Watch Out World

Just the shortest of posts from me this time around.
I passed my LBS1 this week.....watch out world!

Freakonomics

As part of my current SPED class at Roosevelt we were asked to read and review Freakonomics. Here is that review.
Freakonomics (2005) written by Stephen Levitt and Stephen Dubner shows how thoughtful analysis of data can be used to draw conclusions causing us to question that which we thought to be true. The analysis within illustrates that morality and economic theory can at time be at odds with each other. While the author’s analysis spans across fields ranging as far apart as sumo wrestlers to crack dealers, and the Ku Klux Klan to parents, often their insight is applied to education.
Recent stories in the press, most notably the Atlanta public school system, have reported what has been suspected by many for some time. Some teachers, when under pressure to produce greater levels of achievement from students, succumb to ‘massaging’ the figures instead of re-evaluating their antiquated teaching methods to improve their instruction. Levitt & Dubner blame the creation of the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) law in 2002. The high-stakes testing that was mandated by President Bush made school districts, their schools, and their teachers more accountable. These tests have been used to reward the highest performing schools, and to sanction those that performed poorly. Opponents of NCLB argue that a certain cohort of students will be subjected to tests that they have little to no chance of passing. These opponents also argue, and Levitt & Dubner prove, that teachers may concentrate on test topics to the detriment of a wider curriculum, and even go as far as committing a criminal act in order to suggest that their students have hit benchmarks.
The arguments for and against incentivizing teachers are many, but Levitt and Dubner illustrate that with careful analysis it is possible to run analysis of figures to such an extent that individual teachers who are guilty of cheating can be found and punished.
School districts are now more likely to be run by an individual from a business background than an educational one. The business world is more likely to financially reward their top performers, and fire their poor performers. It would make sense that the success of a manager in one field can be transferred to another using those same management principles. The examples given in Freakonomics of the Chicago Public School system, and the recent debacle revealed in Atlanta would suggest that comparing the business world to the education world isn’t as simple as some might think.
After reading Freakonomics one calls to mind the phrase “Lies, damned lies, and statistics”. This phrase describes how numbers can be used to support an argument, even when that argument is a weak one. It can also be applied by people to disparage those statistics that do not support their own views. Healthy discussion and utilization of statistics should be encouraged, but when the use of those same statistics are used to cover up truths, thoughtful insight and clear analysis, the type of which Levitt and Dubner champion, need to be employed.

Book Review

I read Lance Armstrong's book "It's Not About The Bike - My Journey Back To Life". Written in 2000 it details Armstrong's fight against cancer. In it Lance demonstrates that a positive mindset is crucial in overcoming illness. "Make every obstacle an opportunity" is a quote fom chapter 2 attributed to his mother and it helps to explain Armstrong's later observations in which he shared that every time he coughed up a black tar-like substance during chemotherapy he imagined that it was the cancer leaving his body. He said that every time it burned when he went to the bathroom he imagined that it was the cancer leaving his body. Now obviously surviving cancer involves more than a positive mind but Lance Armstrong believes that remaining optimistic and surrounding yourself with close friends and supportive family can help make the battle against cancer a little more bearable.This for me was the key thought that I took away from the book, the idea that friends and family should not be scared, or shun the patient. They should help form a supportive unit that will help share the burden being bore by the person living with cancer.
As part of this assignment we we asked to provide a list of ways in which a teacher might support a child with cancer in an educational setting. A list such as this could be never ending but would certainly include things such as:
Meet with the child and parents and understand as much about the disease as possible. Share this information with other teachers if required.
Educate those students around the child so that they can better understand what they are going through. This may reduce misunderstanding and perhaps bullying. It will also increase the level of support that they are able to provide to their peer.
Students requiring medical care will miss a lot of time at school. It is important for the teacher to prepare for this accordingly, perhaps modifying packets and assessments so that the student can try and maintain their grades. A element of flexibility regarding deadlines will also be necessary.
Additionally teachers should be aware of the stress that the student is living with. Medication, plus living with a disease may affect moods and behavior patterns. Neither of which will be typical of the childs normal behavior.

