This story recently came to me from two sources: A CEC SmartBrief and the parent of a child I tutor.
I think it's worth sharing again!
Sunday, December 5, 2010
Vacation Interactive Free Sites
I found this site a few years ago. It was challenging to navigate and then go back and find the activities you wanted repeatedly. They have re-organized and uploaded many free interactive boards and activities. They have many that are appropriate for December holidays. They've done a great job! It's so much easier to navigate and find activities appropriate to skill or grade level.
Here's a link to a post from a few years ago too. My students still enjoy these links!
Thursday, December 2, 2010
Quality Education Vs Accreditation
Education:
"The act or process of educating or being educated; the knowledge or skill obtained or developed by a learning process!"
Inquiries into furthering my educational aspirations were made to various colleges within my immediate environmental area. Several of the schools contacted required placement exams that I did not challenge, as I am adept and very capable of dealing with college examinations. The thing that got to me was the disparaging remarks from some college recruiters regarding their standards for education as opposed to another college. One of the schools that I've attended is a two-year degree school while the other is as well. They hold real estate in the same zip code and competed for students in the same local. They both educated local students as well as out of state and students from other countries and nations.
One school considered itself superior to the other by reason of accreditation. The school that was described as inferior did not have middle states accreditation. The school was described as below standard by the other. The so-called superior school is lead and operated by a non-HBCU affiliation while the other happened to be lead and operated by an African American staff. The self-described superior school has made plans, designs, and did bid for the take-over of the African American school. Albeit, the self-described superior school admits that it does not and will not accept credentials from the so-called inferior school. I have attended both of these institutions and received very good instruction from its teachers as well. While the lessons learned were an invaluable source of information, the education that I received from personal academic research (self-taught) has enhanced my knowledge base. Money was not a factor in my personal research, study, and/or practicum. I would add, the knowledge and information that was derived from the HBCU School proved to be equally rewarding as the other if not better!
Personally, I would say that I received more educational value at the HBCU (Historical Black Colleges and Universities) as opposed to the other collegiate institution. Albeit, they both required money.
When students visit college campuses they are encouraged to become a student at that particular school. The tour guides' show all of the amenities and accolades that are offered in order to get you enrolled...and to gain your tuition monies. But what about the quality of education offered by the particular schools? The majority of the colleges will often quote their accreditation as compared to another school of choice. What has accreditation to do with a good and valuable quality education? Money! And the ability to make money! Education does not and should not require money!
In 1899 Dr. Matthew Anderson, an outstanding community leader, and his wife Caroline Still Anderson founded Berean Manual and Industrial School. Dr. Anderson was a pivotal influence in the religious, business, and educational history of Philadelphia. Dr. Anderson also founded the Berean Presbyterian Church and the Berean Savings Fund Society.
Caroline Still is the daughter of the great William Still, a Philadelphia Abolitionist and member of the Underground Railroad.
Mr. William Still (a self-educated man), one of seventeen children, was born in Burlington County in 1821. His father escaped slavery from Maryland to New Jersey and later was followed by his wife and children. William Still left New Jersey for Philadelphia in 1844. Three years later he was appointed secretary of the Pennsylvania Abolition Society.
"When Brother William Still was 23, he left the family farm in New Jersey for Philadelphia, to seek his fortune. He arrived, friendless with only five dollars in his possession. Mr. Still taught himself to read and write. In fact, so well, that in three years he was able to gain and hold the position of secretary in the Pennsylvania Abolition Society. Brother Still provided the all-white society with his views on how to aid fugitive slaves. After all, he had been one himself. He was such an asset to the group, that he was elected chairman in 1851. Still held the position for the next ten years. He also became chairman of the Vigilance Committee in 1852. Still was the first black man to join the society and was able to provide first-hand experience of what it was like to be a slave."
"Mr. Still established a profitable coal business in Philadelphia. His house was used as one of the stations on the Underground Railroad. Brother Still interviewed escaped fugitives and kept careful records of each so that their family and friends might locate them. According to his records, Still helped 649 slaves receive their freedom. The number is compounded with the number of slaves saved by Sister Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad."
"William Still, a self-educated man, began his campaign to end racial discrimination on Philadelphia streetcars. He wrote an account of this campaign in Struggle for the Civil Rights of the Coloured People of Philadelphia in the City Railway Cars (1867). He followed this with The Underground Railroad (1872) and Voting and Laboring (1874)."
"William Still, a self-educated man, established an orphanage for the children of African-American soldiers and sailors. Other charitable work included the founding of a Mission Sabbath School and working with the Young Men's Christian Association. William Still died in Philadelphia on 14th July, 1902."
The Concise History of Berean Institute:
"In 1904 Berean Institute of Philadelphia Pennsylvania qualified for state aid and received a grant of $10,000. Over the years, state aid has enabled the school to expand its services and diversify its programs of study. Funds from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania now provide a significant portion of the total operating budget. Berean Institute embarked on a program of expansion under the dynamic leadership of the late Dr. William H. Gray, Jr., who utilized the support of many influential citizens of Pennsylvania including the former Governor Milton J. Shapp. Dr. Gray served as Chairman of the Berean Board of Trustees. Under Dr. Gray's leadership Berean Manual and Industrial School began operating as Berean Institute. He also had Berean Institute's current building constructed in 1973."
"Mrs. Lucille P. Blondin, who served the school for forty-five years, became Berean Institute's first President. Mrs. Blondin retired in June 1993. Dr. Norman K. Spencer was appointed to serve as the second President and Chief Executive Officer. Under Dr. Spencer's leadership, contracted programs funded by the City and Commonwealth agencies as well as community outreach projects have been added. Hon. John Braxton, former Judge, Court of Common Pleas heads a list of distinguished Board of Trustees members."
"Berean Institute enrolled students in full and part-time programs. Most of the students are residents of the Commonwealth and live in Philadelphia. Other students have come from Central and South America, China, India, Puerto Rico, Tonga, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Nigeria, Tanzania, the Dominican Republic, England, Cambodia, Viet Nam and states along the eastern seaboard of the United States."
"A number of students come to learn a marketable skill and their Berean training fulfills their current educational aspirations. Many others regard the school as a stepping-stone to further education. Berean has many graduates who have gone on to earn four-year college degrees and others who have completed graduate studies at some of the area's outstanding institutions of higher learning."
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania's Department of Education granted Berean Institute approval to award the Associate in Specialized Technology Degree on September 15, 1976, and the Associate in Specialized Business Degree on December 27, 1976.
Again, education is:
"The act or process of imparting or acquiring general knowledge, developing the powers of reasoning and judgment, and generally of preparing oneself or others intellectually for mature life; the act or process of imparting or acquiring particular knowledge or skills, as for a profession; a degree, level, or kind of schooling: a university education; .the result produced by instruction, training, or study: to show one's education; the science or art of teaching; pedagogics."
A definition of education: 'The act or process of educating or being educated; the knowledge or skill obtained or developed by a learning process; a program of instruction of a specified kind or level: driver education; a college education; the field of study that is concerned with the pedagogy of teaching and learning; an instructive or enlightening experience:
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009
So why does another school rate it's accreditation over and above that of another? Money! Many colleges and universities rate its' educational values based on the amount of money in its' coffers as well as the amount of money that they can amass! Another tool to increase superiority in the education business is to attain and maintain accreditation and as many acquisitions as possible.
