I work with special education young adults (18-26).  I love the students and the work.  I do job training by teaching my students custodial skills.  My philosophy of education for this population has been developing.  I now believe that these students should be as independent as possible.  Anything I can do to make that more possible I commit myself too.  An example is our toilet paper holders.  They were so difficult to open and close that students had to constantly come to me to get them opened.  I was able to inexpensively purchase new ones that operate like the ones in our homes.  I have not had to help a student since.  I look for things that we can take on so they can add more skills to their toolbox (sometimes literally).  We have been sorting recycling.  Space is tight at school and we found an out of the way alcove to put our bins.  The students get the recycling boxes from the classroom and then bring them to the alcove to sort into bins with plastic, paper, cardboard, aluminum and newspaper.  They are good at it and we are helping the planet!  So why am I writing about this?  My administration wants to take this away from my students.  When I asked why, I was told because it has to be dropped off to the recycling center too often.  I now drop it off on my own, problem solved.  Wrong!  Administration now is complaining that they don't want it in the alcove.  So today I will move it into the laundry room.  This is really a test for my administration.  Does she really care about the students and their independence or does she have be in control.  Every staff member tells me the later is true.  I hope she proves them wrong.