Entry 5 (chapter 4)

Since we did not have class this past week, I thought I would discuss in this blog entry the importance of being able to identify children with learning disabilities in a classroom setting.

One of the important topics in chapther 4 was the discrepancy model. One major problem I have with the model is one that is touched on in the chapter; "discrepancies between IQ and achievement/performance may exist for any number of reasons; thus, this approach is really just helping us find children with 'unexplained underachievement' that may, or may not be due to a learning disability"(pg. 112)
What this quote is saying is something I agree with 100%. Even though it is very important to be able to identify an exceptional student early on, (as we learned in chapter 3) being young can also be a disadvantage. Students could have enviromental influences that cause them to not be motivated in school, not care to do well, and just flat out not care about school at all, therefore causing the teacher to believe the student is struggling with material and believe it could be a learning disability, when in reality it is just the mind set of the student not wanting to learn. This goes into what was discussed later in the chapter: "Not all children with academic problems have learning disabilities" (pg. 124) Which further supports my point that even though the model, and detecting disabilities at a young age is critical to providing the best education and support system for the child, sometimes it can be misleading.

I was told that for this post, I had to include a Podcast...which involves a webcam..which I do not have. I was told if I do not have a webcam, to include a powerpoint slide show..which I also do not have. = [
INSTEAD!! I figured I would show that I know how to include a movie by adding a sample video that came with my computer...yes, I know what you're thinking..."A sample video?" but hey!! at least I am "Tech Savay!!" YAY!! = ]

PS!!! My answer to "What is service learning?"
"Service-Learning is a teaching and learning strategy that integrates meaningful community service with instruction and reflection to enrich the learning experience, teach civic responsibility, and strengthen communities."
Yes...I googled the answer. = ] CLICK ME
why is service learning important to me?
I believe that service learning is much like what Niagara does with education majors: Learn and Serve. Because the integrates education majors into the classroom to observe, and take in the enviroment of the classroom and really see if this is the career that they want for the rest of their lives!! In a way teachers do influence their students with civic responsibility and to stregthen communities just be teaching children within the community.

Entry 4 (Chapter 3)

In class last thursday we discussed chapter 3 and the importance of early childhood intervention. My reaction to the reading is that I became very aware of how important it is to be aware of the warning signs and catch "abilities" at the earliest stages possible.

What I found the most interesting were all the studies that were conducted to evaluate the long term effects early intervention had on children. The results of those who did attend pre-school, and those who did not were astounding. Those who did partake in the study and did go to pre-school ended up with a greater percentage of going to college, landing higher paying jobs, and becoming more socially adaptive to their surroundings. Early intervention has come a long way in the past few decades and starts even before the baby is born. Pre-natal care is essential to a healthy baby!!

Class activity wise, I enjoyed going out and taking pictures, it allows everyone to express their own creativity and gives everyone a chance to stretch their legs in the middle of the 3hour class. I also really appreciated how Professor Mclaughlin took time to speak with us one on one to discuss our own personal interests and the goals we wish to accomplish etc. etc. I think that made a difference in the class. Professors in college dont typically take time away from class to sit and discuss with their students anymore, nor do they care to accomplish some sort of connection with them. I do really enjoy all the crazyness of our classroom, and the great personality and energy Shelley brings to the classroom so early in the morning!! Very inspiring for a future teacher to experience.

Here are some good websites to check out!
CEC Home page
WNY Parents

Entry 3 (chapter 9)

1) What are some special problems of gender for students with gifts?
2) How do public schools define children with gifts and talents?
3) Define and discuss the concept of twice exceptional.

1) Some problems of gender for students with gifts lie mostly within the female aspect. Many girls are forced to believe that they must conform to an accepted standard of femininity, and conforming to that standard does not allow them to be independent, risk taking, develop to their full potential, or to be assertive, and only allows slight room for competitiveness. With these factors hindering the development of a gifted student, which most times includes, determination, persistence, hard work and desire to succeed, it is very difficult for a female to succeed without following the social norm. In society females are perceived to be passive, modest, dependent, nurturing and unselfish. Due to these standards, many women are on either side of the extreme in their adult life. Meaning that most women fall under two categories; homemakers and full time career holders. This coincides with the obligation for young girls to not feed their giftedness, but to instead hide it to fit in.

