This week we read about how to handle behaviors in the classroom. We discussed how important it is to make sure that the expectations you want in the classroom are clearly defined and posted on the first day of class. As a teacher, it is my job to know how to take care of multiple different situations when a student is misbehaving and/or behaving.
We talked about PBS and PBIS. PBIS talks about how the class is set up; but more than that it discusses how how you structure your class so that students who have disabilities can function the best and behave properly. Things such as how the desks are set up and what decorations are being used are all factors that go into PBIS.
We talked in class about how we need to replace a behavior we are trying to fix instead of trying to stop or change it. We also discussed how using intrinsic motivators to help out our students instead of extrinsic ones. Each table in the class had to discuss and tell the class about what things could help students and we ended up talking about peer tutors and how peer tutors can help some students learn better than they would on their own. In high school I was a peer tutor and it was neat to see how much of a difference I could make. The student I helped didn't talk but he was very bright and funny. He was very shy but once he got comfortable around me he would come and eat lunch with me and my friends. I did more then just help him with his math, I helped him socialize with his peers. I think peer tutoring is a great way for both students with disabilities and those without disabilities to learn and grow from one another.
We were able to talk about all 13 categories of disabilities and what each one entailed. I have really enjoyed this class and learning more about special education law and disabilities. I feel like I am more prepared and ready to teach when the time comes.
Thursday, July 16, 2015
Chapters 6 and 7- Disabilities
Over the last half of the semester as we have done our group presentations on different disabilities and special needs I have learned a lot. When we discussed poverty and abuse and things like that, it made total sense that those things would be considered a special need. It was really neat to be able to learn more about these needs to help prepare me for the future.
When the group presented on Autism we learned that it is becoming more widely known. There used to be many different forms of Autism, and there still are, but they are all under one umbrella now that is categorized as Autism. I couldn't believe the costs that it takes to support a student with Autism. I knew it was expensive but I never realized how expensive it was. We also got to learn more about learning disabilities. A learning disability can be very frustrating for a student because they may be extremely smart but have a harder time learning in a school setting. Reading is one major struggle these may have; things like dyslexia can make reading anything extremely hard and the students tend to lose focus when that is the majority of what they do at school.
The group that did the speech and language impairments had a really neat activity to demonstrate this disability. They had us play chubby bunny and put 3 marshmallows in our mouth. After we put the marshmallows in our mouths we had to tell a partner three different things about ourselves and our partner had to see if they could understand. My mouth is really small- it has been my whole life. After stuffing 3 marshmallows in my mouth I could not talk. I tried so hard and it was frustrating because I couldn't get out what I wanted to say and my partner could not understand.
Cognitive Impairment was another disability we learned about. Cognitive Impairment includes many different things. This group had us do an activity involving limited motor skills. They taped our fingers together and had us write a sentence or two. It was hard to get the sentence written down all the way before they wanted to move on, and I could see how students with a cognitive impairment could get behind in school and lose focus.
The next presentation discussed emotional and behavioral disorders. A lot of common disorders include: anxiety, depression, bipolar, OCD, and schizophrenia. This group made a really big impression on me because they had us in a group of 4 and gave each of us a disorder. Then they gave us a handful of M&M's and told us each to individually count out the total amount of M&M's using the description of the disorder they gave us. It was so hard to focus on counting because everyone was doing something different and stealing the candy from each other to count it. It made me feel anxious, and it irritated me because no one would leave my candy alone.
ADHD was another disability we talked about. A student with ADHD can have many symptoms and sometimes it may take awhile to see if they persist. It was nice to be able to learn more about this so as a future educator I will be able to tell if the symptoms could be ADHD or if they are just having an off day. We talked a lot about accommodations for these students; some of these include- fidget tools, setting clear expectations, posting expectations, highlighting the key points and helping students focus instead of getting frustrated. One group talked a lot about scaffolding strategies and how these can help the students learn in the best way possible. Things such as modeling, working with a partner/small group and using visuals are all good ways to scaffold learning so that all students are able to learn and grow in the classroom.
When the group presented on Autism we learned that it is becoming more widely known. There used to be many different forms of Autism, and there still are, but they are all under one umbrella now that is categorized as Autism. I couldn't believe the costs that it takes to support a student with Autism. I knew it was expensive but I never realized how expensive it was. We also got to learn more about learning disabilities. A learning disability can be very frustrating for a student because they may be extremely smart but have a harder time learning in a school setting. Reading is one major struggle these may have; things like dyslexia can make reading anything extremely hard and the students tend to lose focus when that is the majority of what they do at school.
The group that did the speech and language impairments had a really neat activity to demonstrate this disability. They had us play chubby bunny and put 3 marshmallows in our mouth. After we put the marshmallows in our mouths we had to tell a partner three different things about ourselves and our partner had to see if they could understand. My mouth is really small- it has been my whole life. After stuffing 3 marshmallows in my mouth I could not talk. I tried so hard and it was frustrating because I couldn't get out what I wanted to say and my partner could not understand.
Cognitive Impairment was another disability we learned about. Cognitive Impairment includes many different things. This group had us do an activity involving limited motor skills. They taped our fingers together and had us write a sentence or two. It was hard to get the sentence written down all the way before they wanted to move on, and I could see how students with a cognitive impairment could get behind in school and lose focus.
The next presentation discussed emotional and behavioral disorders. A lot of common disorders include: anxiety, depression, bipolar, OCD, and schizophrenia. This group made a really big impression on me because they had us in a group of 4 and gave each of us a disorder. Then they gave us a handful of M&M's and told us each to individually count out the total amount of M&M's using the description of the disorder they gave us. It was so hard to focus on counting because everyone was doing something different and stealing the candy from each other to count it. It made me feel anxious, and it irritated me because no one would leave my candy alone.
ADHD was another disability we talked about. A student with ADHD can have many symptoms and sometimes it may take awhile to see if they persist. It was nice to be able to learn more about this so as a future educator I will be able to tell if the symptoms could be ADHD or if they are just having an off day. We talked a lot about accommodations for these students; some of these include- fidget tools, setting clear expectations, posting expectations, highlighting the key points and helping students focus instead of getting frustrated. One group talked a lot about scaffolding strategies and how these can help the students learn in the best way possible. Things such as modeling, working with a partner/small group and using visuals are all good ways to scaffold learning so that all students are able to learn and grow in the classroom.
