Week 14 - Chapter 12 video posting

***There is more coming to this blog ASAP..

Video 1 Questions:
1. Teacher Lisa Kelleher describes her role as a teacher in an inclusive classroom as being quite multifaceted. Are there any aspects of her role that surprised you or made you envision your future role as a teacher differently? Explain.

Honestly, after working in an inclusion classroom myself, not much in this video was new to me. I can imagine that it must be difficult to work as an inclusion teacher, especially with minimal help. I think it is great that Lisa has Danielle as an aide for MaryAnne, because as we saw in the video with Peter earlier in the semester, there were no additional aides to help him. Obviously there is a huge time change between the two of these videos, but it appears that there have been significant changes made for the better.


2. What skills does elementary classroom aid Danielle Doucette bring to work with MaryAnne, the child who has spina bifida? How does Danielle take MaryAnne's academic and social/emotional development into account when planning activities?

Danielle seemed to be on the ball when working with MaryAnne! She knew what MaryAnne liked to do and didn't like to do, but handled all situations well. She knows that it is important for MaryAnne to not only do well in school academically, but also socially and emotionally. With MaryAnne's new electric wheel chair, Danielle states that it is so much easier for MaryAnne to get around and socialize with the rest of the class. It is important for MaryAnne to feel like an included part of the classroom!


3. What questions has this video raised in your mind about your own familiarity with adaptive technologies for children? How can you take action on Lisa's suggestion that teachers familiarize themselves with how the equipment works (e.g., an electric wheelchair) even before you have your own classroom?

I definitely realize that I too, need to become more familiar with adaptive technologies for children both with and without disabilities. Technology is becoming such a huge part of education, but if I don't know how to use it, I will not be teaching to the best of my ability! I have a cousin in her 30's that has disabilities which prevent her from doing things the same as everyone else. Through her I have begun so see some of the processes that take place. Although Tammy does not have any problems with mobility, I see her adapt to technology in different ways than I may do things or friends or family members would do things. In order to get some hands on experience before I have my own classroom, I would like to help in classrooms that have students with these kind of disabilities. I may also consider looking into activities outside of the school setting which reach out to children with disabilities to help and enhance their lives.


4. In the bonus video, "Encouraging Social Interactions in an Inclusive Classroom," Lisa explains how she makes sure that all students have opportunities to play together, typically through music or art. Can you think of any activities you've used successfully to engage a full range of learners? If not, what types of activities do you plan to add to your repetoire?

I agree with Lisa, and believe that social interactions are very important to the classroom setting. Of course, one of the main objections in a classroom is to learn, however, this does not always mean academic learning, which I think is often times misunderstood. I think that it is also very important that students learn to socialize with each other properly. In a case where there is a child with disabilities in a classroom full of children without disabilities, I can see that this can become difficult. I would make sure that there is a game taking place that the child with disabilities can take part in, and make sure that the other children are accepting of everyone. It is difficult to think of specific examples because I do not have laid out disabilities in front of me, but for example, if a child has a disability regarding movement, I would make sure that instead of playing baseball, we play something like Pictionary, or Shirades, an activity that highlights the strong points of the individual with disabilities so that they too can take part in social activities.


5. The classroom artifact entitled "MaryAnne's Schedule" blocks our MaryAnne's schedule for the day in words and illustrations. How could a chart like this be used more generally to help students with other types of learning challenges (such as ADHD)? Explain.

I feel like this is a great way to map out a schedule for ANY student regardless of whether they have a disability or not. In general, I believe that images help students to visualize the activity that they will be partaking in, rather than just thinking about that activity. In a classroom, there are words everywhere!!! Students can not survive a day without reading. I think this a great thing for a classroom, however, students do need a break from this every once and awhile. I think this could also benefit students with ADHD because it gives them something different to look at. By looking at the same things over and over again, students will be easily bored. Symbols, instead of just words, help to liven up the classroom!



Video 2 Questions:
1. Kindergarten teacher Tony Byers describes his responsibility to teach Jamie, a girl in his classroom who has cerebral palsy, so that she can feel like an equal participant. Have you had any experience in working with children who are physically challenged? If not, how can you gain experience before you have your own classroom?

I have had the opportunity to work with a few students who are physically challenged and therefore need assistive technologies to help provide them with proper mobility. As seen in the first video, this does add to frustrations when working in the classroom. For example, there always needs to be enough room for a wheel chair to move around. This means that the work environment also needs to be kept neat. In a classroom full of 20 students, it is difficult to guarantee that there will always be enough and a clean space.


2. Inclusion facilitator Sara Woodruff is an advocate for assistive technologies. She explains that there are many ways to help children access their voices and their minds as best they can. What assistive technologies--either high-tech or low-tech--have you seen or read about? How and when would you be likely to incorporate them into your teaching?

