Absurdities and Realities of Special Education
Absurdities and Realities of Special Education: The University of Vermont Center for Digital Initiatives Collection is a complete set of all of the cartoons created by Michael Giangreco with the assistance of the artist Kevin Ruelle. This includes a total of 335 cartoons from four previously published books and searchable CD that went "out of print" in 2019 and a few newer cartoons. Michael Giangreco created the original ideas, text, and sketches for each cartoon and Kevin Ruelle redrew the sketches.
The cartoons in the first three books all were originally in black and white. That was a conscious decision, both for aesthetic and practical reasons. The cartoons were designed to be easily copied on to overhead transparencies for display in classes, workshops, and other learning environments. A group called Alliance for Inclusive Education (ALLFIE) requested permission to use one of the cartoons on the cover of their magazine and subsequently colorized it. Prompted by Giangreco’s colleagues associated with ALLFIE, Giangreco and Ruelle began to colorize the rest of the images. In this complete digital collection, we have included a total of 335 different digital images; including the 315 different cartoons from the four earlier books, 12 cartoons that were on the CD only, and eight that were not included in any of the previously published books or CD.
Cartoons from the early books have found their way on to the pages of many newsletters disseminated by schools, parent groups, disability advocacy organizations, and professional associations. They have appeared in books, manuals, and journals; a few were even published in a law journal. The cartoons have been used extensively as projected slides or within learning activities in college classes, at conferences, in workshops, and at other meetings. Parents have framed cartoons that closely reflected their own experiences and hung them in their homes or offices. Other parents have used them in meetings with professionals to help get their points across. They have been given as gifts to people who "get it" and handed out as door prizes. The Vermont Coalition for Disability Rights used them as part of "Disability Awareness Day" at the Vermont legislature. The cartoons can be used in innumerable creative ways.
Showing 61 - 70 of 101 Records
Hierarchy of Deeds
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- Creator: Giangreco, Michael F., 1956-.
- Date Created: 2000
- Description: The cartoon shows a black triangle with white writing divided into five sections (meant to evoke Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs) that read from top to bottom. "Encourage each student's unique abilities and talents." "Teach the kids and provide opportunities for learning." "Welcome every student and help each one be a valued member of the classroom community." "Make sure the classroom is a safe and secure place to be." and "Make sure kids have meals and snacks. Let them drink water and use the bathroom whenever needed." In the lower left-hand corner of the panel are two men reading the triangle and one says to the other, "What do you think?" and the other replies, "Roscoe. I think Maslow would approve!" The tag line reads, "Roscoe's Hierarchy of Deeds."
- Parent Collections: Absurdities and Realities of Special Education, Teaching Old Logs New Tricks
Pants down
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- Creator: Giangreco, Michael F., 1956-.
- Date Created: 2000
- Description: The cartoon shows a man with his pants down around his ankles wearing blue boxers with red hearts on them. He has a file in his hand and papers have fallen out on the floor that are labeled, "IEP." The man is saying "OOOOPS!" The tag line reads, "Are you prepared for all your students? Don't be caught with your pants down!"
- Parent Collections: Absurdities and Realities of Special Education, Teaching Old Logs New Tricks
Character Education
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- Creator: Giangreco, Michael F., 1956-.
- Date Created: 2000
- Description: The cartoon shows a red car with a person sitting in the back driver's-side seat taping a note to the window. The note reads, "Warning! This is a nun's car. If you steal it, you may as well drive straight to hell. God Bless You." The tag line reads, "After a recent theft, Fred posts a warning for those who may not have had the benefit of character education." The acknowledgment tag line on the left reads, "Inspired by Sister Elizabeth Candon."
- Parent Collections: Absurdities and Realities of Special Education, Teaching Old Logs New Tricks
Duck!
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- Creator: Giangreco, Michael F., 1956-.
- Date Created: 2000
- Description: The cartoon is two panels stacked vertically. The top panel shows a teacher talking to a professor. Above the teacher's heads is a thought bubble that shows an aggressive student trying to punch the teacher. The teacher says, "Yo, Doc! What intervention should I use when one of the guys loses it and tries to punch me in the head?" In the lower panel it shows the professor with a thought bubble above his head. It shows the teacher ducking and the a guy throwing a punch that misses his head. The professor says, "My expert opinion would be to duck!" The tag line reads, "Experts get big bucks for consultation to remind folks that 'Intervention' can be effective only before a crisis occurs." The tag line on the left side reads, "Inspired by Ted Carr."