Several opinions suggest education achieved through these venues is designed to prepare people/students for the job market as opposed to being prepared for life skills. The skills required to carry ones posterity and their descendants that follow into prosperous futures.
Is it fair to assess the stature of a collegiate institution above any other based on the amount of money that is needed to be spent or the amount of education that is achieved? Ivy league institutions turn out many students who are not prepared for the challenges of life...but many of them are rich and have spent thousands of dollars to attend those schools as well as graduating from them. On the other hand, many poor people that are lucky enough to qualify for grants, loans, scholarships, etc., are better prepared to face the challenges set before them (so it seems).
Many poor and working poor students seem to value the collegiate level education as if their life depended upon it, so they tend to work a bit harder to achieve the degree status. The document can be deemed worthless when the graduate cannot find the desired job for which he/she has studied. It is even worse when the graduated student finds that they are worse off than when they started college. They are now burdened with school loan debt plus the debts that they have had to meet before attending college. Working at McDonalds and the like, seem to be the only job that is attainable for many of them. The competition is fierce. These students are for the most part, grouped in with many applicants that are not college educated and many do not have high school diplomas as well! The knowledge attained is not considered or tested by many of these employers. Kiosk type pictures on a cash-register computer is what they have to work with. Is this not insulting to a student who has studied computer science, read and write computer programs and its languages, as well as other academics of study?
Why is it that many non-ivy league students find themselves out of work? Why is it that many of them find that they are the first to lose their employment positions compared to their ivy-league colleagues? Why is it that many inner-city college educated graduates find themselves less likely to be selected as team-leaders than their counter part ivy-leaguers? Many employers advertise their openings with statements that don't require a college level education. They ask that candidates simply have a high school level education. College educated candidates apply to those openings and find themselves scrutinized out of the running, i.e., background checks, credit checks, criminal histories, schooling activities, etc. Why is it college educated candidates find that not only do they have to compete with ivy-leaguers, they have to compete with high school educated folks as well. What is the sense in enduring hours, years, and other sacrifices to attain the coveted two and/or four-year college level degree when you're not going to qualify for the job anyway?
The notion of accreditation, money, and notable stature should not be the basis of choosing the collegiate route to education. Education should be based on ones ability to achieve, retain, and utilize education. The achievement of education begins in the home (as well as anyone who desires it). It begins with the Childs' upbringing and the stressed importance placed by the parent and/or guardian. Should the child be highly scholastic in abilities that enable him/her to be described as intellectually talented above average, that student deserves free college education. While the rest of us who are collegiate material may well have to pay for our higher education. Mind you, my argument is based on the ability to access education without having to spend money...teachers need to earn a living, schools need to pay the costs of operating and maintaining buildings and staff. So the money has to come from somewhere. Albeit, the aforementioned disparages between different colleges should cease the practice of who's a better institution of higher learning. Is it the responsibility of educated people to enlighten people who are not?
While many may not be aware, education is achievable without attending so-called accredited and/or less accredited schools, of higher learning...start with the libraries in your homes as well as the public facilities, news papers, magazines, shared information, and articles. Why is the education attained by others kept to a level of secrecy that one should have to pay for it?
Attained and acquired education is the responsibility of the educational pursuer...the burden is placed solely on the student not the educational pursued. I'm not advocating that one can become a doctor, architect, or a lawyer by simply reading text...there is a difference between education and training.
"The act or process of educating or being educated; the knowledge or skill obtained or developed by a learning process!"
Inquiries into furthering my educational aspirations were made to various colleges within my immediate environmental area. Several of the schools contacted required placement exams that I did not challenge, as I am adept and very capable of dealing with college examinations. The thing that got to me was the disparaging remarks from some college recruiters regarding their standards for education as opposed to another college. One of the schools that I've attended is a two-year degree school while the other is as well. They hold real estate in the same zip code and competed for students in the same local. They both educated local students as well as out of state and students from other countries and nations.
One school considered itself superior to the other by reason of accreditation. The school that was described as inferior did not have middle states accreditation. The school was described as below standard by the other. The so-called superior school is lead and operated by a non-HBCU affiliation while the other happened to be lead and operated by an African American staff. The self-described superior school has made plans, designs, and did bid for the take-over of the African American school. Albeit, the self-described superior school admits that it does not and will not accept credentials from the so-called inferior school. I have attended both of these institutions and received very good instruction from its teachers as well. While the lessons learned were an invaluable source of information, the education that I received from personal academic research (self-taught) has enhanced my knowledge base. Money was not a factor in my personal research, study, and/or practicum. I would add, the knowledge and information that was derived from the HBCU School proved to be equally rewarding as the other if not better!
Personally, I would say that I received more educational value at the HBCU (Historical Black Colleges and Universities) as opposed to the other collegiate institution. Albeit, they both required money.
When students visit college campuses they are encouraged to become a student at that particular school. The tour guides' show all of the amenities and accolades that are offered in order to get you enrolled...and to gain your tuition monies. But what about the quality of education offered by the particular schools? The majority of the colleges will often quote their accreditation as compared to another school of choice. What has accreditation to do with a good and valuable quality education? Money! And the ability to make money! Education does not and should not require money!
In 1899 Dr. Matthew Anderson, an outstanding community leader, and his wife Caroline Still Anderson founded Berean Manual and Industrial School. Dr. Anderson was a pivotal influence in the religious, business, and educational history of Philadelphia. Dr. Anderson also founded the Berean Presbyterian Church and the Berean Savings Fund Society.
Caroline Still is the daughter of the great William Still, a Philadelphia Abolitionist and member of the Underground Railroad.
Mr. William Still (a self-educated man), one of seventeen children, was born in Burlington County in 1821. His father escaped slavery from Maryland to New Jersey and later was followed by his wife and children. William Still left New Jersey for Philadelphia in 1844. Three years later he was appointed secretary of the Pennsylvania Abolition Society.
"When Brother William Still was 23, he left the family farm in New Jersey for Philadelphia, to seek his fortune. He arrived, friendless with only five dollars in his possession. Mr. Still taught himself to read and write. In fact, so well, that in three years he was able to gain and hold the position of secretary in the Pennsylvania Abolition Society. Brother Still provided the all-white society with his views on how to aid fugitive slaves. After all, he had been one himself. He was such an asset to the group, that he was elected chairman in 1851. Still held the position for the next ten years. He also became chairman of the Vigilance Committee in 1852. Still was the first black man to join the society and was able to provide first-hand experience of what it was like to be a slave."
"Mr. Still established a profitable coal business in Philadelphia. His house was used as one of the stations on the Underground Railroad. Brother Still interviewed escaped fugitives and kept careful records of each so that their family and friends might locate them. According to his records, Still helped 649 slaves receive their freedom. The number is compounded with the number of slaves saved by Sister Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad."
"William Still, a self-educated man, began his campaign to end racial discrimination on Philadelphia streetcars. He wrote an account of this campaign in Struggle for the Civil Rights of the Coloured People of Philadelphia in the City Railway Cars (1867). He followed this with The Underground Railroad (1872) and Voting and Laboring (1874)."
"William Still, a self-educated man, established an orphanage for the children of African-American soldiers and sailors. Other charitable work included the founding of a Mission Sabbath School and working with the Young Men's Christian Association. William Still died in Philadelphia on 14th July, 1902."
