Learn N Serve #8

After going to learn and serve I left feeling very sad. Every time I regulary go into learn and serve there is one student in particular who always wants me to help her, kind of looks up to me in a way. When I walked into the classroom she was sitting silently looking like she had been crying all day. So I walked over to see what was the matter and she told me that no matter how she dresses, how hard she studies to not be the last one to complete an assignment, that regaurdless students will make fun of her. I told her not to worry about what others think of you, and to only focus on making yourself happy. I told her to go out of her way to just be as nice as you can to those who are picking on her because she is the better person. I think she started to feel a bit better after my talk with her, but I still left really bad.

I think a term that best relates to how she was feeling is Learned Helplessness because she has such low self esteem. It also says in the text that the student feels they can't stop bad things from happening. This would be related to her feeling that nothing she does will make students stop picking on her.

Kirk, S., Gallagher M., Coleman, J., & Anastastiow, N. (2009) Educating Exceptional Children.

(12th edition). Kentucky: Cengage Learning.

Chapter 12 video case

INCLUDING STUDENTS WITH PHYSICAL DISABILITIES:

1. This video was very surprising learning about Lisa. The biggest surprise to me was that she had to learn how to position MaryAnne correctly with her disability and she also had to make sure she felt comfortable in the learning environment. She needed to include her academically and socially. I think Lisa Kelleher did a very good job with MaryAnne, and working well with Danielle Doucette. In an inclusion classroom teachers are expected to meet the needs of each individual student and not to leave any students behind, and give each student equal attention.

2. Danielle was like Mary Ann’s personal mentor every second of the day, she used a “stander” to help her with projects and keep her progressing. By using “the stander” Lisa Kelleher could still perform her duties to the other students.

3. This class has helped me understand that every student is unique in their own ways. I need to be aware of my student’s disabilities and make accommodations to them.

4. This semester I was place in an inclusion classroom. I had students with ADD, and intellectual impairments. I think this was very beneficial to be able to experience different ways students learn, and what teaching strategies are the most beneficial.

5. Students with these specific learning disabilities, such as ADHD, work better with a step-by-step schedule. A schedule and layout will help a student be organized.

ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY IN THE INCLUSIVE CLASSROOM:

1. I have had an experience with working with children who are physically challenged. A former college hockey player in my town was paralyzed from the waist down during his junior year playing in a game. I helped coach a hockey camp, and I had to assist him with teaching the proper stride to the children because he was unable to get on his skate and demonstrate.

2.Our class has seen and read about many assistive technologies. The class even got to use the smart board, which I think is an assistive technology.

3. I think Sara is very patient with Jamie when she speaks to her using the speech output device. She is very patient and understanding, and sets a plan for her to accomplish. I feel Sara's approach is extremely beneficial, and will definitely be useful.

4. This video has showed me how much technology is really out there. There are so many ways we can use when helping a child with disabilities.

5. I think this video was very clear and made a great point to establish that everyone learns at different paces. I am the kind of student who has to go over notes at least three times, although some of my peers can grasp the concept of the lecture just by listening.

Learn N Serve#2

Today learn and serve was very eye opening. I started by helping at 4th grader master his multiplication skills. This classroom is made up of 4th, 5th, and 6th graders. At first, when I went to help the student I stood behind him to see how much he knew. He had no teacher acknowledging him, so the student felt he could copy the answers from the multiplication chart that sits in front of his desk. As soon as I noticed that, I asked the student to try and do the problems without looking at the chart. I then realized how much the student struggled, so I sat with the student and taught him the basics of multiplying numbers. It was very surprising how quickly the student picked up on the skills, and I think if he was given the attention he needs, he would be a much better student.

In the book it states that an intellectual disability has intensity levels and I would put this student into the category of intermittent which refers to support as needed but that is not necessarily present at all times. This student is below average with his adaptive skills, which worries me. This student needs a little guidance and patience from an assistant or helper that should be helping this student in certain areas. I noticed that the student just needs a little more time to process information than the typical student and his accommodations should be met.

Kirk, S., Gallagher M., Coleman, J., & Anastastiow, N. (2009) Educating Exceptional Children.

(12th edition). Kentucky: Cengage Learning.

Week 8 post

Before the video, I came up with three things you need to know when working with parents. You need to what their child's learnings ability is like. You need to understand their back round lifestyles, and what they do in their spare time. You also need to have their children's work for the parents to get a visual of their child's learning abilities.

After the video I noticed that the man in the video kept on questioning the parents why kids act the way they do. I think the reason for this is to get an understanding of where the parents are coming from and their reasoning for children's behavior. During parent teacher conferences student's behavior must be discussed with their parents. This is the only way to get parent's involved with either improving or maintaining their child's behavior. This may come from being more strict at home.

What can you tell me about students with communication, language and speech disorders?

Students with these disorders are unable to send, recieve, and process information. They are unable to make clear and understandable sentences,and have troubles pronouncing words.

What about students with autism?

They have trouble speaking, and problems starting a conversation, and take an unusual interest in certain topics.

what might parents of students with these exceptionalities want to know & understand about their child’s performance at school?

They might want to know how their child interacts with their peers, and if there has been any improvement in their development.