Friday, July 10, 2015
Lesson 11, Chapter 11 & Group Presentation on Poverty
This week we learned a lot about how to help ELL students. The group that taught us in class started their presentation by speaking in different languages. Immediately many of us in the class started to tune out and do our own thing because we didn't understand what was being said. This was a neat experience because it gave us a chance to really see how easily ELL students become distracted when they do not understand the language very well. We discussed how important it is to really help these students to learn and understand what is being taught so that they are not tuning out and getting bored in class.
I felt that this was a great reminder for us as future educators to be patient and not get upset with things these students do, because they are most likely just as frustrated and don't understand what is going on. They tend to check out because they don't know what is going on. A great way to help these students feel comfortable in our classes is to just make sure that we are doing all we can to help them.
Chapter 11 in the book, which is entitled, "Evaluating Student Learning" goes along really nice with ELL students. I think that it is important as a teacher to help ELL students by accommodating to their needs when giving assessments and things. It talked all about how there are many different ways to accommodate all aspects of school so that a student can get the best help for them.
We also talked in class about how equal and fair are two different things. A student may think that the accommodations for one student are not fair because not everyone in class receives the same accommodations. But, in reality the accommodations are fair, they are just different. A student who needs special accommodations has a reason for those accommodations. As a teacher it is important to remember to keep things fair, not equal so that all of the individual needs of our students are being met.
Teaching One Another
This week I also had the opportunity to teach about poverty with my group. While preparing for this lesson I found it interesting to see the different statistics and rates of poverty around the world and especially in the United States.
After going over some of the different statistics, we went down to the gym for our activity. For this activity, we had 30 different note cards. Twenty of them were white, 7 of them were green, and 3 of them were yellow. Each color represented a different level of money for the students that had them. The yellow cards meant that you were very well off-- you didn't have any needs, you got everything you needed with no problems. The white cards meant that you were average; you had the necessities but didn't live a life of extravagance. The green cards meant that you were living in poverty; you didn't have enough food to eat, you didn't have a way to get to school all the time, you didn't have the money to pay for doctor appointments and things when you were sick. As we went through this activity each student started out on the same line. We then began to read different scenarios out and according to the card color it determined which way you moved- forward or backward. At the end the gap between those who were living in poverty and those who weren't was huge. It was cool for us all to see the effects poverty can have on students.
After that we came back to class and showed a video clip about a boy who told his story about living in poverty. It was really sad to hear how one young man's life changed so much because of poverty. Every aspect of his life and himself changed. Overall, I think our presentation went very well and I think that we were able to help the other members of our class see the effects of poverty and how even though it isn't a physical or mental disability it is still a special need that we will need to be aware of. One thing I would've done different though is going over the resources and helps for these students a little more in depth. I would give my group a 10 because we taught the overall principles of poverty in a way that could be easily understood and we kept the class attention throughout the presentation. I would give myself a 10 because I was able to find an activity to really effectively show how poverty impacts the lives of those living in it. I also was able to help find a handout that showed some of the statistics of poverty.
I felt that this was a great reminder for us as future educators to be patient and not get upset with things these students do, because they are most likely just as frustrated and don't understand what is going on. They tend to check out because they don't know what is going on. A great way to help these students feel comfortable in our classes is to just make sure that we are doing all we can to help them.
Chapter 11 in the book, which is entitled, "Evaluating Student Learning" goes along really nice with ELL students. I think that it is important as a teacher to help ELL students by accommodating to their needs when giving assessments and things. It talked all about how there are many different ways to accommodate all aspects of school so that a student can get the best help for them.
We also talked in class about how equal and fair are two different things. A student may think that the accommodations for one student are not fair because not everyone in class receives the same accommodations. But, in reality the accommodations are fair, they are just different. A student who needs special accommodations has a reason for those accommodations. As a teacher it is important to remember to keep things fair, not equal so that all of the individual needs of our students are being met.
Teaching One Another
This week I also had the opportunity to teach about poverty with my group. While preparing for this lesson I found it interesting to see the different statistics and rates of poverty around the world and especially in the United States.
After going over some of the different statistics, we went down to the gym for our activity. For this activity, we had 30 different note cards. Twenty of them were white, 7 of them were green, and 3 of them were yellow. Each color represented a different level of money for the students that had them. The yellow cards meant that you were very well off-- you didn't have any needs, you got everything you needed with no problems. The white cards meant that you were average; you had the necessities but didn't live a life of extravagance. The green cards meant that you were living in poverty; you didn't have enough food to eat, you didn't have a way to get to school all the time, you didn't have the money to pay for doctor appointments and things when you were sick. As we went through this activity each student started out on the same line. We then began to read different scenarios out and according to the card color it determined which way you moved- forward or backward. At the end the gap between those who were living in poverty and those who weren't was huge. It was cool for us all to see the effects poverty can have on students.
After that we came back to class and showed a video clip about a boy who told his story about living in poverty. It was really sad to hear how one young man's life changed so much because of poverty. Every aspect of his life and himself changed. Overall, I think our presentation went very well and I think that we were able to help the other members of our class see the effects of poverty and how even though it isn't a physical or mental disability it is still a special need that we will need to be aware of. One thing I would've done different though is going over the resources and helps for these students a little more in depth. I would give my group a 10 because we taught the overall principles of poverty in a way that could be easily understood and we kept the class attention throughout the presentation. I would give myself a 10 because I was able to find an activity to really effectively show how poverty impacts the lives of those living in it. I also was able to help find a handout that showed some of the statistics of poverty.
Wednesday, July 8, 2015
Disability Application Day – Fluency Disorder (stuttering)
For this simulation I went to the store. When I got there I asked one of the workers where I could find a particular food item while stuttering to get the question out. It was really hard for the worker to hear exactly what I was saying because we were in a crowded isle and there was a lot going on around us. He told me he didn't get all of what I said, so I had to ask again. This time he paid extra close attention to what I was saying so that he could help me. I could tell he felt bad when I had to repeat my question to him and I was receiving some curious looks from passers-by in the store as I was doing this.
When I got to the checkout I asked the lady at the checkout if I could get cash back and what amounts I could receive the money back in. She was very patient with me for holding up the line as I stuttered my way through the questions. Just like when I was asking where to find something I got some curious looks at the check out which made me more nervous and anxious. I just wanted to get out of the store because the more anxious and nervous I became the harder it became to ask my questions.