The Concise History of Berean Institute:
"In 1904 Berean Institute of Philadelphia Pennsylvania qualified for state aid and received a grant of $10,000. Over the years, state aid has enabled the school to expand its services and diversify its programs of study. Funds from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania now provide a significant portion of the total operating budget. Berean Institute embarked on a program of expansion under the dynamic leadership of the late Dr. William H. Gray, Jr., who utilized the support of many influential citizens of Pennsylvania including the former Governor Milton J. Shapp. Dr. Gray served as Chairman of the Berean Board of Trustees. Under Dr. Gray's leadership Berean Manual and Industrial School began operating as Berean Institute. He also had Berean Institute's current building constructed in 1973."
"Mrs. Lucille P. Blondin, who served the school for forty-five years, became Berean Institute's first President. Mrs. Blondin retired in June 1993. Dr. Norman K. Spencer was appointed to serve as the second President and Chief Executive Officer. Under Dr. Spencer's leadership, contracted programs funded by the City and Commonwealth agencies as well as community outreach projects have been added. Hon. John Braxton, former Judge, Court of Common Pleas heads a list of distinguished Board of Trustees members."
"Berean Institute enrolled students in full and part-time programs. Most of the students are residents of the Commonwealth and live in Philadelphia. Other students have come from Central and South America, China, India, Puerto Rico, Tonga, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Nigeria, Tanzania, the Dominican Republic, England, Cambodia, Viet Nam and states along the eastern seaboard of the United States."
"A number of students come to learn a marketable skill and their Berean training fulfills their current educational aspirations. Many others regard the school as a stepping-stone to further education. Berean has many graduates who have gone on to earn four-year college degrees and others who have completed graduate studies at some of the area's outstanding institutions of higher learning."
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania's Department of Education granted Berean Institute approval to award the Associate in Specialized Technology Degree on September 15, 1976, and the Associate in Specialized Business Degree on December 27, 1976.
Again, education is:
"The act or process of imparting or acquiring general knowledge, developing the powers of reasoning and judgment, and generally of preparing oneself or others intellectually for mature life; the act or process of imparting or acquiring particular knowledge or skills, as for a profession; a degree, level, or kind of schooling: a university education; .the result produced by instruction, training, or study: to show one's education; the science or art of teaching; pedagogics."
A definition of education: 'The act or process of educating or being educated; the knowledge or skill obtained or developed by a learning process; a program of instruction of a specified kind or level: driver education; a college education; the field of study that is concerned with the pedagogy of teaching and learning; an instructive or enlightening experience:
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009
So why does another school rate it's accreditation over and above that of another? Money! Many colleges and universities rate its' educational values based on the amount of money in its' coffers as well as the amount of money that they can amass! Another tool to increase superiority in the education business is to attain and maintain accreditation and as many acquisitions as possible.
Several opinions suggest education achieved through these venues is designed to prepare people/students for the job market as opposed to being prepared for life skills. The skills required to carry ones posterity and their descendants that follow into prosperous futures.
Is it fair to assess the stature of a collegiate institution above any other based on the amount of money that is needed to be spent or the amount of education that is achieved? Ivy league institutions turn out many students who are not prepared for the challenges of life...but many of them are rich and have spent thousands of dollars to attend those schools as well as graduating from them. On the other hand, many poor people that are lucky enough to qualify for grants, loans, scholarships, etc., are better prepared to face the challenges set before them (so it seems).
Many poor and working poor students seem to value the collegiate level education as if their life depended upon it, so they tend to work a bit harder to achieve the degree status. The document can be deemed worthless when the graduate cannot find the desired job for which he/she has studied. It is even worse when the graduated student finds that they are worse off than when they started college. They are now burdened with school loan debt plus the debts that they have had to meet before attending college. Working at McDonalds and the like, seem to be the only job that is attainable for many of them. The competition is fierce. These students are for the most part, grouped in with many applicants that are not college educated and many do not have high school diplomas as well! The knowledge attained is not considered or tested by many of these employers. Kiosk type pictures on a cash-register computer is what they have to work with. Is this not insulting to a student who has studied computer science, read and write computer programs and its languages, as well as other academics of study?
Why is it that many non-ivy league students find themselves out of work? Why is it that many of them find that they are the first to lose their employment positions compared to their ivy-league colleagues? Why is it that many inner-city college educated graduates find themselves less likely to be selected as team-leaders than their counter part ivy-leaguers? Many employers advertise their openings with statements that don't require a college level education. They ask that candidates simply have a high school level education. College educated candidates apply to those openings and find themselves scrutinized out of the running, i.e., background checks, credit checks, criminal histories, schooling activities, etc. Why is it college educated candidates find that not only do they have to compete with ivy-leaguers, they have to compete with high school educated folks as well. What is the sense in enduring hours, years, and other sacrifices to attain the coveted two and/or four-year college level degree when you're not going to qualify for the job anyway?
The notion of accreditation, money, and notable stature should not be the basis of choosing the collegiate route to education. Education should be based on ones ability to achieve, retain, and utilize education. The achievement of education begins in the home (as well as anyone who desires it). It begins with the Childs' upbringing and the stressed importance placed by the parent and/or guardian. Should the child be highly scholastic in abilities that enable him/her to be described as intellectually talented above average, that student deserves free college education. While the rest of us who are collegiate material may well have to pay for our higher education. Mind you, my argument is based on the ability to access education without having to spend money...teachers need to earn a living, schools need to pay the costs of operating and maintaining buildings and staff. So the money has to come from somewhere. Albeit, the aforementioned disparages between different colleges should cease the practice of who's a better institution of higher learning. Is it the responsibility of educated people to enlighten people who are not?
While many may not be aware, education is achievable without attending so-called accredited and/or less accredited schools, of higher learning...start with the libraries in your homes as well as the public facilities, news papers, magazines, shared information, and articles. Why is the education attained by others kept to a level of secrecy that one should have to pay for it?
Attained and acquired education is the responsibility of the educational pursuer...the burden is placed solely on the student not the educational pursued. I'm not advocating that one can become a doctor, architect, or a lawyer by simply reading text...there is a difference between education and training.
An Inside Look at the Special Education Profession
Special education professionals work to promote students' overall behavioral, social and academic growth. Special education professionals aide students in developing socially appropriate behavior within their family, school and community. Teachers of special education help students become more confident in their social interactions. Special education professionals administer activities that build students' life skills.
What Does the Job Entail?
Are you interested in helping others? Can you handle and care for people who learn differently and have other behavioral problems? Do you want to make a difference in a young child's life? If you answered "yes" to any of these questions, then you might consider a career in special education. Below is a breakdown of the short and long-term responsibilities of a special education teacher.
First and foremost, special education teachers focus on the development and academic needs of children with disabilities. They encourage learning in disabled students by implementing educational modules and behavioral techniques. Special education teachers work alone or with general education teachers to individualize lessons, develop problem-solving techniques and integrate children into group projects with other students. Furthermore, special education teachers are responsible for ensuring that the needs of disabled children are met during assessment periods.
Did you know that special education teachers work with a team of professionals, qualified staff and family in order to fulfill their job requirements? It is true. In fact, special education teachers work in conjunction with these entities to create an Individualized Education Program (IEP) for each student. An IEP is designed in collaboration with a child's parents, school principal, social worker, speech pathologist and general education teacher to ensure effective implementation. An IEP targets a student's needs and growth areas for maximum response. The specialized goals set by the IEP are woven throughout all aspects of a child's daily activities. Teachers of special education must monitor a child's setbacks and progress and report back to parents and administrators. Planned goals and tasks are outlined for family members to refer to while a student is at home as well.
