tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-59167674998191348022024-02-19T00:04:00.301-08:00An Alien In Our WorldAn Autistic's Journey Through A Neuro-Typical WorldPammyMcBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05412457254175975070noreply@blogger.comBlogger142125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5916767499819134802.post-24906522760534515442015-08-06T15:30:00.001-07:002015-08-06T15:30:40.730-07:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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John Elder Robison has truly been an inspiration on Damien and me. When we met him, there was an unspoken understanding between Damien and Robison.PammyMcBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05412457254175975070noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5916767499819134802.post-89751432673113865832015-08-06T15:12:00.000-07:002015-08-06T15:12:51.527-07:00Adolescents and StressSummary of “Adolescents Coping with Stress: Development and Diversity”<br />
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The purpose of the article “Adolescents Coping with Stress: Development and Diversity” is to explore the common stressors in the lives of adolescents and the coping mechanisms often used to deal with these stressors. The authors start by explaining that around 25% of adolescents go through one life-altering event. Even further, many adolescents will face continual stressors related to both school and relationships. <br />
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The outcome of stressful experiences in the lives of adolescents depends on their ability to cope with the events appropriately. The failure to do so can lead to behavioral and mental health issues. Some mental health issues can further lead to physical problems. However, the authors state that coping with stress does not always result in negative outcomes, but positive outcomes are equally present. The coping strategies used are often linked to whether the adolescent views the stressor as a loss, threat, or challenge and the controllability of the situation. The authors claim that adolescence is important in the discovery of self and learning coping skills, but also a stressful time. <br />
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Next the authors lead us through the different coping responses often seen in adolescence, which are grouped as approach oriented, minimization, dependence on others, and helplessness. The authors go further to group coping responses into a dozen families, which lead to varied coping abilities. It is important to the mental health and development of adolescents to explore various coping strategies. However, most adolescents only rely on support seeking, problem-solving, and distraction to cope with stressful events in their lives. <br />
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Next, the authors explore how coping strategies differ between the genders of the adolescents. Although girls are faced with more stressors, they develop better coping skills than boys. However, girls’ coping skills are more internalized and have more of an impact on their mental well-being. Boys tend to keep themselves distracted in order to cope with the stressors in their lives. <br />
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Finally, the authors address the connection between coping responses in adolescents and poverty. Their findings show that adolescents living in poverty tend to face more uncontrollable stressors on a continual basis. This causes them to lack the ability to cope with the stressors before another problem arises. Therefore, these adolescents may have difficulty developing coping skills and may be under a tremendous amount of stress. The problem is even more compacted when the adolescent is a minority living in poverty.<br />
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Personal Reaction to “Adolescents Coping with Stress: Development and Diversity”<br />
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The article did not go over specific teaching strategies used when dealing with stressors or teaching coping strategies to adolescents. However, I do feel the article is beneficial and should be read by teachers going into the field. It is important to understand how students deal with stress and important to remember how their ability to deal with stress differs from that of an adult. <br />
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As a future educator, I should be aware of possible adolescent stressors, and I should be able to direct them to someone that may help them cope with stressful situations if I am unable to do so. Zimmer-Gembeck and Skinner did state that adolescents often go to their peers for support, but are unable to get the support they need due to their peers lack of coping skill development. Therefore, many of the students may seek an adult to help them during stressful times. In the classroom, I hope the students feel that I am someone they can trust. If so, my students may come to me to seek guidance or advice. If I feel uncomfortable in such situations, I need to know where to send them for the support they need. <br />
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Furthermore, the article has the families of coping in a table, which I find to be a useful tool that educators could use to help identify at risk students. The table lists the type of coping family such as problem solving, escape, submission, social isolation, etc. It also lists the examples of coping, functions in adaptive processes, and the related behaviors. Most of the related behaviors are visible to anyone who may be in contact with the student. Being able to identify the related behaviors can also help me to understand the student is not being personal. The adolescent may just lack the coping skills needed to deal with the stressful situation they have found themselves in. Overall, I feel the article has helped me to understand how insignificant some event may be to me, it may cause a great deal of stress in the life of an adolescent.
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References</div>
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Zimmer-Gembeck, M. J., & Skinner, E. A. (2008). Adolescents Coping with Stress: Development and Diversity. <i>The Prevention Researcher</i>, 15(4), 3-7.
PammyMcBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05412457254175975070noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5916767499819134802.post-30545548011982828752015-08-06T13:11:00.001-07:002015-08-06T16:06:09.655-07:00ABC's "What Would You Do?" Segment on Autism<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/dgwYukPReKw" width="480"></iframe>PammyMcBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05412457254175975070noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5916767499819134802.post-10049826872124028252015-07-12T19:37:00.003-07:002015-07-12T19:37:47.483-07:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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This book is a must read for people raising and assisting people with autism. The book helped me understand what life is like for people with autism. Although I look at my child a certain way and I seem him a certain way, he sees himself much differently.
PammyMcBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05412457254175975070noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5916767499819134802.post-89241478242587304162015-07-05T10:00:00.000-07:002015-07-05T10:00:01.033-07:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Emergence-Labeled-Autistic-Temple-Grandin/dp/0446671827/ref=sr_1_10?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1435715793&sr=1-10&keywords=temple+grandin">Emergence: Labeled Autistic</a></div>
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This is my all time favorite Temple Grandin book. I have learned so much from meeting with her on a personal basis, attending her seminars, reading her books, and watching the movie about her life. Damien and I have been privileged to meet Temple on four different occasions. It seems they both appear to find one another fascinating.
PammyMcBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05412457254175975070noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5916767499819134802.post-53310425580213538572015-06-30T19:38:00.000-07:002015-06-30T19:38:18.851-07:00Bryan and PatSometimes it is difficult to understand the discomfort of depression because it seems unreasonable to us. Children, youth, or even adults who are depressed may seem to others to have a completely irrational view of the world and to be frightened of things that are extremely unlikely to happen.
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Bryan is a 10 year old boy who manifests many of the signs of childhood depression. He expresses sadness, social withdrawal, disinterest in sports, and increasing complaints of stomach aches. Over the past 10 weeks, Bryan has become increasingly disinterested in his studies. Although he continues to display excellent scores on standardized achievement tests, he has been receiving failing grades in many subject areas. His grades began deteriorating immediately after his father and mother separated. The separation resulted after a protracted period of conflict between his parents that ultimately included both verbal and physical aggression. During the interval that immediately pre¬ceded the separation, the parents admit to being preoccupied and had little inclination to interact with Bryan. Both parents have experienced depression in the past, and Bryan's mother is currently involved in therapy and receiving antidepressants. Bryan believes that he is at fault for his parents' separation and that there is little hope for a reconciliation between his parents. Although his father visits him on a weekly basis, Bryan is afraid that each visit is the last and that he will never see his father again.
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Without anticipating problems, teachers may find themselves working with depressed or suicidal students. Too often, problems are ignored until they become undeniable and very dramatic.
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Pat is a fifth-grade girl who is at or above grade level in all academic areas. However, she has been highly oppositional and defiant of all teachers since kindergarten. Large for her age and strong, she pushes, hits, and threatens her peers, who are fearful of her and will not initiate any interaction with her. She sometimes bangs her head on her desk or the floor, shouting, "I'm no good!" or "I want to die!" Pat was evaluated for special education only after terrorizing her classmates and a substitute teacher by tying the cord of a classroom window blind around her neck and jumping from a table, bringing the blinds crashing down with her in an apparent suicide gesture.
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Bryan<br />
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1. In what ways is Bryan's case typical of children experiencing depression?
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Bryan is sad, socially withdrawn, disinterested in activities, and has physical manifestations.
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4. What do you think were the primary causal factors contributing to Bryan's
depression?
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The continual aggression of his parents toward one another before their separation was most likely the cause of his depression.
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5. Supposing that you were Bryan's teacher, how would you have responded (what
would you have done) to deal most effectively with his anxiety and depression?
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I would assure Bryan my classroom is a safe place for him. I would also provide him with extended time on assignments if needed. I may have Bryan read a book like What Hearts, which is a story about his age that is going through the same disruption in his life as Bryan, divorce. The book is appropriate and leveled for children Bryan’s age. This book or something similar would allow Bryan to know other children go through similar situations. I would let Bryan know he could come to me to discuss difficulties that are hindering his education. I would be certain to show Bryan compassion.
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Pat<br />
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1. What do you see as the essence of Pat's problems?
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More often than not, bullies are bullied at home. This is often a learned behavior. There is obviously something violence related going on in another environment Pat is exposed to. Pat could also be self-cautious because of her size and could be acting out as a defense mechanism. Pat has low self-esteem and feels she is worthless. Therefore, she does not feel she deserves to live.
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2. If Pat's problem behavior were to have been prevented, what would have been
required (at various ages or grades)?
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A relationship with Pat that is genuine and compassionate could have helped teachers recognize early warning signs. Opening the lines of communication to both Pat and her family could have helped Pat. There is really not enough information to make a determination for specific strategies that may have been helpful. Therefore, more research and data is definitely needed.
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3. Given Pat's behavior, what suggestions do you have for her teacher?
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I would recommend Pat’s teacher be extra careful to not use negative language when speaking to Pat with anything, because she already has a low sense of self-worth. Her “emotional bank account” (Steven Covey) is empty. I would constantly praise Pat for what she does correctly instead of focusing on what she does incorrectly.
PammyMcBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05412457254175975070noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5916767499819134802.post-12415874684268141762015-06-30T19:33:00.000-07:002015-06-30T19:33:44.225-07:00My Role in Presenting “Teaching Students with Autism”Throughout the research project of “Teaching Students with Autism,” I was responsible for the research of various teaching methods that are used in the classroom. Because the area is broad due to the fact that autism is a spectrum disorder ranging from low-functioning to high functioning, it was difficult to narrow successful teaching methods for the classroom. This is why I chose to leave out therapies that happen outside of the classroom. I gave tips and provided researched, successful methods that are easily implemented by the student with autism’s classroom teacher. I found visual representations of these methods so that all of the members in the audience could visually see what I was referring to. Furthermore, I made the class aware that there were many more methods that I had not referred to. The project was an exciting project for me, due to my hands-on experience of teaching a child with autism. Furthermore, I learned many new and various techniques that I was not aware of and have never employed in the education of my son. It is interesting to see that the most simple modifications, such as color-coding or simple checklist schedules, which have recently been implemented with this child allow the child with autism to be a successful student. This project was the most in-depth and educational learning experience that I have had thus far. I plan to use many of the methods presented to my audience in my future classroom experiences.