I definitely had a hard time with this simulation because I felt so uncomfortable the whole time. I didn't want people to think I was doing it to be funny, but when they starting looking at me I became so nervous that I didn't want to speak anymore. I felt bad that others were giving me looks of pity when I had to repeat the question. Being in the shoes, so to speak, of those who deal with this on a daily level really helped me to realize that it is hard to go out and do things and be social when it is hard to talk. I didn't want pity from others, I just wanted to be treated normal and go about my business without anyone taking notice that I was different. This helped me see that these people who really have these disabilities probably feel the same way. They just want to be seen as normal people and not looked at with eyes of pity or curiosity. What I did was nothing compared to what these people do everyday, but now I have a better idea of what they may feel like and I can make an effort to not treat them that way and help others to realize this too.
When I got to the checkout I asked the lady at the checkout if I could get cash back and what amounts I could receive the money back in. She was very patient with me for holding up the line as I stuttered my way through the questions. Just like when I was asking where to find something I got some curious looks at the check out which made me more nervous and anxious. I just wanted to get out of the store because the more anxious and nervous I became the harder it became to ask my questions.
I definitely had a hard time with this simulation because I felt so uncomfortable the whole time. I didn't want people to think I was doing it to be funny, but when they starting looking at me I became so nervous that I didn't want to speak anymore. I felt bad that others were giving me looks of pity when I had to repeat the question. Being in the shoes, so to speak, of those who deal with this on a daily level really helped me to realize that it is hard to go out and do things and be social when it is hard to talk. I didn't want pity from others, I just wanted to be treated normal and go about my business without anyone taking notice that I was different. This helped me see that these people who really have these disabilities probably feel the same way. They just want to be seen as normal people and not looked at with eyes of pity or curiosity. What I did was nothing compared to what these people do everyday, but now I have a better idea of what they may feel like and I can make an effort to not treat them that way and help others to realize this too.
Learning Disability (Oral expression challenge due to processing deficit)
For this disability I was not supposed to use the letters L or N. I then went to the library to ask where I could find a certain type of book. It was harder than I thought it would be. It took me a very long time to try and say what I wanted to say without using those letters. The lady at the counter also had a hard time trying to figure out what I was asking and how to help make it easier. It took me a very long time to finally figure out alternative words and I could tell that this girl helping me was trying to be of assistance, but she didn't quite know how to respond. She was patient and very kind though.
I also asked someone else to point me in the right direction to find the book I was searching for and that experience was much harder. When I asked the person to stop and help they didn't know what to do. They kind of just looked uncomfortable and didn't know what to do. Eventually I was able to get the help I asked for.
This experience was really good for me to do because I could see how frustrating and hard it is to try and get a simple question or statement out when you can't form and say the words floating around in your head. It will really help me understand what others go through. I know how important it is to be patient in my profession, but doing this really helped stress to me just how important it is. These students get very frustrated when they can't do things and say things that everyone else does with ease, and if I want to help I need to remember that it isn't easy and I need to do all I can to make it easier for the student.
I also asked someone else to point me in the right direction to find the book I was searching for and that experience was much harder. When I asked the person to stop and help they didn't know what to do. They kind of just looked uncomfortable and didn't know what to do. Eventually I was able to get the help I asked for.
This experience was really good for me to do because I could see how frustrating and hard it is to try and get a simple question or statement out when you can't form and say the words floating around in your head. It will really help me understand what others go through. I know how important it is to be patient in my profession, but doing this really helped stress to me just how important it is. These students get very frustrated when they can't do things and say things that everyone else does with ease, and if I want to help I need to remember that it isn't easy and I need to do all I can to make it easier for the student.
Special Needs Fun Run
For my five hours of service I decided to sign up as a volunteer for the special needs fun run with two of the girls in my heterogeneous group. Volunteering for this was a super great experience and it was nice to see how much happiness was brought to others. Volunteering is a great way to start interact with those around you in the community, and since I am going into special education it is nice to have more experience helping those who may have a disability or special need.
We met with the other volunteers on the morning of the race to receive directions about what we needed to do to help. After we were told where to go and who to help we walked to the other end of campus to start setting things up for the finish line. We were able to help set up posters, tables and chairs, decorations, and snacks for when the participants finished at the finish line.
It was so awesome to see the looks on people's faces when they received their medal for finishing the race. There was music playing and the atmosphere was full of energy and fun. I was helping out at the refreshment table and was able to see everyone as they came to collect a snack. There was one boy with special needs that came up to us and he was so excited he had finished the race; he told us that he ran super fast and did a good job. It was so great to see and hear him tell us all about how he felt.
I'm grateful that I had the opportunity to make a difference in someone's life that day. It is amazing to me to see how much happiness can be brought to someone, even when I don't think I am doing that much.
We met with the other volunteers on the morning of the race to receive directions about what we needed to do to help. After we were told where to go and who to help we walked to the other end of campus to start setting things up for the finish line. We were able to help set up posters, tables and chairs, decorations, and snacks for when the participants finished at the finish line.
It was so awesome to see the looks on people's faces when they received their medal for finishing the race. There was music playing and the atmosphere was full of energy and fun. I was helping out at the refreshment table and was able to see everyone as they came to collect a snack. There was one boy with special needs that came up to us and he was so excited he had finished the race; he told us that he ran super fast and did a good job. It was so great to see and hear him tell us all about how he felt.
I'm grateful that I had the opportunity to make a difference in someone's life that day. It is amazing to me to see how much happiness can be brought to someone, even when I don't think I am doing that much.
Friday, July 3, 2015
Lesson 10, Chapter 10
This week we talked a lot about how to help the student learn by using different strategies and acronyms. These acronyms will help students remember different strategies through school so that they will be able to succeed. By memorizing these strategies they will better be able to learn without relying on others and the teacher.
As a future educator in special education I will be able to help my students learn these basic strategies so that in the future as they go throughout their school years they will have the ability to learn and stay more caught up with their peers. A child with a disability has a 10 to 1 fail rate compared to those that do not have a disability. This means that they have a harder time learning and remembering what they are taught. It will be my job to teach my students to the best of their ability so that they will be able to have more success.
We got together in groups during class to share some of these strategies and show the different ways that we can use them in our future careers. My group chose to do the WWW What=2 and How=2 strategy and made it work for second graders. Our group said that to modify and teach this in the best way we would teach the who, what, when and where and then work together and discuss the other components of this strategy. We thought if there was a handout with pictures to help remind students what they needed to remember then they would be able to know better what they needed to know to answer these questions. To put this strategy into practice we would then read a book to the class and let them fill out the different parts by writing or drawing the who, what, when and where.
I really enjoyed this activity in class because it helped me see that there are so many different ways that these strategies can be modified to what we need. It showed us how no matter what we are teaching or doing with these strategies, we can make them work in our favor so we can help the students.
