Monday, August 3, 2009
Almost there....
I am at the start of my last week of classes for the summer! Yeah! And I got to see my Number One Boy twice this weekend, and we even went shopping for a bit, just the two of us. That was really nice. I think I need to arrange more one on one time with each of the boys. They are, after all, individuals, not JUST a team. Though they do make a good team.
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
I'm a Rule Follower...
I admit it. I follow the rules. It usually works well for me, however I've got two classes right now for which my rule following isn't working 100%. In my Behavior Management class, we have to have a binder with 15 labeled sections. We've been told what the sections are, so I've been able to follow THOSE rules. However, we are being given flexibility as far as into which category each handout goes. ARGH! I can't do that! It is not what Senora Morton taught me! My other class, TAG Methods, we have some much flexibility that, aside from due dates and assignment names, it feels like there are no rules. My professor in that class is totally a creative force, and she thrives with this sort of freedom. I NEED MORE SCAFFOLDING!
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Fall Plans
So...I'm going to take the plunge and accept a long-term subbing position in the Autism room at Junction City High School. I am nervous and excited. Excited because it is an actual job and it is at Junction City, which I love. Nervous because I have NO experience with Autism. If anyone has any advice....I'm open to it!
Philosophy of ESOL Education
A nation’s most valuable resource is its children. Accepting this truism is the first step in building a philosophy of education regardless of your endorsement area. In ESOL, there are two other facts that are paramount. The first is that no country exists in a vacuum. In order to function on the world stage, a nation and its people must be able to communicate with people around the world. To assume that the whole world will speak your language is, at the least, egocentric. To compete in the world market, a nation’s people must be bilingual. The second fact one must acknowledge is that America is great because it is an amalgam of the greatest nations on Earth. No single nation or nationality has everything needed to dominate the world. But, put bits and pieces from all nations together, and you can create the greatest assembly of humanity ever. This is the United States of America.
The future of any country, but especially this one, depends upon its ability to educate its children and to communicate with the world. To deny a people of either of these resources is to relegate them to an eternity of second-class status on the world stage. This is an unfortunate and avoidable fate for any nation, but to set the US up for this fate is inexcusable. With our mix of cultures, America should be able to dominate the world in economics, politics, and humanitarian efforts. However, if we don’t encourage our children to be able to communicate with the world it its variety of languages, it will be easy for the rest of the world to shove us to the back and to ignore us as though we are speaking a foreign language (so to speak). As ESOL teachers and possibly policy makers, we have the unique opportunity to educate American society about this danger as well as to set up a system whereby we can take full advantage of an untapped resource: English Language Learners.
Once we accept the fact that it is of vital importance that we do everything in our power to help our young people become bilingual, it is just a short step to discover a readily available method of achieving this goal: bilingual education for English Language Learners. By educating our ELL students in a bilingual situation we not only equip them to participate in American life by teaching them English, but we enable them to take advantage of a (for them) natural ability and put it towards success in the world market. Ongoing support of these students in their L1 while at the same time ensuring their mastery of English would help us create true bilingualism in a significant portion of the population. Additionally, according to NABE (2004), “Studies have consistently shown that developing ELLs’ native-language skills leads to higher levels of academic achievement, as well as proficient bilingualism and biliteracy.” When we help these students maintain and improve L1 fluency while at the same time achieving academic literacy in English, we are not just enabling these children to function in American society. We are enabling them to be ready for college work in English, bilingual certification in their L1 and English, and a myriad of employment opportunities from police officers, to teachers, to doctors, to diplomats.
When ELL students are not given adequate L1 support and are therefore not enabled to achieve true literacy in their native language, full academic literacy in English is even less assured. By denying these students fluency in L1, we are, in effect, denying them a fair opportunity to become academically literate in English as well. This renders our ELL students illiterate in two languages, instead of allowing them the opportunity to become fluent in two languages. By making this population illiterate two times over, we are virtually guaranteeing them a life of poverty, discrimination, despair, disillusionment, and marginalization. At the same time, we are depriving our society of the contributions these students may have had to offer, if only they had been allowed the tools to learn and communicate. Is the cure for cancer, diabetes, or global warming trapped in a brilliant mind because that child was not given the tools to effectively learn and communicate? We can’t know until all children are allowed to achieve full fluency in their L1 and L2.
Finally, we must remember that America is the Land of Opportunity. And yet, we are allowing our educational system to squander an opportunity that has been handed to us at little expense, and no effort. By creating a bilingual program to serve our ELL students, we would at the same time be creating a bilingual program for all students in our schools. If we utilize bilingual programs and incorporate some immersion philosophies (in the combining of native and non-native speakers in certain situations), we could create a nation on bilingual, bi-literate students.
Resources
"National Association for Bilingual Education - Bilingual Education."
