Reflecting on issues relating to discrimination for exceptional children and how they impact students, families, and the community.
I believe that parent and community involvement is very important within a school. It is crucial for society, outside of school to deem students with disabilities positively rather than negatively. The community should be as aware and educated as possible to support these students that need further accommodations and modifications. I believe that many communities are not educated enough on ways to support and assist individuals with special needs. The more education people receive, the more comfortable individuals will be around others with differences, rather than be afraid and not know how to react. If parents and community members are not educated and are unsure how to react with certain special needs, students will also seek these individuals as being “different” in a negative light. Parents need to also support one another outside of school to collaborate and reflect with educators to discuss what types of learning strategies could be implemented both in the school and at home to help students with special needs. Parents know their children better than anyone, and it is important to have their opinions voiced when it comes to making decisions.
During my placement I noticed this issue many of times within both of my placement schools. All many students need is one on one time with an educator to walk them through learning at their own pace, however this is not reality. Educational Assistants are often shared between classes, which doesn’t give much time in the day to assist students that truly need help throughout the entire day. This may cause discouragement and frustration for the students as they sit at their desks not understanding while the educator is working with other students. Teachers constantly struggle to accommodate and modify assignments for each student as best as possible, but this becomes difficult if they are the only one in the room with twenty or more students. If there were more EAs available, I believe that many more students would have higher confidence levels as well as a more positive outlook on learning.
During my placement I noticed this issue many of times within both of my placement schools. All many students need is one on one time with an educator to walk them through learning at their own pace, however this is not reality. Educational Assistants are often shared between classes, which doesn’t give much time in the day to assist students that truly need help throughout the entire day. This may cause discouragement and frustration for the students as they sit at their desks not understanding while the educator is working with other students. Teachers constantly struggle to accommodate and modify assignments for each student as best as possible, but this becomes difficult if they are the only one in the room with twenty or more students. If there were more EAs available, I believe that many more students would have higher confidence levels as well as a more positive outlook on learning.
Video review
The video really inspired me to do the absolute best I can each and every day. Emily talks about how rewarding her day is when she explains “somebody got something out of my class that day.”(A Day in the Life of a Special Education Teacher, 2010). Being a special education teacher takes someone with a positive attitude who takes learning one day at a time. It is so important for teachers to be passionate about their jobs just like Emily is. She is dedicated to each and every student throughout the entire day, sometimes even without a lunch. Teachers like this during my personal student experiences were definitely my favourite educators due to the fact that they truly cared about my well being and learning. I hope I can be a favourite teacher one day, while being the support system that my students need on a daily basis.
Should we be diagnosing children with psychological disorders?
Should we be diagnosing children with psychological disorders? What are some of the advantages and disadvantages of diagnosing children, particularly from a developmental perspective? What are some of the difficulties in defending psychological disorders in general?
I believe that we should be diagnosing children with psychological disorders, because if someone needs help, why wait until later years? Early intervention may allow the parents to understand and gain more knowledge about their child’s disorder, instead of trying to work around the “unknown”. I also believe that if the prevention is early enough, it may prevent the disorder from continuing throughout later years, or at least not as severe.
Some disadvantages would be misdiagnosing the child, causing the child to become confused and frustrated when the intervention is not working. Misdiagnoses may also allow a child without a disorder to receive extra help and special treatment when they do not need it. The labeling theory is also very important to consider, because the child may be seen as “different” from other children, which may cause exclusion from friends and peers.
I believe that we should be diagnosing children with psychological disorders, because if someone needs help, why wait until later years? Early intervention may allow the parents to understand and gain more knowledge about their child’s disorder, instead of trying to work around the “unknown”. I also believe that if the prevention is early enough, it may prevent the disorder from continuing throughout later years, or at least not as severe.
Some disadvantages would be misdiagnosing the child, causing the child to become confused and frustrated when the intervention is not working. Misdiagnoses may also allow a child without a disorder to receive extra help and special treatment when they do not need it. The labeling theory is also very important to consider, because the child may be seen as “different” from other children, which may cause exclusion from friends and peers.