The types of disabilities a special education teacher might encounter are difficult to predict. For one, the qualifications for special education services vary greatly from mild disabilities to extreme cases of mental retardation or autism. Types of disabilities include, but are not limited to, the following: speech impairments, hearing disabilities, emotional disturbances, orthopedic impairments, brain trauma cases, blindness, deafness and learning disabilities.
Do You Exhibit These Qualities?
Now that you have an idea of the job's demands, let's see if you have the right qualities to be a special education teacher.
Recognize the symptoms and needs of special needs students
Patience
Ability to work with one or more parties to achieve short-term and long-term goals
Strong communication skills
Ability to motivate others
Ability to multi-task
Knowledge of the most recent education modules, medical research and behavioral practices
# Creativity
Knowledge of the latest medical technology relevant to special education
Taking the Next Step toward a New Career
Once you have decided to enter the field of special education, you will need to follow several steps. Due to the specialization of the field, special education teachers in all 50 states must receive licensure before employment. Licensures are approved by each state's board of education, and the requirements for certification differ between states. Nevertheless, the growing shortage of special education teachers has led institutions of higher education to offer more special education degree and certification programs. In fact, special education degrees are offered at the bachelor's, master's and doctoral levels throughout the nation. Not to mention, the booming field of distance learning has made certification more accessible from any location in the United States.
In many cases, hopeful special education professionals do not meet the requirements of special education licensure due to their prior completion of degree programs outside of the field of education. Therefore, several states have begun to offer alternate forms of certification. The hope of these programs is to attract new special education professionals and fill the growing need for teachers. The chance to positively impact the lives of special needs children is one of the driving motivations and benefits of entering this field.
After several years, some special education teachers look for new opportunities within their field. In the most common situations, special education professionals transfer to administrative or supervisory positions. Others, after receiving a higher degree, become college professors and educate new students in the field of special education. Experienced teachers of special needs students have also moved up to serve as mentors to incoming special education teachers.
As for the future of special education and employment, there are many changes on the horizon. Most significantly, the job market in special education, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), is projected to "increase faster than the average of all occupations by 2014." Due to the new emphasis on education and training in legislature, special education professionals will become even more valued.
Can I Make a Living as a Special Education Teacher?
As mentioned previously, the special education job market is on the rise. In 2004, the BLS reported 441,000 employed special education teachers in the nation. While only 6 percent worked within private schools, over 90 percent were employed by public schools or districts. In rare cases, special education professionals were involved in home or hospital care.
Several factors determine a special education teacher's financial compensation. Such factors include experience, educational background, area of specialty and geographical location. In May 2004, the BLS reported the following breakdown of median annual earnings of special education teachers:
Preschool, kindergarten and elementary school level: - $43,570
Middle school level: - $44,160
Secondary school level: - $45,700
Special education teachers receive increases in salary through additional involvement in their schools' educational activities and through coaching school athletic teams. In some districts, being a mentor to a new special education teacher carries additional monetary benefits. However, the most common way to increase earnings is through the completion of a higher degree, which can also make a teacher's instruction more credible and valuable.
What Does the Job Entail?
Are you interested in helping others? Can you handle and care for people who learn differently and have other behavioral problems? Do you want to make a difference in a young child's life? If you answered "yes" to any of these questions, then you might consider a career in special education. Below is a breakdown of the short and long-term responsibilities of a special education teacher.
First and foremost, special education teachers focus on the development and academic needs of children with disabilities. They encourage learning in disabled students by implementing educational modules and behavioral techniques. Special education teachers work alone or with general education teachers to individualize lessons, develop problem-solving techniques and integrate children into group projects with other students. Furthermore, special education teachers are responsible for ensuring that the needs of disabled children are met during assessment periods.
Did you know that special education teachers work with a team of professionals, qualified staff and family in order to fulfill their job requirements? It is true. In fact, special education teachers work in conjunction with these entities to create an Individualized Education Program (IEP) for each student. An IEP is designed in collaboration with a child's parents, school principal, social worker, speech pathologist and general education teacher to ensure effective implementation. An IEP targets a student's needs and growth areas for maximum response. The specialized goals set by the IEP are woven throughout all aspects of a child's daily activities. Teachers of special education must monitor a child's setbacks and progress and report back to parents and administrators. Planned goals and tasks are outlined for family members to refer to while a student is at home as well.
The types of disabilities a special education teacher might encounter are difficult to predict. For one, the qualifications for special education services vary greatly from mild disabilities to extreme cases of mental retardation or autism. Types of disabilities include, but are not limited to, the following: speech impairments, hearing disabilities, emotional disturbances, orthopedic impairments, brain trauma cases, blindness, deafness and learning disabilities.
Do You Exhibit These Qualities?
Now that you have an idea of the job's demands, let's see if you have the right qualities to be a special education teacher.
Recognize the symptoms and needs of special needs students
Patience
Ability to work with one or more parties to achieve short-term and long-term goals
Strong communication skills
Ability to motivate others
Ability to multi-task
Knowledge of the most recent education modules, medical research and behavioral practices
# Creativity
Knowledge of the latest medical technology relevant to special education
Taking the Next Step toward a New Career
Once you have decided to enter the field of special education, you will need to follow several steps. Due to the specialization of the field, special education teachers in all 50 states must receive licensure before employment. Licensures are approved by each state's board of education, and the requirements for certification differ between states. Nevertheless, the growing shortage of special education teachers has led institutions of higher education to offer more special education degree and certification programs. In fact, special education degrees are offered at the bachelor's, master's and doctoral levels throughout the nation. Not to mention, the booming field of distance learning has made certification more accessible from any location in the United States.
In many cases, hopeful special education professionals do not meet the requirements of special education licensure due to their prior completion of degree programs outside of the field of education. Therefore, several states have begun to offer alternate forms of certification. The hope of these programs is to attract new special education professionals and fill the growing need for teachers. The chance to positively impact the lives of special needs children is one of the driving motivations and benefits of entering this field.
After several years, some special education teachers look for new opportunities within their field. In the most common situations, special education professionals transfer to administrative or supervisory positions. Others, after receiving a higher degree, become college professors and educate new students in the field of special education. Experienced teachers of special needs students have also moved up to serve as mentors to incoming special education teachers.
As for the future of special education and employment, there are many changes on the horizon. Most significantly, the job market in special education, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), is projected to "increase faster than the average of all occupations by 2014." Due to the new emphasis on education and training in legislature, special education professionals will become even more valued.
Can I Make a Living as a Special Education Teacher?
As mentioned previously, the special education job market is on the rise. In 2004, the BLS reported 441,000 employed special education teachers in the nation. While only 6 percent worked within private schools, over 90 percent were employed by public schools or districts. In rare cases, special education professionals were involved in home or hospital care.
Several factors determine a special education teacher's financial compensation. Such factors include experience, educational background, area of specialty and geographical location. In May 2004, the BLS reported the following breakdown of median annual earnings of special education teachers:
Preschool, kindergarten and elementary school level: - $43,570
Middle school level: - $44,160
Secondary school level: - $45,700
Special education teachers receive increases in salary through additional involvement in their schools' educational activities and through coaching school athletic teams. In some districts, being a mentor to a new special education teacher carries additional monetary benefits. However, the most common way to increase earnings is through the completion of a higher degree, which can also make a teacher's instruction more credible and valuable.