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References<br />
<br />
Attwood, Tony Dr. (Writer), Future Horizons (Producer). (1999). Asperger’s Syndrome – A Guide for Parents and Professionals Video. [Motion Picture]. United States.<br />
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Brown, Michael. (2007, March) [Interview conducted by Pamela N. Brown with Michael Brown, OTR at West Texas Rehab.]. (Abilene, Texas).<br />
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Epps, Stacy. (2007, November) [Interview conducted by Pamela N. Brown with Stacy Epps, the mother of a boy with autism named David Epps]. (Abilene, Texas).<br />
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National Education Association. (2006). The Puzzle of Autism. (1st Ed.). Washington, DC: National Education Association.<br />
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Smith, Deborah. (2007). Autism Sprectrum Disorders. Virginia Lanigan (Ed.). Introduction to Special Education: Making a Difference. (pp. 428-457). New York: Pearson.<br />
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United States Government Accountability Office. (2005, January). Special Education: Children with Autism. Washington, DC: United States Government Accountability Office.PammyMcBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05412457254175975070noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5916767499819134802.post-12381445209538964332015-06-30T19:10:00.000-07:002015-06-30T19:10:01.875-07:00It Takes a Village<br />
As teachers, it is our responsibility to involve all parents in the education of our students. We normally do this pretty well. However, it has come to my attention that many of the parents of our Spanish-speaking students are less involved in the education of their children than the other populations of students. I will discuss with you the importance of involving all parents, the difficulties you may face when trying to encourage your parents to become more involved, and some ideas known to work when getting parents involved in the education of their children.<br />
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Research has shown that parental involvement in education affects the outcome of their children’s academic achievement. Many parents who are less involved in the education of their children are parents of children who achieve at lower academic levels than students whose parents are involved. Therefore, having family members, as well as other members of the community, of the Spanish-speaking students involved can give the student a validation of their own culture and help them understand the importance of their education. Parent involvement further ensures there is an open line of communication between the teacher and the family, which is often key in addressing any difficulty the student may be having as the problem arises. Furthermore, it helps the parent to understand what their children are speaking of when they return to their home. Parental involvement can also be beneficial to you, as the teacher. You can learn from the parent the differences in the Spanish-speaking culture and our own. You can also teach the parents how our culture works and what is expected of their child as a student.<br />
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Differences in cultures will be the number one difficulty that a teacher of a Spanish-speaking student will face. You may think that the student’s parents are not interested in their education, which is usually not the case. In some cultures, the parents are not involved in their children’s educations and may expect our education system is the same. Also, there may be a greater value on education for your male English Language Learners (ELL) than your female. Many parents of Spanish-speaking students do not feel as if they belong at the school. They may feel uncomfortable for various reasons. One main reason could be his or her own experience with school. If you have a parent who had negative experiences in school, they will be less involved in their child’s education. Another reason that a parent may not seem involved is because their work schedule does not give them time to come into the school. The parent may work while their student is in school and cannot meet during school hours, or the parent may work more than one job and not be able to meet on your schedule. The parents and families of the students may also view an education as less important than religious activities and other activities such as family businesses, in which your student may work. There may also be language barriers that hinder your ability to communicate with the parents. Remember that even people who seem to speak English well may not be able to understand what you are talking about when speaking to them. A lot of meaning can and usually is lost in translation. Some of the community leaders may be resistant to coming in for many of the before mentioned reasons. Also, they may see education as solely your responsibility in which they should not be involved. These are just a few of the difficulties you may face as a teacher of a Spanish-speaking ELL.<br />
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Although it seems there are a lot of difficulties in reaching parents and community leaders in the Spanish-speaking community, there are a lot of ways you can help bring them into the education system so that Spanish-speaking ELLs will benefit. You can validate the student’s culture by inviting their parents and community leaders to come into the classroom. At this time, you can have them tell the class about their culture and share their customs and beliefs with the class. This will also be beneficial to the mainstream students in your classroom by providing a culturally enriched environment for learning. You can ask the parents to cook some of their native foods to share with the class and explain why the food is important to the culture. Other suggestions would be to have any parent/teacher correspondence translated into Spanish by a native Spanish-speaking colleague. This can help the parents understand that you value their language and culture. You can notify the parents of their rights and responsibilities, and let them know about the rules and procedures for your school and classroom. Be upfront with the parents and let them know what is expected of their students. For parents that do not speak any English, make sure you have an interpreter available (not the student) to help you communicate with the parents and use non-verbal messages and cues, such as meeting them at the door and walking them to the door. You can also invite the parents to take a tour of the school, and show them your classroom as well as inviting them to observe your classroom. Another tip is to be available and keep all lines of communication open to the parent. You should meet on the parent’s schedule, not yours. So, you may have to take time out to do home visits. This can give you more insight into the cultural differences between the Spanish-speaking community and your own. It will also give you an opportunity to learn the student’s talents and interests as well as their culture. Encourage the parents or other family members to read to their student, and if they cannot read, have their student read to them. There are many, many more ideas for getting Spanish-speaking family members involved.<br />
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Overall, the most important factor is the education of the student. With the student’s parents and the community’s involvement, the student will be more apt to care about his or her own education; and as a team, you and the student’s parent will be able to provide the student with an environment in which he or her can grow and learn, which will better prepare the student for his or her future.<br />
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PammyMcBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05412457254175975070noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5916767499819134802.post-90117923977669581152015-06-30T18:05:00.001-07:002015-06-30T18:20:33.045-07:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51vpGpSralL._SX492_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51vpGpSralL._SX492_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg" height="400" width="395" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/All-Cats-Have-Asperger-Syndrome/dp/1843104814/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1435712356&sr=1-1&keywords=all+cats+have+asperger+syndrome&pebp=1435712361493&perid=17A2M06SNQKPNCBVGRKN">All Cats Have Asperger Syndrome</a></div>
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This was Damien's absolute favorite book when he was little. Perhaps it explains why autistics bond well with cats.
PammyMcBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05412457254175975070noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5916767499819134802.post-25711098423628139182015-06-21T19:49:00.005-07:002015-06-21T19:49:56.096-07:00<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1931282064/ref=s9_simh_gw_p14_d14_i12?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=desktop-1&pf_rd_r=1GKG7HSVNJF7MB7YZB4A&pf_rd_t=36701&pf_rd_p=2105317182&pf_rd_i=desktop">Everybody Is Different</a></span></div>
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I bought this book for Dylan when the boys were younger in order to help Dyl understand his older brother a bit more. I know that this book helped because Dyl became more attentive and caring for his brother after we read it together.
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PammyMcBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05412457254175975070noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5916767499819134802.post-28948847361146905212015-06-06T18:56:00.001-07:002015-06-06T18:56:36.076-07:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA5MZQ6LclWtxN6fftIJsbcRUQhyphenhyphenxjerHiRkgEAzpVtn8ixCQrOT6Sv76Dt7u7dMT1X0ADoUoZcJ-CxOqaoChYnIBeMHx_8LnPNvITx58BXtknrfp_z__e10-YDGagGHwjfLzI6ymNYn0/s1600/Sioux.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA5MZQ6LclWtxN6fftIJsbcRUQhyphenhyphenxjerHiRkgEAzpVtn8ixCQrOT6Sv76Dt7u7dMT1X0ADoUoZcJ-CxOqaoChYnIBeMHx_8LnPNvITx58BXtknrfp_z__e10-YDGagGHwjfLzI6ymNYn0/s400/Sioux.jpg" /></a></div>PammyMcBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05412457254175975070noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5916767499819134802.post-19608946403771030282015-06-05T20:19:00.001-07:002015-06-05T20:19:49.925-07:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgceOI0mN0VysGaNh6DuGxSaMV8k2JaRht_Qe2_P96PqbS9fx3CF8EorT1RDheBhW593TEQZ4PnJ8cTepNyVDthCY9qpbpkKjkXLaxEaJdL__BPV6gmfX21ga0GFAlzEgIC3tydAC6lJ5A/s1600/8566626425_6b92e3913a_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgceOI0mN0VysGaNh6DuGxSaMV8k2JaRht_Qe2_P96PqbS9fx3CF8EorT1RDheBhW593TEQZ4PnJ8cTepNyVDthCY9qpbpkKjkXLaxEaJdL__BPV6gmfX21ga0GFAlzEgIC3tydAC6lJ5A/s400/8566626425_6b92e3913a_o.jpg" /></a></div>PammyMcBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05412457254175975070noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5916767499819134802.post-62675080177312116202015-06-05T20:16:00.003-07:002015-06-05T20:30:40.711-07:00Alert Me Bands<H1><div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/alertmebands">ALERT ME BANDS</a></div></h1><br><br>
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It's simple; just choose your favorite design, fill out your emergency contact info and then click the box to add alerts to one or both sides of the yellow rectangle.PammyMcBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05412457254175975070noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5916767499819134802.post-16149891708376378102015-06-05T20:11:00.001-07:002015-06-05T20:11:43.354-07:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNgtqd-ZVH7KRCuebFDbp990j6LJQuKTqtk0_BJmJT04vqGwCUTYKxSD0Lu8FoCAMc4HHjQxko6khbbETM7uKAJG3dZ7lzBvmjYZCgiUT19dcWxoqgP0p_wUgXBlyuyjmDD9mxUVYg6Xs/s1600/11148568_638555292955568_6852632355663121487_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNgtqd-ZVH7KRCuebFDbp990j6LJQuKTqtk0_BJmJT04vqGwCUTYKxSD0Lu8FoCAMc4HHjQxko6khbbETM7uKAJG3dZ7lzBvmjYZCgiUT19dcWxoqgP0p_wUgXBlyuyjmDD9mxUVYg6Xs/s400/11148568_638555292955568_6852632355663121487_o.jpg" /></a></div>PammyMcBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05412457254175975070noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5916767499819134802.post-17812146577932608042015-06-05T19:55:00.003-07:002015-06-05T19:56:01.869-07:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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PammyMcBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05412457254175975070noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5916767499819134802.post-26512992281917953392015-06-05T19:41:00.006-07:002015-06-05T20:09:41.510-07:00Helping Find Missing AutisticsI remember Damien getting lost once. He left his school and never made it home. It was raining. An hour after school let out, we found him wandering down a street that we did not even live close to oblivious that he was lost or that an hour had past. He was soaked and said, "I was sure home was around here somewhere." We only live about four blocks from the school. Although he is now 19 years old and is capable of driving. He still tends to lose his way from time to time. I am grateful that my friend, Denise, donated a GPS device for Damien to help him find his way.
