Lesson 12

When I think of responding to student behavior, the first thing that comes to mind is a DAP principle.  The DAP principle talks about the relationships that are so critical to be formed.  These are parent/child, child/child, parent/teacher, and teacher/child.  I think of this because when these relationships are strengthened students are able to become more comfortable in their environment and this can minimize negative and unwanted behavior.

Peer tutoring is one thing that was really stressed throughout this chapter.  I think this is important because it encourages the relationships between students.  I think this is also an awesome technique because teaching is the best way that we can learn.  I know that as I have taught my peers throughout the duration of this class I have learned much more than I may have just studying for a test.

I think that as we help children take charge of their education they will take more pride in what they do.  It is important that we tell students the why behind what we are teaching them and asking them to do.  We are teaching the future.

Peer Teaching Reflection

I thought it was fun to teach the class.  In the beginning I was little scared because I am not looking to become a teacher, so I don’t have a lot of experience or practice.  However, I think my group did a pretty good job.  We presented on Emotional Disturbances, which is a huge topic, but I thought we did a good job getting the main points of each category and making sure the students knew what they each consisted of.  We used an quick assessment quiz at the beginning to get the students acquainted with the term at the beginning and I think that made them realize that the subject was not as complex as they may have thought.  

One of the biggest engagement clues is when students participate.  We had good participation in class and even more than that, the students were open and shared personal stories and experiences.  I was really impressed when students shared stories of their own loved ones who have faces these emotional disturbances and come out on top or even struggled with it.  

I don't think I would change a lot if I did this alone.  I actually prefer group presentation because we get to hear more of different people's perspectives, ideas, and experiences about the subject.  I think I would have tried to have a little more student interaction.  It is hard to cover such a big subject and not just sit there and lecture.  

I am always a little nervous in front of the class and I always have to have written my script and keep to it because I am not quick on my feet.  I think I would try a little harder to become comfortable in front of the class.  Maybe I just need to study and become more acquainted with the subject.  We were also a little unprepared in the presentation because one of out group members was not able to attend on the day of the presentation, so I think better preparation in that area would have been nice, but life happens.  

I would give my group a 10 and I would give myself a 10.  Our group worked together very well, I thought.  We each had strengths that added to the presentation and preparation for it.  I liked that we were able to so easily take over for the missing member and make it work too.  As for myself, I did all that I could to know my topic.  I found additional resources that were of great help and tried to make it applicable to everyone, because they were prominent disorders.  

Learning Disability

This was so hard.  The only thing that got me through it was thinking about what I was going to say well in advance.  I planned out a couple phrases and questions.  I said what I had planned to say and it was a little easier.  I knew what to ask, but the best thing I could think to say in response to them helping me was "gracias," so I looked kid of silly.

As I thought about this I was a little taken back.  How would this be?  How would it be to have to have conversations with people on the spot?  I am baffled at the complexity of everyday conversation for people with learning disabilities.  When the pressure hits, it is like I can't think of a single word without an "n" or "l" in it!  It is terribly frustrating and I would never wish this on anyone!  This also made me wonder if this affects how quickly people with this disability think and process information...

Stuttering

The hardest part about this simulation for me was keeping a straight face through it and not laughing.  I am obviously not cut out for acting.  In my encounters, I said "uh" a lot and repeated words.  I asked someone for help and I felt like they were about to laugh too.  I asked for help finding something in a store and it seemed like the person helping me thought I was a little dumb.  In the situations, it seemed like the person was almost dumbing the instructions down, like they would for a little kid.  I think with impairments like stutters, we need to remember that these people are totally normal and that speaking is just a little slower, not that we need to dumb down what we say.

Orthopedic Experience

To most of us, a wheelchair is an fun, easy, and effortless way to get around.  To those that are bound to a wheelchair because of genetics, degeneration, or injury, it is a whole different story.  Until I completed this simulation, I was a strong part of the first group described.

