Who will help the bully and the bookworm? Mike Spalsbury, hopefully, at a school near you

By Kathleen Kenna

Mike Spalsbury is so likeable, it only takes a brief chat online to get comfortable.

One follow-up call confirms he’s the kind of guy you would trust with your children — that is, if education cutbacks weren’t affecting everyone who helps youngsters.

Mike Spalsbury

The trust issue is critical, because Mike, 40, has been working with children and teens for more than two decades.

At 17, he discovered his life’s passion, working as a summer camp counselor.

“I had 70 kids a week at this little camp, and there was one boy with Down Syndrome.  He was my absolute favorite,” Mike says by phone from Michigan.

“It was the first time I had worked with a child who had special needs or differences.  I knew then that’s what I wanted to do.”

Mike specialized in therapeutic recreation while studying for his Bachelor’s degree in Education. He graduated with a specialty in experiential education.

“I’ve spent the better part of my adult life trying to provide recreation for kids of varying developmental and physical abilities,” he explains.  “I spent 11 years with the YMCA and have been trying over the past two years to establish an experiential education program within the public school system.  Unfortunately, budget, space and time restrictions have slowed me down.  The programs are ready to be implemented, but the timing hasn’t been right.”

Mike has been unemployed for two years, trying to convince public school boards to hire him for once-weekly education programs.  They can be tailored for physical education, intellectual exercises, or a combination of both.

Only individual schools have hired him on short-term contracts so far.

Yet Mike clearly has a lot to offer, at a time when America is seeking solutions to an increase in youth violence.

Take the case of the bully and the bookworm.

The latter boy weighs 70 pounds; the bully, much more.

Mike put the boys together in an experiential adventure with a group of children of diverse ages and abilities.

The goal: Work together as a group to solve a common problem.

The problem:  Help each other to get over a fence, regardless of ability or age or weight.  The last child must be helped over the fence by the group too.

Conclusion:  Kids always help each other, and they always succeed in getting everyone over the fence.

“I can’t say what they do after, but during the time they’re with me, the bully and the bookworm work together, as a single group,” Mike explains. “For one or two hours, they’re coming up with solutions together.  I’ve seen it happen time and time again.”

Mike has worked as a camp counselor in California too, working with adults with developmental disabilities, from the ages of 18 to 80.

He’s concerned that public spending cutbacks are reducing such programs around the country, strangling jobs like his.

“Money in Michigan is a huge issue,” Mike says.  “Unfortunately, I’m a victim of this economy.”

Michigan’s unemployment rate is almost 10%, compared to the official national rate of 8.6%.  (Unemployment is actually much higher, since these numbers reflect only those workers collecting, or registering for, unemployment insurance.)

Cutbacks have led to higher classroom sizes of 30 to 40, and the long-awaited “mainstreaming” of special needs children (those “who need a little extra attention,” Mike says) means they’re often shunted away from busy classrooms to unused space for “study hall.”

There’s no studying or learning, “nothing experiential,” Mike acknowledges. “It’s very, very difficult.  These kids are completely ignored.”

It seems especially cruel when Mike’s self-stated goal is “to erase the stigma of special ed,” to help children labeled as different by society, to be accepted by others.

“My dream job is to direct an experiential education program ( a co-op ) for kids of all abilities under one roof,” he says. “Regardless of  the limitations or difference the kids may have, they will have a safe, inclusive place to grow while enjoying great therapeutic recreation.”

Public school officials have been enthusiastic, but the rough economy means “hands have been tied,” Mike says.

“I’d like people to know how dedicated and driven I am to make my program ideas happen,” he emphasizes.  ” My aims and passions are real and while I’ve been lucky enough to be a part of some amazing programs, I think I have a lot to offer with my own ideas.”

Mike sees similarities across vulnerable populations in the U.S. while unemployment remains high.

“Remove the words ‘special needs’ and fill in the blanks with your own choice — homeless veterans, for example — of someone who is different from the rest of society.  That’s what is happening now,” Mike says.

“I’m trying to stay optimistic,” he adds. “This work is always incredibly satisfying.  It’s the little things that make it so satisfying.”