Inclusion in the CLASSROOM
For my inquiry I have been focusing on students with various needs and how to accommodate for everyone within the classroom. I personally believe that inclusion is crucial for learning. For my article, I chose Thriving on Diversity, written by a principal at Pleasantville Public School in Richmond Hill named Nancy Sanders. Both the article and my placement at Brechin Public School have helped me answer many of my questions about inclusion. The article focuses on many different areas where a teacher needs to focus to create an inclusive classroom.
Over the years, inclusion has improved a lot within the mainstream classroom and thankfully today many children are being placed in inclusive classrooms rather than a segregated, special education classroom. During my placement I noticed that meeting the needs of every student is a difficult task, however, rewarding. In the article, Sanders explains a time when a teacher whispered in her ear and said, “Ignore the girl in the blue shirt, she’s special ed.”(2002). I find this so horrible and I am so happy to say that in my placement class I witnessed the complete opposite. Children with exceptionalities are now given special accommodations to allow his or her learning to blossom. For example, one particular student in the classroom was diagnosed with ADHD. My placement teacher took the time to purchase fidget toys for carpet time to keep the student’s hands busy, as well as an exercise ball to sit on rather than a normal chair so she is able to bounce rather than sit still all day. I also noticed during independent work, the teacher would focus on those who were struggling rather than those who were succeeding. For example, during silent reading she would have every one read individually, except the three students she had called over to the horseshow table to do a small reading group lesson to ensure the students were getting the extra help they needed. It is important for teachers to be prepared as they are “expected to understand, accommodate, adapt and modify for students with special needs” (2002).
The first theme that Sanders talks about is called strong skill base. Teachers must realize that special knowledge and skills will allow him or her to gain stronger teaching strategies within the classroom. For example, my placement teacher explained that she had taken Special Education Part 1, as well as read many different resources to allow her self to gain more knowledge and to be able to better adapt or modify the curriculum when needed.
The second theme focuses on always learning. It is important that teachers have the mind set that there is never enough learning. Teachers must take the time to “embrace the notion of ongoing professional growth” (2002). It is crucial for teachers to be enthusiastic and always be looking for different ways to further understand. Learning from others is key, listening and taking notes from the student, parents and resources allows the teacher to learn from different perspectives. Asking questions and seeking support from peers is always suggested. My placement teacher explained that is important to complete workshops as well as read up on new adaptations to ensure that the students are getting what they need within the classroom. She also explained some ideas and strategies that she had learned from her co-workers
The third theme is in-school mentoring. This is when the school creates a mentor program where teachers are able to consult with one of their co-workers when questions or concerns arise. Teachers must also be willing to learn from other students as well, especially if he or she has been around the child with exceptionalities longer than the teacher. Learning from background knowledge may help the situation more than one way. Sanders explains, “One of his classmates explained, "He always does this at first, then he gets used to his shoes again" The student then walked him over to the bench, helped him put the shoes back on, and both quickly rejoined the group. This scenario could have played out quite differently if the teacher had asserted her authority rather than follow the lead of a student who knew that particular child” (2002). When first coming to the school, my placement teacher emphasized the importance of talking with other teachers in the school to gain some background knowledge about the students.
The last theme discussed is parental input. It is important to include the parental units within the classroom. They need to understand that the teacher is there to listen to their thoughts, as well as respect the placement of their child. My placement teacher had a behavior chart that was sent home with the children each night to allow their parents to see how their child acted at school that day. I believe that this is very important, as good behavior should be reinforced in and out of the classroom. It seems to work much better when the parents and teacher are there to support one another. Sanders also explains how parents often meet in June to discuss the placement of their child over that school year as well as preparing transitions for the next grade. It is so important to have webs of relationships to ensure the teacher is not alone; the more resources, the better.