National Association for Bilingual Education. 22 June 2009.
The future of any country, but especially this one, depends upon its ability to educate its children and to communicate with the world. To deny a people of either of these resources is to relegate them to an eternity of second-class status on the world stage. This is an unfortunate and avoidable fate for any nation, but to set the US up for this fate is inexcusable. With our mix of cultures, America should be able to dominate the world in economics, politics, and humanitarian efforts. However, if we don’t encourage our children to be able to communicate with the world it its variety of languages, it will be easy for the rest of the world to shove us to the back and to ignore us as though we are speaking a foreign language (so to speak). As ESOL teachers and possibly policy makers, we have the unique opportunity to educate American society about this danger as well as to set up a system whereby we can take full advantage of an untapped resource: English Language Learners.
Once we accept the fact that it is of vital importance that we do everything in our power to help our young people become bilingual, it is just a short step to discover a readily available method of achieving this goal: bilingual education for English Language Learners. By educating our ELL students in a bilingual situation we not only equip them to participate in American life by teaching them English, but we enable them to take advantage of a (for them) natural ability and put it towards success in the world market. Ongoing support of these students in their L1 while at the same time ensuring their mastery of English would help us create true bilingualism in a significant portion of the population. Additionally, according to NABE (2004), “Studies have consistently shown that developing ELLs’ native-language skills leads to higher levels of academic achievement, as well as proficient bilingualism and biliteracy.” When we help these students maintain and improve L1 fluency while at the same time achieving academic literacy in English, we are not just enabling these children to function in American society. We are enabling them to be ready for college work in English, bilingual certification in their L1 and English, and a myriad of employment opportunities from police officers, to teachers, to doctors, to diplomats.
When ELL students are not given adequate L1 support and are therefore not enabled to achieve true literacy in their native language, full academic literacy in English is even less assured. By denying these students fluency in L1, we are, in effect, denying them a fair opportunity to become academically literate in English as well. This renders our ELL students illiterate in two languages, instead of allowing them the opportunity to become fluent in two languages. By making this population illiterate two times over, we are virtually guaranteeing them a life of poverty, discrimination, despair, disillusionment, and marginalization. At the same time, we are depriving our society of the contributions these students may have had to offer, if only they had been allowed the tools to learn and communicate. Is the cure for cancer, diabetes, or global warming trapped in a brilliant mind because that child was not given the tools to effectively learn and communicate? We can’t know until all children are allowed to achieve full fluency in their L1 and L2.
Finally, we must remember that America is the Land of Opportunity. And yet, we are allowing our educational system to squander an opportunity that has been handed to us at little expense, and no effort. By creating a bilingual program to serve our ELL students, we would at the same time be creating a bilingual program for all students in our schools. If we utilize bilingual programs and incorporate some immersion philosophies (in the combining of native and non-native speakers in certain situations), we could create a nation on bilingual, bi-literate students.
Resources
"National Association for Bilingual Education - Bilingual Education."
National Association for Bilingual Education. 22 June 2009
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
OMG!
So, I got this crazy idea, and I decided to ride my bike to and from class last night. 2 1/2 miles. I am still tired! Not just sore, but TIRED. I'm in class now, but I just might fall asleep. I'm going to try it again: I hope I can manage this!
Friday, May 29, 2009
Konichiwa!
For those of you who don't know, or maybe you're forgotten, my nephews go to a Japanese immersion school in Portland. A couple of weeks ago they got to perform at the school's Spring Festival. I only have one decent video from the day, but I thought I'd share it. So, Ladies and Gentlemen, please make your way down the left side of the page to the section marked "My Family Links" and click on the link for "Ethan Sings in Japanese".
Oh, yeah, Ethan's the one n the middle/front in all black. He's dressed for his Taiko performance later.
Oh, yeah, Ethan's the one n the middle/front in all black. He's dressed for his Taiko performance later.
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Philosophy of Special Education
Nouns dominate the English language. Every person, place, or thing is a noun. The standard sentence structure in English is NOUN + VERB. The first words we encourage our children to speak are nouns: Momma, Poppa. We are a noun-centered culture. But what is a noun, really? It isn’t the person, Momma, who is a noun. The term noun doesn’t really refer to the things around us, it refers to the names we give those things. One’s Momma isn’t a noun, the word, Momma, is a noun. The concept of noun is a grammatical, language construct. In other words, our world is made up if things, and the names we give them are nouns. Without these linguistic identifications, or labels, we would have no means of identifying what things are or what their relationship to the world is.
