A new Facebook group aims to help match Crown Heights parents with local therapists, paraprofessionals, SEITs, and P3 providers.
The group is run by two Friendship Circle volunteers, Deena Dubovick-Ringel and Nechamy Rabin, both of Crown Heights.
“Since the start of the school year the Friendship Circle of Brooklyn has been fielding many calls from parents looking to get in touch with these professionals,” explains Mrs. Chani Majesky, Director of Friendship Circle, who came up with a plan to start the Facebook group. “Many children have not been able to begin attending school without their much needed assistance.”
Families and professionals do not need to be a part of The Friendship Circle in order to take advantage of this great pairing system; it is a service for the entire community.
“One of the goals of the Friendship Circle has always been about making life easier for the parents of children with special needs,’ says Majesky.
The administrators approve join requests and oversee that users are respectful of each other. The rest of the shidduch-making is up to the professionals and the parents and both are encouraged to post clear, detailed descriptions of what they are looking for.
To post services that you have available or to find a professional for the services that you need, visit the “CH Paraprofessionals, SEITS, Therapists” group by clicking here. Facebook account required.
While it is important to not over generalize, I have, as an “old-schooled” (4 years undergrad and. Almost 2 completed masters w/more hours of supervision than I could count),noticed a disturbing trend… Instead of the SEIT being regarded as the professional that she is, to be used to advise teachers of specific behavior modification techniques, help facilitate the classroom environment to optimize learning, or use her expertise to best advocate for her child’s needs in the school environment, she is often at the “disposal” of the classroom teacher (who may still be completing her supervision hours). The classroom teacher ,… Read more »
A lot of teachers make the SEIT a babysitter. As soon as the kid disrupts the class the teacher asks the SEIT to take the kid out of the class as oppose to allowing the SEIT to teach the child how to act appropriately in the current situation they are in. Not all the time but a lot of the time the SEIT is a result of what the parent and teacher request of them. The teacher or parent use the SEIT for their benefit as oppose to the child’s
I can tell you that I do not understand why there are so many seits. Most of the kids dont even need it and I end up having a ton of other adults in my classroom every five minutes and often taking them out. Not only is this disruptive to the student it disrupts all the students and this is going on in every classroom. and yes many do chat leaving us teachers very frustrated.
You seem like a very kind and caring therapist and your students are lucky to have you. I think the author of the comment was referring to the TTI students whom I believe pay a much lower tuition that most schools( in other schools you pay by semester, if you are there for several years the cost is astronomical)
I agree that in every field there are good and bad apples. There are great teachers that have never stepped into a college. But as # 6 said would you take your child to a Dr who went to an accelerated program? if you were in a major legal bind would you hire a lawyer that went to an accelerated program? I personally have a different degree but as part of my bachelors had to take several courses in psychology, that are essential for any educator to have taken. No Field work, there is not a single degree (that I… Read more »
As someone who has worked in several of our mosdos as a SEIT I do take offense at the assumption that most of us chat all day and have received our degrees with minimal work. While what you say may be true for a handful of therapists for the most part the therapists that I have worked with are highly qualified, devoted , educated, experienced and have helped countless of children succeed in our schools. While yes we are very nicely reimbursed – and here I speak for myself- I saved up for years to be able to earn my… Read more »
Your assumption about women who graduate from TTI is completely wrong. I went to TTI and worked hard on my assignements and my research, day and night on top of having a mandatory full time teaching job, and 3 children under the age of 4 of my own. I only graduated after presenting a thesis on two semesters of research. And I paid a lot of money, that I saved for a few years in the perspective of some day having access to higher learning. On the other hand, my friend went to touro college all expenses paid by her… Read more »
Thank you!
To #3 your in need for some research, as a teacher in a local Mosad for many years and after just graduating after four years of hard work, I can tell you that most therapist do there job,otherwise they lose it.
I was a SEIT in NY for many years. You are right. Most therapists do chat. But because the service is free the parents don’t actually take time to get to know you and find out what is best for their child either. If the parents just took a little interest, then the therapists would care as well. At the end of the day the therapists also know that they are getting paid by the government. There were so many children that I used to see that had they been living anywhere else, the parents would have been told that… Read more »
to number 3 you are a sad pathetic person dont be so hating therapists work hard to earn what they deserve
schooling costs and they pay taxes
go to school yourself
You will likely get a whole speech on how they focus just on education. Ask them if they would take their child to a dr who did an accelerated program. Why then trust that same child with a person that did not get proper training. No accredited reputable college will transfer credits from their program. The scariest part is that many of the higher ups in the leading provider agencies have this same “degree”. So when parent think they are talking to professionals often with decisions that can affect their child for life -they are unaware of the minimal training… Read more »
I’ve seen many therapists who chat with each other all day and even some who spend no more than 10 mins with the child they’re supposed to be working with. It’s really a shame
i thought it was only me. Going to college used to mean that you were a cut above. It vetted out the bad apples(or at least most), because it took years of hard work, going to classes, writing papers, doing homework, science experiments, field work, good grades … that only ppl with passion for the field would pursue. Now with the easy way to 60-70 an hour tons of ppl pursue it without an ounce of feeling for the postion. OUR KIDS ARE AT STAKE….. the ads for these programs promote parnassah for the seit WHAT ABOUT OUR KIDS?????
do your research!!! most therapist sit and chat all day. They go to TTI for a year then make tons of money to sit and talk to other therapists that do the same
how to get in touch if you dont have facebook?
The new and revised administration of the friendship circle are changing the whole community….. Good going! May hashem repay you with Kol tuv, and give you the koiach, the money and the tools to grow and grow