palsy children post-polio or mentally retarded children need and must have from their daily lives if they are to realize their greatest promise. But to do an able job of teaching or training or creating the exceptional child it is

necessary to know in all its implications the nature of his difference. It is necessary to be skilled in the procedures and techniques that will most effectively alleviate that difference. Such skill does not come about by chance. It is a reward of training of knowledge of research of experience and it is a commodity to be shared by all those on the childs team all those who work together toward the welfare of the child and his family. Without such skill and without the people who possess it. Our efforts in behalf of our exceptional children are feeble indeed and if we look around us in large communities or small we shall find increasing proof that this is so. Miss Nellie right here by the guest of honor. Thank you Lola and I am privileged indeed. Well there's never a line horn or are they closer. Sit right down Miss Nellie.

Thank you Jonas. I may still call you Joan Of course Miss Nellie of course a man ever gets a big his own teacher can't call him Joan this is I suppose not. But it's been a long time Jonas. And you you have got pretty big. You have been lucky Miss Noel. Well I wouldn't say I haven't put in a lot of hard work but I made some pretty shrewd guesses some smart moves here and there now and then but mostly I've been just lucky. Well we're lucky you still remember us here in breaks down Jonas. After all these wouldn't be much of a hometown boy. And that's where I am at heart. Just a hometown boy. It's been now what 25 30 years. Yeah I haven't changed a bit but you have Jonas. You've changed. Expect to have a tax added a few dollars lost a little hair. I tell you one thing. Never thought I'd be coming back here to Greg's town and having a banquet room big blowout like this. Flowers on the table and the mayor

making a speech. Pretty royal welcome from Greg's town Miss Nelly. Just between you and me that does things for a man. I'm sure it does Joan and I'm going to do things for Greg's town Yes sir. I told him Joe rain is an edgy time and pick Peckham and the mayor. I told my little smoker we had before we came over to the big shindig boys I said let me tell you something Joe Withers was going to put Greg's town on the map on the mat where now the onus. That's pretty exciting now don't you go drown a bunch of my balloon nationally. You always could take the wind out of the wind bag. But this time you're going to agree with me I'm going to give this town a school a school that's right a school you know some folks give hospitals and some folks put statues up on the square. Well I'm going to give Greg's town a school but what is this. Jonas I mean just how did you how did I come to think it was cool. This isn't just an ordinary kind of school. This is a real pistol

of a school. Oh yeah I got the idea from known as sisters boy. This visit you know first time I'd see them in that wheelchair. Yes. Poor Daniel that was a dreadful thing. It just hit me. Him just sitting there. But he can't go to school not in that jail with all those stairs over there. First Ward couldn't even get up the front steps. No no he can't manage not now. Well and there's this cop Weaver's boy got a heart condition they tell me he's in the same boat far steps and stairs are concerning us. He has to be careful. You just get to looking around. There's something wrong with this kid. There's something else wrong with that. Looks like for one reason or another Briggs towns got more kids that can't go to school well I guess it's just that you know that's it. That's the ticket. Well I got to ask him questions and remember in school buildings I'd seen other places. Seems like all those kids we could go to school if they just had a school to go to a special kind of school building. Cut to their measure you might see a

ramps and handrails and all on the same floor. A voice mirrors and hear and do that isn't and special thing I'm a genius. Well I'm going to give him that kind of school building Mr. Lee. I'm going to give him the word. That's that's breathtaking Jonas. It really is. But are you sure you don't know what the works. Are you sure you know what all that mean I can find out and if you're worried about the money Mr. Ali just Rest Easy old Jonas doesn't do things and I was blind deaf cripple who think I'm anything those kids need in that bill in the way of gadgets and whatnot. They can have two of if that's what it takes. That's not exactly what it takes Jonas. What do you mean it's not a I mean I'm not trying to be mean you'll get Jonas. It's a really tremendous thing youre offering Greek style and badly need. But is that building enough is enough.