- Parent Collections: Absurdities and Realities of Special Education, Teaching Old Logs New Tricks
The Three Rs
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- Creator: Giangreco, Michael F., 1956-.
- Date Created: 2000
- Description: The cartoon shows a man dressed in a suit from the waist down as he is stomping on three large letters -- all Rs as he is pointing his finger at the letters saying, "Take that!" The tag line reads, "Stomping out the conditions that lead to the 3 bad Rs: Retention, Referral and Rejection." The tag line on the left reads, "Inspired by Joseph Lockavitch"
- Parent Collections: Absurdities and Realities of Special Education, Teaching Old Logs New Tricks
Camp
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- Creator: Giangreco, Michael F., 1956-.
- Date Created: 2000
- Description: This cartoon is in two panels stacked vertically. The images are exactly the same, depicting common summer camp activities. The only difference is how the activities are labeled. In the top panel labeled "Kid's Summer Camp." At this typical camp children have a Sing-A-Long, make Arts & Crafts, go horseback riding, play sports, swim, have a nature hut , and make friends. An happy camper jumps in the in the air exclaiming "I love Camp!" In the lower panel these exact same activities are re-labeled: Music therapy, Art therapy, Horseback riding therapy, gross motor training, hydrotherapy, pet therapy, social skills training, and the exuberant camper, who is now labeled an "Engaged Student" exclaims "I Love Intervention!" The tag line reads, "Disability Lingo Goes To Camp."
- Parent Collections: Absurdities and Realities of Special Education, Teaching Old Logs New Tricks
Achieve All the Standards
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- Creator: Giangreco, Michael F., 1956-.
- Date Created: 2000
- Description: The cartoon shows two school officials, a man on the left who is looking stressed and a woman to his right. The man is holding a huge stack of papers that rise from his waist to above his head. He is saying to the woman, "In order for students to achieve all the standards we'll have to extend the school day to 10 hours, the school year to 240 days, and the students will have to go to high school until age 24." The tag line reads, "School Officials Ponder Their Options: Adjust the standards, adjust the school program or adjust both."
- Parent Collections: Absurdities and Realities of Special Education, Teaching Old Logs New Tricks
Reasonable Affective Disorder
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- Creator: Giangreco, Michael F., 1956-.
- Date Created: 2000
- Description: The cartoon shows a room of people sitting on chairs facing the front of the room where a panel of people sit behind a long table. A sign on the right of the frame says, "Welcome support Group Q & A." A man in the front row puts up his hand and asks, "At a meeting last February I encountered a person who was uncharacteristically sad, moody and unreasonable. How can I handle such a situations in the future?" A person on the panel replies, "Sounds like you encountered a variation on a common problem. For winter meetings, we suggest you bring one of these full spectrum lights." (which he has turned sending a light toward the audience). The tag line reads, "Consumers encounter staff with reasonable affective disorder."
- Parent Collections: Absurdities and Realities of Special Education, Teaching Old Logs New Tricks
Secret Wish
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- Creator: Giangreco, Michael F., 1956-.
- Date Created: 2000
- Description: The cartoon shows a woman sitting on Santa's lap with a Christmas tree gifts in the background. There are children waiting in line to sit on Santa's lap too. Santa says, "You're a bit old for this, but go ahead and tell me your secret wish." The woman responds, "I'd like my child to have a teacher who is welcoming, inspires a love of learning, and sees the value in every child." The tag line reads, "Mary Beth's secret wish is shared by parents the world over." The tag line on the left reads, "Inspired by Mary Beth Doyle."
- Parent Collections: Absurdities and Realities of Special Education, Teaching Old Logs New Tricks
Grain of Salt
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- Creator: Giangreco, Michael F., 1956-.
- Date Created: 2000
- Description: The cartoon shows a man sitting at a dinner table set with plate and utensils. On the plate are papers the top sheet is labeled, "Model Program Report: The greatest thing since sliced bread." The man is seasoning the report with a salt shaker. The tag line reads, "Whatever hype is served up, take it with at least a grain of salt."
- Parent Collections: Absurdities and Realities of Special Education, Teaching Old Logs New Tricks