As a future educator in special education I will be able to help my students learn these basic strategies so that in the future as they go throughout their school years they will have the ability to learn and stay more caught up with their peers. A child with a disability has a 10 to 1 fail rate compared to those that do not have a disability. This means that they have a harder time learning and remembering what they are taught. It will be my job to teach my students to the best of their ability so that they will be able to have more success.
We got together in groups during class to share some of these strategies and show the different ways that we can use them in our future careers. My group chose to do the WWW What=2 and How=2 strategy and made it work for second graders. Our group said that to modify and teach this in the best way we would teach the who, what, when and where and then work together and discuss the other components of this strategy. We thought if there was a handout with pictures to help remind students what they needed to remember then they would be able to know better what they needed to know to answer these questions. To put this strategy into practice we would then read a book to the class and let them fill out the different parts by writing or drawing the who, what, when and where.
I really enjoyed this activity in class because it helped me see that there are so many different ways that these strategies can be modified to what we need. It showed us how no matter what we are teaching or doing with these strategies, we can make them work in our favor so we can help the students.
Friday, June 26, 2015
Lesson 9, Chapter 9
This week we had two groups of peers teach us. The first groups taught us about emotional and behavioral disorders. This includes things such as: anxiety, depression, bipolar, OCD, and schizophrenia. I really liked the activity they had to go along with what they were teaching. They gave each small group a handful of M&M's and each person was given a role with a disability. The goal was to be able to count the total numbers of candies that we had. This task was basically impossible to complete because each person had their own personality and issue and without working together we couldn't do it. It was easy to see how a person with these disorders can easily lose interest and become frustrated and distracted. As a future educator I will have the responsibility to help these students learn to the best of their abilities, despite the struggles they may have.
The second group to teach us taught about ADD and ADHD. In one of my other classes this week we also discussed ADD/ADHD. I thought it was great to be on the same page in both classes because both were able to give me a deeper understanding of what this disorder entails and both gave me new insights as to how I as a teacher can help students who have ADD or ADHD. In my future classroom I will be able to use things such as fidget tools, classroom organization, and clear learning expectations to help these students succeed to the best of their abilities. One thing I thought was a great idea is having fidget tools for these students. There are many different typed of fidget tools you can use to help kids let out energy without being a disruption to the learning environment. This group had us watch a video that helped demonstrate how a student who had ADD or ADHD functioned. There was so many things going on in that the brain couldn't hardly focus on just one thing. Everything going on was too much to handle and I kind of just shut down.
I have a sister who suffers from depression and bipolar disorder. There are times when she cannot handle being around crowds and she will go from being really happy and excited to being upset and depressed in a short amount of time. There are some times when she doesn't want to get out of bed. She will lay there and either watch movies/tv shows or just sleep. I can't fully comprehend what she is going through but the more I learn about these disorders the better able I am to help her and motivate her to get up and moving. We all have struggles and sometimes feel depressed or anxious, but if this is a common thing in students that we teach, it is important that we know how to help these students.
We also learned about differentiation this week. What stood out to me the most this week was when our heterogeneous groups taught each other a skill. We, as a group, had to come up with a skill to teach the other group and we had to talk about differentiation and how we could apply that to our skills being taught. My group taught a game; we had beanbags that the students had to toss into a crate in the center of the room from various paper plates placed on the floor. We first assessed the students to see if they knew different throwing techniques and followed up the game with a discussion about which throws worked the best and things like that. We also discussed different ways that this game could be differentiated for students who couldn't see. We decided that partners could be used in various ways to work together so that all students could participate.
The group that taught me, taught us how to make origami boxes. The small group I was separated in, had very good teachers that took time showing us how to do each step and explaining it very well. One of the students being taught in the other group said she had a hard time trying to follow the directions from her teachers. She said that they just kinda did the steps without explaining what they were doing. We decided that while some students may need minimal instruction and can do things by sight, others may be slower learners and need specific instructions to complete their box. I thought that if each group had a sheet with specific instructions as well as pictures of each step, it would be easier for the students to do the task.
Overall, as a teacher it is so important to know that differentiation in teaching is necessary to help all students learn to the best of their abilities. Sometimes increasing time limits, reducing quantity of the assignments, or just explaining in greater detail can be all the differentiation needed to have all students learning in our classrooms.
The second group to teach us taught about ADD and ADHD. In one of my other classes this week we also discussed ADD/ADHD. I thought it was great to be on the same page in both classes because both were able to give me a deeper understanding of what this disorder entails and both gave me new insights as to how I as a teacher can help students who have ADD or ADHD. In my future classroom I will be able to use things such as fidget tools, classroom organization, and clear learning expectations to help these students succeed to the best of their abilities. One thing I thought was a great idea is having fidget tools for these students. There are many different typed of fidget tools you can use to help kids let out energy without being a disruption to the learning environment. This group had us watch a video that helped demonstrate how a student who had ADD or ADHD functioned. There was so many things going on in that the brain couldn't hardly focus on just one thing. Everything going on was too much to handle and I kind of just shut down.
I have a sister who suffers from depression and bipolar disorder. There are times when she cannot handle being around crowds and she will go from being really happy and excited to being upset and depressed in a short amount of time. There are some times when she doesn't want to get out of bed. She will lay there and either watch movies/tv shows or just sleep. I can't fully comprehend what she is going through but the more I learn about these disorders the better able I am to help her and motivate her to get up and moving. We all have struggles and sometimes feel depressed or anxious, but if this is a common thing in students that we teach, it is important that we know how to help these students.
We also learned about differentiation this week. What stood out to me the most this week was when our heterogeneous groups taught each other a skill. We, as a group, had to come up with a skill to teach the other group and we had to talk about differentiation and how we could apply that to our skills being taught. My group taught a game; we had beanbags that the students had to toss into a crate in the center of the room from various paper plates placed on the floor. We first assessed the students to see if they knew different throwing techniques and followed up the game with a discussion about which throws worked the best and things like that. We also discussed different ways that this game could be differentiated for students who couldn't see. We decided that partners could be used in various ways to work together so that all students could participate.
The group that taught me, taught us how to make origami boxes. The small group I was separated in, had very good teachers that took time showing us how to do each step and explaining it very well. One of the students being taught in the other group said she had a hard time trying to follow the directions from her teachers. She said that they just kinda did the steps without explaining what they were doing. We decided that while some students may need minimal instruction and can do things by sight, others may be slower learners and need specific instructions to complete their box. I thought that if each group had a sheet with specific instructions as well as pictures of each step, it would be easier for the students to do the task.
