Tanager Place is a treatment facility for kids (ages 5-17) with emotional/behavior disorders. There is a school and cottage units where the some of the clients live. All of these kids are considered special needs and have an IEP, and some have BMPs (Behavior management plans). All of the kids have level 3 BD (which is the highest or worst, if you can say that), so things can be pretty bad sometimes. I've spent equal time working in both the school and the cottages at 1.5 years each. Both experiences are very different, but each have given me experience that I know I can use as a future teacher. For me the biggest thing when working with kids who have been labeled BD is patience. There are so many things that can set someone off, and so many times that you have to tip toe around things, or "trick" them into doing school work or simple expectations. Giving them the time and patience to follow through with something will show them something that most people have not given them--time.
One thing that I really struggled with was being a friend to them rather than being a role model. I wanted so badly to be someone that they could count on because most of them didn't have that. I had a hard time defining that line and needed to step back and look at what they needed more that what I wanted to be for them.
No matter what kind of special needs kids you work with, you need to remember they are kids, and their diagnosis should not be in the forefront of your mind defining them or influencing how you will treat them.
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