2) Public schools define children with gifts and talents as "Children and youth with outstanding talent to perform, or show the potential for performing, at remarkably high levels of accomplishment when compared with others of their age, experience, or environment. These children and youth exhibit high-performance capability in intellectual, creative, and/or artistic areas, possess an unusual leadership capacity, or excel in specific academic fields. They require services or activities not ordinarily provided by the schools. Outstanding talents are present in children and youth from all cultural groups, across all economic strata, and in all areas of human endeavor." (Pg. 288)

3) Twice exceptional are children with disabilities who have gifts and talents, other wise stated as "presence of both giftedness and a learning disability." An example of a child with twice exceptionality would be one who has been diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome. This child may have a difficult time communicating with his peers, but on an intellectual level, he may be years ahead of the rest of his classmates. Overall, he may need assistance with his social adaptation, regardless of his academic proficiency, even though academically he may need to be challenged more.

The reason I chose this picture is because it demonstrates multiple examples of how to teach students with different needs. It has an example of how a student can make a 3-D representation of what he may be learning in order to understand it better (the houses) it also has drawings, some black and white and others with color. This demonstrates different interpretations and how to express the student's personal understanding from what they may be learning in the classroom. And finally, it has words, which is a different expression of understanding. A certain student may correlate words with facts better than he does pictures with facts.

Entry 2 (chapter 2)

1) Identify and briefly explain the six key principles of PL 94-142, the Education for All Handicapped Children Act.
2) How did passage of PL94-142 place substantial pressure on public school systems?
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1) The six key principles of PL 94-142 are:

Zero Reject

Nondiscriminatory evaluation

Individualized education program

Least restrictive environment

Due process

Parental participation

Zero Reject can be explained by stating "all children with disabilities must be provided a free and appropriate public education."

Nondiscriminatory evaluation can be explained by stating "each student must receive a full individual examination before being placed in a special education program, with tests appropriate to the child's cultural and linguistic background."

Individualized education program can be explained by stating "an individualized education program (IEP) must be written for every student with a disability who is receiving special education. The IEP must describe the child's current performance and goals for the school year, the particular special education services to be delivered, and the procedures by which outcomes are evaluated."

Least restrictive environment can be described by stating "as much as possible, children who have disabilities must be educated with children who are not handicapped."
Due process can be described by stating "due process is a set of legal procedures to ensure the fairness of educational decisions and the accountability of both professionals and parents in making those decisions."
Parental participation can be described by stating "parents are to be included in the development of the IEP, and they have the right to access their child's educational records."
(Page 39)

2) The PL 94-142 placed substantial pressure on public school systems by demanding from the school systems, in return for their aid, "evidence that they were doing their best to help children with disabilities receive needed services."(Pg. 40) Specific provisions in the law placed substantial pressure on public school systems by demanding more from assessments, parental contact, and student evaluation than most schools had been used to. In other words, testing had become a huge influence in providing adequate evidence that the school systems were doing their best to helping out exceptional students as well as they could.

Entry 1 (chapter 1)

1) How have approaches to treating individuals with special needs changed over time?
2) What is the ecological approach?
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1) Approaches to treating individuals with special needs have changed over time in all sorts of aspects. At home, parents have become more aware, and more accepting of their special child and have become more open and willing to help them whether it be because they have disability, or an ability. Also, in the education system many states have become aware of the special funding and attention that these special students need in the classroom and are moving towards a brighter future for them all. This is being done by having specially trained teachers, and aids help special students while in school as well as giving them confidence in knowing that they are just as capable of doing any educational task as any other student. Inclusion classes help special students socially, by exposing them to other students. "More than 40 states now have some state-supported provisions for helping these younger children develop well...this social movement is called the prekindergarten movement"(Kirk et.al., pg.9) This is to prove how the government has improved the ways exceptional students are treated even before they enter their school years.

2) The ecological approach can be described in various ways: using the "ecological model" it shows how exceptional children interact in complex environmental forces (Kirk et.al., pg.15). This model demonstrates that "exceptionalities should be remediated by modifying elements in the environment to allow more constructive interactions between the individual and their environment." Another way to the approach is to take into consideration the variations of ecology, which according to the book are the "changes in the child's environment that modify activities, schedules, and structures to promote opportunities for socialization." In an overall assessment, the ecology approach can be briefly described as how outside influences, such as family, culture, peers, and their physical setting have an impact on an exceptional child.