Oh I see what you're driving at nationally. Well there will be just the bill room. I'll do the thing up right. They'll be the grounds of course landscaped and all that and play things a swimming pool maybe a football field. If they need it Jonas you're going to let me Miss Nelly. You got that look in your eyes. After 30 years I still remember that no no no not lecture you Jonas. It's just that I want to make you see Jonas. This was not your illness you have a car. That's right. Brand new Cadillac special built. Well if you took that brand new special built Cadillac if you took it to. I'm sure it needs extra special attention. The finest of care by someone who really understands special built car. You're right there can't be too careful. Well if you want to get into a garage for repairs or a tune up and the mechanic was good at Fords and Chevys ladies standard models but didn't know anything about special built Cadillac I wouldn't let them touch my car.

No sorry you need these special jobs. They take no Wow if you're going to have them right even if it was the finest garage money could be with all of the latest improvement What's that got to do with the MS knowledge garage you don't fix cars mechanics do. What difference does it make if you got all the improvements on it. Nobody knows how to use them but it's a garage in a beautiful building. Look mistery finest pretties so whatever. If you haven't got somebody in there who knows you haven't got somebody to do the work. What good's ability that Jonas. Don't you see you just said the thing I've been wanting you to say about the garage and have the car worked off. Everybody knows that Miss Nelly. Yes everybody knows that about garages and having cars worked on but they don't know it about schools and children. If you've got to have somebody who knows his onions to work on special built cars how about special built children you've got to have somebody who knows his onions

there too. Oh but you have to have somebody who really knows. What about your teachers Jonas. Without them what good is your building. Well we are there's no problem Miss Nelly. What's all the hurrah about. We'll just move over from others. We got good teachers here and breaks down. You ought to know that you want to thank you Jonas. But I'm a four inch of L.A. teacher. So are all the others we have in our element with the standard models. Give us the special builds when we're out of our lives. We don't know our right well then let's point to some teachers get them from somewhere else where there's plenty there is no Plenty Jonah's these teaching of special children. It's a relatively new field. The techniques the skills are still developing there aren't even enough people to teach the teachers and fast as we can turn out the teachers. We're turning out special built children even faster.

There's a big big gap between the number of teachers we need and a number we have or can get a good many places in a good many buildings already built are going in this building. You don't think it's such a good idea Ms no wait. It's a splendid idea Jonas. And we need we need it so badly. But don't put all your eggs in one basket Jonas. Don't put all your money into the lady's watch imma call it Scn thingamajigs puts them into scholarships for teachers who want that training and can't get it for themselves are even into the hands of those who are working to recruit teachers for training because it will benefit a child to roll up a ramp in his wheelchair Jonas. If there's no teacher at the top the latest therapeutic devices work to a child's good. Only when there is someone on hand who is skilled in their way and what does it profit a youngster to Labor his way down a

long hall by the shiny as 10 rail. If no one waits at the end of that hall to help him go farther still that's the big problem of our special built children Jonas. They need new plants tailored as you say to them measure how they do need them but they need teachers too. And all of the specialists who work with teachers because of it so in itself by itself as you also say and with such truth. Dear Jonas what good is a building. What good is a building in the opinion of Miss Nelly and many others who share her viewpoint. Special education facilities are of value only as they make more effective the services of skilled personnel and we are woefully lacking in skilled personnel. There are splendid teachers and special

education excellent supervisors therapists and clinicians able and inspiring teachers of teachers but compared to the number of children for whom their skill is urgent their ranks are distressingly thin. Special schools and classes boy exceptional children are reaching only one in five of the children needing such services in the South alone over 26000 teachers are needed to provide adequate educational programmes for handicapped children. There are only about three thousand seven hundred such teachers in the south superintendents of Southern residential schools for the blind indicated 16 teaching positions budgeted but unfilled for the year just past the list goes on and on. In each item of that list the lack the leg between those needed to help our exceptional children and those properly trained for special service is woefully evident. But is this training necessary. Are these skills so very special after all.