We have also been asked to consider what a parent might choose to tell an educator about the child living with cancer. I suppose that this is quite personal and some families might share more information than others. However, as a teacher I would welcome the opportunity to discus the child's disease to help me plan my lessons in a way that I could reduce any restrictions that the child might face in class. I would like parents to tell me how the child is dealing with the situation mentally. Are they strong and positive or ca I help boost their confidence in any way. I would like to know when treatments are planned so that I can avoid setting projects or tasks that would otherwise be impossible. Also, if the child is on medication, how might I see a change in their behavior. Finally I would ask whether the parents and child were comfortable sharing this information with peers and oth teachers that taught the student.

I have never knowingly taught a child living with cancer but have taught many who have family members fighting the disease or have passed from the disease. I know the devastating effect that it has on our communities and hope that as a teacher I have been possible to provide comfort in some way.

Individual Education Plan (IEP) Reflection

In class we undertook an IEP (Individual Educational Plan) task in which each student was assigned the role of one of the many adults who might be present. This ranged from parents, advocate and tutor to hearing, vision and orthopedic itinerants, to physical and occupational therapists, teachers and paraprofessionals. Our IEP had 17 people involved, not including the student, Felipe, for whom the IEP was being prepared. This number might not be typical, but certainly there could be more people present than in our example.
My first observation was that this potentially complicated meeting was highly structured, formulaic and managed to gather a large amount of data in a short period of time. As education is becoming increasingly data driven each of the professionals present came to the meeting with facts, figures and comments that could be used to assess Felipe’s current performance and make goals for the future.
The parents in this case seemed to play a major role in the meeting. They were strong advocates for their son and had aspirations for his future that didn’t necessarily agree with the views of the service providers. I can see that this has potential for being an issue in some IEP meetings. What parent doesn’t want the best for their child? Surely we all want our children to be successful, go to College, have friends and hold down a steady job. However, in the case of Felipe these goals would seem less likely to be achieved and some might need to be re-addressed. Felipe is still young and perhaps parents are more likely to re-evaluate their ideals the longer that their child stays within education. I am also aware that there will be occasions when parents, for whatever reason, may choose not to be present at the IEP meeting of their child.
I noticed that many of the reports from the professionals used very neutral language. There seemed to be little room for emotions in the room, and more a reporting of fact. I played the role of the adapted physical education teacher and I reported that Felipe only walked on 2 or 3 days in a month, despite the use of a gait trainer and regular use of the supine stander. There was no comment as to whether this was considered a good level of walking or not. Many of the comments had to be re-worded so that they were not open to misinterpretation. It is a sad fact that in this litigious society in which we live we have to be so careful of what we say.
It was clear in our meeting that the other significant person in the room was the general education teacher. Their comments seemed to carry more weight with the parents and perhaps her clear and concise commentary on Felipe’s poor academic performance hit home the hardest. The parents still wished for Felipe to remain in a general education setting but I could see that it is more likely that he will move into a self-contained situation and perhaps even a specialized setting.
I can see that ultimately it is important for everyone to agree with the long term goals of the student and that the IEP will then allow short term goals to be set to ensure that they remain on target to achieve the bigger goal. However, I can see that the goals of the student are also likely to change as time goes on and that this then leads to a re-evaluation of all short term goals. The dynamic nature of the IEP ensures that all parties involved really need to know their role and also know their student very well.
Parents should be happy that so many adults are present in a room, all wanting the best for the child. While there might be some juggling between realistic needs and some fanciful aspirations it is evident that IDEA has created a system that goes some way towards ensuring that each child is given the best opportunity to reach their full potential. In our classroom situation I agreed with the final IEP report and felt that it was appropriate for Felipe at this stage of his life but can see that there will be future, more difficult IEP's in the future for Felipe and his parents.
For further information regarding IEP's in Illinois, and to download examples I would recommend the ISBE website.

Getting To Know Tyler Mitchell

Sitting in class today I was reminded of this short movie about an incredible young man that I know.