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PammyMcBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05412457254175975070noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5916767499819134802.post-75855385793270824132014-09-20T07:03:00.001-07:002015-06-05T20:21:05.159-07:00<img src="https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8116/8693016698_b5e49814da_o.png" />PammyMcBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05412457254175975070noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5916767499819134802.post-77662028801592474582014-05-31T19:47:00.000-07:002015-06-05T20:22:45.737-07:00Class of 2014My son, Damien Brown graduated today. Damien is a young man with autism, who was considered low-functioning when he was first diagnosed. Damien was fully special education when he started middle school at Clack. By the time he began Cooper High School, he was in all regular education classes with special ed supports. Damien graduated as a Texas Scholar and with AP credits. Damien is the editor of the Cooper Crest and a member of the Creative Writing Club. Damien plans on going on to college to become a psychologist. Damien has autism, but autism has never had him.
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<br />PammyMcBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05412457254175975070noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5916767499819134802.post-63551030311343598492014-01-07T11:29:00.000-08:002015-07-12T19:41:42.398-07:00<b>Piaget</b><br />
<ol start="1" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;">Children
adapt to their environment. This is a desire that sparks their curiosity.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;">In the
concrete operational stage, children learn about conservation.</li>
</ol>
<b>Vygotsky</b><br />
<ol start="1" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l2 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .5in;">Vygotsky
felt that social interaction provided the foundation for cognitive
development.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l2 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .5in;">Everyone
learns by building on previous experiences. This is known as scaffolding.</li>
</ol>
<b>Behaviorism</b><br />
<ol start="1" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo4; tab-stops: list .5in;">Positive
and negative reinforcement both increase behavior. However, positive
reinforcement increases behavior by adding a stimulus, and negative
reinforcement increases behavior by removing a stimulus.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo4; tab-stops: list .5in;">In operant
conditioning the manipulator uses a stimulus to create a desired response.</li>
</ol>
<b>Information Processing</b><br />
<ol start="1" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l4 level1 lfo5; tab-stops: list .5in;">Information
must first go into the short-term memory before it can be “filed” in the
long-term memory. There is only about twenty seconds in which this process
occurs.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l4 level1 lfo5; tab-stops: list .5in;">If a
teacher gives students a review for an exam, they tend to do better on
tests than if none is given. The review gives them “specific strategies
for learning.”</li>
</ol>
PammyMcBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05412457254175975070noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5916767499819134802.post-84851808376151460782013-09-28T00:04:00.000-07:002015-07-12T19:42:07.772-07:00Erikson’s Theory of Psychosocial DevelopmentI find there are three stages in Erikson’s Theory of Psychosocial Development where faith can play a significant role in social development. During the Identity vs. Role confusion stage, adolescents are trying to find their identity and fit in to society. They hope to do so in a positive manner. They also begin at this stage to start thinking more philosophically and spiritually. Through their ability to become devoted to friends and causes, they may find themselves joining a peer group that has a Christian background. This gives many a feeling of identity. This is also the stage that most adolescents’ faith is being tested. If their peer groups are delinquents, or they have developed an inferiority complex from the previous stage of development, they may find themselves becoming delinquents as well. The next stage that I feel faith may contribute to the emotional and social development of the individual is the Generativity vs. Self-absorption or Stagnation stage. Many individuals in this stage begin to teach their children about their culture, if their culture is a Christian culture, the individual may want to pass their ideals on to their children. They begin to look at the bigger picture. In other words, they no longer see the world as a place that holds them as the epicenter, but now may see the world as much bigger than them. They want social change and to help their brothers. They usually turn to faith to find the answers on how to help. On the other hand, if the person is more self-absorbed, they do not see the world in the same way. They may want to strive to help only themselves. Their end goal may be material, even if they feel that they are faithful, or Christians, they may be more devoted to the capitalist dream than to Christianity. The final stage that I feel faith may play a big part in is the Integrity vs. Despair stage. We all learn at a young age that death is inevitable. Whether you have faith in an afterlife or not often determines whether you fear death or not. A person with a lack of faith may fight death all the way, but those with a strong sense of Christianity, may be more accepting their inevitable fate.PammyMcBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05412457254175975070noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5916767499819134802.post-53685131406907346582013-08-22T06:28:00.001-07:002015-08-06T12:47:48.722-07:00My Personal Stages of Moral Development<b>Pre-conventional level</b> ~ The pre-conventional level of moral reasoning is especially common in children, although adults can also exhibit this level of reasoning. Reasoners at this level judge the morality of an action by its direct consequences. The pre-conventional level consists of the first and second stages of moral development, and is solely concerned with the self in an egocentric manner. A child with preconventional morality has not yet adopted or internalized society's conventions regarding what is right or wrong, but instead focuses largely on external consequences that certain actions may bring.