Now watch out. Can we do that. Do the teachers of regular classes however adept at their own jobs know what they need to know to make the most of our children with a difference. What you know as a discipline boy or a mentally retarded jive. Do they know. Do they know the answer to that question. Or some of the others. Where can you get good books for a child who is blind. How do you teach words to a deaf child. What exercises help a child to develop the muscles used in speech. Is music wasted on the child who is hard of hearing. Why give cold cream to a child who cannot see what COME a dog or a crippled child. How do you stretch a heel cord without injury to the child. Let's visit the first grade class in a center for cerebral palsy. Children who are regular teachers know these techniques.

Do they. Clap your. Teeth. We can go

some clay. I think you know make it easier on the paper. Now when you see me. To be so we're going to ride on the blue and the small. I'm giving you all the way in and we have these awards and you know can never use your stick to Polizzi. You put them in the round hole. So it would say to me so you think can you do the teachers of exceptional children and those who work hand in hand with such teachers need to know the answers to many special questions need the ability to give those answers in

work as well as in words through the medium of service as well as through the medium of speech. Their dedicated task is to free our exceptional children through the things that those children can do from the physical and emotional confinement of the things they cannot do. Success in that highly important task a man's specialized training thorough preparation. It demands extra effort on the part of those who so trained and so prepare other rewards for that extra effort is their compensation incentive in this work. Let's hear from some teachers of exceptional children. Let's see what they say. One of the most delightful and one of the most refreshing experiences that has been man has been within the last 60 years as a teacher of mentally retarded children in the public schools program. I have the children who are in preschool program or the readiness program in the Austin public school. The mental age of these children are from about three years and

nine months to fab years. I should like to give you some concrete illustrations of some of the experiences that a teacher of the redish group of children has. For instance we had a small boy who has never played with children of his own chronological age. He's never participated in play activities with even children of his own mental age. And when he becomes secure and comfortable enough that he can compete with others. It's a great thrill to see him knock the ball across the school ground. Then we have the little girl who might be delayed in her speech and her vocabulary may consist of only a few words and just simple gestures. But when she walks up and perhaps in the morning good morning muse is gone I have are you just those very simple words can thrill you like a speech of a scholar at your room. Then you have the little child who is has physical impairment due to their poor motor coordination and hand coordination. She is unable to achieve any of the

skills in reading or even holding a pencil and is through long weeks and many months that she goes through this training of learning to achieve scales. And it can be a great thrill when the first time that she has learned mark within the little circle and cover it adequately. I am Mrs. Ruth Mike Alister a teacher in the Austin public schools. I teach mentally retarded children. My children are a little older than me is gone as children. They have chronological age used 9 to 2 a middle ages of about 5 to teen. I feel I am rewarded when the mentally retarded child is able to take his place in society and become a contributing member of society. The majority of mentally retarded children have had little or no experience. We must bring experiences into the classroom. Life is said to be a series of experiences and education is the result of experience. This being

true then I believe that the child with a mental problem can be educated to the extent of his capacity through a series of experiences. These experiences must be presented in such a weight that the child who learns slowly could understand these experiences must be concrete. These experiences must be a repetition. For example making change and counting real money in the classroom store on the classroom by hour the ending of a unit on foods with the radio breakfasts. A brick was planned purchased and prepared by the clamorous will punish knowledge scales and tubes and habits that will function in everyday life situations. If the lighting situation provided is suited to the child level and rate of learning ability he can succeed. We must remember that each child is entitled to the right of education and training up to his level.

When those forces and those feelings are wedded to skill and ability and are teachers of exceptional children are special schools and special classes can become vital laboratories for a child's development. If they are not and if the teaching gaps in our special education personnel are not failed it is difficult to find a positive answer to Miss Knollys in size of question. What good is a building. Again as our series commentator Dr. William G will a special survey of teacher training facilities throughout this country has been made by the chief of exceptional children and youth in the office of education of the United States Department of Health Education and Welfare. The size and scope of the service problem are defined by Dr. Romaine Mackey in the special statement recorded for the child beyond.