In the schools that I have done my learn and serve at, they all use computers as assistive learning. Some of them use sounds and some use symbols to help the student to learn about multiple different things, such as animals, math, science etc. A very low-tech assistive technology could be a book that has buttons that identify to different sounds, or have animal fur to help a child associate an animal with a certain feeling.


3. As you watch Jamie complete an activity using a speech output device, what do you notice about the way Sara interacts with her? What can you learn from Sara's approach in general, and the way she describes her goals for Jamie?

When Sara interacts with Jamie she is very excited! By getting excited every time Jamie does something right, Jamie must feel like she is achieving something great. I feel that this is a very good approach when dealing with students, especially students with special needs. By using assistive technology, Sara wants Jamie to be able to access her environment by using her mind, body and voice as best as she can.


4. According to Tony, having Jamie use assistive technology "helps show the other children that there's a wide range of communication capabilities in our population as a whole. Children are shown an alternative way of communicating that is different rather than better or worse." What questions about your own understanding of the potential of assistive technologies has this video raised?

This video makes me wonder how an educator knows that a certain assistive technology is working or is going to work. If a certain technology is not working, how do you know when to change it and what to change it to?


5. In the bonus video entitled "Adapting the Curriculum: Mr. Byers' View," Tony describes the tension he feels between teaching spontaneously and the need to slow down and adapt every lesson for all students. Can you think of any experiences you've had that have created a similar tension? Explain your ideas.

I have seen this take place in the classroom many times. The teacher that I shadow this semester will always explain to me what his intentions are for the day and the lessons specifically, and usually things do not go according to the original plan. Knowing that this will happen will help you to move on when it does happen. If a lesson does not go according to plan, Mr. Stillinger will adjust it for the class so that they have a better grasp on it, however, sometimes this leaves certain individuals confused. This is a constant struggle that anyone can face regardless of whether they teach in an inclusion classroom or not.

Week 10 Blog

Opportunities Unlimited!!

In class we....

In class today, we worked with students from opportunities unlimited! We broke up into groups of 3 and met a new friend. My group worked with Jason! Jason was a really nice guy. He was very respectful, and fun to be around. I think Jason had a good time working with us! First, we walked around campus looking for fun things to take pictures of. We let our creative minds flow and asked Jason to help us as well. Jason came up with some great ideas for the project and enjoyed it when we followed through on his ideas.

I noticed...

I noticed that Jason really liked doing hands on activities. When he did not have anything to do he got easily bored and started zoning out, but when he had something in his hands, or something to focus on, he was very helpful. I think that Jason most enjoyed playing with the puzzle like pieces in the middle of the room. The play-doh was fun, but there's only so much you can do with play-doh.

Opportunities unlimited consists of individuals with special needs. I noticed when working with our friend Jason, and watching other groups work with their new friends, that these individuals did not all have the same disabilities. Chapter 10 addresses children with disabilities in hearing. A disability in hearing can lead to disabilities in language, speech and communication as well. It is important for all students with these disabilities to receive treatment at the earliest stages so that they may communicate with others as best as possible

The Developmental Disability Alliance of Western New York (DDAWNY) is a place where anyone with a developmental disability may go to receive proper treatment and help. This website is designed to include both the individual with a developmental disability as well as this individual's family.

I had some difficulty finding a website that offers the purchase of auditory assistive technology, however I found quite a few websites with information regarding the use of such technology such as cochlear implants. The Medel website allowed me to research cochlear implants myself and learn a bit more about them.

Week 9 Post

LEARN AND SERVE:

This week I went to my learn and serve on Friday (October 30th) to help with the holiday party! It was a lot of fun. I arrived at 8 and the students went to chorus. They were disappointed that they still had to go to chorus even though it was a holiday, but after minimal complaints they went to chorus. After chorus we did some math - LCM's and GCF's, which I am coincidentally learning about in my Elementary Math class (MAT251). I helped with some examples and did some one on one work with the students. Finally after a tormenting 45 minutes of math, the students were ready to start the holiday celebrations! We gave the students 15 minutes to get into their costumes and report back to the classroom. The excitement on these kids faces was priceless!! They absolutely LOVED seeing all their classmates dressed up as barbies, singers and witches and continued to compliment eachother on their costumes. At 12:15 we reported to the gym for the halloween parade!! This was much like I remember!! Each grade took turns marching around the gym in their costumes and singing songs in between each grade. When we got back to the classroom an hour later, we played games like "Wrap the Mummy", and the "Donut Chomp". After much begging, I agreed to play the "Donut Chomp" as long as Mr. Stillinger played too. Shelley, you will be proud to hear, that it was by far one of the most embarrassing moments of my life, but I now know that nothing I EVER do in that class could be considered embarrassing again! :)