This was one of the hardest things.  As I began this simulation, I thought it would be fun to roll down the hills of Rexburg and speed through doors before they closed, but boy was I wrong.  The first battle was getting off of the third floor of the building.  I was essentially trapped.  I had no way to get down, except for taking the elevator, but I had been so oblivious to it before, I couldn't find it.  I spent a good 10 minutes navigating the Hinckley building before I found the elevator alone!  This was going to be a long 2 1/2 hours... Well, I found it and immediately got to the other points that I had to hit.  I made it through a door way by myself, but it was a struggle and took so much of the muscles in my arms that I didn't even know I had.

As the simulation went on, my arms were bruised and my hands were tired.  I cannot express the empathy I am able to have for the people in wheel chairs now.  Going to the bathroom seemed to be the hardest thing I would every have to do...if I could first get past the lip beneath the door to enter the restroom.  It is interesting that we call places "wheelchair friendly," because when you are in a wheelchair, they seem anything BUT friendly.

Looking back, I just want to help people in wheelchairs.  I came to understand the struggle of maneuvering through a crowd of people and the feeling that comes with it.  It is understandable when people are unwilling to go to different events because it is such a hassle just to get there.  This experiences was one that I appreciated, but I am so much more grateful for the abilities that I do have.

Visual Impairment Simulation

These simulation activities have made me so much more aware of the world around me.  At first, I did not like the idea of looking kind of funny in public with these sill face masks on, but as I went through the simulation, I came to find a lot of appreciation for people who struggle with this full-time.

As I had the masks on I did not go to too many different places.  I put on the a mask and my first challenge awaited me...the stairs.  Luck for me, the mask I wore to go down the stairs first was the one that simulates the loss of an eye and loss of depth perception.  This was SO HARD! 

For one of the hours that I was impaired, I was trying to read.  For this time I had the macular degeneration mask on.  It was amazing to me that people are able to cope with these things.  I wondered how people do it.  I think the process of coping with am impairment must be something like the grief process.  There must be some point when it just gets to the person and they have a hard time with it.  I felt like I would want to do all that I could to not read.  It was such a trying task, but it was needed every single day.  

Overall, the visual impairment simulation was a good experience.  I literally got to know what it looked like to have degeneration of my eyes.  Coming out of this, I want to make sure I am doing all that I can, when I work with children, to recognize the impairments that they have and not ignore them.  I think it is far too often that children are accused of "faking it" or doing things to get attention or special treatment, when that is usually not the case.  

Lesson 11

I love this class because it is so applicable in life.  This week we talked a lot about poverty.  I am glad we take a whole week worth of classes to talk about it because it is a very prominent issue, but it is kind of kept in the corners, away from sight.

It is so vitally important that we, as teachers and advocates for children are aware of what these children are going through and what we can do to help them.  Lately in class we have talked a lot about accommodations.  There are many accommodations that need to be made for children, but they are not limited to children with disabilities.  Children living in poverty are commonly more delayed in their learning and speech.  These are things to take into consideration. 

Lesson 9

This week was fun!  I got to give my group's presentation on Monday.  I really enjoyed learning about the topics that my group was assigned to.  We talked about emotional disturbances (emotional disorders).  I was very surprised at the amount of material there was on emotional disorders.  As we learned more and more about these disorders, I came to feel more strongly about the severity of the issues.  I think it is too common a thing that people joke about these things.  I presented on the eating disorder section of the project and was taken back at how prevalent this disorder is!  It was shocking and heartbreaking to know that little girls (10 year olds!) think so poorly of themselves and have such a disappointed view of themselves.  Having learned a little more about so many disorders, I have decided that I am going to take them a little more seriously.  I am not going to joke around about them because, statistically, the chances of someone having one is more likely than I think.

Another thing that we hit on just briefly in class was the idea of co-teaching.  I like this because it applies in so many aspect of life.  It is important to know about the different styles of co-teaching for when I am a teacher, a parent, a leader, etc.  I love this class because it helps me see a little deeper into the things that I do on a daily basis.  I liked learning about the co-teaching styles because I seem to be giving a lot of presentations these days as well as teaching lessons in church.  I think these methods will be of benefit to me well into my future.