While general noun-names serve to give a general identification of a thing in our world, the more specific the name, the more we know about the thing. To call something a person tells us something about that thing. To call it a woman tells us a little more. To call it a mother tells us even more, but to call it Momma tells us the most. These names, or labels, help us make sense of a large and sometimes confusing universe. Our minds are designed to categorize things in an effort to make sense of the world around us. This is why names are so important and why labels such as person, woman, mother, or Momma are so vital in our culture. The simple one word label “Momma” is able to convey so much more information than the label “woman”. The same is true of labeling other things in our world: genre of literature, animals, food, cultures, and learning styles or abilities.
In education, just as in other aspects of the world, labeling is necessary. Teachers have so much they need to know about their classes in general and their students in particular that lables are required if teachers are to make sense of their kids and be able to serve them adequately. Some labels are self-evident and therefore are rarely seen as labeling. In a classroom that sits in rows, a teacher might identify a shorter student and put him in the front so that he can be sure to see the board. By the same token, taller students might be seated in the back to avoid their blocking the view of others. The teacher has labeled the students, and they have been treated accordingly. Additionally, a student who wears glasses might be seated near the front, and one who talks too much with his best friend might be separated from that friend. All of these students have been identified, labeled, and treated according to their labels. Because the teacher has been able to label these students, even if it is only in her understanding of them and not on an official document, he or she has been able to create an image of these students in her mind and is able to place them into her world. The same is true of special education labels.
In special education, labels are used to convey books-worth of information about a student in a single word or phrase. While these labels don’t tell the teacher everything there is to know about a student, as Siders (2009) points out, they “…can help them plan on how to best educate that child”. Labeling a child as having dyslexia, for example, gives the teacher tools similar to the one she has when she can identify a child has shorter or taller than most. She has a frame of reference and is less likely to be caught of guard by a problem. By the same token, having a child in a class who is labeled as TAG also helps the teacher understand some things about the student before the year begins. In a school environment where teachers are expected to cater to every academic need, challenge, or deficiency, as well as act as counselor, mandatory reporter, referee, janitor, student, judge, jury, and at the same time make sure everyone passes the test or risk getting fired, any advanced clue teachers can get is a must. The problem lies in when these labels are either misused or overused, and the identity of the student as a whole gets ignored or maligned because of the label. Snow (2005) reminds of this when she reiterates, “Children in school are students and some receive special services” (p.3).
The role of special education and special education teachers goes well beyond the defining and assigning of labels. The purpose of special education is to give support to students who need more support than is generally available in the traditional classroom. This support can take the form of one-on-one attention, modifications, special technologies or tools, or a number of other methods that may not be immediately obvious as alternatives to the untrained regular classroom teacher. The role of special education is not in “fixing” the child or the disability or learning difficulty but, as Hehir (2005) writes, it is in “giving students the supports, skills, and opportunities needed to live as full a life as possible with their disability” (11). Additionally, the special education faculty and staff are available to help the classroom teacher address the needs of the students in special education within the confines of an inclusion classroom. Special educators are not babysitters. They are professionals with specific expertise that can be applied to all learners but are particularly useful for students who have not been successful in a more traditional setting. While the role of special educators is to identify methods and tools needed to help these students succeed, it is the role of the school, as those responsible for educating our children, to implement these recommendations and to ensure everything is being done to help all students learn.
In my opinion, the future of special education is emerging now. A major aspect of this future includes RTI (Response to Intervention). At long last, education is realizing that most students need some academic support at one time or another, but that does not necessarily mean that most students require full-time support as provided by traditional special education methods of identification, labeling, and servicing. By implementing RTI at all levels of education, children with mild difficulties can be helped without the need for lengthy identification processes. Students with moderate or more severe disabilities can be helped within the regular classroom setting and before they have fallen significantly behind. School communities that have successfully made RTI routine can not only help children already diagnosed with learning disabilities but can also provide support for other struggling students in a non-stigmatized manner and before the problems become monumental. RTI has become increasingly feasible because, according to Harry and Klingner (2007), recent laws enable “schools to spend 15 percent of special education funds on early intervention services” (p.21). Additionally, by keeping more of the mild to moderately learning diabled students in the inclusion classroom, more resources can be dedicated to students whose needs are more profound.
As a secondary English teacher who is earning her MAT in special education, I see my goals as going in one of at least two directions. As a special education teacher, my goal will be to help all students in my care achieve to the best of their abilities, even if their abilities are greater than presumed or evidenced by test results or past performances. Furthermore, as the special education liaison within an inclusion team, it will be my job to help the classroom teachers on my team to use all methods at our disposal to help not only the special education identified students, but all students within our team. Together, the regular classroom teachers and I will work with parents and students to make sure everyone understands the difficulties, goals, and methodologies unique to each student.