From reading this article and applying it to my placement experience, I now know a lot more about inclusion and how to implement it into the classroom. It is crucial to not only apply one certain theme from the article, but to ensure that the teacher covers all themes. Every child deserves a welcoming and beneficial space to learn and it is the job of the teacher to make that happen.
Sanders, N. (2002, December). Thriving on Diversity. Retrieved March, 2016, from
http://professionallyspeaking.oct.ca/ december_2002/diversity.asp
Teaching Exceptional Students
I believe that every individual has the right to learn, no matter what disadvantages life has put him or her in. During my time at Lakehead, Orillia I thought a lot about what my classroom would look like after I finished my degree. What kind of students will I teach? How will I ensure my classroom is inclusive for everyone? These questions allowed me understand that I need as much experience as possible before entering my own classroom. Experience in both a school setting and the outside world will help me understand what is most important in every day lesson plans and how interaction with students should be demonstrated.
Coincidentally, a year and a half ago, my hairdresser suggested Respite Services after I explained I would like to broaden my horizons on teaching. I quickly became interested and ended up applying in Durham region. Fortunately, I found a family ten minutes away from my house who were interested in meeting me. Since then I have been working with the family’s twelve-year-old daughter who has Autism. The two of us share our time together practicing reading, fractions, money skills, as well as learning the clock. We also have fun going to the park, watching movies, doing crafts, and playing with my dog Jasper. She is always smiling, no matter what the situation is which makes me realize life is to short to worry about the little things. Because she lightens up my world as much as she does, I believe she deserves the best learning experience possible.
Her personality encourages me to create personalized lesson plans suitable for her, which has shown to be successful so far. I have learned that integrating an individual’s interests can allow learning to become fun. For example, the two of us learn fractions while baking, money while “grocery shopping”, and the clock through a homemade board game the two of us created together. I can’t express how rewarding it feels to watch her and her mother’s face light up when she finally understands a concept. I have learned that just because she doesn’t understand the way I was personally taught, does not mean that her learning is impossible. Since working with this family, I have realized that many teachers in classrooms do not take enough time on concepts to ensure everyone understands. It is important to take as time and practice needed for the learning objective, no matter who the child is.
Over the past year, I have realized that her confidence about learning has grown. At first, it was noticeable that she did not believe that she was capable of achieving. She would sit there in silence and wait for me to tell her the answer. From day one, I have continuously encouraged and rewarded her when understanding concepts. Now that she is starting to figure out that she is able to figure out answers herself, she has become determined and more independent. Her teachers at school have seen this as well and have reported back to her mother with positive feedback. It makes me wonder how she received these negative thoughts about her success in learning. Why is she not encouraged more? From this experience I have learned that confidence is key and no one can learn without it.
She not only has grown academically, but she has also grown socially. I have a sister one year older than the girl I work with. The odd time the three of us will go out and do something together (for example, visiting a farm, boating, etc.). At first she was very apprehensive and shy about the whole idea, but now she encourages me to plan more events. Nowadays every time I visit her, she asks how my sister is doing. I think it is important that students not only learn about education but as well grow as a person socially. Growing social networks is very important and should be encouraged. Everyone deserves to have friends to talk and relate to in their free time as well as in the classroom.
I am very happy her mother took the time and ensured her daughter received extra help and opportunities to thrive as an individual. Not all parents have the perseverance to find extra assistance for their child, which is why I am encouraged to ensure my classroom helps each and every student as much as possible. Personally I am very grateful for being chosen to accommodate some of these opportunities for her and I cannot wait until I can further expand my new ideas into a whole classroom.
I personally support inclusion in the classroom. No student should be segregated because of the way he or she learns. It is important for every student to be around his or her friends and peers on an every day basis, rather than being left out and isolated in a separate classroom. The idea of placing a child in another classroom places a lot of pressure and stigma onto the child, which I see as unfair. Seeing how confidence is so important in a child, it is very important not to lower a child’s self-esteem.
