Assignment 10a - A Beautiful Mind

1) Provide a brief plot line.

"A Beautiful Mind" is a wonderful story about a brilliant man who has schizophrenia. He eventually finds out in adult hood that several key people in his life are actually not real. That a large part of his life has been completely imaginary. The movie does not reveal this to us until he finds out he has schizophrenia and this in turn gives us, the audience, the insight into what this condition is like.

2) What important messages are within the film that are important to teachers?

An important message that I got from the film is that many conditions and disabilities are hard to see from the prospective of others. As well that sometimes even those with the conditions or disabilities may go through many years of struggle never knowing that they had it. This was the case with me and my ADD/ADHD I went undiagnosed till mid high school; so this movies situation is one I can minorly relate to.
We as teachers need to not only learn to see from the prospectives of those with specific conditions but must also learn to see that not all people are always aware of their conditions and how they may differ from the norm.

Assignment #9, Feb 14

Please provide a reflection on your learning in Ed3602.

What parts of the course are meeting your needs as you think about serving students with special needs in your classroom?

I really enjoyed the focus on the inclusion method of teaching and found the video’s we watched at the beginning of the classes were very helpful in illustrating inclusion methods.

How much better prepared are you today than 5 short weeks ago?

I feel that I have learned more about conditions that could be affecting my potential students and that I am now able to approach situations with these concerns more professionally. I believe I will be better equipped to create an inclusive classroom.

Are there changes that you would recommend within the course to improve its nature?

I did not get as much as I would have liked to out of the web assignments. I founded them to be more busy work then educational at times. Clearer reasoning to us as students as to the learning objectives behind the activities would have been use full; preferably in verbal form the week before.

What are the roles and responsibilities for all teachers in a classroom?

To perform the contractual obligations of their contract and terms of employment. To teach and a help students to grow. To continue to better yourself as a teacher.

What are the roles and responsibilities for teachers of students with exceptional needs?

To perform the contractual obligations of their contract and terms of employment. To teach and a help students to grow. To continue to better yourself as a teacher.

What is inclusion? Inclusion means that everyone belongs but it is often used only in the context of educational settings, or including students with exceptional needs into a “regular” classroom. A question that often arises is; what are the benefits of inclusionary settings? Please outline in a few sentences how you would describe an inclusive setting to someone who is not an educator {for example, a parent}.

An Inclusive setting is one in which all students learn together and all students are given the same opportunities as every other student, regardless of any special needs they may have.

2.

Identification of students with exceptional needs in Alberta. In order to determine whether a learner requires the services of special education, what decision-making would be undertaken at the school level? Please skim the Alberta Education document Special Education Standards to note what steps would need to be taken. Record your information in bullets or as a chain of events.

School boards must:

a. develop and implement written procedures for early identification,

referral and assessment of students with special education needs

b. involve parents and, when appropriate, students in the screening,

identification and referral process

c. request information from parents that is relevant to students’

education when students enter the education system

d. provide information to school staff and parents that describes

characteristics used to identify special education needs of students in

one or more of the following areas:

• physical

• behavioural, i.e., social/adaptive

• communicational

• cognitive/intellectual

• academic

e. make available, as early as possible, training for staff that will

enhance the school board’s ability to identify and program for

students with special education needs

f. develop or utilize formal and informal checklists, screening tools

and/or standardized assessments that will assist in the early

identification of students.

3.

Four key areas are defined within the Special Education Standards document: access, appropriateness, accountability, and appeals.

· What is the meaning of each of the four terms (see the upper section of each page)?

· What does this mean for you as a teacher?

Access

Students with special education needs are entitled to have access in a school

year to an education program in accordance with the School Act. Students

with special education needs receive adapted or modified programming that

enables and improves learning.

To me this mean students with special needs need special help and need to have access to that special help.

Appropriateness

Educational programming and services are designed around the assessed

needs of students and are provided by qualified staff who are knowledgeable

and skilled.
To me this means students who receive special help for their needs should have help from people qualified to help their specific needs.