You must answer this question:
Have you ever spent time with an adult with a cognitive or developmental disability? if yes, describe and explain

My cousin is 35 and has a cognitive disability. Unfortunately, although of course it is accepted in our family it is not talked about, so I do not actually know what the disability is. Tammy is 35 but has the learning capabilities of a 13 or 14 year old. She is by far one of the most considerate and loving individuals I have EVER met, but of course she is difficult to relate to. Tammy has had seizures since she was little, but takes medications to prevent them from occurring. Unfortunately, some of these medications lead to depression and suicidal thoughts and sometimes suicidal actions. It's been a long journey, but she is doing okay now. She lives in a residential home with other adults with mental disabilities about 20 minutes away from her parents, and has a job working for companies like Bed Bath and Beyond assembling packages for those companies. She has a very different life than the rest of us, and it always amazes me when I visit her just how different her life really is. However, it is nice to see that her life is being lived to its potential and that although her disabilities hold her back, there are programs to help her live life to its fullest.

Week 8 Post

What are the top three things you need to know when working with parents?

When entering into a Parent-Teacher conference, there are a few things I would definitely expect. First of all, the teacher needs to understand that a children are their parents pride and joy. When you're communicating with parents, know this, and talk to them accordingly. Talking only about negative aspects will lead a parent to be defensive and upset. You must also be honest with them. If their child needs help, tell them. Tell them what they can do to help, and what you expect from THEM in order for their child to succeed. Along with this, parents love to hear when their children are doing well! Tell them what their children are good at, not only what they're not so good at. Lastly, be sure to bring examples of the students work with you to back up what you have to say.

After watching the video...

After watching the video Home-School Communication: The Parent-Teacher Conference, I have noted that there will definitely be concerns from the parents perspective. The teacher needs to be prepared for these concerns and know how to address them accordingly. A teacher should also expect that parents often live vicariously through their children. This could result in a defensive parent when talking about negative aspects of their students as well as excitement when the teacher addresses good aspects. Mr. St. Clair had a very positive outlook when talking about this parents child. A parent-teacher conference should not end or begin with out a positive thought. Parents need to know that their children are doing well in school, but also need to know what their children can work on or improve on.

Blog #7

Learn and Serve
My learn and serve placement is going very well! I showed up yesterday and was greeted with a card that one of the students had made for me. It had a drawing on the front of me and Mr. Stillinger, and under the drawing it said "My favorite team!". On the inside it says "Thank you for coming to work with us, you're a good teacher". Days like those, I know I'm making a difference!

I have been assigned a couple students to "watch over". These students appear to be in Tier II of the RTI model. This means that they will need some "enhanced instruction". Mr. Stillinger wants me to be sure to check with them while I'm walking around the room to be sure that they understand what we are doing, following along and performing up to par with the rest of the class. From observations I've made about these students, it seems that they may have ADHD. I looked up some symptoms, and find that these students seem to fall under this category. For example, failure to listen to instructions given to them, as well as failure to complete these tasks. Figity in their seats, they focus more on moving their fingers around as well as kicking things around them. They also have a tendency to get up off their chairs when they are expected to sit in them. Some things that may help these children are one-on-one attention from the teacher, as well as a good nights sleep and basic nutrition.

At Clarence Center, for 5th grade, the students switch classes for Social Studies, Math and Science. Mr. Stillinger teaches Social Studies and is currently addressing maps. For the first class that came in, Mr. Floss' class, he tought the class using the overhead and asking questions. For the second class that came in, Mrs. Espisitos class, I wrote the information on the overhead while he addressed specific questions. By the time HIS class came back, Mr. Stillinger convinced me to teach the whole lesson myself. I was definitely terrified but he said I did a great job!

As hard as it is to get up in the morning, I really do enjoy shadowing this classroom. It has been my favorite thus far and I only hope that things keep getting better.

GUIDED NOTES:
Guided Notes appear to be a great idea for a 5th grade classroom. It allows the students to take notes on specified sections, but not too many notes that they can not focus on the discussion. An example of Guided Notes can be viewed at the Intervention Central website.

Week 7 Quiz

ACT 1
1. Paltry
2. superfluous
3. stoutly
4. tedius
5. faceious


ACT 2
1. Impudent
2. brazen
3. dissembler
4. hypocrisy
5. inoculation

ACT 3
1. Impudent
2. Confounded
3. Brazen
4. Stammering
5. Sullen

ACT 4
1. Laurels
2. Rogue
3. Coxcomb
4. Hasphicholls
5. Izzard

ACT 5
1. Mortifying
2. Cursedly
3. Gibbet
4. Confoundedly
5. Rebuke

Hardcastle: Your Song - Elton John
Mrs. Hardcastle: I'm a Bitch, I'm a Lover - Meredith Brooks/Alanis Morissette?
Kate Hardcastle: Love Story - Taylor Swift
Tony Lumpkin: Lying Eyes - The Eagles
Constance Neville: Secret Lovers - Atlantic Starr



QUESTIONS:
1. This kind of activity is mostly hands on. Despite a few directions, we're basically free to do whatever we want. It helps us to interpret the play in our own way and show that to you.