As a regular secondary English teacher with special education training, I see different goals on my horizon. Since I will be highly qualified in both English and special education, I will be in a position to have a unique impact on my regular and special education identified students. As a regular classroom teacher, I will be on the front line when it comes to identifying possible difficulties. Because of my special education training, I will be better equipped than many classroom teachers to address these difficulties before referring the students for evaluation. Additionally, when these students are recommended for evaluation, I will be well versed in the jargon of special education, and as a result, I may be more able to explain my concerns to parents and evaluators. Once students have been identified and are receiving services, my background in special education will make implementing modifications into my lesson plans easier than it may be for other teachers. Also, I hope that my special education background will make teaming with special education teachers easier, and it may even serve to lighten the loads of these teachers so they can dedicate more time to the students whose classroom teachers may be less confident in their support of students with learning disabilities.
All children can learn. What, how much, and how quickly are distinctions that are unique to each child. Traditional education has ignored this and has focused on education all children to one standard. Students that cannot meet this standard according to a traditional matrix have been largely ignore and marginalized. Special education strives to de-marginalize students who do not meet the standard expectations. This is not to say that special education students are incapable of meeting expectations. Instead, according to Sapon-Shevin (2007) special education strives to assure that “Differences…are not dismissed in the name of standardization, but rather are appreciated and become part of the curriculum itself” (p. 37). Special education can be said to exist to remind all educators that all students are special, and all students can be educated.
Reference Page
Harry, Beth, & Klingner, Janette (2007). Discarding the Deficit Model. Educational
Leadership, February, 16-21.
Sapon-Shevin, Mara (2007). Widening the Circle: The Power of Inclusion Classrooms.
Boston, MA: Beacon Publishing.
Siders, Kaye (2009). Special Education Labels: Necessary or Negative? Retrieved
April 9, 2009, from www.associatedcontent.com/pop_print.shtml.
Snow, Kathie (2005). People First Language. Revised September, 2005, on
www.disabilityisnatural.com.
While general noun-names serve to give a general identification of a thing in our world, the more specific the name, the more we know about the thing. To call something a person tells us something about that thing. To call it a woman tells us a little more. To call it a mother tells us even more, but to call it Momma tells us the most. These names, or labels, help us make sense of a large and sometimes confusing universe. Our minds are designed to categorize things in an effort to make sense of the world around us. This is why names are so important and why labels such as person, woman, mother, or Momma are so vital in our culture. The simple one word label “Momma” is able to convey so much more information than the label “woman”. The same is true of labeling other things in our world: genre of literature, animals, food, cultures, and learning styles or abilities.
In education, just as in other aspects of the world, labeling is necessary. Teachers have so much they need to know about their classes in general and their students in particular that lables are required if teachers are to make sense of their kids and be able to serve them adequately. Some labels are self-evident and therefore are rarely seen as labeling. In a classroom that sits in rows, a teacher might identify a shorter student and put him in the front so that he can be sure to see the board. By the same token, taller students might be seated in the back to avoid their blocking the view of others. The teacher has labeled the students, and they have been treated accordingly. Additionally, a student who wears glasses might be seated near the front, and one who talks too much with his best friend might be separated from that friend. All of these students have been identified, labeled, and treated according to their labels. Because the teacher has been able to label these students, even if it is only in her understanding of them and not on an official document, he or she has been able to create an image of these students in her mind and is able to place them into her world. The same is true of special education labels.
In special education, labels are used to convey books-worth of information about a student in a single word or phrase. While these labels don’t tell the teacher everything there is to know about a student, as Siders (2009) points out, they “…can help them plan on how to best educate that child”. Labeling a child as having dyslexia, for example, gives the teacher tools similar to the one she has when she can identify a child has shorter or taller than most. She has a frame of reference and is less likely to be caught of guard by a problem. By the same token, having a child in a class who is labeled as TAG also helps the teacher understand some things about the student before the year begins. In a school environment where teachers are expected to cater to every academic need, challenge, or deficiency, as well as act as counselor, mandatory reporter, referee, janitor, student, judge, jury, and at the same time make sure everyone passes the test or risk getting fired, any advanced clue teachers can get is a must. The problem lies in when these labels are either misused or overused, and the identity of the student as a whole gets ignored or maligned because of the label. Snow (2005) reminds of this when she reiterates, “Children in school are students and some receive special services” (p.3).
The role of special education and special education teachers goes well beyond the defining and assigning of labels. The purpose of special education is to give support to students who need more support than is generally available in the traditional classroom. This support can take the form of one-on-one attention, modifications, special technologies or tools, or a number of other methods that may not be immediately obvious as alternatives to the untrained regular classroom teacher. The role of special education is not in “fixing” the child or the disability or learning difficulty but, as Hehir (2005) writes, it is in “giving students the supports, skills, and opportunities needed to live as full a life as possible with their disability” (11). Additionally, the special education faculty and staff are available to help the classroom teacher address the needs of the students in special education within the confines of an inclusion classroom. Special educators are not babysitters. They are professionals with specific expertise that can be applied to all learners but are particularly useful for students who have not been successful in a more traditional setting. While the role of special educators is to identify methods and tools needed to help these students succeed, it is the role of the school, as those responsible for educating our children, to implement these recommendations and to ensure everything is being done to help all students learn.