Accountability

Accountability is the obligation to answer for the execution of one’s assigned

responsibilities.

To me this means you as a teacher must do what your contract and terms of employment state.

Appeals

Timely, fair and open processes protect the rights of students and parents and

address differences of opinion about the education of students with special

education needs.

To me this means that students and parents have a right to have input about a students education.

4.

Who are the children who are considered to be students with special needs in Alberta schools? You may be surprised with how some of the statistics “cluster” around particular categories of exceptionalities.

· Please list the top 4 categories (grades 1-12) and note 2 categories that have decreased over the past few years. Referring back to the Coding Criteria – briefly define each of these (6) exceptionalities.

· Briefly note your prediction as to why there has been an increase in some areas of exceptionality and a decrease in other areas (2-3 sentences).

Top 4

54-Learning Disability - A problem which alters information processing when learning.

42-Severe Emotional/Behavioural Disability – A problem controlling behavior and emotions. (ie. Outburst, Anger problems)

51-Mild Cognitive Disability – A mild problem with cognitive information processing and retrieval.

80-Gifted and Talented – A student with higher then normal abilities to process information.

2 that have decrease

54-Learning Disability - A problem which alters information processing when learning

80-Gifted and Talented – A student with higher then normal abilities to process information.

I believe it is due to medical technology and advances in science that have helped decrease some. Then ignorance about new technology and food processing that effects children’s growth that has caused increases others. Children watching too much tv and playing on computers. Preservatives and new ingredients to foods. This is my opinion.

6.

Open the IPP document you just downloaded. Read the twelve essential elements required within an IPP? (See page 24 within the PDF).

· List these twelve essential items within your blog (you may copy as well).

Essential Information

The Standards for Special Education, Amended June 2004 requires that the

following essential information be included in the IPP:

• assessment data (diagnostic assessment data used to determine special

education programming and services)

• current level of performance and achievement

• identification of strengths and areas of need

• measurable goals and objectives

• procedures for evaluating student progress

• identification of coordinated support services

• relevant medical information

• required classroom accommodations

• transition plans

• formal review of progress at regularly scheduled reporting periods

• year-end summary

• parent signature to indicate informed consent.

7.

Read pages 28 to 34, which provides some detail on each of the above essential elements.

· Give your own example of a strength, an area of need and a measurable goal based on the reading and examples provided.

· Give one example of an accommodation strategy.

Strength – Is very creative and like to write stories

Weakness – Has trouble focusing on activities he does not enjoy.

Measurable Goal – Student will be able to complete homework in a troubling subject every night for a week.

Accommodation strategy – student will be asked to come every day during week for a brief homework session with the teacher.

9.

Very briefly browse the remainder of the document (very briefly as it is HUGE).

· Find a chapter that you find most relevant.

· Give one example of a strategy you feel is most salient to you.

Chapter 6

Use a collaborative process

• Educate parents and students about the benefits of using

accommodations. Be honest about the difficulties students may

encounter.

• Involve relevant specialists in selecting appropriate accommodations

based on their knowledge of students’ strengths and areas of need, and

the demands of the setting.

• Ask parents and students about their preferences regarding

accommodations. Respect parents’ and students’ opinions and attitudes

toward accommodations. If the student is not comfortable with an

accommodation, it is important to revisit his or her strengths and

supports, and then brainstorm alternative accommodations that the

student will commit to trying for a period of time before the next review

meeting.

There is a saying that goes “It takes a village to raise a child”. I believe this is true, it is not and should not be the solo responsibility of anyone person to help a child gorw, develop, and learn. That is why the use of a collaborative process is important to me.

Jan 21

1. First, provide brief reflection on those learnings from the course that you feel have been most helpful in your development as a teacher:

I have learned much in this class about how to approach, interact, and help students with disabilities of all kinds. I have also started to learn what it is like to be disabled in other ways aside from my own personal learning disabilities. This insight will be a extremely helpful tool throughout my teaching career and my life.