Due to my experiences, I have realized that it is more rewarding as a teacher to teach someone that many others would think to be impossible. It is so exciting to prove others wrong while watching an individual grow to his or her fullest potential. I honestly think that she has taught me more than I have taught her which is very unexpected. It is much more worthwhile helping children that need that little extra boost to understand. Special education is very important in schools and in the future I hope to work with students who have varying abilities while receiving more experience along the way.
Coincidentally, a year and a half ago, my hairdresser suggested Respite Services after I explained I would like to broaden my horizons on teaching. I quickly became interested and ended up applying in Durham region. Fortunately, I found a family ten minutes away from my house who were interested in meeting me. Since then I have been working with the family’s twelve-year-old daughter who has Autism. The two of us share our time together practicing reading, fractions, money skills, as well as learning the clock. We also have fun going to the park, watching movies, doing crafts, and playing with my dog Jasper. She is always smiling, no matter what the situation is which makes me realize life is to short to worry about the little things. Because she lightens up my world as much as she does, I believe she deserves the best learning experience possible.
Her personality encourages me to create personalized lesson plans suitable for her, which has shown to be successful so far. I have learned that integrating an individual’s interests can allow learning to become fun. For example, the two of us learn fractions while baking, money while “grocery shopping”, and the clock through a homemade board game the two of us created together. I can’t express how rewarding it feels to watch her and her mother’s face light up when she finally understands a concept. I have learned that just because she doesn’t understand the way I was personally taught, does not mean that her learning is impossible. Since working with this family, I have realized that many teachers in classrooms do not take enough time on concepts to ensure everyone understands. It is important to take as time and practice needed for the learning objective, no matter who the child is.
Over the past year, I have realized that her confidence about learning has grown. At first, it was noticeable that she did not believe that she was capable of achieving. She would sit there in silence and wait for me to tell her the answer. From day one, I have continuously encouraged and rewarded her when understanding concepts. Now that she is starting to figure out that she is able to figure out answers herself, she has become determined and more independent. Her teachers at school have seen this as well and have reported back to her mother with positive feedback. It makes me wonder how she received these negative thoughts about her success in learning. Why is she not encouraged more? From this experience I have learned that confidence is key and no one can learn without it.
She not only has grown academically, but she has also grown socially. I have a sister one year older than the girl I work with. The odd time the three of us will go out and do something together (for example, visiting a farm, boating, etc.). At first she was very apprehensive and shy about the whole idea, but now she encourages me to plan more events. Nowadays every time I visit her, she asks how my sister is doing. I think it is important that students not only learn about education but as well grow as a person socially. Growing social networks is very important and should be encouraged. Everyone deserves to have friends to talk and relate to in their free time as well as in the classroom.
I am very happy her mother took the time and ensured her daughter received extra help and opportunities to thrive as an individual. Not all parents have the perseverance to find extra assistance for their child, which is why I am encouraged to ensure my classroom helps each and every student as much as possible. Personally I am very grateful for being chosen to accommodate some of these opportunities for her and I cannot wait until I can further expand my new ideas into a whole classroom.
I personally support inclusion in the classroom. No student should be segregated because of the way he or she learns. It is important for every student to be around his or her friends and peers on an every day basis, rather than being left out and isolated in a separate classroom. The idea of placing a child in another classroom places a lot of pressure and stigma onto the child, which I see as unfair. Seeing how confidence is so important in a child, it is very important not to lower a child’s self-esteem.
Due to my experiences, I have realized that it is more rewarding as a teacher to teach someone that many others would think to be impossible. It is so exciting to prove others wrong while watching an individual grow to his or her fullest potential. I honestly think that she has taught me more than I have taught her which is very unexpected. It is much more worthwhile helping children that need that little extra boost to understand. Special education is very important in schools and in the future I hope to work with students who have varying abilities while receiving more experience along the way.