Much has been done for the handicapped especially in the past 50 years. But an even larger task is still before us. Specialized private agencies concerned with the handicapped and gifted have played a major role in sensitizing the general public to the problems and potential. Exceptional individuals public agencies during the modern period of time have likewise accomplished much. Health services through case finding diagnostic and treatment facilities have already identified and aided thousands of children and young people. State and local school systems more than ever before are supporting various special educational facilities including special schools and classes educational programs in hospitals home instruction. I turn around teacher services and consulting and supervisory personnel. One hundred

and twenty two colleges and inst and institutions of higher education offer organized sequences are professional preparation for teachers of one or more types of exceptional child and many other colleges aid the programs for handicapped and gifted children in other ways. Vocational Rehabilitation Services administered through the state agencies are available to an ever increasing number of young people. Even with all that has been done there are however glaring gaps in service. An example can be drawn from the field of Education Statistics indicate that even in spite of America's dedication to the belief in educational opportunity for all boys and girls not more than a fourth of the number estimated to need special services are receiving it. Two major

conditions retard the development of well-rounded programs. One is the lack of technical knowledge. The other is the lack of qualified personnel games have been made in acquisition of knowledge especially in medical and related fields. Hand-in-hand with the need for more knowledge which research can bring us is the need for more specialized personnel to work with the handicapped. Here again an example can be drawn from the field of education. It is estimated that 100000 especially qualified teachers are needed only about 25000 are available to teach in the nation's educational institutions today. Thank you Dr. Mackey. We may ask them what should be done to fill the gaps between the number of teachers we need and the number of teachers we have and here to give us his observations on teacher recruitment and training in the field of special

education is Dr Lawrence D has Q dean of the College of Education and vice president of the University of Texas. Dr. Has has to think in supply of well-qualified teachers to work in special education can be provided within the next decade but that will require concerted carefully planned act. We know that there are enough people who have the kitchen ability the interest in the Value Scale which will make them good teachers for Exceptional Children. The only tasks are to locate those people and reach them and bring them into contact with good programs of keep your education the focus for recruitment. Action is the local school district here. The first step is to make the special education positions themselves attractive one. Provide salaries which recognize the special any extended training such teachers must pose in keep class sizes down to workable proportions. If the position is one requiring

considerable travel from school to school to take care of automobile expenses provide liberally for the special materials and equipment needed to do this sort of teaching. Above all recognize and show that recognition of special education teachers as regular and valued members of this faculty. The second local step necessary is to identify among present crisis room teachers those persons who have promise and specialized records with exceptional children almost every school system has several sites of people who can be interested in preparing themselves for a special education work. Local officials and parent groups can talk to these people and encourage them to do advanced study scholarships can be provided for them. They can be assured of positions when they complete their training. Mike you can be secured doing release time which is school system provides. A third step at the local level is to equate high school juniors and seniors with the appeal and opportunity in special education as

a career. These young people can visit in special education classes. They may even serve as assistance upon occasion. They can be given trips to college campuses right teacher education where it is going forward. Many of them made us reach decisions to find their life's satisfactions in this rewarding braincell teaching. Of course these local efforts must be supplemented by many other actions civic groups and parent organizations can help. Advertising and publicize state and national scale need special scholarship programs for teachers to be should be of particular value. Colleges should call this vocational field to the attention of their students and grandma is professional preparation as much as possible. But in the long run good teachers from special education will be secured by personal contacts at the local level. Any school system which wants good special education teachers can get them if it is running to pay the price in interest.

Leadership and these you know what it can mean to have the best education are exceptional children and in that community we all know and help us all to know what good is a building what good is a building brought to you by radio host the University of Texas as the 12th in a special series of programs titled child recorded broadcaster devoted to the exceptional children in our society. Our series commentator is Dr. William will. What good is a building was prepared for broadcast by Jackie Summerfield from a script by the Durham twins. But special music by Eleanor pate. With project coordinator Bill captures. The child beyond was produced by a radio host of the University of Texas under a grant from the Educational Television and Radio program is distributed by the National Association of educational broadcast. Or it was this is the end

network.