Educational Problem Solving
This article introduces the educational solutions module of the world's most recent personal and professional problem solving site, describing competitive offerings, the customer profile, problem-oriented solutions, target markets, product offerings, and usability features. It concludes that the module is a major contribution to the information superhighway.
Introduction
The aim of this article is to introduce to the world the educational solutions module of the world's most recent personal and professional problem solving site. The article is addressed to those readers who may have an educational problem bogging them and who may therefore be looking for a way out of their predicament. The reader may be a parent, child, or student.
It is a common fact of life that we all have problems and that we are often frustrated or we tend to lash out because of our inability to find accessible and reliable information about our problems. This specialist site fills this need - as our pragmatic friend for solving our educational problems.
To be of the greatest use to people a problem solving site must combine pragmatic discussions of their personal or professional problem with merchant products that provide more detailed information. Typically, the web site will provide free information in the form of news, articles, and advice, which direct the visitor on what to do to solve her problems. Complementing this, the web site will also provide merchant products which discuss in detail how the visitor can go about resolving her problem. This means that the most effective, visitor-oriented problem-solving site will be an information-packed commercial site - and so is the world's most recent personal and professional problem solving site and its specialist sites.
The approach that we have adopted below is to describe competitive offerings, the customer profile, problem-oriented solutions, target markets, product offerings, and usability features.
Competitive Offerings
The following are the top educational sites on the Internet, along with their offerings.
US Department of Education. It defines the US education policy and provides information on financial aid, educational research and statistics, grants and contracts, and teaching and learning resources.
Educational Testing Service. It provides a range of test resources.
FunBrain.com. It provides educational games for K-8 kids.
PrimaryGames.com. It provides fun learning tools and games for kids.
GEM. It provides educational resources such as lesson plans and other teaching and learning resources.
Education World. It provides advice on lesson plans, professional development, and technology integration.
NASA Education Enterprise. It provides educational materials and information relating to space exploration.
Spartacus Educational. It is a British online encyclopedia that focuses on historical topics.
Department for Education and Skills. It is a UK government department site that offers information and advice on various educational and skills topics.
Times Educational Supplement. It offers teaching news, teaching & educational resources, and active forums to help UK teachers.
All these sites are useful in the domains that they cover. Their main limitations are as follows:
1. They tend to cover only a very narrow segment of the educational market.
2. They do not take as their starting point the daily educational needs of the typical family.
3. They lack a problem focus; i.e., they do not formulate the typical learning and educational problems that pupils, students, and parents face on a daily basis.
4. As a result of the preceding point, the solutions offered are not as incisive (i.e. as problem-centred) as they could be.
5. They do not offer merchant products that deepen the visitor's understanding of her problem and of the consequent solutions.
The educational solutions module of the world's most recent personal and professional problem solving site addresses these problems by targeting a multiplicity of market segments, adopting a customer profile that fits the typical education-pursuing family, considering the specific needs or problems that this family may face, offering incisive (problem-centred) solutions to the various problems, and offering a range of merchant products that deepen the visitor's appreciation of her problems and of the solutions that are applicable to them.
Customer Profile
The customer profile or target visitor characteristics of the educational solutions module is the same as for all specialist sites of the world's most recent personal and professional problem solving site. The site has been designed to meet the needs of visitors who have an educational problem bogging them. It is designed for both males and females, even though it is often convenient to refer to just one sex when writing.
This visitor uses search engines to research information about her personal or professional problem, with the intention of finding solutions to it. The visitor is serious about solving her problem and is therefore willing to buy products that help her to achieve her mission, provided that she can find reliable and honest information about relevant products so that she can make an informed decision about which ones to acquire. This information will help her to apply her finances economically, and hence avoid wasting money.
The visitor will want a money-back guarantee so that if a product does not live up to expectations or if she were misled into buying a product she can get a refund. Such a guarantee absolves her of purchase risks.
The visitor is intelligent (without necessarily being a genius), educated (without necessarily being a PhD), computer literate (without necessarily being a computer guru), and money-minded (without necessarily being a freebie hunter or an unemployed person). This of course does not mean that freebie hunters or unemployed persons cannot gain a thing from the site. To the contrary, there is a great deal of free information on the site. Just that it is hard to see how anyone can gain the full benefits of the site without buying products.
The visitor wants high quality information products (usually in digital form) and wants to pay the cheapest price for these (without paying so much emphasis on price that she compromises quality). The visitor also wants free bonus offers that are attached to the purchased goods.
The visitor is self-reliant and can cope on her own by reading, digesting, and applying advice about her problem until she solves it or discovers that she needs help from a professional, at which point her acquired knowledge will help her to reduce her consulting fees. As a result of the knowledge gained, the visitor will be able to assess consultants in order to avoid incompetent or fraudulent ones.
Problem-Centred Solutions
Our free solutions are organised in the form of pragmatic articles that are written by top experts. Each article addresses a specific daily problem, but does not go into detail. It explains the problem and tells the visitor what she must do to solve her problem. However, it does not tell the visitor how she must solve it - this is too much for an article. To find out about the how, the visitor must buy a product (usually an e-book or e-book set) that goes into greater depth.
The set of educational articles that we have chosen, to provide initial solution to a visitor's problem are as follows:
Signs of a Gifted Child - Informs parents on how to identify whether or not their children are gifted.
Essential Parenting Lessons for Enriching Your Child's Education - Teaches parents how to enhance their child's education.
Using Positive Affirmations to Be a Better Student - Teaches students how to use positive affirmations to improve their performance.
They Are Just Afraid of Writing - Teaches writing skills to students
How Can Parents Encourage Their Children to Read? - Shows parents how they can improve their children's reading skills.
Test Preparation Tutoring - Discusses the topic of tutoring students to prepare for tests or exams.
Test Taking Strategies - Discusses various strategies for taking and passing tests or exams
Playing and Winning the Scholarship Game - Describes how to win scholarships.
How to Get a Scholarship to a UK University - Describes how to win scholarships to a UK university.
Saving Money for College - Instructs students on how they can save money in preparation for college.
Student Loans: When Your Educational Dreams Can't Compete with the Cost - Explains to students the benefits of a student loan.
Education Loans Can Fund a Higher Degree to Boost Your Career - Also explains to students the benefits of a student loan.
The Secret to US Department of Education Loans - Teaches students how to get a US DoE loan to finance their higher education.
Student Loan Consolidation - Save Money, Pay Less, Spend More - Explains to graduates how to make use of loan consolidation to reduce their student loan repayments.
Higher Education: Finding the Right College for You - Explains to students how to find the right college or university for their higher education studies.
Mobile Learning - An Alternative Worth Considering - Explains the concept of mobile learning and its place in education.
Online Degrees - Is Online Education Right for You? - Analyses the merits of online learning as compared to traditional learning.
An Online College Education Overview - Reviews the whole concept of online learning.
Finding the Right Quotation for Your Paper or Speech Online - Shows writers and speakers how to find the right quotation to use in their writings or speeches.
Collaboration: An Important Leadership Development Skill - Explores the useful concept of collaboration and its role in leadership development.
At the end of each article is a list of merchant products that supplement the article's content. A link is also included for accessing the educational product catalogue.
