Roses and Thorns

May Term Roses and Thorns... Roses: 1. The kids. I loved the kiddos in my class. They cracked me up, they inspired me, one frustrated me and made me grow in patience and management skills. I really enjoyed the kids in my class. 2. School experience. I had the most diverse school experience yet when I consider staff and school. I met many teachers and professionals, many spending time with me answering questions or coaching. Also, I witnessed a challenging social dynamic between staff which was thought-provoking and enlightening. I gained a lot of knowledge that does not necessary fit into a lesson plan or IEP. 3. I enjoyed my classmates and made new friends. 4. Loads of experience. I taught a lot and got a lot of hands-on expience. Thorns: 1. The work load was rough! Managing observations, the school load, my CTs expectations and general life in such a concentrated time was exhausting. 2. Disappointing examples. Considering it was May and close to the end of school, my CT told me upon entering: "I'm done teaching." She really was. I'm not passing judgement I just was disappointed I didn't get to observe many lessons and daily routines. 3. Drama. Unfortunately there was a lot of drama in my school and it was distracting. 4. Traffic and parking. This sounds so silly and petty, but it as such a pain! Traffic congestion, the school infrastructure, and limited parking was a big challenge. When the parking lot flooded... I had to hike in the rain. That was lovely.

Summer 1

This June Is Summer 1 term and I've got a full load! I'm taking: ED 516 Behavioral Intervention Strategies SPED 562 Assesment of Students with Disabilities I'm by excited about the behavioral class because I'm learning a lot I can apply at home. Our first lesson was "If you aren't getting the behavior you want, the kids aren't broken, your system is." That day I came home and both my boys were on yellow (our behavior stoplight) and Paul was threatening to move the to red, which is time-out or loss of privileges. So I say to Paul, "you know they aren't broken, the system is." I cannot share with you what Paul told me I could do with that comment; it was not very professional. ;) The behavioral course is about positive behavior interventions and I am getting a lot of great tips and ideas. This class is with a professor I've known and adored since I met her at St. Andrew's, Dr. Sally Smith. It's a treat to be in her class! I especially love trying to figure out which of her two sons is her daily anecdote about. Oh I know a lot about Kevin and Brian now that I'm sure they wish I didn't! This assessment class is challenging. We are reviewing standardized, norm-referenced, criterion-based, and all sorts of formal and informal assessments. This is a 4 hour class in the afternoon and I tend to drown in basal and ceiling and sample sizes. However, I hope I walk away with a much bette understands of the various tests and types of tests. I have to administer tests to kids for practice, administer to my professor for a grade, and there is substantial paperwork with this course. Maybe it feels more substantial because I require a special dictionary to decode the vocabulary words. Nonetheless, it's a challenge and I actually find this very interesting.

Telling on myself...

Admittedly, this is shameful, but it's humorous, too. I have a student with Autism who is by OCD. Anything I touch, he comes to touch both the object I touched and the hand I touched the object with. For instance, if I tap the table with my right hand, he would immediately tap the same area of the table and then tap my right hand. Every time, without fail. Even if her was across the room. This particular day, he was very distracted. I was trying to get him started on independent work so I could begin direct instruction with another. Bless his heart, he couldn't stay remotely near his station and was certainly not working independently. I didn't know what else to do. I went to his station and touched every last thing at the station - the desk, the chair, the books, the pencils, the worksheets, the wall, everything. Over and over, I touched everything. He spent five minutes touching everything I had touched, in the order I touched it, and was at least quiet. Lo and behold, he went to work afterwards. Oh how I hope that was not reported on my dispositions! I think there is a level of meaness in this; not cruel but mean. I'm not proud of this, but I can laugh at it. Desperate times, desperate measures!

May Term

This May I have a May "mini-term" which is a practicum for Special Ed. The requirement of the class is to log 90+ hours in the classroom for observation, plus a few papers on teaching and observations. In this class, I write lesson plans, teach them, and am graded by my cooperating teacher (CT) as well as my professor. I will also begin the behavioral instruction unit, observing and recording behavior data to use in other classes this summer. This concentrated class will be a lot in a little bit of time, but I'm very excited!

Spring Term Grades

Grades are posted: all As.

Observations

I've clocked numerous hours in observations this semester. Observations are part of my Pre-professional class and SPED. It may be my most favorite part of this semester. I have loved every minute in the classrooms!

Both of my observation sets were in Elementary schools, and I was fortunate to have diverse exposures in special ed. Both of my cooperating teachers (the teachers who I observed and worked with, CT for short) work with inclusion classes, partnering with a GenEd teacher closely; however, the approaches and demands on these teachers were greatly different. One teacher worked with a student one-on-one whereas the other teacher had fifteen special ed students at one time. Same school system, different schools and different communities. 

In observations, both my CTs allowed me to be very involved and hands on, which I loved! I worked with students with autism, learning disabilities, multiple disabilities, mental retardation, hearing disabilities, and OHI (other health impairment). A few students were ELL (English language learners) which added in one more interesting touch for consideration. Several of my classmates have been able to identify what they want to do and don't want to do after their experiences. I found each rewarding and stimulating in its on way - right now, there's nothing that I think I'd rather not work with. 