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<span style="text-decoration: underline;">Stage One</span> – At preschool age, I thought that everything I did was morally wrong. In essence, I felt I was a morally bad person because I was punished for everything. I did know that some things were worse than others because I did get punished more severely for some things than others. For example, talking above a quiet whisper was a stronger punishment than other actions, so I knew it must have been bad to talk to people unless I was spoken to first. Therefore, I would not initiate conversation with people.
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<span style="text-decoration: underline;">Stage Two</span> – My siblings and I would take up for each other. We knew if we did not, the punishment would be worse. We would lie for one another and keep secrets for one another. What I got out of this was they would give protect me if I would protect them.
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<b>Conventional level</b> ~ The conventional level of moral reasoning is typical of adolescents and adults. Those who reason in a conventional way judge the morality of actions by comparing them to society's views and expectations. The conventional level consists of the third and fourth stages of moral development. Conventional morality is characterized by an acceptance of society's conventions concerning right and wrong. At this level an individual obeys rules and follows society's norms even when there are no consequences for obedience or disobedience. Adherence to rules and conventions is somewhat rigid, however, and a rule's appropriateness or fairness is seldom questioned.
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<span style="text-decoration: underline;">Stage Three</span> – I reached this stage of moral development when I began elementary school. I liked the positive attention I received from the teachers at the school and did everything I could to get positive feedback. I was a straight A student because I liked feeling as if I were a “good girl.” I began to act like a perfect little angel because I wanted to be accepted by the church. Everything I did had to be perfect.
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<span style="text-decoration: underline;">Stage Four</span> – I reached this stage in middle school or high school. I strove to uphold the law. However, since I got arrested for doing things I did not feel was wrong (running away); I decided there no matter what I did, I would end up in jail anyway. Therefore, I began doing things to break the law (drinking, drugs). I still made excellent grades in school and went to church, but I led a double life.
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<b>Post-conventional level</b> ~ The post-conventional level, also known as the principled level, is marked by a growing realization that individuals are separate entities from society, and that the individual’s own perspective may take precedence over society’s view; individuals may disobey rules inconsistent with their own principles. Post-conventional moralists live by their own ethical principles—principles that typically include such basic human rights as life, liberty, and justice. People who exhibit post-conventional morality view rules as useful but changeable mechanisms—ideally rules can maintain the general social order and protect human rights. Rules are not absolute dictates that must be obeyed without question. Because post-conventional individuals elevate their own moral evaluation of a situation over social conventions, their behavior, especially at stage six, can be confused with that of those at the pre-conventional level.
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<span style="text-decoration: underline;">Stage Five</span> – I did begin to feel that others opinions were important while I was in my late teens, early twenties. I believe it was around the time I moved out on my own. I bypassed Utilitarianism and Relativism fairly quickly.
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<span style="text-decoration: underline;">Stage Six </span>– I do not believe in Utilitarianism or Relativism. I am more of an Absolutist and always have been. I do not believe that laws should be adjusted for the person or the greater good. I feel that each person should obey the same laws and get the same punishment for their crimes. I feel I am in this stage as we speak.