PLP classroom and tutoring connections
Throughout my experiences in a PLP classroom during my time as an emergency supply teacher, I have gained a lot more knowledge that I am able to use throughout my time as a tutor. I currently tutor a fourteen year old student who is diagnosed with a developmental delay. I have been working with this student one-on-one for four years now and I have noticed many positive changes throughout the years, however I am always striving to ensure that our sessions are beneficial. Below are a few things that I have taken from my time as an emergency supply within a PLP classroom. Hopefully they are useful to you as well!
1. Daily Schedules
During my time as a tutor, the parent of the student would become often frustrated when her child was constantly forgetting to complete after-school jobs on their own. These jobs would be tasks like emptying lunch bag and changing into after-school clothes. We began using a "To-Do" list for the student, however it seemed to be unsuccessful. During my time in the classroom, I noticed that the school day was based on the students constantly checking their personal daily schedules to see what they were supposed to be doing next. It gave the students a sense of responsibility as they were told to take off the velcro activity pictures off of their schedule when they are completed. I took this simple schedule idea back to tutoring with me and even though a visual schedule is close to a checklist, it made a world of a difference! The student is now completing her after-school jobs on her own without being asked or reminded.
2. Velcro activities
Assignments and/or questions can sometimes become difficult for students with special needs to voice their thinking or explanation. I found within the PLP class that many of the activities that students completed were multiple choice or matching which included pictures and/or words attached to velcro. Speaking to the parent of the student that I tutor helped me understand that even when her daughter knows an answer, she may forget until she is reminded by viewing or seeing the word or picture connected to that specific answer. Velcro activities are not only great to ensure that matching pieces are not lost, but also beneficial when prompting the student to the correct answer.
3. Talking about emotions
Having students aware and responsible when it comes to their personal emotions is very important with not only students with special needs, but all students. Integrating the zones of regulation into the classroom is a great way to introduce ways to cope with certain emotions, such as breathing strategies or walking away from a situation. I have viewed a few different ways where educators integrated emotions within every school day. The first idea was to have the students sit in a community circle and share how they feel with a reason (Example: "I feel happy because I have baseball tonight."). The second approach is a little more private as the students fill out a zones of regulation daily journal explaining how they feel throughout the day, without sharing with their peers. As an educator, it is crucial to understand and be aware of what each learner is feeling due to the fact that it may affect the learning and behaviour of the particular individual throughout the day. During tutoring, I have always had the student complete a daily journal about what they did that day, however I decided to change the meaning of the journal while integrating zones of regulation with questions such as "How did you feel today? why?" , "What was your favourite part of the day? Why?" etc., I now believe that the completed daily journal is more in depth, with more meaningful explanations. It is also helpful for me as a tutor to understand if the student seems to have a hard time concentrating a certain day for example when they are feeling tired from a loud rain storm the night before.
4. Taking responsibility for actions
As students start to understand their emotions, educators are able to hold the students accountable for their actions or choices a little more. For example, when students are feeling overwhelmed they are to ask to visit the sensory room or use a fidget toy. To regulate behaviour , I have noticed that reward systems can become beneficial. There are many different strategies that can be used to hold students accountable. In the PLP class where I substituted, the students have individual daily grading sheets that are sent home to parents after every day. Many classes have class behaviour strategies, such as the marble jar where students gain marbles for good behaviour and lose marbles for misbehaviour. I understand that class behaviour strategies are helpful into encouraging all students to work together, however I really enjoy how students in the PLP class are help accountable personally, rather than grouped with the entire class.
5. Ensuring that the student is as independent as possible
In the PLP class, students are normally working individually on their own tasks during work periods. To be able to assess, educators need to give the students time to complete their own work without being prompted or assisted. I have noticed that during tutoring, the student takes more responsibility for their work when he or she is on their own and understands that there isn't someone there to guide them along the way during the entire activity. Encouraging learners that they are capable of completing tasks on their own boosts confidence and allows students to problem solve. For tutoring, I now introduce the activity, possibly work on one or two questions with the student and then leave them on their own to complete their assignment. At the end I go over what the student has finished and the learner and I talk about what worked and what needs to be improved. Throughout my experiences in a PLP classroom during my time as an emergency supply teacher, I have gained a lot more knowledge that I am able to use throughout my time as a tutor. I currently tutor a fourteen year old student who is diagnosed with a developmental delay. I have been working with this student one-on-one for four years now and I have noticed many positive changes throughout the years, however I am always striving to ensure that our sessions are beneficial. Below are a few things that I have taken from my time as an emergency supply within a PLP classroom. Hopefully they are useful to you as well!