Overall, as a teacher it is so important to know that differentiation in teaching is necessary to help all students learn to the best of their abilities. Sometimes increasing time limits, reducing quantity of the assignments, or just explaining in greater detail can be all the differentiation needed to have all students learning in our classrooms.
Visual Impairment Simulation
This simulation was very difficult for me. As I walked around and tried to do normal tasks that are never difficult for me, I found that it took me twice as long to do them and I was extra cautious as I walked around. It was really amazing to me that even though this wasn't a permanent thing, I still was frustrated with the things I wasn't able to do.
The first mask I put on was the one that gave me blurred vision. As I walked around campus, I was very nervous that I would trip on something or run into something that I couldn't see. I learned to listen to what was going on around me so that I could avoid any mishaps while not having my full vision.
The next mask I put on was the one where you only had one tiny hole in each eye to look through. I became very frustrated with this mask because I was almost completely blind; I had such a small portion of sight available that I tried to get away with doing the least amount of tasks possible because I could hardly see. If it wasn't something I absolutely had to do, I tried to avoid doing it. One of my roommates came in as I was trying to make a sandwich, and laughed at the way I was doing it. My head was at an awkward angle and my face was super close to the food I was preparing, but I had to do it that way because that was the only way I could see. This mask was probably the hardest one to wear because it made my head hurt. I had to have things so close and focus so hard on what I was doing that my eyes and head were hurting from having to strain my eyes.
The mask that had the diamonds in the center, was probably the easiest one for me to use. It was interesting trying to always look to the side instead of straight ahead, but I felt that it was easier to see this way. The mask that had one eye completely blocked and the other one open was kind of difficult too because you only had one eye to look at everything you were doing.
This simulation was a really good experience to see what visually impaired students go through. Although I found myself getting easily frustrated it was good because now I know what it is like and it definitely taught me that I need to have patience with students who don't have good vision. Most students will start out trying but the more reading etc. that they have to do, the harder it becomes to do it and the more frustrated they will get. I am grateful that I have good vision, and will definitely keep in mind what it feels like to lose it so that in the future I can help my students instead of just frustrated them!
The first mask I put on was the one that gave me blurred vision. As I walked around campus, I was very nervous that I would trip on something or run into something that I couldn't see. I learned to listen to what was going on around me so that I could avoid any mishaps while not having my full vision.
The next mask I put on was the one where you only had one tiny hole in each eye to look through. I became very frustrated with this mask because I was almost completely blind; I had such a small portion of sight available that I tried to get away with doing the least amount of tasks possible because I could hardly see. If it wasn't something I absolutely had to do, I tried to avoid doing it. One of my roommates came in as I was trying to make a sandwich, and laughed at the way I was doing it. My head was at an awkward angle and my face was super close to the food I was preparing, but I had to do it that way because that was the only way I could see. This mask was probably the hardest one to wear because it made my head hurt. I had to have things so close and focus so hard on what I was doing that my eyes and head were hurting from having to strain my eyes.
The mask that had the diamonds in the center, was probably the easiest one for me to use. It was interesting trying to always look to the side instead of straight ahead, but I felt that it was easier to see this way. The mask that had one eye completely blocked and the other one open was kind of difficult too because you only had one eye to look at everything you were doing.
This simulation was a really good experience to see what visually impaired students go through. Although I found myself getting easily frustrated it was good because now I know what it is like and it definitely taught me that I need to have patience with students who don't have good vision. Most students will start out trying but the more reading etc. that they have to do, the harder it becomes to do it and the more frustrated they will get. I am grateful that I have good vision, and will definitely keep in mind what it feels like to lose it so that in the future I can help my students instead of just frustrated them!
Wheelchair Simulation
A couple of weeks ago I had the opportunity to do the simulation for the wheelchairs. I didn't realize that it would be as strenuous as it turned out to be. I thought for sure that 2 1/2 hours of being in a wheelchair would be a walk in the park. Little did I know, it isn't nearly as easy as I thought it would be. There were so many day-to-day tasks that were incredibly difficult to do in a wheelchair.
The start of my wheelchair experience began in the Hinckley Building. As me and one of the other girls in my groups for class set out in our wheelchairs we found our way to elevator. Upon reaching the elevator, we found that it was out of order that day. It was amazing to me to see that just one tiny inconvenience for those out of wheelchairs was the difference between being able to leave a building or be trapped there. I thought of how frustrating it could be if I had no other way to get out of the building. After getting the chair down to the main floor of the building, we came across another problem. There is construction going on in front of the main handicap entrance to the building. So we had to wheel all the way to the other side of the building and go clear out of the way to reach our destination. There are many little things that become huge to you when you are in a wheelchair.
As I worked my way through campus I found that there are a ton of stairs, but there is not always an easy route for wheelchairs to get various places. One thing that really stood out to me is how much work steering and controlling a wheelchair can be when you are going downhill or are on uneven ground. It took a lot of effort to keep the chair going straight and at a pace I could easily stop myself at. As I entered through various doors and the bathroom, I found it hard to move past some of the lips on the floor. Sometimes there was just enough of a bump created by the lip that I would get stuck and have to try multiple times to make it in or out of a place.
We entered the I-Center and we realized that there are doors leading into the auditorium that have no handicap access buttons and the handles are so high that a person sitting in a wheelchair cannot open the doors and go through unless someone helps them. Fortunately for me and the girl in my class, there was people willing to help us open the doors. One thing I noticed is that people who didn't know me that thought I was actually in a wheelchair would often look away and avoid eye contact with me. On the contrary, there were many people who offered help to open doors, push us up hills, or just help to get us around. It was interesting to see the two extremes; I definitely understand how it can be frustrating to have people avoid you as well as have people try to coddle you.
Overall, I found this simulation to be very helpful in understanding what students in wheelchairs go through. It is not easy to have to do everyday tasks from a wheelchair. There is a lot of strategy and effort put into getting around in one of those. I actually ended up with some cuts on my hands and a bruise on my arm from trying to navigate the wheelchair. I definitely have a slight understanding of what people in wheelchairs go through, and I for one will definitely be more aware of how I can help make things easier for those who can't walk.
The start of my wheelchair experience began in the Hinckley Building. As me and one of the other girls in my groups for class set out in our wheelchairs we found our way to elevator. Upon reaching the elevator, we found that it was out of order that day. It was amazing to me to see that just one tiny inconvenience for those out of wheelchairs was the difference between being able to leave a building or be trapped there. I thought of how frustrating it could be if I had no other way to get out of the building. After getting the chair down to the main floor of the building, we came across another problem. There is construction going on in front of the main handicap entrance to the building. So we had to wheel all the way to the other side of the building and go clear out of the way to reach our destination. There are many little things that become huge to you when you are in a wheelchair.