In my opinion, the future of special education is emerging now. A major aspect of this future includes RTI (Response to Intervention). At long last, education is realizing that most students need some academic support at one time or another, but that does not necessarily mean that most students require full-time support as provided by traditional special education methods of identification, labeling, and servicing. By implementing RTI at all levels of education, children with mild difficulties can be helped without the need for lengthy identification processes. Students with moderate or more severe disabilities can be helped within the regular classroom setting and before they have fallen significantly behind. School communities that have successfully made RTI routine can not only help children already diagnosed with learning disabilities but can also provide support for other struggling students in a non-stigmatized manner and before the problems become monumental. RTI has become increasingly feasible because, according to Harry and Klingner (2007), recent laws enable “schools to spend 15 percent of special education funds on early intervention services” (p.21). Additionally, by keeping more of the mild to moderately learning diabled students in the inclusion classroom, more resources can be dedicated to students whose needs are more profound.
As a secondary English teacher who is earning her MAT in special education, I see my goals as going in one of at least two directions. As a special education teacher, my goal will be to help all students in my care achieve to the best of their abilities, even if their abilities are greater than presumed or evidenced by test results or past performances. Furthermore, as the special education liaison within an inclusion team, it will be my job to help the classroom teachers on my team to use all methods at our disposal to help not only the special education identified students, but all students within our team. Together, the regular classroom teachers and I will work with parents and students to make sure everyone understands the difficulties, goals, and methodologies unique to each student.
As a regular secondary English teacher with special education training, I see different goals on my horizon. Since I will be highly qualified in both English and special education, I will be in a position to have a unique impact on my regular and special education identified students. As a regular classroom teacher, I will be on the front line when it comes to identifying possible difficulties. Because of my special education training, I will be better equipped than many classroom teachers to address these difficulties before referring the students for evaluation. Additionally, when these students are recommended for evaluation, I will be well versed in the jargon of special education, and as a result, I may be more able to explain my concerns to parents and evaluators. Once students have been identified and are receiving services, my background in special education will make implementing modifications into my lesson plans easier than it may be for other teachers. Also, I hope that my special education background will make teaming with special education teachers easier, and it may even serve to lighten the loads of these teachers so they can dedicate more time to the students whose classroom teachers may be less confident in their support of students with learning disabilities.
All children can learn. What, how much, and how quickly are distinctions that are unique to each child. Traditional education has ignored this and has focused on education all children to one standard. Students that cannot meet this standard according to a traditional matrix have been largely ignore and marginalized. Special education strives to de-marginalize students who do not meet the standard expectations. This is not to say that special education students are incapable of meeting expectations. Instead, according to Sapon-Shevin (2007) special education strives to assure that “Differences…are not dismissed in the name of standardization, but rather are appreciated and become part of the curriculum itself” (p. 37). Special education can be said to exist to remind all educators that all students are special, and all students can be educated.
Reference Page
Harry, Beth, & Klingner, Janette (2007). Discarding the Deficit Model. Educational
Leadership, February, 16-21.
Sapon-Shevin, Mara (2007). Widening the Circle: The Power of Inclusion Classrooms.
Boston, MA: Beacon Publishing.
Siders, Kaye (2009). Special Education Labels: Necessary or Negative? Retrieved
April 9, 2009, from www.associatedcontent.com/pop_print.shtml.
Snow, Kathie (2005). People First Language. Revised September, 2005, on
www.disabilityisnatural.com.
Another Week?!?!
Again, a week has gone by and I haven't been here to post. Nor have I figured out how to post the promised videos. I am totally lame. I have been working on a power point and philosophy paper, though, so you have to give me props for that, right?
Monday, May 18, 2009
Family Weekend
I just realized that I haven't posted in several days, and they have been busy days. I have been working on my professional observations paper, reading articles, working, doing yard work (Thank you , Doe!) and yet, somehow, I managed to fit in time with my family. I went up to PDX Friday night after work and got to Maya, Micah, and the boys' house at about 10. We visited a bit, and then we went to bed. All day Saturday we were at the boys' school for the annual Spring Festival. The boys go to the Japanese Magnet Program, so the festival is Japanese themed. Ethan, the 2nd grader, performed 4 times: twice on Taiko drums, one with his Kendo martial arts class, and once with his 2nd grade class. Aidan, the Pre-K'er performed once with his class. Video links to follow. We all ate too much mochi, sushi, bento, and Poky. Ethan and I saw Rebecca in the sushi line and watched her daughter play Ode to Joy on the recorder with her 4th grade class. In the evening, we went to the neatest little park that was totally surrounded by woods and creeks. We saw ducks and ducklings and a nutria (video link to follow), and Aidan got "stranded" on a sand bar in the middle of the creek. Needless to say, he was soaked. He spent the rest of the evening running around in his boxer-briefs. Too cute. I got home at 10 Saturday night.