1. Daily Schedules
During my time as a tutor, the parent of the student would become often frustrated when her child was constantly forgetting to complete after-school jobs on their own. These jobs would be tasks like emptying lunch bag and changing into after-school clothes. We began using a "To-Do" list for the student, however it seemed to be unsuccessful. During my time in the classroom, I noticed that the school day was based on the students constantly checking their personal daily schedules to see what they were supposed to be doing next. It gave the students a sense of responsibility as they were told to take off the velcro activity pictures off of their schedule when they are completed. I took this simple schedule idea back to tutoring with me and even though a visual schedule is close to a checklist, it made a world of a difference! The student is now completing her after-school jobs on her own without being asked or reminded.
2. Velcro activities
Assignments and/or questions can sometimes become difficult for students with special needs to voice their thinking or explanation. I found within the PLP class that many of the activities that students completed were multiple choice or matching which included pictures and/or words attached to velcro. Speaking to the parent of the student that I tutor helped me understand that even when her daughter knows an answer, she may forget until she is reminded by viewing or seeing the word or picture connected to that specific answer. Velcro activities are not only great to ensure that matching pieces are not lost, but also beneficial when prompting the student to the correct answer.
3. Talking about emotions
Having students aware and responsible when it comes to their personal emotions is very important with not only students with special needs, but all students. Integrating the zones of regulation into the classroom is a great way to introduce ways to cope with certain emotions, such as breathing strategies or walking away from a situation. I have viewed a few different ways where educators integrated emotions within every school day. The first idea was to have the students sit in a community circle and share how they feel with a reason (Example: "I feel happy because I have baseball tonight."). The second approach is a little more private as the students fill out a zones of regulation daily journal explaining how they feel throughout the day, without sharing with their peers. As an educator, it is crucial to understand and be aware of what each learner is feeling due to the fact that it may affect the learning and behaviour of the particular individual throughout the day. During tutoring, I have always had the student complete a daily journal about what they did that day, however I decided to change the meaning of the journal while integrating zones of regulation with questions such as "How did you feel today? why?" , "What was your favourite part of the day? Why?" etc., I now believe that the completed daily journal is more in depth, with more meaningful explanations. It is also helpful for me as a tutor to understand if the student seems to have a hard time concentrating a certain day for example when they are feeling tired from a loud rain storm the night before.
4. Taking responsibility for actions
As students start to understand their emotions, educators are able to hold the students accountable for their actions or choices a little more. For example, when students are feeling overwhelmed they are to ask to visit the sensory room or use a fidget toy. To regulate behaviour , I have noticed that reward systems can become beneficial. There are many different strategies that can be used to hold students accountable. In the PLP class where I substituted, the students have individual daily grading sheets that are sent home to parents after every day. Many classes have class behaviour strategies, such as the marble jar where students gain marbles for good behaviour and lose marbles for misbehaviour. I understand that class behaviour strategies are helpful into encouraging all students to work together, however I really enjoy how students in the PLP class are help accountable personally, rather than grouped with the entire class.
5. Ensuring that the student is as independent as possible
In the PLP class, students are normally working individually on their own tasks during work periods. To be able to assess, educators need to give the students time to complete their own work without being prompted or assisted. I have noticed that during tutoring, the student takes more responsibility for their work when he or she is on their own and understands that there isn't someone there to guide them along the way during the entire activity. Encouraging learners that they are capable of completing tasks on their own boosts confidence and allows students to problem solve. For tutoring, I now introduce the activity, possibly work on one or two questions with the student and then leave them on their own to complete their assignment. At the end I go over what the student has finished and the learner and I talk about what worked and what needs to be improved.