Wadsworth, Cengage Learning; Education Video Cases

Learn N Serve # 3

This week in my learn n serve was very beneficial to my learning experience. I was placed with a child who had trouble writing and had dyslexia. The teacher wanted me to spend time watching her write her story than watch her and see if she notices her mistakes. The first time the child wrote a letter backwards she continued to the next word then stopped and fixed her mistake. I think this shows a lot of concentration within the child's learning. Most students would skip over their careless mistake and not care to double check their work. I explained to the child how, by her double checking her work can lead to her improving her grammar but for her to notice her mistakes more easily.

Next I observed a student with down syndrome try and work on his computer assignment while the entire class was in their as well. I noticed that the child would constantly get side tracked and try and get the teacher's attention by screaming across the classroom his progress. The teacher would then just tell the student to be quiet by screaming back at him across the room. Over and over again the same situation would repeat itself. I think that the student should try a different way to give the student the attention they are looking for but in a more positive way. Maybe going over to the student and explain to them that his peers are trying to finish their work, and he needs to be quiet and encourage him to keep doing well on his assignment. I would suggest points for him to reach, and give him something to shoot for.

I think that the intensity of support for this student should be at the pervasive level. I was only in the room with this student for about ten minutes, but there was no teacher specifically there to attend to him. I don't feel it's necessary for a teacher to be by him side every second of the day, however I feel as though if he had a teacher there to assist him in any way would help benefit the student more.

The pervasive level states, constant high- intensity help provided across environments and involving more staff members than the other categories.

Kirk, S., Gallagher M., Coleman, J., & Anastastiow, N. (2009) Educating Exceptional Children.

(12th edition). Kentucky: Cengage Learning.

Entry #3

What are some characteristics of children with gifts and talents?

There are many different characteristics for children with gifts and talents. When reading chapter 9

it mentioned creativity being the major characteristic. One researcher defined creativity as the ability to generate ideas,

products, or solutions that are considered novel and useful for a given problem, situation, context.

Another characteristic of a gifted child is perfectionism. Some gifted children can slip into depression by being teased by classmates

for getting scores about a 90 or so. Teachers need to be aware of these things when dealing with gifted students.

When being teased by peers teachers need to find a civil way for the normal students get a long with the gifted.

The idea of the picture taking is good in many ways for meeting all the needs of the students in the classroom.

Everyone was capable of doing the activity, and we weren't limited on what

we could or could not take pictures of. Granted we had specific categories that we had to

take pictures of, but the students had the opportunity to take different pictures than other groups and be creative.

Entry #2

How have the courts influenced the development of education services for exceptional children?

The court system has a gradual impact in the lives of exceptional children and families. Free Appropriate Public Education is for students with disabilities who need additional attention. According to chapter two the court system has played a significant role in the lives of exceptional children and their families. I thought that our court system passing the free and appropriate public education act was one of the best things our court system could have done for exceptional students. It entitles all children to a free education and a right to the same advantages that non-disabled students have.

How are special educators using technology in the instruction of the exceptional students?

There are two types of technology that are there to help benefit students with exceptional needs. Assistive technology consists of tools that help the functioning of students with disabilities. Assistive Technology would be a person who is deaf that would have to use hearing aids, which would be assisting the child. Instructive technology includes the computer and help expand the computers advantages it brings. These two types of technology help with the child's learning and help make it more enjoyable for the students. I think this is a great idea to have technology in the classrooms for exceptional students to help build their confidence.

Entry # 1

When is a child considered to be educationally exceptional?

There are several ways to consider a child to be educationally exceptional. One way to tell is if a child differs from the average child in mental characteristics, children that are slower with processing information than the normal student. Another way to tell is if the child's sensory abilities are different, if the child is either deaf or blind.

Communication abilities are apart of determining weather or not a child is educationally exceptional. If a child has autism or has speech and language disabilities. Behavior and emotional development is another crucial way to diagnose a student. Behavioral differences include children who are emotioanlly disturbed. 

Another way is physical disablities, if the child was handicapped.

After reading this chapter I think if a child has an IQ higher than the national average then they should be considered to have intellectual differences. 

If the student continued to participate in the normal classroom things would being to get tedius for the student and could potentially make the student not enjoy school anymore.

How do parents and siblings respond to the presence of a child with disabilities in the family?
Parents and siblings with a child with disabilities tend to act in different ways. Most parents will do anything for their child, even if that means mothering them into their teen years. Some parents become so involved in protecting their child, they forget that the student needs to adapt to normal life as quickly and as well as they possibly can. 
Sometimes its different with siblings rather than parents. Siblings might feel embarresed, or confused to why their brother/sister can't comprehend as quickly as they can. 
At other times siblings might feel like they need to be over protected, which may cause the child with disabilities to feel helpless.
In my opinion, I feel like it's hard to be a parent or sibling dealing with a child with disabilities. I have never had to deal with a situation like that so it's hard to understand what it would be like.
I would try to be as helpful as I could in assisting my brother or sister, but try not to be too overprotective.

Chapter 9

Gifted Child Quarterly

Journal of the Education of the Gifted

Parenting for High Potential

Roeper Review

Chapter 2

Remedial and Special Education

Educational Leadership

Journal of Special Education Technology

Council for Exceptional Children

Entry # 1

exceptional children 
Journal of special education

Teaching with Exceptional Children

Disablilty Resources Monthly