As I worked my way through campus I found that there are a ton of stairs, but there is not always an easy route for wheelchairs to get various places. One thing that really stood out to me is how much work steering and controlling a wheelchair can be when you are going downhill or are on uneven ground. It took a lot of effort to keep the chair going straight and at a pace I could easily stop myself at. As I entered through various doors and the bathroom, I found it hard to move past some of the lips on the floor. Sometimes there was just enough of a bump created by the lip that I would get stuck and have to try multiple times to make it in or out of a place.
We entered the I-Center and we realized that there are doors leading into the auditorium that have no handicap access buttons and the handles are so high that a person sitting in a wheelchair cannot open the doors and go through unless someone helps them. Fortunately for me and the girl in my class, there was people willing to help us open the doors. One thing I noticed is that people who didn't know me that thought I was actually in a wheelchair would often look away and avoid eye contact with me. On the contrary, there were many people who offered help to open doors, push us up hills, or just help to get us around. It was interesting to see the two extremes; I definitely understand how it can be frustrating to have people avoid you as well as have people try to coddle you.
Overall, I found this simulation to be very helpful in understanding what students in wheelchairs go through. It is not easy to have to do everyday tasks from a wheelchair. There is a lot of strategy and effort put into getting around in one of those. I actually ended up with some cuts on my hands and a bruise on my arm from trying to navigate the wheelchair. I definitely have a slight understanding of what people in wheelchairs go through, and I for one will definitely be more aware of how I can help make things easier for those who can't walk.
Saturday, June 20, 2015
Chapter 8
This week I took a lot of things away from our class discussions and the presentations and reading. One thing that really stuck out to me was doing the speech impairment activity that a presentation group had us do. We had to put three marshmallows in our mouth and try to tell someone three different things about ourselves. I have a small mouth and literally could not make any words form. I couldn't talk clearly and it got me so frustrated. I finally just gave up. This really put things into perspective for me because it showed me how many children must feel when they are trying so hard but can't get the words out. It is easily frustrating when you are trying to get something out and you can't. There is a guy in my ward who has a stutter and a few weeks ago, he was giving a lesson for home evening night. There were a couple of times that he had to take a quick break and recollect himself so that he could form the words he wanted to say. You could tell that it was a little frustrating for him to have to pause sometimes but every person there was patient and willing to wait without being disruptive. As a future teacher, it is important that I can do that and teach others to wait and not be disruptive to students who may struggle with a speech impairment.
We also discussed a little bit about poverty. Watching some video clips and reading about poverty broke my heart a little bit. Seeing what so many kids have to go through is so sad. I need to be the type of teacher that creates an environment where the kids feel safe and they feel cared about. I need to create a classroom where students don't feel left out and isolated from those that have more. My video clip that I found discussed that some students felt stressed about their home lives and actually began to blame themselves for the circumstances they were in. They blamed themselves because their parents had to pay for them and I got really teary eyed at that. These kids are under so much stress that it effects their school life. As a teacher I may not always know the child's circumstances, but I do have a say in how my classroom will make these students feel. I need to have the kind of classroom that students from situations like these may feel less stressed. I want my classroom to be an escape for these kids, not an added stress.
I really like that we have the chance to go through some of these different simulations and get a glimpse at what these kids go through everyday. It really helps me to be better able to help these kids and understand what they are going through. I also really enjoyed when we talked about how these different disabilities and other circumstances make kids push harder. These kids are strong and many are very independent. We talked in class about how we, as educators, don't need to hold the students hand at every point. We are there to help, but we don't want to become a hindrance to these kids. They need a teacher who is willing to help them and support them, but they also need that teacher to challenge them and help them be successful.
There are so many different kids that come from many different circumstances. Not all will have disability that need special needs. Kids who come from poverty and who are gifted and talented also have special needs. As a teacher, learning and putting myself in their shoes can give me the understanding needed to make me the best teacher for them. I can help these kids by having an inviting classroom that isn't going to increase their stress. I can also have a classroom where no one feels left out or isolated because of their circumstances. As a future educator, I can make a difference by being an advocate for kids who need our help.
We also discussed a little bit about poverty. Watching some video clips and reading about poverty broke my heart a little bit. Seeing what so many kids have to go through is so sad. I need to be the type of teacher that creates an environment where the kids feel safe and they feel cared about. I need to create a classroom where students don't feel left out and isolated from those that have more. My video clip that I found discussed that some students felt stressed about their home lives and actually began to blame themselves for the circumstances they were in. They blamed themselves because their parents had to pay for them and I got really teary eyed at that. These kids are under so much stress that it effects their school life. As a teacher I may not always know the child's circumstances, but I do have a say in how my classroom will make these students feel. I need to have the kind of classroom that students from situations like these may feel less stressed. I want my classroom to be an escape for these kids, not an added stress.
I really like that we have the chance to go through some of these different simulations and get a glimpse at what these kids go through everyday. It really helps me to be better able to help these kids and understand what they are going through. I also really enjoyed when we talked about how these different disabilities and other circumstances make kids push harder. These kids are strong and many are very independent. We talked in class about how we, as educators, don't need to hold the students hand at every point. We are there to help, but we don't want to become a hindrance to these kids. They need a teacher who is willing to help them and support them, but they also need that teacher to challenge them and help them be successful.
There are so many different kids that come from many different circumstances. Not all will have disability that need special needs. Kids who come from poverty and who are gifted and talented also have special needs. As a teacher, learning and putting myself in their shoes can give me the understanding needed to make me the best teacher for them. I can help these kids by having an inviting classroom that isn't going to increase their stress. I can also have a classroom where no one feels left out or isolated because of their circumstances. As a future educator, I can make a difference by being an advocate for kids who need our help.
Saturday, June 6, 2015
Chapters 4 &5
This week in the material I found that the activity where we had the five different simulations to do really helped me see what some children with special needs go through. I think that a lot of times it is really hard to understand what the kids go through and how hard simple tasks can be. The simulation I had the hardest time with was the attention one where we were supposed to place the animal cards where the teacher was telling us, while all around there were many noises that distracted me. These noises became so loud that I could not hear hardly anything the teacher was saying, and I lost interest really fast. I actually ended up not moving half of the animal cards because I could not hear the teacher anyways, so I just gave up. This really put things into perspective for me. As a special educator I am going to have kids that will do the same thing I just did. They won't quit working just because they don't feel like doing the work; they will quit because they are frustrated and getting a sense of what it feels like really opened my eyes. We need to remember that these kids will try and work hard but sometimes it is just impossible under certain circumstances.
