Blog #2 Chapter 1
This chapter is so full of great information.
The idea of inclusion has become synonymous with integrating hardcore special educated kids. But in reality, an inclusive classroom is one that doesn't tolerate bullying or doesn't allow a shy student to sit silently or doesn't let an apathetic student wallow in inactivity. To be inclusive means just what it says...to get EVERYONE included, and that might simply be to be sure your lesson is engaging, active, and integrates ALL TYPES OF LEARNERS! That's why I integrate diverse learner activities with this chapter. To be a great teacher, you have to reach every child (if you can). Set expectations high but give the tools to achieve them. If your class is full of kinesthetic learners, then lessons should be active. If there are kids who are auditory AND visual, then make sure all lessons have a listening and viewing component. It's SO important to know who your students are, how they learn, and what may connect with them. Within this chapter, you get some insight into the IEP process, into how disabilities are served in public schools, and various philosophies and ethics of meeting those needs. For your blog, you'll tell me a couple of things you learned, a few things you already knew, and how this information can help you be/become a better teacher or professional or human being...
Before you complete any of the diverse learner activities, you'll take the surveys (in the OneDrive Week 1 folder or on Moodle), watch my video in Dropbox so you can see what these look like, go through the packet I posted in the Diverse Learner folder, and then you will be making some of your own! THESE are the real activities you will do in your own classroom, so be thinking about how you can integrate this information into your future classroom!
Respond to each other's blogs and use this as an opportunity to have conversations as you can. :-)
When the blog is due, your responses to your classmate will always be due with the next 48 hours, unless someone is late to blog.
The idea of inclusion has become synonymous with integrating hardcore special educated kids. But in reality, an inclusive classroom is one that doesn't tolerate bullying or doesn't allow a shy student to sit silently or doesn't let an apathetic student wallow in inactivity. To be inclusive means just what it says...to get EVERYONE included, and that might simply be to be sure your lesson is engaging, active, and integrates ALL TYPES OF LEARNERS! That's why I integrate diverse learner activities with this chapter. To be a great teacher, you have to reach every child (if you can). Set expectations high but give the tools to achieve them. If your class is full of kinesthetic learners, then lessons should be active. If there are kids who are auditory AND visual, then make sure all lessons have a listening and viewing component. It's SO important to know who your students are, how they learn, and what may connect with them. Within this chapter, you get some insight into the IEP process, into how disabilities are served in public schools, and various philosophies and ethics of meeting those needs. For your blog, you'll tell me a couple of things you learned, a few things you already knew, and how this information can help you be/become a better teacher or professional or human being...
Before you complete any of the diverse learner activities, you'll take the surveys (in the OneDrive Week 1 folder or on Moodle), watch my video in Dropbox so you can see what these look like, go through the packet I posted in the Diverse Learner folder, and then you will be making some of your own! THESE are the real activities you will do in your own classroom, so be thinking about how you can integrate this information into your future classroom!
Respond to each other's blogs and use this as an opportunity to have conversations as you can. :-)
When the blog is due, your responses to your classmate will always be due with the next 48 hours, unless someone is late to blog.
To start off, I am shocked at how oblivious I have been to the special education system and the large number of disabilities that are dealt with. I also think it is incredible that the number of students being served in special education classrooms doubled between 1976-1977 and 2006-2007. To me, this shows an area of improvement within our education system, it also indicates areas that our future teachers should be well prepared in. It is obvious that services for students with disabilities is and has been evolving.
ReplyDeleteAs far as defining students with special needs goes, the majority of student disabilities are made up of intellectual and learning disabilities, as well as emotional and behavior disorders. Most schools use the inclusion model to work with students who have disabilities, therefor it is extremely important that all teachers are able to adapt their curriculum and approach their class in an extremely inclusive and diverse manner (to suit all students needs).
I plan on using the information I have learned in this chapter in my own classroom in a few different ways. I think with starting off by involving the parents and gaining their support for an inclusive model would be helpful. The attitude I have in my class and specifically with the inclusive model I use will be important in the help I provide for the students. I hope to keep my classroom engaged while also making sure my students with disabilities are properly suited to learning what I have to teach. Taking extra time to plan out my lessons with certain activities (those directed towards certain learning styles) would only prove to be helpful and worth the extra time.
I agree that our education system has shown great improvement in the area of special education, I didn't realize how oblivious I was to it all too! I think the most important part of being successful with inclusion is creating that sense of community between classmates, parents, and other teachers. If everyone feels that their opinion is important, there can be input from various sources on how to help a specific student, rather than just the opinion of the teacher. It also sways from conflict and negativity that would put setbacks to helping students become academically successful. What grade are you wanting to teach?
DeleteI would love to teach anywhere from grade 1 to 4. I observed 30 hours in a 3rd grade classroom this past semester and absolutely fell in love with that age group.
DeleteAnna, I love that you are going to include parents. They are their children's first teacher, so often they need to be educated as well. If not, they then will be a wonderful ally.
DeleteI first found it very surprising that there was not equal education opportunity to children with special needs until the 1970s and 1980s, but believe our system has come a long way in creating programs that support those with intellectual disabilities. There are also federal laws, such as IDEA, Section 504, and ADA that provide a strong legal base appropriate for students with disabilities of all kinds.
ReplyDeleteAlthough I was familiar with the idea of inclusion and that teachers played a big role in making this possible for students in a classroom, I didn’t know that a teacher may very well play the most important part in inclusion. Teachers must facilitate acceptance of students with disabilities, provide services to ensure academic success. On top of these, a teacher must have appreciation of student diversity, pay attention to curricular needs of each student as an individual, give effective instruction and management, and show support and collaboration with other teachers.
Since teachers do play such a big role in inclusion, there are many things in this chapter I will be able to use in my future classroom. For starters, introducing students with disabilities appropriately when first included in the general classroom to keep from negativity in the beginning. I know it is very important to create a sense of community and social acceptance, so I can do this by having/showing a positive attitude. It is also important to collaborate and communicate with other teachers to better understand how certain students learn best so we can help them be more successful.
I appreciate that you mentioned the federal laws that accompany this aspect of the education system. I think the legal bases that back up to students is important in their search for the best education. You listed a couple ideas that teachers try to focus on when practicing inclusion, these are so very important to a quality education to students with disabilities. Creating a sense of community is a great way to encourage involvement and I admire your wanting to include that in your classroom!
DeleteOne thing to keep in mind as you all are learning about diagnosed special needs is that a huge percentage of kids have undiagnosed special needs. Not to mention, many kids need differentiated instruction just to create an inclusive environment that reaches everyone. Shyness will never be labeled as a disability but for kids who suffer from severe shyness (or even moderate), it is highly disabling. They don't participate in whole group discussions, they get lost in the shuffle of various activities, so how the teacher accommodates instruction will play a huge role. Small groups white boarding or even having a blog in a face-to-face class allows shy kids to have a voice. These inclusions will also help autistic kids who often won't talk in class! Remember that most accommodations that we make will help or facilitate learning in quite a few different types of kids!
ReplyDelete