2. This activity challenged me because I'm not very creative lately. Picking songs was difficult at first, but easy once I got going. It's hard to KNOW the characters just by reading the play, we really need to see it in order to understand it and pick songs that best represent the characters.

3. The audience in 1773 differs greatly from who the audience is today. Because of this, we must adapt this play to the newer audience. This means maybe changing clothing, definitely changing wording, and changing songs as well as some aspects to the play.

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PODCAST ACTIVITY:

1. What kind of activity is this? This activity not only brought me out of my comfort zone.. it TORE me out of my comfort zone. But I feel better having done it. Just as the "She Stoops to Conquer" activity involves much creativity, so does this one. We were told to make a video of only 5 pictures, which at the time was difficult enough, and now we need to add dialogue in our own voices!

2. How does it challenge you? This activity challenged me because I absolutely HATE hearing my voice or seeing my face on a screen! I felt better about it because I did not have to show my face, but I believe I listened to my voice at least a million times before I came up with my final podcast. As a teacher, it is our job to push kids out of their comfort zones, I think this activity did exactly that.

3. What background knowledge are you using to complete this activity? The best part about this activity is that there is no background knowledge needed. On paper, this activity is really easy, the problem is breaking out of your comfort zone to complete it. Before you can expect a student to do public speaking, they should probably complete something like this to help open themselves up to the idea behind public speaking. By doing this activity, they will be much more secure with the way they look and sound to the class and probably be much more willing to take part in public speaking.



BLACKBOARD ACTIVITY:
















1. What kind of activity is this?
Once again, like the rest, this activity is a hands-on, creative activity. Not only do we need to understand the information, but we also need to be able to express this information in a creative way that grasps the readers attention and allows them to retain the information.

2. How does it challenge you?
This activity was not as challenging as the podcast activity, but it still challenged me when it came to coming up with a creative object to portray these disabilities. I found this to be the least challenging of all the activities.

3. What background knowledge are you using to complete this activity?
In order to complete this activity, you need to have enough background knowledge about the disabilities you have picked in order to distinguish 5 important pieces of information to include about the disabilities. However, when in doubt, it helps to look at the book and on the internet for certain websites that may help.

4. How much do you love this Blackboard compared to the other Blackboard?
SO MUCH EASIER! I'm a hands on person myself. If I can't touch it, I don't understand it. It's that simple.

Blog #5 - Loved the Hike!!

HIKE IN THE GORGE
I really enjoyed going for the hike in the gorge last week!!! Not only was it nice to get outside, but physical activity early in the morning, as much as I hate to admit it, makes me feel amazing!! I WISH I had the ability to go to the gym before class each day, my life would be much better if that were the case. Providing students with different surroundings is often one of the best things an educator can do to help their students to learn better. Taking that into account though, one must realize that this is not ALWAYS the situation. Different surroundings may sometimes be distracting for certain individuals which could cause them to focus less on the educator and more on what is going on around them, however, sometimes learning from their surroundings is the best kind of education there can be.
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LEARN & SERVE
I am really enjoying my learn and serve placement this semester! I'm getting to know the kids much better and beginning to understand them much more. The first couple weeks are tough because there are so many students, all with different interests and different methods of learning as well as different personalities. Until you begin to understand each student for who they are as an individual, it is hard to see how they react and add to the classroom as a whole. I hope that by next week I will be able to identify most students individually so that I can get a feel of how they add to the classroom atmosphere.
I don't know if I mentioned in my earlier posts, but this semester I am shadowing MY 5th grade teacher. It's so interesting to be shadowing this teacher because I can remember being in his class. I remember the overheads that he goes over and the packets the students have. I even remember the book they are reading right now. While I watch him teach, I recall the days I sat at their desks and so easily, I remember everything I thought and everything I did. Certain students I can connect with very easily because they remind me of myself, whereas some students I can't quite understand, just like I had confusion when I was in 5th grade, and trying to understand why some students act out and others sit quiet. From a teachers perspective, I can begin to realize why students act the way they do, and upon taking this class, I can begin to use some of the things we learn in class to help identify these students. Until I get to know these students better, it is difficult to do, but I imagine that within the next few weeks this will become easier and easier to do.

** Above is a picture of me when I was in 5th grade. The picture is taken at my Aunt Debbie's house before Thanksgiving dinner! I am on the left, my sister Lisa is on the right.