Target Markets and Product Offerings
Now let us turn to the target markets and their associated product offerings. We have positioned the segments to address the various needs of a visitor over a period of time, and at any given time a customer may belong to one or more of the market segments. There are three general classes of products offered: ClickBank products, Google products, and eBay products. Google and eBay products are presented on each page of the site. ClickBank products are grouped into product categories that match the target markets. These categories and their markets are as follows.
Children and Parenting. This consists of visitors who want parenting solutions for improving their children's upbringing. Their needs are met through the Children and Parenting section of the educational product catalogue.
Difficult Admissions. This consists of visitors who want to learn how to get admission into top universities. Their needs are met through the Difficult Admissions section of the educational product catalogue.
Esoteric Needs. This consists of visitors with unusual needs. Their needs are met through the Esoteric Needs section of the educational product catalogue.
Financial Aid. This consists of visitors looking for scholarships, grants, or loans. Their needs are met through the Financial Aid section of the educational product catalogue.
Leadership Skills. This consists of visitors looking to develop their leadership skills. Their needs are met through the Leadership Skills section of the educational product catalogue.
Learning. This consists of visitors who want to improve their learning ability. Their needs are met through the Learning section of the educational product catalogue.
Mental Speed. This consists of visitors who want to explode their mental speed. Their needs are met through the Mental Speed section of the educational product catalogue.
Positive Affirmations. This consists of visitors who want to transform their negative dispositions into a positive mindset in order to improve their performance. Their needs are met through the Positive Affirmations section of the educational product catalogue.
Speaking. This consists of visitors looking to improve their speaking skills. Their needs are met through the Speaking section of the educational product catalogue.
Tests and Exams. This consists of visitors looking to master exam technique. Their needs are met through the Tests and Exams section of the educational product catalogue.
Writing. This consists of visitors looking to improve their writing skills. Their needs are met through the Writing section of the educational product catalogue.
Usability Considerations
Usability has been enhanced to make it easy for the visitor to find solutions to her problem, by following these steps:
1. The first thing the visitor sees are a set of articles whose titles represent the specific problem area they address. The articles are accessed from the Educational Problem Solving menu of the navigation bar to the left of the screen or from the Educational Problem Solving main page. By scanning these articles the visitor can identify whether or not her problem is covered. If not the visitor can check the educational product catalogue through the Product Catalogues menu of the same navigation bar, to see whether a product exists that answers her query. If she finds nothing she knows that her problem is not addressed. She can proceed to the Related Sites pages, which are accessible from the left navigation bar.
2. If the visitor finds an article that addresses her problem then she can begin to explore that; at the end of the article she will find products that discuss her problem more deeply. She can also access the educational product catalogue through an article page.
Conclusion
This article has introduced the educational solutions module of the world's most recent personal and professional problem solving site. The article has examined competitive offerings, the target customer profile, problem-oriented solutions, target markets, product offerings, and usability considerations. It concludes that the module is a major contribution to the information superhighway.
Friday, November 5, 2010
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Embedding Literacy
I'm packing to facilitate a course of fast and intense game in language and literacy. For this reason, I was involved in a number of think and reflect upon layer of lesson plans for language and literacy and daily routines.
Let me take a moment to share an idea that illustrates how a parent has integrated the language and literacy in your child's day.
I drive through 3 school zones and bus stops on the way to work every morning. I often see parents with their children waiting at bus stops.
A mother and her son (who seems to be 5 or 6 years) used to wait for the bus every day so that you normally see .... the boy was in his backpack, his mother was beside him and stood in a corner waiting for the bus.
In recent weeks, as I have driven by, noticed it now brings a camping chair (one of those canvas chairs that fold flat and fit into a sleeve for you .. can buy them at Wal Mart for about $ 10) and a book to the bus stop.
Now, every morning, his son sitting on his lap while he reads the story to him.
Wow! So maybe they are waiting for 5-10 minutes by bus every day. This means that the child is coming and an additional 25-50 minutes of literacy and language experiences for a week. If you say that the times of 36 weeks during the academic year is between 900-1800 minutes per year (or the extra 15-30 hours).
I think it's so cool! She has found a way to take a "wait" period and has a language and literacy experience.
Sometimes they go crazy trying to figure out when to all "in" This mother has found a way to give your older child literacy and language experiences into a routine that already exists.
How many other ways that teachers or parents even do? I bet the roads are very creative, and the number is incalculable!
Let me take a moment to share an idea that illustrates how a parent has integrated the language and literacy in your child's day.
I drive through 3 school zones and bus stops on the way to work every morning. I often see parents with their children waiting at bus stops.
A mother and her son (who seems to be 5 or 6 years) used to wait for the bus every day so that you normally see .... the boy was in his backpack, his mother was beside him and stood in a corner waiting for the bus.
In recent weeks, as I have driven by, noticed it now brings a camping chair (one of those canvas chairs that fold flat and fit into a sleeve for you .. can buy them at Wal Mart for about $ 10) and a book to the bus stop.
Now, every morning, his son sitting on his lap while he reads the story to him.
Wow! So maybe they are waiting for 5-10 minutes by bus every day. This means that the child is coming and an additional 25-50 minutes of literacy and language experiences for a week. If you say that the times of 36 weeks during the academic year is between 900-1800 minutes per year (or the extra 15-30 hours).
I think it's so cool! She has found a way to take a "wait" period and has a language and literacy experience.
Sometimes they go crazy trying to figure out when to all "in" This mother has found a way to give your older child literacy and language experiences into a routine that already exists.
How many other ways that teachers or parents even do? I bet the roads are very creative, and the number is incalculable!
Monday, October 11, 2010
Free Early Literacy Activities
This site has recently been divided into k me ready for the supervisor.
It 's a lot of free activities for printing that literacy support for infants, toddlers and preschoolers. These are ideas for parents and a link to another link for teachers. Check it out.
Center for Early Literacy Learning
It 's a lot of free activities for printing that literacy support for infants, toddlers and preschoolers. These are ideas for parents and a link to another link for teachers. Check it out.
Center for Early Literacy Learning
Friday, October 8, 2010
Monday, October 4, 2010
Cheap! Dinosaur Measurement And Science
In today's economy (and, as a frugal and financially wise, at any time!) I'm always interested in the lessons that can be improved in the most economical way possible.
I found these pictures of dinosaurs in my local dollar tree. (Yes, it cost at least $ 1 for this lesson.)
My class was involved in the study of dinosaurs is based on the unit, and last week. It seems to me that there is always an easy way to combine language and literacy in every unit, but sometimes it is more difficult to integrate science and mathematics. Since this unit focuses on dinosaurs, science is not a problem either, but how we can integrate math concepts? Here's an idea that was used.
I found these pictures of dinosaurs in my local dollar tree. (Yes, it cost at least $ 1 for this lesson.)
I told my students that these dinosaurs were bigger when we put them in water. We decided to measure with a ruler, to predict the size we thought it would get, and then measure after.
Because I wanted to concentrate on a couple of math skills have made a big deal to measure the dinosaur. I left my finger on number 4, after which we measured and reminded the children that he should be "greater." I asked them: "How big do you think he is?" In other courses, such as pointing the finger at the top of the ruler (showing them the logical choice around the ruler.) They made predictions I recorded them and then observed. Pictures show what we have so far!
After measuring our dinosaur again tomorrow, we will leave the water and predict what will happen. It will be interesting to see if one of the children to predict which decreased by 4 inches (remember, this is where we begin our first step!)