1. Daily Schedules
During my time as a tutor, the parent of the student would become often frustrated when her child was constantly forgetting to complete after-school jobs on their own. These jobs would be tasks like emptying lunch bag and changing into after-school clothes. We began using a "To-Do" list for the student, however it seemed to be unsuccessful. During my time in the classroom, I noticed that the school day was based on the students constantly checking their personal daily schedules to see what they were supposed to be doing next. It gave the students a sense of responsibility as they were told to take off the velcro activity pictures off of their schedule when they are completed. I took this simple schedule idea back to tutoring with me and even though a visual schedule is close to a checklist, it made a world of a difference! The student is now completing her after-school jobs on her own without being asked or reminded.
2. Velcro activities
Assignments and/or questions can sometimes become difficult for students with special needs to voice their thinking or explanation. I found within the PLP class that many of the activities that students completed were multiple choice or matching which included pictures and/or words attached to velcro. Speaking to the parent of the student that I tutor helped me understand that even when her daughter knows an answer, she may forget until she is reminded by viewing or seeing the word or picture connected to that specific answer. Velcro activities are not only great to ensure that matching pieces are not lost, but also beneficial when prompting the student to the correct answer.
3. Talking about emotions
Having students aware and responsible when it comes to their personal emotions is very important with not only students with special needs, but all students. Integrating the zones of regulation into the classroom is a great way to introduce ways to cope with certain emotions, such as breathing strategies or walking away from a situation. I have viewed a few different ways where educators integrated emotions within every school day. The first idea was to have the students sit in a community circle and share how they feel with a reason (Example: "I feel happy because I have baseball tonight."). The second approach is a little more private as the students fill out a zones of regulation daily journal explaining how they feel throughout the day, without sharing with their peers. As an educator, it is crucial to understand and be aware of what each learner is feeling due to the fact that it may affect the learning and behaviour of the particular individual throughout the day. During tutoring, I have always had the student complete a daily journal about what they did that day, however I decided to change the meaning of the journal while integrating zones of regulation with questions such as "How did you feel today? why?" , "What was your favourite part of the day? Why?" etc., I now believe that the completed daily journal is more in depth, with more meaningful explanations. It is also helpful for me as a tutor to understand if the student seems to have a hard time concentrating a certain day for example when they are feeling tired from a loud rain storm the night before.
4. Taking responsibility for actions
As students start to understand their emotions, educators are able to hold the students accountable for their actions or choices a little more. For example, when students are feeling overwhelmed they are to ask to visit the sensory room or use a fidget toy. To regulate behaviour , I have noticed that reward systems can become beneficial. There are many different strategies that can be used to hold students accountable. In the PLP class where I substituted, the students have individual daily grading sheets that are sent home to parents after every day. Many classes have class behaviour strategies, such as the marble jar where students gain marbles for good behaviour and lose marbles for misbehaviour. I understand that class behaviour strategies are helpful into encouraging all students to work together, however I really enjoy how students in the PLP class are help accountable personally, rather than grouped with the entire class.
5. Ensuring that the student is as independent as possible
In the PLP class, students are normally working individually on their own tasks during work periods. To be able to assess, educators need to give the students time to complete their own work without being prompted or assisted. I have noticed that during tutoring, the student takes more responsibility for their work when he or she is on their own and understands that there isn't someone there to guide them along the way during the entire activity. Encouraging learners that they are capable of completing tasks on their own boosts confidence and allows students to problem solve. For tutoring, I now introduce the activity, possibly work on one or two questions with the student and then leave them on their own to complete their assignment. At the end I go over what the student has finished and the learner and I talk about what worked and what needs to be improved. Throughout my experiences in a PLP classroom during my time as an emergency supply teacher, I have gained a lot more knowledge that I am able to use throughout my time as a tutor. I currently tutor a fourteen year old student who is diagnosed with a developmental delay. I have been working with this student one-on-one for four years now and I have noticed many positive changes throughout the years, however I am always striving to ensure that our sessions are beneficial. Below are a few things that I have taken from my time as an emergency supply within a PLP classroom. Hopefully they are useful to you as well!