Huntington's Disease

In class we had to choose a disability and create a brochure explaining our findings. I chose to research Huntington's Disease, a rare hereditary degenerative disease. You can click on the image above to read through my two page brochure.
If you wish to find out more about this fatal disease then you can visit the excellent Huntington's Disease Society of America website

Movie Review

We were required to watch and review a movie that portrays a person with a health impairment and I chose to watch "The Diving Bell And The Butterfly" (2007). This was the film adaptation of Jean-Dominique Bauby's autobiographical memoir.
I chose this film as I had heard of it, but never really had time or the inclination to sit through a foreign language film depicting the life of a paralysed man despite the critical acclaim that it had received.
Following a massive stroke at the age of 42, "Jean-Do", an educated fashion journalist, found himself unable to move. He was diagnosed as having a condition known as 'locked-in syndrome'. In addition to his paralysis he had his right eye sewn shut as it wasn't irrigating properly. As a result, Jean-Do was left with only his left eye that could be controlled to react to the world around him. His brain was functioning perfectly and yet he could only express himself through a series of blinks. WIth the help of his physical therapist who devised an alternative alphabet that she would read and Jean-Do would select individual letter to spell words, he was able to communicate with the outside world. This resulted in him creating his memoirs that were positively received upon release. Unfortunately Jean-Do died of a massive heart attack just two days later.
The portrayal of 'locked-in syndrome' was very effective. Putting the viewer in the place of Jean-Do we were able to see the frustrations that he was going through. We could hear his, very eloquent, thoughts and yet those around him could only see a motionless patient. We were able to hear of his thoughts of suicide, the fact that he hadn't reconciled with the mother of his children following a recent love affair. We also saw how the paralysis effectively brought him closer to his frail father who himself wasn't physically mobile.
Those around him were patient and kind with Jean-Do. His children, despite the appearance of their father, were still able to spend time with him, sharing stories and singing. I found this to be very moving. As Jean-Do was able to communicate, his visitors were made aware of the fact that he was still very mentally alert. Thus we didn't see any mocking or patronizing behavior with the exception of two visiting telephone installers who found it funny that he would want a phone installed in his hospital room. The physical therapist was appalled at their behavior but Jean-Do found it funny.
The challenges that lay ahead for Jean-Do were immense. He was unable to do ANYTHING for himself. We saw him being fed through a tube as he couldn't swallow. We also saw him being bathed regularly, something that he was embarrassed about. This reminded me of the need to be empathetic around those with impairments and I always do my utmost to communicate with these individuals on an equal footing if possible. Shortly after watching this movie I met a young man who had the left side of his brain removed to control some mental health issues. I remembered my feelings from watching the movie and was pleased with the way in which I held a conversation with this young man.
Interacting with the world through a series of blinks seemed the most painful of ways in which to communicate, especially when it was obvious that Jean-Do's thought processes were the same as before his stroke. And yet, the fact that he was able to write his memoirs serves as an inspiration to others. It shows that some obstacles can be overcome with patience and a support network of people around you. Jean-Do's 'team' included Doctors, a speech therapist, a physical therapist, orderlies that washed and cared for him, plus his friends and family that came to visit him regularly. Of course they were unable to provide a cure for Jean-Do and his early death was certainly a result of his stroke, however, his life after the stroke will be remembered more so than his life before the stroke.
The movie affected me in a positive way. As I have mentioned, I was reminded of the need to talk to those with impairments as if they were as physically or mentally able as myself. It reminded me of the need for empathy when dealing with those who are overcoming great personal struggles and it also motivated me to continue with me desire to work with those with physical and mental disabilities.

5 Day Unit - Time Management

This link will take you to the 5 lesson unit plan on time management on Taskstream.

This was my first time using Taskstream and I found it to be fairly user friendly. As an assignment this one was very time consuming. Researching, planning and then creating a detailed 5 lesson unit plan proved to be a tough ask.

As a unit plan I think that this is of a good standard. I have paid attention to the needs of the topic and have shown where they link to Illinois Standards. I have tried to keep the tasks novel, fun and fairly short. The topic of time management is a fairly dry one and I don't think it should ever be taught specifically as a stand alone class. The techniques and strategies alluded to in the plan should be included in all subject areas across the curriculum. This constant reinforcement, and modeling of desired study behaviors by all teachers should lead to a greater adoption of these techniques by all students.