When we made the concept map with our heterogeneous groups it really helped me to remember the things from the text. Going over the INCLUDE steps helped me remember a lot better than I would have on my own. Many groups covered the same things, but the repetitiveness definitely helped it to stick in my head. My homogeneous group also got together to study for our exam. We did a lot of review on the cases, making sure we knew which cases went with each IDEA principle. This helped me a ton because I had a hard time remembering all the cases.
Studying for the exam took up a lot of my time this week because I want to make sure I know the material. We talk in class a lot about how important it is to really know and understand the stuff we are learning and I want to do that. When I am a teacher and working with special needs and IEP's and things like that I need to know what the parts are and how everything connects together. I have really liked connecting the cases to the different IDEA principles because it makes the principles stand out more to me. When I have examples to go off of, I can remember all the parts of the principle.
One thing I loved from our reading this week was the classroom organization section. When I read this, it definitely made sense to me because when my room is dark or cluttered I have a hard time being in it and I have to let in the light and clean it up. I focus so much better when things are organized and there is lots of light. It just makes sense that kids function better this way too. As a future educator it is important to remember these little things so that my classroom can function in a way that is best for everyone that is in them.
When we made the concept map with our heterogeneous groups it really helped me to remember the things from the text. Going over the INCLUDE steps helped me remember a lot better than I would have on my own. Many groups covered the same things, but the repetitiveness definitely helped it to stick in my head. My homogeneous group also got together to study for our exam. We did a lot of review on the cases, making sure we knew which cases went with each IDEA principle. This helped me a ton because I had a hard time remembering all the cases.
Studying for the exam took up a lot of my time this week because I want to make sure I know the material. We talk in class a lot about how important it is to really know and understand the stuff we are learning and I want to do that. When I am a teacher and working with special needs and IEP's and things like that I need to know what the parts are and how everything connects together. I have really liked connecting the cases to the different IDEA principles because it makes the principles stand out more to me. When I have examples to go off of, I can remember all the parts of the principle.
One thing I loved from our reading this week was the classroom organization section. When I read this, it definitely made sense to me because when my room is dark or cluttered I have a hard time being in it and I have to let in the light and clean it up. I focus so much better when things are organized and there is lots of light. It just makes sense that kids function better this way too. As a future educator it is important to remember these little things so that my classroom can function in a way that is best for everyone that is in them.
Friday, May 29, 2015
Lesson 4, Chapter 3
Reading through the chapter this week gave me some great insights into collaboration and how important it is for a Special Education teacher. Building good relationships with those you work with and the parents of those who teach can make or break different situations. It is important to make sure that those who you are collaborating with have the chance to speak up too.
This chapter discusses the prerequisites for collaboration which are: reflecting on your personal belief system, refining your interaction skills, and contributing to a supportive environment. These three prerequisites are great helpers to get you to a stage of collaboration that all of us hope to achieve. As a teacher it is important that I know and understand what is going on, that I can communicate effectively with other members of my collaboration group, and also that I do what I can to create a good environment for others to be around.
As we worked in heterogeneous groups and did a mock trial this week it really showed me how much collaboration is needed to be successful and do what is best for the student. The school district and family both had to work together and figure out a solution with the help of the hearing officer.
Also. today doing a mock IEP showed very well how collaboration is used to best help the student who may have special needs. In these meetings all participants must work together and collaborate together to decide the best outcome for the student. As I participated in this mock IEP it opened my eyes more to what I will be doing a lot of as a future educator. I need to do all I can and know as much as possible to collaborate with other professionals and parents.
I especially liked in the chapter when it talked about working effectively with parents. It is essential that the parents are involved in what is happening with their student. The parent need to be understood but they also need to be educated in what is going on. Having parent conferences and open communication is a great way to maintain good collaboration with parents and it helps them so that they understand what is going on. Today during the mock IEP in my group, the specialists and school faculty and staff worked together and made sure that the parents were understanding what they were discussing. They made sure to ask how the parents felt and what their opinion was. This helped the IEP run smooth and everyone walked away happy and aware of the results.
Co-teaching is another big subject I learned about this week, The textbook discussed different methods of co-teaching that help you work collaboratively with another person. There are many different types of co-teaching. Usually this includes a special education teacher and a general education teacher that work together to teach their students and help them get the most out of their learning.
Working collaboratively with others can help you better find and identify the problem and also help you find the best solution. Sometimes multiple pairs of eyes are better than just one pair. As I am preparing to become a teacher it is important that I learn now how to collaborate well with those I work with and interact with. Having heterogeneous groups in class is a good way to practice this because each different major will have a different opinion and perspective on what we are learning, but we all work together to find common ideas and to learn the content to the best of our ability.
This chapter discusses the prerequisites for collaboration which are: reflecting on your personal belief system, refining your interaction skills, and contributing to a supportive environment. These three prerequisites are great helpers to get you to a stage of collaboration that all of us hope to achieve. As a teacher it is important that I know and understand what is going on, that I can communicate effectively with other members of my collaboration group, and also that I do what I can to create a good environment for others to be around.
As we worked in heterogeneous groups and did a mock trial this week it really showed me how much collaboration is needed to be successful and do what is best for the student. The school district and family both had to work together and figure out a solution with the help of the hearing officer.
Also. today doing a mock IEP showed very well how collaboration is used to best help the student who may have special needs. In these meetings all participants must work together and collaborate together to decide the best outcome for the student. As I participated in this mock IEP it opened my eyes more to what I will be doing a lot of as a future educator. I need to do all I can and know as much as possible to collaborate with other professionals and parents.
I especially liked in the chapter when it talked about working effectively with parents. It is essential that the parents are involved in what is happening with their student. The parent need to be understood but they also need to be educated in what is going on. Having parent conferences and open communication is a great way to maintain good collaboration with parents and it helps them so that they understand what is going on. Today during the mock IEP in my group, the specialists and school faculty and staff worked together and made sure that the parents were understanding what they were discussing. They made sure to ask how the parents felt and what their opinion was. This helped the IEP run smooth and everyone walked away happy and aware of the results.
Co-teaching is another big subject I learned about this week, The textbook discussed different methods of co-teaching that help you work collaboratively with another person. There are many different types of co-teaching. Usually this includes a special education teacher and a general education teacher that work together to teach their students and help them get the most out of their learning.