1. Daily Schedules
During my time as a tutor, the parent of the student would become often frustrated when her child was constantly forgetting to complete after-school jobs on their own. These jobs would be tasks like emptying lunch bag and changing into after-school clothes. We began using a "To-Do" list for the student, however it seemed to be unsuccessful. During my time in the classroom, I noticed that the school day was based on the students constantly checking their personal daily schedules to see what they were supposed to be doing next. It gave the students a sense of responsibility as they were told to take off the velcro activity pictures off of their schedule when they are completed. I took this simple schedule idea back to tutoring with me and even though a visual schedule is close to a checklist, it made a world of a difference! The student is now completing her after-school jobs on her own without being asked or reminded.
2. Velcro activities
Assignments and/or questions can sometimes become difficult for students with special needs to voice their thinking or explanation. I found within the PLP class that many of the activities that students completed were multiple choice or matching which included pictures and/or words attached to velcro. Speaking to the parent of the student that I tutor helped me understand that even when her daughter knows an answer, she may forget until she is reminded by viewing or seeing the word or picture connected to that specific answer. Velcro activities are not only great to ensure that matching pieces are not lost, but also beneficial when prompting the student to the correct answer.
3. Talking about emotions
Having students aware and responsible when it comes to their personal emotions is very important with not only students with special needs, but all students. Integrating the zones of regulation into the classroom is a great way to introduce ways to cope with certain emotions, such as breathing strategies or walking away from a situation. I have viewed a few different ways where educators integrated emotions within every school day. The first idea was to have the students sit in a community circle and share how they feel with a reason (Example: "I feel happy because I have baseball tonight."). The second approach is a little more private as the students fill out a zones of regulation daily journal explaining how they feel throughout the day, without sharing with their peers. As an educator, it is crucial to understand and be aware of what each learner is feeling due to the fact that it may affect the learning and behaviour of the particular individual throughout the day. During tutoring, I have always had the student complete a daily journal about what they did that day, however I decided to change the meaning of the journal while integrating zones of regulation with questions such as "How did you feel today? why?" , "What was your favourite part of the day? Why?" etc., I now believe that the completed daily journal is more in depth, with more meaningful explanations. It is also helpful for me as a tutor to understand if the student seems to have a hard time concentrating a certain day for example when they are feeling tired from a loud rain storm the night before.
4. Taking responsibility for actions
As students start to understand their emotions, educators are able to hold the students accountable for their actions or choices a little more. For example, when students are feeling overwhelmed they are to ask to visit the sensory room or use a fidget toy. To regulate behaviour , I have noticed that reward systems can become beneficial. There are many different strategies that can be used to hold students accountable. In the PLP class where I substituted, the students have individual daily grading sheets that are sent home to parents after every day. Many classes have class behaviour strategies, such as the marble jar where students gain marbles for good behaviour and lose marbles for misbehaviour. I understand that class behaviour strategies are helpful into encouraging all students to work together, however I really enjoy how students in the PLP class are help accountable personally, rather than grouped with the entire class.
5. Ensuring that the student is as independent as possible
In the PLP class, students are normally working individually on their own tasks during work periods. To be able to assess, educators need to give the students time to complete their own work without being prompted or assisted. I have noticed that during tutoring, the student takes more responsibility for their work when he or she is on their own and understands that there isn't someone there to guide them along the way during the entire activity. Encouraging learners that they are capable of completing tasks on their own boosts confidence and allows students to problem solve. For tutoring, I now introduce the activity, possibly work on one or two questions with the student and then leave them on their own to complete their assignment. At the end I go over what the student has finished and the learner and I talk about what worked and what needs to be improved.