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I do believe that women go through the three stages that Gilligan described. However, when young, all children (even rich white males) are selfish. Because of this, I don’t think that is enough to consider this a stage of moral development. I know that women give up a lot when they have families of their own. They do not give things up because they have to, but because they want to. However, in my experience, this is not a stage of moral development either. We do things to please our families not because we think it is morally right, but because we love them. I think most women balance what makes them happy with what makes their families happy, but men do the same thing. I think Kolberg’s sixth stage of moral development is the same stage as Gilligan’s third. It is about balance. I know that women and men are different, but most of us learn right in wrong in the same way. I do not think there is enough evidence or depth to Gilligan’s theory. I also do not feel her theory has anything to do with morals.PammyMcBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05412457254175975070noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5916767499819134802.post-74438002620994926672013-06-09T10:49:00.000-07:002015-06-30T19:28:07.863-07:00PaulineWe ordinarily think about special schools as having particular value for students with acting-out behavior. Special classes and special schools, however, also provide environments where students with internalizing disorders feel safe and can flower.<br />
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Pauline entered the school bedraggled. Tall and slender, she hobbled in more like a wounded crow than a graceful swan. This was Pauline's first day in a special school for students with emotional and behavioral difficulties. She was now 14 years old.<br />
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For the past three years in secondary school her life had been a story of daily trauma. Due to her height, she had very quickly become the butt of jokes among her peer group. The jokes led to bullying—verbal taunts and eventually physical attacks. Teachers tried to intervene, but always the hunting pack of students would seek out its prey, and Pauline would again fall victim to abuse from her peers.<br />
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Pauline changed from being an outward-going student of average ability, always eager to contribute in class. She became withdrawn, pale, shoulders hunched, frightened to speak or to be spoken to for fear of ridicule. When teachers, unaware of the peer pressure she was suffering, urged her to play a more active role in class, she became distraught. School was no longer a safe place; Pauline began to play truant. When her parents discovered this, they forced her to attend school daily by taking her there themselves. This caused Pauline physical distress to the extent that she would vomit. Her peer group turned on her even more, barring her from entering the bathroom when she needed to be sick (pretending, if a teacher passed by, to be helping her).<br />
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Pauline's emotional state did not cause her to display aggressive behavior, but it certainly reflected a disturbed child who found her whole school environment disturbing and alien. Such was her mental state that she began to underachieve in all lessons. There were suggestions from teachers that she had specific learning difficulties. She was certainly suffering from curriculum malnourishment. The curriculum diet she was receiving was failing to give her any sustenance. She was failing to thrive in her school environment, merely existing as a lonely, hyper-anxious, vulnerable child. She had lost her dignity.<br />
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At the instigation of the educational psychologist, an alternative placement was sought in a special school for students with emotional and behavioral difficulties. As the weeks passed in the special school, Pauline began to make contact with the teachers. She would never speak in class, but after a lesson ended, she would hang around to discuss some point with the teacher. Teachers were soon convinced that she did not have any significant learning difficulty.<br />
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Her attendance was good. Gradually, the dreadful pallor began to fade; her eyes lost some of their traumatized glare. She eventually shared with the school counselor the extent of her personal pain and anguish over the previous three years. She described it as "a daily nightmare." She had found the secondary school of 1,500 students totally disorientating. Once her peer group abandoned her, she described herself as "floating in a sea of people," none of whom she recognized, or who recognized her.<br />
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In the small special school of 40 students, Pauline found peace. She learned to trust again—first adults, and then fellow students. She became an active participant in classroom learning experiences, no longer the peripheral onlooker. Her capacity to care for others became clear, and she befriended many isolated individuals.<br />
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Her time at the special school was short. She left at the age of 16, and not all problems had been solved by far. Three years of lost education cannot be regained in two. New situations or change still caused Pauline anxiety. But when she left the school, she had a renewed sense of self-worth. This "restrictive environment" had been her safe haven; it had given her back her dignity.
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1. How would you respond to someone's argument that Pauline belonged in a general education class in a general education school, not the special school?
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I would explain that Pauline was traumatized by her school experience, and she is now suffering from high anxiety due to the experience. I would also explain that anxiety is not easily remedied in a loud and crowded space such as a large school. However, the small school setting could help her learn in an environment in which she feels safe. I would further explain how research shows that children in survival mode have a great deal of difficulty learning
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2. If you were a teacher in a general education school, how would you respond to bullying of students like Pauline?
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I would advocate on Pauline’s behalf by suggesting the administration really does something about the bullying problem instead of making it worse. I get so frustrated with administrators who say if they do something about bullying, it will only cause more problems for the victim (oops – tangent). I would also suggest that a respect policy be devised, implemented, and practiced in the school as seen on the behavioral supports video we watched in class. In the classroom, I would make sure Pauline felt safe and would not tolerate any bullying, teasing, or belittling. If I saw that Pauline was uncomfortable with anything I asked of her, I would not push her and would allow her space. I would also build a relationship with Pauline so that she would be more comfortable in my classroom.
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3. What would be required to make all schools small, supportive, and inviting places for students like Pauline?
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They could make the classes smaller, hire more staff, stagger schedules for students (begin and release times for classes could be staggered), split the classes in the cafeteria to prevent overcrowding, and schedule restroom breaks. This would not have to be done for all of the students, just for students who are overwhelmed with crowds and noise, i.e. Pauline, students with an ASD, students with high anxiety, etc.
PammyMcBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05412457254175975070noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5916767499819134802.post-52195347829870045352013-06-09T10:43:00.003-07:002015-08-06T17:13:12.924-07:00<h1>
<em>“DON’T JUDGE ME… You can’t handle half of what I’ve dealt with. There’s a reason I do what I do… There’s a reason I’m what I am.”</em></h1>
<div style="text-align: right;">
<em>~ Anonymous</em></div>
PammyMcBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05412457254175975070noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5916767499819134802.post-48572001733978478252013-05-31T11:23:00.001-07:002015-06-30T19:28:19.028-07:00Response to InterventionElliot, Judy. (2008). Response to Intervention: What & Why?. <i>School Administrator</i>, 65.8, 10-12. <br />
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Elliot defines RTI as “the practice of providing hig-quality instruction and intervention matched to student need, monitoring rogress frequently to make decisions about changes in instruction or goals and applying student response data to important education decisions.” Elliot asserts the there is a need for every student in the education system to have their learning needs met to ensure future success. Elliot suggests that RTI requires culture to acknowledge and understand all students can learn, resources must be aligned to facilitate student growth, and “appreciation and continual use of data in making instructional and programmatic changes.” Elliot states RTI is researched based and in order to be successful, educators must understand all children can learn, intervention should be implemented early, RTI is a multitiered model for instruction, and problem-solving methods should be used to make decisions within the multitiered model. Elliot defines the three tiers as follows: tier 1 – all students; tier 2 –target instruction; and tier 3 – intensive instruction. <br />
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Mesmer, Eric M.; and Mesmer, Heidi. (2008). Response to Intervention (RTI): What Teachers of Reading Need to Know. <i>Reading Teacher</i>, 62.4, 280-290.<br />
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Mesmer and Mesmer give a history of RTI and explain the laws surrounding RTI. Mesmer and Mesmer suggest that the RTI process should be implemented in 5 steps. In step 1, Mesmer and Mesmer suggest establishing universal literacy practices. In step 2, Mesmer and Mesmer suggest that educators should implement “scientifically valid interventions” (283). In step 3, Mesmer and Mesmer suggest educators should monitor the progress of students receiving interventions. In step 4, Mesmer and Mesmer suggest that educators come up with individualized interventions for their students that are still struggling. And in step 5, Mesmer and Mesmer suggest that a team try to determine the need for special education services for students who continue to struggle. The authors explain that RTI is designed to benefit the students by incorporating assessment and interventions. The authors are concerned about the requirement of RTI being implemented by using scientifically based instruction. Mesmer and Mesmer argue that many companies may label products as scientifically based because an experiment was done on the product. Therefore, it may be difficult for educators to find beneficial products and programs. <br />
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Reutebuch, Colleen K. (2008). Succeed With a Response-to-Intervention Model. <i>Intervention in School & Clinic</i>, 44.2, 126-128. <br />
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Colleen K. Reutebuch is a professor and research associate at Vaughn Gross Center for Reading and Language Arts at the University of Texas at Austin. Reutebuch defines Response to Intervention as a framework in which high-quality instruction and intervention is matched to the needs of the students. Reutebuch continues that RTI includes progress monitoring and assess-ment in order to make educational decisions on the students, as well as improving the outcomes of students in both special and general education. Reutebuch explains the guidelines set up by the federal government are a framework in which states and local school districts can develop their own appropriate model. These guidelines include: implementation of research-based instruction, early intervention, multi-tiered intervention, individual problem-solving protocol, fidelity checks and consistency, identifying at-risk students, differentiated instruction, frequent assessments, multi-disciplinary teams to determine special education needs, professional development, follow-up support, grouping formats, collaboration of personnel, determining instructors at various tiers, setting short-term goals, developing an entry and exit plan, culturally responsive practices, implementation of constant support, family involvement, and an understanding of RTI and student achievement. Reutebuch guides the audience through each of the guidelines and explicitly explains how the guidelines should be implemented.<br />
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Samuels, Christina A. (2009). High Schools Try Out RTI. <i>Education Week</i>, 28.19, 20-22.<br />
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Samuels’ article focuses on the lack of research on the implementation of a RTI model a secondary level, which is also addressed in the Elliot article. Samuels uses high schools in Colorado to show how RTI is being implemented and to outline the difficulties in implementing RTI at the secondary level. Samuels uses Palmer High School in Colorado as a model of effective implementation of RTI. The teachers at the school have pooled their resources so that each department could develop programs to address the needs of struggling students. These programs were organized into “tiers of increasing intensity, while adding other types of interventions for students.” The school also opened a tutoring center in which the students who are struggling can go to after instruction in the inclusive classrooms is given. The teachers monitored their low performing students to see if the programs resulted in higher grades. The educators found that students who used the programs were more successful than students who did not. Samuels’ article does not address the fact that many students with disabilities lack the self-determination skills needed in order to evaluate whether or not they need to go to tutoring. <br />
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Tilly, David. (2008). Questions to Guide RTI’s Use. <i>Educational Leadership</i>, 64.8, 22-23. <br />
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Tilly’s article defines Response to Intervention as a “framework for organizing instruction in schools using research-validated procedures and decision-making structures.” In Tilly’s district, Heartland Area Education Agency 11 in Iowa Tilly states RTI has been implemented for eighteen years. Tilly states that consensus must be built in order for RTI to be effective by providing information and allowing educators to question and challenge information as well as involving staff when the principles of teaching and learning are discussed. Tilly suggests that false notions, such as the need to know students’ IQs, that students’ learning can be accelerated by placing them in special education, and the disability label determines the instruction for the students. Therefore, Tilly suggests teachers undergo professional development in order to debunk these issues. Tilly suggests using current practices to build on for the RTI infrastructure by establishing a leadership team who identifies modifications to be implemented to current practices without holding on to existing regularities. Tilly further suggests that implementation be reviewed and refined often in order to ensure effectiveness and maintain long-term student learning.
PammyMcBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05412457254175975070noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5916767499819134802.post-15543363645698181762013-05-28T11:28:00.000-07:002015-08-06T17:13:50.028-07:00<h1>
“I don’t think the worst thing that could happen to me is raising a child with special needs. I think the worst thing is to raise a child who is cruel to those with special needs.”</h1>
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<i>~ Anonymous
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PammyMcBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05412457254175975070noreply@blogger.com0