Unfortunately, parents do not care about your meticulously developed website when their student is failing your class.  All of a sudden, you are the witch who spent more time on her website and not enough time explaining your difficult and sometimes murky project parameters.

I was called to the carpet a handful of times by my students and parents alike for being ambiguous.  By the end of the year, I thought I had my project instructions down to a science.  I spelled out every.little.detail.  in hopes that my students could take ownership and succeed.

It was my meticulously developed rubric that saved me from a formal reprimand and covered my…assets…when it came time for a parent to contest his child’s grades in my classroom.  The reason for his contest? I had not accommodated for said student according to his legally binding 504 plan. Counselors and administrators alike disagreed and took my side after thumbing through the student’s project and my rubric.  It was a moment of pride for me as I realized that without my rubric, I would have never escaped that conflict unscathed. 

After all, 504 and IEP’s are mandatory to follow.  I have no reason to challenge the support developed for each student.  Aside from my legal obligations, I believe student supports and accommodations have real value in the primary and secondary classroom.  It has always been my belief, however, that IEPs and 504s are simply a springboard for a teacher’s responsibilities in teaching a student with learning differences, however.  In the secondary classroom, students must learn to become empowered by their 504 and IEP plans rather than entitled to these accommodations.

One of the greatest responsibilities incumbent upon secondary educators is preparing their students for what is next.  Elementary educators prepare students for middle school.  Middle grade teachers prepare students for high school.  High school educators prepare students for college…each student.  And each student will eventually enter a college classroom (or office) without a legally binding 504 or IEP to follow.  If we do not learn to empower our student with learning differences, they will become completely bewildered in a post-secondary environment.  Now, their employers and professors have no obligation or inclination to accommodate for anyone…especially those who appear entitled to special treatment.

An empowered student is responsible.

This student advocates for themselves when they need a little help or encouragement and the teacher is not providing said encouragement.  An empowered student also collaborates with their teachers in order to produce the best possible project or paper.  A responsible, empowered student makes sure that the learning environment they are a part of is the best for them, and if it isn’t, they learn to appropriately ask for a change in environment.

An entitled student is passive aggressive.

Instead of asking for help and addressing issues in the classroom with the one person who can make a difference, this student complains…heartily.  The student raises the issue to others without first addressing their teacher.

An empowered student first uses common sense.

Does the rubric look like Greek? An empowered student asks for clarification.  If the teacher still does not address his or her questions, the student should attend his or her or her mandatory tutorials.  

An entitled student sits silently in confusion.

An entitled student doesn’t understand your directions, but sits in passive silence anyway.  When the student turns in an incomplete or inadequate project and the grade is not to their liking, they protest loudly.  Where were the words before the assignment was due?

An empowered student collaborates.

In IEP or 504 meetings, the empowered student suggests learning accommodations and is reflective over which assignments work and which assignments were challenging.  The student has suggestions on how to better meet his or her needs.

An entitled student works alone.

This student waits for parents, counselors, and teachers to come up with all of the solutions and offers no helpful feedback.  They’re getting paid for this, right?

An empowered student can pinpoint how and when he or she learns the best.

This student knows the exact environment that will help them get their work done.  This is probably not in front of the TV.  Maybe this is running on a treadmill if the student has ADHD.  Perhaps it is practicing math outdoors to clear their mind…either way, the student knows where to go and what to do to get everything done in time to have some free time.

An entitled student doesn’t need to work away from school.

After all, this student just sat through hours of instruction.  This student also uses their learning differences as a crutch to avoid studying.  (I have ADHD and I cannot sit still). 

As I’ve said before, it is imperative that teachers educate these particular students how to become empowered versus entitled.  We must first prompt these students at the close of instruction to advocate for themselves.  If it is an issue of reticence, teachers must be able to figure out what works best for each student.

If we continue to enable entitlement among our students with learning differences, the fault is not on the student.  If we empower these students, the benefits are both immediate and long term.