As usual, I had a wonderful, but too short a time with my family. Hopefully, I will get to see more of them this summer. Depends on my school load (aHEM!). Hope everyone had a wonderful weekend, too. See you all Tuesday!
As usual, I had a wonderful, but too short a time with my family. Hopefully, I will get to see more of them this summer. Depends on my school load (aHEM!). Hope everyone had a wonderful weekend, too. See you all Tuesday!
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
I'm Not 20 Anymore!
I need to remind myself that I am not a 20 year old undergrad who can go for days without sleep. It is 3:45, and I have been up for over 10 hours, and it is 7 more hours before I can even head home! I am exhausted, but energized at the same time. If only we could figure out a way to convince high school kids that it is ok to push themselves like this, and figure out a way to get all we need to get done without having to push ourselves like this. To have the energy of a kid with the drive of an adult. What we could accomplish then!
Monday, May 11, 2009
Article Summary: Dale S. Brown's Letter to Her Grandparents
Dale S. Brown has written a wonderful essay which is posted on the website for the Learning Disabilities Association of America. This website is an invaluable tool for parents, teachers and those with learning disabilities. On this site, one can find resources for medical aid, teaching ideas, and support groups for all types of learning disabilities. This article by Ms. Brown falls under the category of support. All parents and teachers of kids with special needs should read this article, as it gives a great insight into the mind of a special education child, especially that of a child who has not been identified. As a child, Ms. Brown dealt with a myriad of disabilities. Everything was hard for her, but in fourth grade, for the first time, she had a teacher who discovered she had a gift. She could write poetry. From that day forward, Dale Brown has written. She has written at least 5 books on disabilities, but this essay , Dale S. Brown's Letter to Her Grandparents, must be the most profound. If all of our students could express their needs and frustrations as clearly as the child version of Dale Brown does, it would save them, their families, and their teachers much angst and heartache. Unfortunately, most of our kids are either too affected by their disabilities, or too mired in the extraneous problems caused by them to be able to communicate on this level. Thankfully, we have Ms. Brown’s article to give us a glimpse into the minds of these often misunderstood, but desperate to be understood children.
Sunday, May 10, 2009
About LDA
Learning Disabilities Association of America starts out their web site by right away letting the viewer know that they are here to help. At the very top of the page, it posts the question that immediately pops into a parent’s mind when being told their child has special needs, “What do I do?”. The Learning Disabilities Association of America site is full of links to professional organizations, parent support groups, teacher support groups, the latest research, books, and other resources. Especially neat is a section on the side that has personal profiles. These are little mini-biographies of public figures who have struggled with and overcome learning disabilities. There needs to be more of this sort of thing throughout the community.
About ODE SpEd Unit
The Oregon Department of Education Office of Student Learning and Partnerships contains a Special Education Unit. This unit supervises the implementation of various Federal Laws and Acts (IDEA 200, FAPE, for example). In addition, the Oregon Department of Education: Special Education site provides links to policies, laws, testing, assessment, transition, and funding, among other official information. Also included in the site are links to resources for parents and students and links to various public and professional publications.
About UCEDD
The University of Oregon Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities, Education, Research, and Service (UCEDD) exists with the intention of providing services to Oregonians with disabilities. These service are intended to help Oregonians lead a higher quality of life. UCEDD’s programs include Education and Community Supports, Disabilitiy Studies Initiative Univerity of Oregon, and an Early Intervention Program. UO Center for Excellence in Dev. Disabilities Education, Research, and Service contains links to services specifically for researchers, family, or other groups, as well as links to various organizations associated with learning diabilities.
Philosophy of Technology Use in Education
As a student, I viewed computers a necessary evil: a nice alternative to the typewriter, but not really my friends. In the 90’s, I discovered e-mail and the internet, but I still viewed technology as something to avoid unless I could use it to play. When I first considered becoming a teacher, I still didn’t view technology as anything more than a personal toy. I used my computer to type papers, send e-mails, chat, and play games.
My technological reluctance was inadvertently reinforced by my school district. When I first started teaching, Dallas ISD could not afford computers for every teacher nor did it require teachers to become proficient at even the most elementary level. However, this changed when my school received a grant to create a language lab. Suddenly, teachers were expected to be able access lesson plans online, keep an online grade book, and submit grades electronically. Staff development was presented using Power Point, and our new curricula called for technology connections. Grudgingly, I was forced to see that technology might have a place beyond typing papers and playing Snood.