Working collaboratively with others can help you better find and identify the problem and also help you find the best solution. Sometimes multiple pairs of eyes are better than just one pair. As I am preparing to become a teacher it is important that I learn now how to collaborate well with those I work with and interact with. Having heterogeneous groups in class is a good way to practice this because each different major will have a different opinion and perspective on what we are learning, but we all work together to find common ideas and to learn the content to the best of our ability.
Saturday, May 23, 2015
Lesson Three: Special Needs Law and Services
Going into the field of Special Education, it is important to know what goes into it. This includes knowing all about the law and the different services that all come together to make up the field of Special Needs. The last couple of weeks in class we have discussed many times about IDEA and what that entails.
This week I want to talk about how the different principles of IDEA and how important it is for me to know them. As a teacher of young children, I will be a big part of helping those with disabilities get the help they need as they need it. In my heterogeneous group we have talked about the treatment of special needs people before IDEA and other laws were put into place. We discussed that even with all of the changes that have happened, there is still room for improvement where special needs are concerned in education. We may have come a long way from where we were but everyday we can begin and continue to do things that will make a greater difference in the education of those who have disabilities.
There are 6 principles of IDEA. One of those is the LRE or Least Restrictive Environment. This is important because more than just being a place, it also includes the services that are given in an educational environment. There are two prongs (Criteria) that go along with the LRE: 1) did the school do all they could to help keep student in the same setting, and 2) did the school do all they could to keep the student with their peers? As a teacher in special education, it is important to remember that each student needs to be put in the LRE that best fits for them. In order to do this, a teacher must work with the parents and the parents must give their consent to allow for any change or testing to occur.
Another principle and big part of IDEA is Free Appropriate Public Education or FAPE for short. This principle includes giving free and equal education for all students regardless of their physical state; meaning that if a student has to go to a special school or needs anything specific to learn, the school will provide it.
One of the most important things I got from this chapter and lesson is that there are many services and people that go into making sure each student is given an equal education that will best fit their needs. As teachers, it is important to remember that the parents must be notified of any change or any type of test is given to the student; so building a relationship with parents of your students is key to having things run smoother and to give the child the best learning environment and education. I have worked in a special needs preschool and on a special needs bus as an aide, and I can see how much work goes into making sure these laws and acts are being met in schools. As we have gone through this lesson, it is clear to me that knowing and keeping up on special education law and changes to them are key to being the best teacher possible.
This week I want to talk about how the different principles of IDEA and how important it is for me to know them. As a teacher of young children, I will be a big part of helping those with disabilities get the help they need as they need it. In my heterogeneous group we have talked about the treatment of special needs people before IDEA and other laws were put into place. We discussed that even with all of the changes that have happened, there is still room for improvement where special needs are concerned in education. We may have come a long way from where we were but everyday we can begin and continue to do things that will make a greater difference in the education of those who have disabilities.
Another principle and big part of IDEA is Free Appropriate Public Education or FAPE for short. This principle includes giving free and equal education for all students regardless of their physical state; meaning that if a student has to go to a special school or needs anything specific to learn, the school will provide it.
One of the most important things I got from this chapter and lesson is that there are many services and people that go into making sure each student is given an equal education that will best fit their needs. As teachers, it is important to remember that the parents must be notified of any change or any type of test is given to the student; so building a relationship with parents of your students is key to having things run smoother and to give the child the best learning environment and education. I have worked in a special needs preschool and on a special needs bus as an aide, and I can see how much work goes into making sure these laws and acts are being met in schools. As we have gone through this lesson, it is clear to me that knowing and keeping up on special education law and changes to them are key to being the best teacher possible.
Saturday, May 9, 2015
Lesson 2, Chapter 1
Learning about SPED Law this week in class has been really beneficial. I know that going into Special Education will add to the amount of paperwork that I have to do, but I believe that it is well worth it if it means help and protection for those with disabilities.
Seeing the videos about Serbia really made me think about how important laws for special needs are. I was so sad about how bad the circumstances were for those people in Serbia, it isn't right for them to be closed off from the world and stuck inside a facility their whole lives. Everyone deserves the chance to receive an education and to get the help needed to rise to their potential and the laws we have help protect those rights.
In our heterogeneous group in class we discussed these videos and how we felt after watching them. We felt that the reason for many of these conditions was because many people do not know and do not have the training needed to work with the patients living in those facilities. We all thought that if there were more laws put into place, then more knowledge and training on how to deal with those that have special needs could take place.
While learning more about our philosophies and having the chance to rewrite them it was easy for me to see that my thoughts and philosophies will constantly be changing. As I gain more knowledge and work more with education, I will change and so will my philosophies.
The court cases we learned about made it easy to see how much involvement different people have in special education law. Brown VS. The Board of Education was a really remarkable case and one of the most known court cases involving education and how it changed. It made me see just how much I need to be an advocate for these things. I, as a future educator, need to be strong in my opinion to help others and be a strong advocate in what I believe to be true. As I thought about this case over the week, it was clear to me that "separate is inherently unequal" is a very true statement. As an educator I do not want to hold others back because they learn differently or at a slower pace, I want to be able to help them learn their best in a setting that is the same as everyone else. This case and the others we read about and studied show that the laws are very important to know so that help can be given to those who need it.
Seeing the videos about Serbia really made me think about how important laws for special needs are. I was so sad about how bad the circumstances were for those people in Serbia, it isn't right for them to be closed off from the world and stuck inside a facility their whole lives. Everyone deserves the chance to receive an education and to get the help needed to rise to their potential and the laws we have help protect those rights.
In our heterogeneous group in class we discussed these videos and how we felt after watching them. We felt that the reason for many of these conditions was because many people do not know and do not have the training needed to work with the patients living in those facilities. We all thought that if there were more laws put into place, then more knowledge and training on how to deal with those that have special needs could take place.
While learning more about our philosophies and having the chance to rewrite them it was easy for me to see that my thoughts and philosophies will constantly be changing. As I gain more knowledge and work more with education, I will change and so will my philosophies.
The court cases we learned about made it easy to see how much involvement different people have in special education law. Brown VS. The Board of Education was a really remarkable case and one of the most known court cases involving education and how it changed. It made me see just how much I need to be an advocate for these things. I, as a future educator, need to be strong in my opinion to help others and be a strong advocate in what I believe to be true. As I thought about this case over the week, it was clear to me that "separate is inherently unequal" is a very true statement. As an educator I do not want to hold others back because they learn differently or at a slower pace, I want to be able to help them learn their best in a setting that is the same as everyone else. This case and the others we read about and studied show that the laws are very important to know so that help can be given to those who need it.
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