2. Second, provide brief reflection on those learnings that still need 'brushing-up' -- possibly on your own or possibly in class.

One aspect that I think I will need a lot of getting use to will be the people first language. Not that I don’t agree with it, I do, but it is faster and easier to say the “disabled child” then the “child who has a disability”. It will take time and effort to accustom myself to using the longer yet more people first approach. I am also curious to know if people first language should be used for more positive titles such as “honors student” or “Dr. Smith”. If it is more appropriate for negative then why not for positive?

3. Finally, provide brief reflection on specifics you hope to see in the last half of the class.

I think it would be good to see actually blank IPP forms and documents so we will know what to do with them when we come across them out in the schools. I feel this is very important so that we can maintain our professionalism.

Today in class we had our test and I thought it was a good solid test that tested us on the useful and core knowledge of the subject matter. I was worried about it going in because of the amount of material we had to study for the test and in the end I felt like my studying was too broad and that I could have focused in more.

Jan 16

What are three key areas within differentiated instruction that you envision that you will need to focus upon initially?

One area of differentiated instruction that I thought to be useful was idea of setting up a system for getting help. This would allow a series of steps for the students to follow to try to get help with their work without going directly to the teacher. Too often in classrooms the teacher is made out to be the only source of information and help. Another great aspect I saw was in Describing tasks, making sure not to overwhelm students with multiple sets of instructions but instead having written or recorded instructions that are clear and precise. Also the idea of using time and space flexibly, making sure that you can use the classroom as a whole and that you can allow more or less time for activities if needed. These are three area’s which I plan to implement into my teaching right away if possible.

I cam into today’s class feeling much better then I did last class. But I found that a lot of the other students were on edge. The professor told us about the cancellation of the IPP workshop and that we would be making the time up through extra work we would be given; this upset a lot of people. We already have lots of work we have to get done and schedules to keep. This is a very intensive and condensed program and many of us have planned out our semester in an attempt to balance home life and school. When changes are made to that and work load is increased it is a natural thing to be upset.

Once the beginning introduction to class was over we began to watch the rest of the video on differentiated class rooms. It was very interesting and informative and I got a lot out of it. It was interesting to see the junior high/high school take on differentiated class rooms; since that is the grade levels in which I wish to teach. After the video we went through a lecture and discussion on differentiated instruction. This lecture and discussion fell apart for me on a few levels. The biggest was when some issues were raised in which a student disagreed with the professor and the discussion erupted a bit. Should students and parents be told about codes, was the big question. I fully agreed that they should know; at least once the student has reached an age to understand the problem. Yes there is the whole issue of students and parents being upset but when it is for the sake of the student’s growth I say do it! We have no problem giving students numbers and labels that represent them in other ways; ie. report cards, letter grades, honor rolls, probation.

Teachers can do everything in the world to try to help students, but in the end students are the ones who have to walk through the doors teachers open. It is much easier to take the steps to help yourself if you understand that you have a problem. I was terrible in school until I found out about my disability; I thought I just wasn’t smart. But after finding out about my problem I was able to see it and over come my learning disability and realize how great I could really be. As well having the number from the coding system I think would help kids discuss their personal learning problem with a teacher without having to speak in private. If I went up to a teacher and wanted to let them know that I have ADHD without the whole class finding out by saying “Mr.Teacher I have ##”. Society has become to sensitive for it’s own good in some ways. I just hope that it doesn’t continue to becoming so sensitive that people are afraid to speak without a script for fear of offending someone.

Jan 14

What are John Elder Robison’s strengths and what are his challenges?

John has Asperger’s syndrome, this causes him to have socialization problems. He was strong enough too tough through it most of his life until he was finally diagnosed with his condition. People did not understand him and drew preconceived notions about him. People told him he was bad and that he could become a criminal if he didn’t change. But he couldn’t change it was part of who he was.

Describe some of the approaches you would use as John's teacher when he was a youth.