Sunday, September 26, 2010
Missing Pumpkin
One of my favorite lessons was designed to help a year of kindergarten session for questions and improve their writing skills. We call it our "Missing the mystery of the pumpkin."
A week of October was the pumpkins on display at school. We were preparing for the day when we scoop the insides out, count the seeds and chop.
This particular group of students has more work is needed to produce the questions and to use descriptive words in their writing. So part of the school staff helped me stage "Missing Pumpkin Mystery."
A day after their period Specials (art, music, physical ed, etc.) pumpkin was absent from the classroom. When they noticed, we've decided on a plan to get our pumpkins back.
The first thing you should not make "Wanted" poster of our pumpkin. The students took a brown paper bag and a photo of our pumpkin on it. They then had to write three sentences to describe the pumpkins as others know if they saw our pumpkins. "
Then I decided to inform us of our main missing pumpkins to see if he could help us. (He had given me, the specialist media, made coffee, and our day in the custody of their script so it would take us to the next person to find the pumpkin).
The children have had to explain what happened, ask questions, and then shoot out of each pumpkin. The principal suggested that we ask the media expert, "because he saw a lot of pumpkins in the Media Center." He suggested we use the coffee shop assistant because "maybe they need to make pumpkin pie." Coffee shop assistant suggested to ask the mother "because he sees the whole school to clean the whole mess." As we have seen, 'put in our fridge, because he was afraid it would rot. "
We had a lot of fun with this activity and provided children with a real reason to use the skills they wanted to practice.
A week of October was the pumpkins on display at school. We were preparing for the day when we scoop the insides out, count the seeds and chop.
This particular group of students has more work is needed to produce the questions and to use descriptive words in their writing. So part of the school staff helped me stage "Missing Pumpkin Mystery."
A day after their period Specials (art, music, physical ed, etc.) pumpkin was absent from the classroom. When they noticed, we've decided on a plan to get our pumpkins back.
The first thing you should not make "Wanted" poster of our pumpkin. The students took a brown paper bag and a photo of our pumpkin on it. They then had to write three sentences to describe the pumpkins as others know if they saw our pumpkins. "
Then I decided to inform us of our main missing pumpkins to see if he could help us. (He had given me, the specialist media, made coffee, and our day in the custody of their script so it would take us to the next person to find the pumpkin).
The children have had to explain what happened, ask questions, and then shoot out of each pumpkin. The principal suggested that we ask the media expert, "because he saw a lot of pumpkins in the Media Center." He suggested we use the coffee shop assistant because "maybe they need to make pumpkin pie." Coffee shop assistant suggested to ask the mother "because he sees the whole school to clean the whole mess." As we have seen, 'put in our fridge, because he was afraid it would rot. "
We had a lot of fun with this activity and provided children with a real reason to use the skills they wanted to practice.
Thursday, September 23, 2010
'Post It' Charts
Here is a simple strategy you use a lot in my class. Write the name of each child in a post-it. "I can write a question on a sheet of paper each and usually add visual effects for each column of the table. Here is a picture of our latest video:
I like to use to write the charts for many reasons:
1) They help children learn reading skills, reading their names and the names of their peers'.
2) They help children develop their language skills by answering questions and making choices.
3) They help children develop skills related to employment and concentration because they are actively involved, and they physically visit their own name on the card.
4) They help children develop social skills, learn to shoot and wait their turn.
5) They help children develop math skills to count the number of votes in each column and discuss the concepts more, less, and the same (equal).
6) They help children develop reading skills by becoming a part of our environmental footprint in the classroom.
7) It is a fast and easy! That means we do not spend more time preparing materials for children is needed to effectively participate in the activity.
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Facts About Community College - 5 Benefits of Attending Community College
While many students decide to attend major universities in other states for their education, there are those who decide to stay local and attend their county community college for their education. Community colleges are a great way for you to begin your college education and these colleges can offer you a number of benefits that you may not have thought of previously. 1. It's affordable. Community colleges tend to have low tuition rates, especially if you live within the county that the school is in. In fact, many students have been able to afford these colleges on their own with little-to-no help from financial aid, loans, or grants. These Schools can also offer flexible payment plans to help make it easier to afford your education. 2. Transfer your credits. Most 4 year colleges and universities will allow you to transfer your community college credits to their school so you can work on completing a bachelor's degree program after graduating from a 2-year program. 3. It's not only your money, but your time. Since these schools are usually 2-year schools, you can explore a variety of majors without having to devote 4 years of your life to a topic of study you may not even enjoy at the end. Since these types of colleges are affordable, you can study several subjects to determine which one is the best for you. 4. Go vocational! Many community college also offer vocational programs for those who want to put their skills to use right away. These courses are offered during the day, evenings, and even on weekends. 5. Continuing Education - If you already have a degree or are in a field that you really enjoy and don't really need to earn a degree but just "brush up" on your skills, community colleges offer a variety of continuing education courses. These are usually held on evenings or weekends so that working adults can attend.
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Wednesday, September 1, 2010
PBS: "All" Means All
When I was in college and learning the social foundations of education, I remember being surprised to learn that the word "all" means different things to different historical and theoretical contributors. Sometimes "all" men were the owners of land, sometimes included women, sometimes including children, and sometimes people with disabilities, but rarely meant "all."
A few weeks ago I attended a workshop to train trainers teach strategies for families of PBS. As I think about the elements of PBS and start planning our workshops in the family, I am back to a slide, a friend and I created when we were training new teachers how to develop their RE class. We reached the conclusion that when the support systems of positive behavior and philosophy, "all" should really mean "all."
children who raise their hands and shouting of children
Children who bathe every night and children in need
Children who write with their pencils and children who throw their pencils
children who say "I love you!" and children who say "$ # @% you!"
children with a cloth and wipe the mucus from your child you
children, you go home in a split second, and the children whom you hope is absent
Children with parents to provide support and challenge children with parents
are responsible for your actions and the children that the discharge of your bag of tricks
Children who always get their medications and children not
Our main goal to put the above statements has been to encourage teachers to reflect on the following question:
I am providing a safe learning environment for all students?
A few weeks ago I attended a workshop to train trainers teach strategies for families of PBS. As I think about the elements of PBS and start planning our workshops in the family, I am back to a slide, a friend and I created when we were training new teachers how to develop their RE class. We reached the conclusion that when the support systems of positive behavior and philosophy, "all" should really mean "all."
children who raise their hands and shouting of children
Children who bathe every night and children in need
Children who write with their pencils and children who throw their pencils
children who say "I love you!" and children who say "$ # @% you!"
children with a cloth and wipe the mucus from your child you
children, you go home in a split second, and the children whom you hope is absent
Children with parents to provide support and challenge children with parents
are responsible for your actions and the children that the discharge of your bag of tricks
Children who always get their medications and children not
Our main goal to put the above statements has been to encourage teachers to reflect on the following question:
I am providing a safe learning environment for all students?
Monday, August 23, 2010
Memorable Moment # 9: I Need The Keys
Today was the first day of school for students. Since I learned the lessons in proceeding with Harry Wong, the importance of a long, long time ago, my first week before classes using k centers of learning and play centers and how to clean up the centers. This means that I have opened a center on a daily basis at the beginning of the year.