I have tried to show how I would accommodate for the inclusion of three students, each with a specific learning difficulty - one with TBI, one with ADHD and one on the autism spectrum. I think that it is always hard to produce such generic lesson plans as teachers will always adapt situations depending on the students in front of them. If I start teaching time management and the students don't understand the concept I don't just go onto lesson 2 next time around. I would continue with the topic but present it in a way that might be more successful.

I think this unit plan would reap some rewards and I think that in lesson 5 the students would certainly be able to produce some very good presentations that they could show to their peers. However, I can already see that there are areas of the unit that will probably be re-written if I was to teach this unit a second time around.

I have enjoyed this SPED class and will arrange to sign up for the two others that I need in order to sit my LBS1 at a later date. I think I would be a good special ed teacher as I have already developed a number of strategies that have allowed me to be successful within a class setting. I have good empathy skills and a desire that all students in my care get the most out of each lesson. I also think that being a man in the field of special education might work in my favor as there seems to be a shortage of men in the field right now. I'm not really sure why that might be, but with boys outnumbering girls 4:1 in special ed classes I think I can be a good role model to these students.

Concept Map

Exit Ticket Artifact

As we left each session of class we were asked to create an exit ticket. I have never done this before but found it a good opportunity to reflect on what had been presented and consider how we might best use this information in a classroom setting.

I have attached an image of my exit ticket from Day 4. In this particular lesson we discussed how technology can be used to assist the learning of our students. As I have been experimenting with technology a lot this year I found this lesson interesting. It was nice for me to share my experiences and I think in this lesson I also presented my podcast chapter review for chapter 7. Sometimes I think that everyone must be using technology in the same way that I am but the more I speak about it the more I realize that many people haven't had the opportunity to utilize it in the ways that I have.

In the second half of the class we learned about creating mind maps. I have been using this method of note taking/presenting information in class for many years but I felt that I learned how to make my mind maps more effective. I can now put more information into them without really using up more space on the page. Already I have put this to use in my chapter reviews. I like creating mind maps but it wouldn't be my preferred method of taking notes, that would be the Split Page - Cornell method, another style of note taking that I was first introduced to during this course.

Movie Artifact

One of the artifacts that we have been asked to provide is reflection on one of the movies that we watched in class. All of the movies that we viewed were very good, a little dated, but still very good. Moustaches, bubble perms and shoulder pads have gone out of fashion, but thankfully good teaching and the sharing of best practice still remain.

To be honest, I could have just written about any of the excellent Richard Lavoie movies that were shown in class. He has a passion for the teaching those with learning difficulties that is infectious and it is always great to hear someone share their experiences about what works for them. And there is the crucial point. What works for some might not work for others. There are a number of strategies out there and only over time can the educator find which ones work best with which student or situation.

A co-worker of mine lent me Richard Lavoie's "How Difficult Can That Be?". This DVD certainly reminded me that I should continue to be empathetic within my classroom, and that the frustration, anxiety and tension that I sometimes feel in a lesson, doesn’t come close to the frustration, anxiety and tension that some students are feeling in every lesson of every day of their time at school.

Evidence Based Best Practice - EAROBICS

Earobics

One presentation that we were asked to do was to put together research about evidence based best practice for reading and math strategies. I chose to research EAROBICS purely because I thought that the name sounded good.

Earobics is a research-based, intervention solution targeting the reading skills of pre-kindergarten to 3rd grade readers.

I was impressed with the program as it utilizes technology well, motivating students to read as it provides a personal and individualized content. It also provides support to teachers in the form of professional development and will also take reading initiatives into the community in conjunction with the host school.

Downsides to the program that I could see were the cost $300 per 12 users (although other presentations showed that there are far more expensive providers out there). It is also narrow in that it only targets readers up to 3rd grade level, plus I couldn't find sufficient unbiased research to demonstrate the full benefit of using the program.

Traumatic Brain Injury Artifact

TBI

Another of our group activities was to research and produce an artifact informing people of the issues surrounding Traumatic Brain Injury. Although I have never knowingly taught a child living with the effects of a TBI I do know a girl who suffered one as the result of a fall. This issue is also in the media quite a lot recently die to the issues of child head injuries becoming a national concern. In fact coaches are now receiving better education regarding this growing problem.