My boys and I list the roses (positives) and thorns (negatives) of our day during dinner each night. Here are my roses and thorns from my observations:

Thorns:

1. The paperwork is unbelievable. It's cumbersome, challenging, immense in quantity and just plain consuming. And it's not just IEPs and lesson plans - its daily documentation, communication with parents, and documentation of communication with parents. I expected it to be significant, but it greatly exceeded my expectations. Both my CTs cited it as the worst part of their jobs.

2. Parents are challenging. I don't know which is worse - the parent who is so involved it hinders work, or the parent who is so uninvolved they cannot be counted as support. The former is a challenge to the teacher's workday; the latter is ultimately a challenge for the student, and I wonder if it can be overcome?

3. Lack of funding is hideous. Neither of my teachers had school funds allocated to them this year. One teacher led instruction on a dry erase board that had literally been pulled out of a dumpster and had writing that could not be erased. In classes where the most accommodations are made, you would think resources would be allocated, wouldn't you? There is a great discrepancy in the free and public education we commit to students with disabilities and the resources we allocate to that education. The dollars in the GenEd class don't help; they aren't enough to cover the population of that class as is. 

Roses:

1. The pride a student exhibits when they've learned something or have accomplished something is intoxicating. How can you not be thrilled when their faces light up? 

2. Kids are so much smarter than we adults. They have the balance and order of life right. Somewhere in growing up, we forget the importance of smiling, laughing, hugging, celebrating the small things, and just living life. Kids are inspiring.

3. Inclusion is a wonderful practice! I remember when I was in elementary school, students with disabilities went to a special school in the system. I do not remember seeing students with wheelchairs, interpreters, or any disabilities in my elementary school. I remember speech teachers working with students, but that's about all. In each school I visited there were students with a variety of disabilities. And the students without disabilities helped and interacted with students with disabilities. The sense of equality and normalcy was impressive. 

I'll write more in days to come. I'm working on composing my thoughts for all the papers that must follow the observations, and its all swimming around in my head...

My class load...

This semester has a very interesting class load. Not only am I finding the content of these classes interesting, but its a mix of hybrid and online courses, which is new to me. After 7 weeks I feel like I'm finally "getting a grip" on online courses. It's funny what creatures of habit we are; there is something comforting about a lecture and my legal pad and highlighter! Here's what I'm taking:

ED 501: Pre-professional Block
I loved the seminars in this class, and was so very disappointed when the seminars ended. But, when the seminars ended observations began! My professor could make you excited about taking an enema. She's the kind of teacher that its a shame she's not in front of children every day, but it would be as much a shame for her to not be in front of future teachers showing them how it should be done. First class/seminar totally overwhelmed me; every seminar after that inspired me. This is considered our "introduction" into our professional positions as teachers, and we are exposed to discussions on ethics, legalities, expectations and professionalism. As part of this class, I joined the SAEA (student AEA), reviewed the contracts we are signing when we are hired, studied the code of ethics, and listened to a multitude of representatives from Boards of Education, schools, union organizations. After this class, you are petrified to have a Facebook account, have any pictures taken, drink out of solo cups, and begin to size up all the people in your life as to how much you can trust them. It really is that scary, but terribly important - as the professor said over and over, we built the glass house we live in. My perception of teaching has changed as a result of this course - you are not a teacher at school, you are an educator and it is a part of your identity. Thus one should not compromise it! But, all the severity and issues in this class are beautifully balanced with your purpose as an educator and the opportunities one has to make a difference. I'm telling you, this class and this professor will light you on fire to change the world.

ED 527: Technology in Education
Before this class, I thought I was tech savvy. Hands down, this is the most challenging work load, but is very interesting. This class isn't just about computers and how they are used in education. I am amazed at the discussions and topics that we cover. We are reviewing all types and ways technology can be used, and training on the most common. Social media is a large part of this course; not only are we discussing how to use it in the classroom effectively, we are using it as part of our instruction. Wikis, Facebook and Twitter are all part of our communication stream in this class. I've noticed a great balance of incorporating technology into teaching with using technology as a resource for continuing education and resources. It has broadened my perception on the role of a teacher, stuck between the source of knowledge to students (outbox) and the constant seeker for learning and resources (inbox). I'm now wondering if technology challenges todays teachers more today than ever, not just in operating technology, but in remaining relevant and effective in today's classrooms.

SPED 508: Introduction to Special Ed
This general overview is for all students in the programs, GenEd and SPED alike. It is an online course providing a general overview of all that is covered by IDEA 04, which grants free and public education (FAPE) for seven categories of impairments/disabilities. (Gifted is not part of this class.) Thus far, we've covered an impairment or category per week, with discussions on the impacts for a SPED and GenEd teacher. We've also had exposure to the many forms and legalities involved with students with disabilities and IEPs - overwhelming. Already, I'm practicing saying "a student with disability" rather than disabled student; we recognize the student first, not the disability. And, there is a difference in impairment, disability and handicap!

I don't know if its the curriculum is that incredible, the idea that this is what I'm meant to do, or the fact that I'm an older student returning with a mortgage and family, but I find myself soaking up every class. I'm loving it!