Today, while I am still a novice, I use computer technology in many facets of teaching, and I enjoy learning new and different tools to use in creating and implementing lessons. Technology use is of vital importance to teachers for two main reasons, though there are many others as well. The first reason teachers need to become conversant in technology and need to use it in their classroom is the simple fact that we now live in a digital age. Thirty years ago, computer technology was in such isolated use that it could be argued that students didn’t need to be exposed to it or to learn it, as they would never need it. Now, we know that computers are quickly becoming integrated into every business field. As teachers, it is our job to prepare students for the future, and that means computers. We need to be able to use technology so that we can teach it to our students. The second reason teachers need to use technology is a simple matter of survival in the classroom. Today’s students are so digitally savvy and digitally stimulated that it can be incredibly difficult to grab their attention with simple visual aids such as chalkboards or even overheads. As has always been the case in education, the most successful teachers are those who can relate to and communicate with their students. In the 21st century, this means technology.
Since I started teaching, I have always used the computer to create worksheets, syllabi, posters, letters, or any other print media that might previously have been done on a typewriter or by hand. In the past year I have learned to create Power Points, Web sites, Wiki, and Blogs. I can’t wait to use some of these skills in the classroom. I think a blog would be a really great way to keep parents updated on a daily basis. At the same time, it would allow a space for parents to interact with me and each other. It would be a convenient place to keep a copy of the syllabus, class schedule, assignments, helpful links, and expectations. Additionally, I would hope to work in a district where e-mail is a valid means of communication with parents. I also think making Wiki would be fun. I would use Wiki in two main ways: I could create searches of a sort, where the kids read an article I put together, and then they follow the links to find supplemental information. Another fun use would be for the kids to do research projects and put them all together into an article with links to supplemental information that they find. Of course, it is assumed that as an English teacher, my kids would be expected to write papers, and those papers would be typed on the computer and maybe even posted on my blog.
In addition to using technology as a publishing tool, I plan to use technology, specifically the internet, as a learning tool. Whether through Wikia or more “traditional” (in the modern sense) research, the web is an indispensable resource. The creation of Power Points and Wiki by students will not only encourage research skills, but creativity, organization, communication, and public speaking skills.
The beauty of technology, specifically in the forms of Inspiration and Power Points, is the interactive nature of these programs. By being able to create and present moveable lessons, the lessons become active and draw the students into interactions. These tools make visual comparisons, contrasts, and timeline easy to create, display, refer to, focus on, and tweak. At the risk of sounding like a liberal, education becomes entertaining and fun: two ways ideas and experiences gel in our minds. Technology allows for audio, visual, interactive, hands-on, and experiential education. The more senses involved in the learning process, the more solid the learning.
Technology can be even more helpful and necessary when working with students with disabilities. Students with visual impairments can have things magnified or read aloud via computer. Students with dysgraphia or poor small motor coordination benefit from writing programs and mouse-clicks. Students who are non- verbal may be able to direct their mouse to click on icons. Finally, all students will benefit from learning to use a tool that is becoming more ubiquitous every day.
My technological reluctance was inadvertently reinforced by my school district. When I first started teaching, Dallas ISD could not afford computers for every teacher nor did it require teachers to become proficient at even the most elementary level. However, this changed when my school received a grant to create a language lab. Suddenly, teachers were expected to be able access lesson plans online, keep an online grade book, and submit grades electronically. Staff development was presented using Power Point, and our new curricula called for technology connections. Grudgingly, I was forced to see that technology might have a place beyond typing papers and playing Snood.
Today, while I am still a novice, I use computer technology in many facets of teaching, and I enjoy learning new and different tools to use in creating and implementing lessons. Technology use is of vital importance to teachers for two main reasons, though there are many others as well. The first reason teachers need to become conversant in technology and need to use it in their classroom is the simple fact that we now live in a digital age. Thirty years ago, computer technology was in such isolated use that it could be argued that students didn’t need to be exposed to it or to learn it, as they would never need it. Now, we know that computers are quickly becoming integrated into every business field. As teachers, it is our job to prepare students for the future, and that means computers. We need to be able to use technology so that we can teach it to our students. The second reason teachers need to use technology is a simple matter of survival in the classroom. Today’s students are so digitally savvy and digitally stimulated that it can be incredibly difficult to grab their attention with simple visual aids such as chalkboards or even overheads. As has always been the case in education, the most successful teachers are those who can relate to and communicate with their students. In the 21st century, this means technology.
