Accommodations on tests, they ARE fair

As a student who didn't need any special help in school, I never appreciated students getting accommodations on tests. As an "average" student I thought “well I would do better if someone helped me understand the question before I had to answer it to!” I was pretty selfish and closed minded. But then as I was reading our textbook I came across this line: “Be sure to give students with disabilities accommodations on tests. Otherwise you may be measuring the disability rather than the ability.” This hit me and it clicked right away. If we don’t give students the accommodations they need, we can’t see what they’ve learned in that subject! If students struggle to read and we don’t help them on a history test, they could fail just because they can’t understand the questions, even if they know ALL about history. I have been humbled and my opinion has been changed. I now see why we need to give some people special accommodations on test and assignments, and it IS fair. 

Hearing impairments and a Case Study

This week we finished up our hearing impairments project. This ended up being a really neat project for me because I had three personal connections. My grandpa is an audiologist so he has given me some info about cochlear implants that I couldn’t have found on the internet. I also happened to make a new friend less than a week ago who has a deaf daughter! She shared some personal experiences that heped me to realize just how much of a difference tools and accommodations make in the lives of people with hearing impairments. I have another friend whose son went through cancer treatments when he was just two years old. He suffered hearing loss early on and now wears hearing aids at age 5. They are hoping to get him into a trial for a stem cell treatment to treat hearing loss. I don’t think it was a coincidence that I was assigned hearing impairments as my disability project.

We acted out a case study about a boy named Nathan. I played his mother and was a bit defensive about him needing special education. This was a really neat experience because I really felt like his mother! I think I really felt what the mother felt. I didn’t want him labeled, but I also wanted what was the very best for my son. These role plays really help me to understand how the parents and teachers feel when they are working with students who may have special needs.

This is me "playing" Nathan's Mom

Classroom Organization, more Important than you Think.

In my ED243 class we talked a lot about classroom organization. Some said it's a big deal, while others explained that it doesn't matter as much as the teaching. I always thought it was important just to keep the class organized and running smoothly, but this week I realized it is much more than that.

There are 5 different aspects of classroom organization.
1. Physical Organization
2. Routines for classroom business
3. Classroom Climate
4. Behavior Management
5. Use of Time

The biggest realization I made was as I was studying the physical organization section. The physical organization of a classroom affects students with hearing impairments, visual impairments, students in wheelchairs, etc. Even the height of the desk is important, too tall for wheel chairs and too low for prostheses. This is something that would need to be addressed individually.

It's important to think about what students are next to in the classroom. or example a child may be distracted if they have a clear shot through the window to the playground. He won't be able to focus on his math while he can see his friends playing on the playground outside.

The organization of classrooms is a much bigger deal than I ever realized, how about you?

IEP's for all?

This week I watched a video that explained how IEP's work and how they get put together in meetings. It was actually a really good video and something I've been interested in since high school. I appreciated the emphasis on the family's perspective, input, and inclusion. I was impressed by how many things were covered in the meeting and the details that were specified.

BUT, I am never happy with just one side.

How come we don't have IEPs for talented and gifted kids? If an IEP is "a promise to parents that we know your child and want to help them learn" does that mean we don't want to help the gifted children learn? There are no laws protecting the gifted children, so what can I do to help them? I think I need to get more training on talented and gifted children and programs so I can help my own class and other teachers. I just need to take things into my own hands.

As a group we studied and acted out a case for a young boy named Garrett. He is parlayed and needs a lot of help during the day, but his mental capacities are normal. This was interesting because we knew the outcome so we really just analyzed WHY they came to that conclusion. It took a while, but I think I agree with the conclusion. I agree that the school should take financial responsibility for Garrett's needs while he is at school. Going through this case made me realize that these are the types of things I may face as a teacher. I may be part of the decision making process and I need to get ready for that!