Unfortunately when he was a youth people were very biased and did not know about certain conditions. Teachers had less training and corporal punishment was still allowed. I would like to think that I would have not been abusive to him, but when the education system is breathing down your back to do something we teachers willing fall in line. Even now we are doing it. Who is to say that all the sensitivity and inclusion won’t turn out to be a terrible idea later on down the road? I could make the future generations soft or all students could lose out on experiences because too much funding was given to special needs. Not that I am saying this is true but something like this could happen. But as for John in a class room today. I would show understanding and take the time to understand him and his condition better. I would work towards having him become part of the classroom community just as if he was any other student. As well if possible I would educate the class on such conditions as Asperger’s syndrome. People are more tolerable of things which they are knowledgeable about; people fear that which they do not understand.

Today I was not having such a good day. I had a rough weekend which spilled over into this Monday class. The book store had been out of the text book I need for this class so I had not gotten the readings done. As well spent the first half of class doing jigsaw chapter work from the text and we had not been told that we need to bring our text book to class. How can the university expect us to be able to do our work if they do not provide enough of the required text books for everyone? It is craziness.

The first thing we did was the jigsaw chapter work. The group moved at much to fast a rate for those who didn’t have text books. I got nothing out of any of this work and it only succeeded in frustrating and confusing me. It is a good thing I use to be a psych major before my last degree and that I was able to later catch up on all the work and readings I missed. University should not be about killing your students with work, but about training and understanding. I feel like I am working against the school instead of with it and that is a horrible feeling for any student. It is hard to try to live up to the expectations we are told we have to live up to when the education system teach us doesn’t follow the same standards of teaching.

After this we watched a video about differentiated classrooms and how they function. It was very informative and I got a lot out of it. Though the differentiated classroom is idle it can be a very hard environment to maintain day after day; especially if you have a difficult class. I would not go out and try to turn any class I teach into a differentiated class right away. A classroom is something that must develop and evolve. There is no one right way to run a classroom. But I do believe that elements of the differentiated classroom would be great additions to many classroom environments.

Jan 9

How will this change of models affect your classroom?
It will make it more challenging but if handled well with aid and training can be an extremely rewarding experience for all. Yes the work load will increase but the difference I can make as a teacher wil be that much greater.

What are your thoughts with regard to these changes?
I think inclusion is a wonderful thing for all students disabled or not. It will create awareness and will help everyone to learn to grow together into a more accepting and understanding society.

Do you have initial ideas on how you will accommodate these changes?
With the help of aids and inclusion of these students needs into lesson planning; hopefully in a way so it does not take away from the education of any other students. Equality would be the purpose of inclusion in my classroom, not slowing down or completely changing the learning process of the entire class for one student.

Today in class we did a most interesting station group workshop of sorts. We were in groups at our tables and had to go through several stations. In these we were given simple tasks with difficult restrictions. These tasks helped us to get a better feel for what it is like to be disabled or have a learning disability. We a station that had us doing eye tests with disabling goggles on. We had a station that had us trying to cut shapes out with our off hands while wearing heavy gloves.
I think the station that hit me the most was the reading station. At the reading station we had to read several different types of material that helped use understand how reading disabilities made students feel. It has always been hard to understand how students have so much trouble with reading and understanding what they are reading. I have never been much of a reader myself but I have never found it hard to do. Struggling through some of these reading exercises really helped me gain insight into these students. I only hope I can keep this understanding with me as I go out into the teaching world. Then among these reading challenges I found one that I had always heard about and seen throughout my life, it was braille. I had never actually tried to read it before this time though and I was fascinated by it. I tried really hard to read it but my group had to move on before I had read the whole passage. This was a little upsetting cause I really wanted to continue trying. I will have to go to the curr lab and see if I can find some learning braille books. I should have figured that I would like braille though since I have always liked sign language as well. As a teacher and an actor learning how to communicate in more ways then just seeing and hearing is very interesting to me and I hope to explore these further.