Assignment:
Max Laird is a sixth-grade teacher in a middle-class suburban school. After school, Mr. Laird finds a note in his in-box indicating that the principal and the special education resource room teacher want to meet with him the next day before students arrive. At the meeting the next day, his principal, Dr. Gattelaro, explains to him that a new student, Chris Erickson, will be placed in his class the following Monday morning. Mr. Laird is informed that Chris is slightly above average in academics and a personable young man.
However, Dr. Gattelaro wants Mr. Laird to know that Chris has epilepsy and occasionally has grand mal seizures. Although the seizures are generally under control through medication, there is a good possibility that sometime during the school year Chris will have a seizure in the classroom. At this time, Ms. Chong, the resource room teacher, describes grand mal seizures. She explains that they are the most evident and serious type of epileptic seizure.
They can be disturbing and frightening to anyone who has never seen one. Chris would have little or no warning that a seizure was about to occur. During a seizure, Chris's muscles will stiffen, and he will lose consciousness and fall to the floor. His whole body will shake violently as his muscles alternately contract and relax. Saliva may be forced from his mouth, his legs and arms may jerk, and his bladder and bowels may empty. After a few minutes, the contractions will diminish and Chris will either go to sleep or regain consciousness in a confused and drowsy state (Heward, 1996).
Stunned at this information, Mr. Laird sits in silence as Ms. Chong briefs him about the procedures to take if a seizure occurs in the classroom. She also explains to him that he should inform the other students that the seizure is painless to Chris and that it is not contagious. Max Laird is aware that he has no option whether Chris will be in his class. He is determined to do the right thing and to make Chris's transition into his class as smooth as possible. He is also determined that he will help his class adjust and prepare for the likely seizure. Mr. Laird begins to map out a plan of action.
What should he say to Chris?