Since I started teaching, I have always used the computer to create worksheets, syllabi, posters, letters, or any other print media that might previously have been done on a typewriter or by hand. In the past year I have learned to create Power Points, Web sites, Wiki, and Blogs. I can’t wait to use some of these skills in the classroom. I think a blog would be a really great way to keep parents updated on a daily basis. At the same time, it would allow a space for parents to interact with me and each other. It would be a convenient place to keep a copy of the syllabus, class schedule, assignments, helpful links, and expectations. Additionally, I would hope to work in a district where e-mail is a valid means of communication with parents. I also think making Wiki would be fun. I would use Wiki in two main ways: I could create searches of a sort, where the kids read an article I put together, and then they follow the links to find supplemental information. Another fun use would be for the kids to do research projects and put them all together into an article with links to supplemental information that they find. Of course, it is assumed that as an English teacher, my kids would be expected to write papers, and those papers would be typed on the computer and maybe even posted on my blog.
In addition to using technology as a publishing tool, I plan to use technology, specifically the internet, as a learning tool. Whether through Wikia or more “traditional” (in the modern sense) research, the web is an indispensable resource. The creation of Power Points and Wiki by students will not only encourage research skills, but creativity, organization, communication, and public speaking skills.
The beauty of technology, specifically in the forms of Inspiration and Power Points, is the interactive nature of these programs. By being able to create and present moveable lessons, the lessons become active and draw the students into interactions. These tools make visual comparisons, contrasts, and timeline easy to create, display, refer to, focus on, and tweak. At the risk of sounding like a liberal, education becomes entertaining and fun: two ways ideas and experiences gel in our minds. Technology allows for audio, visual, interactive, hands-on, and experiential education. The more senses involved in the learning process, the more solid the learning.
Technology can be even more helpful and necessary when working with students with disabilities. Students with visual impairments can have things magnified or read aloud via computer. Students with dysgraphia or poor small motor coordination benefit from writing programs and mouse-clicks. Students who are non- verbal may be able to direct their mouse to click on icons. Finally, all students will benefit from learning to use a tool that is becoming more ubiquitous every day.
51 Hours....
I am now down to 51 hours til this project is due. I got a big chunk done last night, but there is still lots more to do. I also have to get out there and get some census work done. And there is the yard. It has turned into a jungle. Tonight I will be looking at the websites I've scoped out and writing summaries of some of them. Not hard, but it just takes time. 50 hours, 29 minutes...
Saturday, May 9, 2009
Slowly going insane...
This blog project is due on Tuesday, May 12: just 75 hours from now. Notice, I mentioned the HOURS, not the days. Maybe a sign of my mental status? For the past few days until after Tuesday, I will continue to view life in hours, as in "How many hours will I need to do_____?" If it isn't sleeping or work or school, it isn't going to happen. Not enough hours!
I am pretty excited, though. I have set up my observations for Tuesday (of course), but that will at least get them all done in one fell swoop. I'll be observing a resource class, a regular English class w/inclusion, a Life Skills class, and a Foundations for life class, which is somewhere between Life Skills and Inclusion. Sort of a social skills class for mostly mainstreamed SpEd kids. Anyway, I'm excited. These observations are going to be at a school where I hope to get an internship.
SO, enough blogging for the moment. I need to get back to actual work on my blog.
I am pretty excited, though. I have set up my observations for Tuesday (of course), but that will at least get them all done in one fell swoop. I'll be observing a resource class, a regular English class w/inclusion, a Life Skills class, and a Foundations for life class, which is somewhere between Life Skills and Inclusion. Sort of a social skills class for mostly mainstreamed SpEd kids. Anyway, I'm excited. These observations are going to be at a school where I hope to get an internship.
SO, enough blogging for the moment. I need to get back to actual work on my blog.
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Friday, May 1, 2009
Professionalism?
Even though my Blog has a tiny following ("Hi, Babe and Josh!") I have been told that it is unprofessional looking, and the open display of my goofiness (?) could potentially cost me employment! Any thoughts or input? Specifically my Monty Python references and kitty playing with the mouse were mentioned as liabilities. Also cited was a book with the title "All Cats Have Aspurger's". Hmmm.
On a different note: if I hadn't already started a hand-written journal for Rebecca's class, I might have done it here on the blog. But I'm not starting over.
Anyway, it is now time for me to go, but I leave you with 2 final questions:
"What is your Quest? What is your favorite color?"
On a different note: if I hadn't already started a hand-written journal for Rebecca's class, I might have done it here on the blog. But I'm not starting over.
Anyway, it is now time for me to go, but I leave you with 2 final questions:
"What is your Quest? What is your favorite color?"
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
"Are you suggesting coconuts migrate?"
"They could be carried." Special Education is all about looking at what seems to be an insurmountable obstacle, and find a solution however out of the ordinary it may seem. So whether you are a swallow or a robin, just grip the problem by the husk!
My second post
I have decided to rewrite my blog post so as to appear more scholarly. Here goes: Today I received my BAR magazine. There. I'm a scholar.
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