The first day of new students in the class asked if he could play in our health mystery today. My assistant told him that "the puzzle is closed." He remained a second or two and then replied. "Ok, I need the keys"
I thought it was a very intelligent response. :-)
Figure stopnlook@flickr.com
The first day of new students in the class asked if he could play in our health mystery today. My assistant told him that "the puzzle is closed." He remained a second or two and then replied. "Ok, I need the keys"
I thought it was a very intelligent response. :-)
Figure stopnlook@flickr.com
Monday, August 16, 2010
Positive Behavior Support: The Solution Of The Government
This is the time of year, in pre-kindergarten class with special needs, started thinking about the transition process for children in kindergarten.
This year is a little girl in my class an interesting combination of strengths and challenges.
She has a good level and good cognitive ability to learn the vocabulary and concepts through incidental learning. She has a strong skills base maternal pre-university (she knows all the letters of the alphabet, large and small, she can count to 15, it can identify 11 colors and 6 most common forms. She knows a lot of beginning consonants an awareness of rhyme In other words, can read the names of all students in the class and read about 10 sight words.)
She is overwhelmed by new experiences and challenges in the transition to new activities (especially if it is in a different location on campus). She still needs support staff to potty training. Her fine motor skills are significantly delayed, and she always support staff to many tasks involving visual motor planning.
We decided to try to address specifically the strength of the region lies in an area that is a big challenge for him while he is still in pre-k. Is going to start going to a common reading and phonetics lesson kindergarten for about 20 minutes a day. Because he is a good cognitive abilities, and he does not need to support staff ready for the big group, Circle K, we're going to try to reconcile the challenge of new experiences. We hope you will become familiar with the construction of nursery, kindergarten, and a wider group of kindergarten students. We also hope that the staff pre-k can not go with him for a short time and then disappear in order to increase the independence and comfort in our kindergarten class.
To help prepare for this, we developed a simple social history (you can download a generic copy here.) Subject to walk in the kindergarten class. She has a copy at home that his family has read it for the last week and there is a copy at the school, staff in the classroom have read with her, too. We are also starting to go to the kindergarten room and have conversations about visits to kindergarten on Monday.
We hope that the layers of support staff and build its strength, begins to feel comfortable and can learn new skills in kindergarten."
This year is a little girl in my class an interesting combination of strengths and challenges.
She has a good level and good cognitive ability to learn the vocabulary and concepts through incidental learning. She has a strong skills base maternal pre-university (she knows all the letters of the alphabet, large and small, she can count to 15, it can identify 11 colors and 6 most common forms. She knows a lot of beginning consonants an awareness of rhyme In other words, can read the names of all students in the class and read about 10 sight words.)
She is overwhelmed by new experiences and challenges in the transition to new activities (especially if it is in a different location on campus). She still needs support staff to potty training. Her fine motor skills are significantly delayed, and she always support staff to many tasks involving visual motor planning.
We decided to try to address specifically the strength of the region lies in an area that is a big challenge for him while he is still in pre-k. Is going to start going to a common reading and phonetics lesson kindergarten for about 20 minutes a day. Because he is a good cognitive abilities, and he does not need to support staff ready for the big group, Circle K, we're going to try to reconcile the challenge of new experiences. We hope you will become familiar with the construction of nursery, kindergarten, and a wider group of kindergarten students. We also hope that the staff pre-k can not go with him for a short time and then disappear in order to increase the independence and comfort in our kindergarten class.
To help prepare for this, we developed a simple social history (you can download a generic copy here.) Subject to walk in the kindergarten class. She has a copy at home that his family has read it for the last week and there is a copy at the school, staff in the classroom have read with her, too. We are also starting to go to the kindergarten room and have conversations about visits to kindergarten on Monday.
We hope that the layers of support staff and build its strength, begins to feel comfortable and can learn new skills in kindergarten."
I just printed and laminated graphics solution kit and then attached to the side of my desk. They have become a fixture in the classroom. The government has given me the opportunity to hold the solutions in a way that it was easier for my students to follow visually, and also eliminates the need for them to open the kit. Towards the end of the year, many of my current students for the transition to kindergarten, I could be across the room, and only verbally in a hurry to try the solution of the government. I also had two parents who saw us as a solution with class and asked the government to use the graphics at home!
I think the power of board solution or a solution of game (although the concept is changing for you) is that it teaches children the skills to manage their own conflicts. It gives children a measure of control over the resolution of the conflict and does not require an adult to intervene and "fix" the problem. And, ultimately, is what we want ..... Children independently to reach a peaceful solution.
I think the power of board solution or a solution of game (although the concept is changing for you) is that it teaches children the skills to manage their own conflicts. It gives children a measure of control over the resolution of the conflict and does not require an adult to intervene and "fix" the problem. And, ultimately, is what we want ..... Children independently to reach a peaceful solution.
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Displacement Before And After
Last year my pre-k program was moved to another elementary school in my district. I had a choice to move with my program or teach a different grade level at the current school. I chose to move.
Since it was a district decision to move the program, they provided staff to physically move all of the boxes and furniture, but I was responsible for the packing and the unpacking.
When I walked into my classroom after the movers had all of the boxes placed, I knew I had my work cut out for me. This is one of the before shots:
Clearly, I had to figure out a plan of attack to get everything organized and ready for the first day of school. I started with my necessities: iPod, coffee and Gatorade and then got to work.
I organized my actions by prioritizing what HAD to be in place for the first day of school and what materials I would be using. I keep most of my units of study in large Rubbermaid tubs with labels. You don't see it in the picture, but in one corner of the classroom is a storage room.
I needed to to get some space in the room to move the furniture, so I started by taking all of the tubs for my units and organizing them in the storage room. Once that was done, I could push the tables to the middle of the room, put all of the other materials on and under the tables and start working on the physical layout of the perimeter of the room. Here's the start of that:
Thinking about the physical layout is HUGE! Your physical layout in the classroom can either help you diffuse problems or can actually make the problems worse. The following are some of the things I think about as I set up a new room:What is age/grade appropriate?
What areas need to be included?
Where are materials stored for the teacher, assistant, students?
How are materials accessed? Does it support independence?
Is there a quiet space when needed?
Where are the electrical outlets and computer drops?
Traffic patterns to and from:
- bathroom and fountain
- backpacks and lunchboxes
- time out, chill out chair, etc (if needed)
- teaching tables and support materials
- fire exit and alternate routes
- line up
And most importantly,
- Do I have visual supervision of all areas at all times?
At this point, I started moving centers around, figuring out how to address all of those questions regarding the physical layout and then unpacking materials that belong in each center.
It finally came together like this:
After living with it for a year, there are some changes that I'll make when I go back into school next week. But, I have found by thinking about the physical layout questions, I can address the most important issues first and do so efficiently....without having to do tasks twice because I "forgot" I needed to have a computer table near the computer drop or that I needed a wall for my housekeeping unit because it is too high to see over.
Moving and organizing a new room takes an enormous amount of energy and time. (That's why this post did not get posted last year when I actually moved! I was too busy attending to other things.) Make sure to ask your principal, department chair or mentor what is your responsibility and what the school/district provides. In the course of fifteen years of teaching I probably had to move classrooms 6 or 7 times before I found out that the district would provide boxes and I earned a comp day for moving. It took 3 days to organize my classroom last year. While the district didn't pay me for every bit of time I spent in there, it sure was nice to enjoy that day off that I did earn!
If you are moving or re-organizing your classroom this year good luck!
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