As a result of this exercise I feel that I would be better able to work with a child with this difficulty. Our group benefited from Josh's first hand experience of having worked with a child living with a TBI.

Lerner & Johns report that only 0.04% of the total school enrollment are living with this disability, and so it falls in with category of "Low-Incidence" along with:

• Autism
• Hearing Impairment
• Orthopedic Impairment
• Visual Impairment
• Developmental Delay
• Multiple Disabilities
• Deaf-Blindness

RTI Artifact

Special Education Evaluation RTI

One of the first group activities that we had to do was a jigsaw activity. This was the first time that I had taken part in a jigsaw activity, at least the first time where it had been named as such. For more information about jigsaw activities check out this link.

As an activity it was a good ice breaker and a chance to get to know other students. I can see that this would be valuable in class and in a short period of time would allow students to produce some great co-operative work.

The topic of the activity was the RTI process. Again this class was invaluable as although I had heard about RTI, and in fact even sat through an insufferable presentation once, I wasn't very clear about it. After this class I was able to see the benefits of the whole process. I can see some drawbacks, particularly where the concept is so new and teachers need a lot of guidance when creating identification screeners to determine whether or not a student moves on within the process. My wife works in a school where the teachers have been given little guidance from Administration and have been expected to implement the RTI process a little blindly. However, I can see that the thorough nature of the process will enable help and support to be given more effectively and in a more individualized manner than perhaps previously.

I look forward to being part of the RTI process.

Goal Setting

As a Health teacher I encourage my students to set themselves health goals that they will work towards achieving over the course of a semester.

I tell the students, and sometimes these key words differ depending on what source you look at, that they should set SMART goals that are:

Specific

Measurable

Attainable

Realistic

Timely

I've included a photograph (my scanner is broken) of my notes from the goal setting session in class. As you can see, my goal was "To pass the SPED 446 class with an A grade or better, completing all required coursework on or before deadline (see syllabus)."

I think that this is sufficient although I think that my tutor, Linda Rich might not think that it is specific enough. I believe that certain things can be implied, as the goal is specifically for me, I know what is required for me to fulfill the goal. HOWEVER, when we are working with students with learning disabilities they might not be able to behave in this way. For that reason, we as educators should be VERY clear when setting goals.

It is important that we model the goal setting technique, then encourage our students to set simple SMART goals. Eventually these goals will become more advanced and long term goals.

By encouraging our students to set goals we ask them to take more ownership for their own development. It also demonstrates that they have control over their future and that it isn't always decided for them by others.

Chapter Notes

As part of our class requirements for SPED 446 we were instructed to read "Learning Disabilities and Related Mild Disabilities: Characteristics, Teaching Strategies and New Directions" by Janet Lerner and Beverley Johns. This was a well laid out book and as it is in it's 11th edition, it has been recently revised. It was a surprisingly enjoyable read and will prove to a useful reference book once I start working with students with Learning Disabilities.

We were told to read each chapter and make notes in different styles each week. These note taking styles included:

• Split-Page - Cornell
• Graphic Organizer
• SQ3R
• SCROL
• Mind Maps
• Split Page
• Plus we were given the option of a free choice.

I don't think that I was ever taught how to make notes effectively but over time have found the style that I prefer. Having undertaken this exercise I would say that I take notes most closely to that of the split page - Cornell style. In fact this was my favored style and one that I would consider using in the future. I like the fact that it allows for comprehensive and yet concise notes to be taken, and revised, and then summarized. It was the summary table at the end of the review that I most liked as I had never considered doing this before.

Although it is difficult to say which of the chapters was most memorable, I would say that Chapter 1 was very good. It put everything in context and set things up for the rest of the following weeks. It was good to read about the dynamic nature of the field of Special Education and although there remains a great deal to be done to level the playing field and remove for restrictions for those with learning disabilities it is evident that much is being done in this field.

Clicking the image below will take you to the full list chapter reviews that I completed over the past few weeks.