waltertore
2515 posts
Sep 08, 2012
8:00 AM
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the Newark Advocate did a story on my special education class today. If you need a positive story for your soul here is a link. This is a 20 year dream come true. It is very moving to be able to do such work. Walter
article/video
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walter tore's spontobeat - a real one man band and over 1 million spontaneously created songs and growing. I record about 300 full length cds a year.
" life is a daring adventure or nothing at all" - helen keller
4,000+ of my songs
continuous streaming - 200 most current songs
my videos
Last Edited by on Sep 08, 2012 8:16 AM
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Old Hickory
51 posts
Sep 08, 2012
8:25 AM
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What a great concept you came up with Walter. You should be proud of yourself knowing that at the end of the day you're making a huge difference in their lives. I can see schools all over the country using this program as a model. 2 thumbs up!
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waltertore
2516 posts
Sep 08, 2012
9:02 AM
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Thanks Old Hickory! Yes this program is making a difference. I sit back here as I type and try to imagine what life would feel like if I had over a 90% chance of never holding a full time job. This single thought has inspired me to build this dream to reality. The struggles I hit with trying to get spontobeat accepted by the music world trained me well in being tenacious and I have had to work countless hours to convince people of this concept. My program was shut down a dozen times in Ca and I had to rally the community to board of ed meetings and such to get it back again. Most educators just do like has been done whether it works or not. That mindset has been almost as challenging to sway as the music world to spontobeat.
I forwarded the story to the networks, talk shows, etc,
with hopes this concept will get national exposure. That will open peoples eyes to how easy it is to make this group of people into a success instead of failure. Our schools have failed this population since they were mandated into public schools back in 1975. Just think if you went to you childs first day of school and the principal told everyone that 10% or less of the children would ever get a job! But in Special Education people make believe this will magically get better after they go through 12-15 years of remidial academics often at the 1-3rd grade level when they are in their late teens! When I quit music fulltime and went to college to become a teacher I was speechless with what they taught me to do in the classroom. I had to redo the entire special education training courses when we moved to california from austin. So I got 2 doses of that stuff and then my masters in Special Education allowed me to focus on what is successfull for the cognitively delayed population. Simple answer- entry level, repetitive work, which is the hardest slot to keep filled in a business. My students will work these jobs till the day they die and be as proud as we are of our careers. Anyway, I am glad I was called to work with this group. I am not very well liked in certain special education circles because I call out the pink elephant of denial about the reality of these kids disabilities - thanks! Walter
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walter tore's spontobeat - a real one man band and over 1 million spontaneously created songs and growing. I record about 300 full length cds a year.
" life is a daring adventure or nothing at all" - helen keller
4,000+ of my songs
continuous streaming - 200 most current songs
my videos
Last Edited by on Sep 08, 2012 9:09 AM
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Oisin
980 posts
Sep 08, 2012
9:04 AM
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Walter you're an inspiration to us all in your work and music.
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Oisin
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waltertore
2517 posts
Sep 08, 2012
9:07 AM
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Thanks Oisin! Like Helen Keller said- "Life is a daring adventure or nothing at all". I never can understand how most people settle on middle of the road, don't shake the cart, jobs, lives. We all possess the greatness to change the world if we follow our heart blindly. One can have career, love, passions, and at the same time do meaningful work to help those that didn't ask to be born into the body and life they were. I could never work a job that had no social service connection. Build a better pencil and make millions? Man that is crazy but where most people aim to land.............. Walter
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walter tore's spontobeat - a real one man band and over 1 million spontaneously created songs and growing. I record about 300 full length cds a year.
" life is a daring adventure or nothing at all" - helen keller
4,000+ of my songs
continuous streaming - 200 most current songs
my videos
Last Edited by on Sep 08, 2012 9:11 AM
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Old Hickory
52 posts
Sep 08, 2012
9:18 AM
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That's what I admire about you Walter. You don't suck up or fit anyone's mold and you could care less what others think. You just keep on doing what you feel in your heart. I know those kids appreciate it.
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waltertore
2518 posts
Sep 08, 2012
12:34 PM
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OldHickory: I am driven to what do what I do. I have no high morals so to speak but if I go against my heart it results in immediate depression, stress, and uptight, so I have learned to be what is inside me because it just plain feels good! Walte r
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walter tore's spontobeat - a real one man band and over 1 million spontaneously created songs and growing. I record about 300 full length cds a year.
" life is a daring adventure or nothing at all" - helen keller
4,000+ of my songs
continuous streaming - 200 most current songs
my videos
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