Lesson 5

This week was a fun and slightly stressful one.  I was a little stressed about all the material that would be covered on the test, but once I took it I realized that the material we are covering just needs to become a part of my life.  This is knowledge that will apply to my life in so many circumstances, not just in the classroom.

Something that I learned from this week was the importance of assessment.  It is through assessment that schools are able to identify and categorize each student's needs.  Before I learned about this chapter I had no idea that there were so many ways to assess a child!  I like that there are such a wide spectrum of assessments; as the difficulty for the child become greater, the assessment also becomes more specific.  It was fun to go through the different case studies and get a feel for the actual processes.  Although the case studies were fun, it was also an eye opening experience.  It was interesting to learn about the process for parents, and all of the rights that they have, but also the IEP team and what they do when they cannot come up with a final decision.  I found the INCLUDE strategy to be very helpful.  I like that it is an acronym, which is helpful in any situation.

I know this seems silly, but I am really amazed at how much thought is really put into the individual ideas and programs set up for young children.  I am seeing more and more, through this class, how much of an impact I can have on the lives of so many young children in their education, but also on a more personal basis.

Lesson 3

One thing that I really love about this class is that everything that we are learning about keeps building on each other.  I have had numerous classes on different subjects and most of them don't really flow like this one.  This past week has been interesting; I feel like we are getting into the more child-specific topics.  I loved learning about the IEP process this week.  Something that is great about being in the child development major is that everything that has to do with it is personal and specific to each individual child.  It is something that I cherish because it is a basic principle of the gospel.  

The IEP process was fun to reenact.  I have a new found respect for everyone involved in the process because it was hard and stressful!  I had a fun time learning about each individual role and about how they all intertwine.  I also found it really impressive that people would go to such great lengths to help just one child.  I like learning about the different court cases that talk about these processes.  I think it is important to know about the past and what we can do differently.  I am impressed by people who stand for the children and I cannot wait to be able to do the same thing in my future career.  

Lesson 2

This week our lessons were awesome!  One thing that really hit me hard, as well as most of the class, was the video about the children in Siberia.  As we watched the video in class my heart hurt.  Growing up in the US, where we see so many people, every day, with mental and physical handicaps, it was appalling to see what was being done to these children, or not done, for that matter.  Watching this video really solidified my want to be an advocate for children.  In class we talked about why the view of these institutions changed.  In the Brown vs. BOE trial it was because of just a few people with a great amount of dedication to their cause that there was any change made.  The same principle applies in the situation with psych institutions.  Sometimes it just takes one person speaking up, for everyone else to realize that something is so wrong.  This can be such a frustrating principle, but it is one that I am accepting the challenge of having.  I think it is a very important calling in life to work with children.  There are so many nasty things that go on in the world today and I want to have something to do with them.  I want to be the one who took a chance and took a stand for those little children of God.  One of the doctrines that we came out of this week is that "the worth of souls is great in the sight of God."  I am so fortunate to have a knowledge of the gospel and of the Plan of Salvation.  I will hold my place as an advocate for God's children to the highest standard that I can.

Lesson 1

BYU-Idaho is such a unique university.  It is a wonderful thing to be able to be surrounded by so many people who have the same beliefs and values as I do.  One thing that I have come to love is directly applying the gospel to the things that I learn about in class.  Although the class has just begun, I know that the things that we are learning about can be taught by none greater than the prophets, apostles, and Savior himself.

When I read the lesson overview for this week, I was kind of surprised that there were only conference talks and a devotional for us to read.  As I read through the talks, though, it became clear as to why these were so important and applicable.

As I was reading through the talks, one of them kind of seemed like it didn't fit with the others.  The devotional address by President Clark was about ridding ourselves of the spirit of entitlement.  As I thought more about it and I discussed it with my group in class, I came to see this as the first step in the field of special education.  When I think of the word entitlement, I think of someone with a "greater than thou" attitude, meaning they tend to look down on people.  In the context of dealing with people with special needs, it is important that we expel this spirit from us immediately, because, in all reality, everyone in this world has been created in Gods eyes and has been given challenges that will help them, personally, to progress.

The other talks went a little more in depth on the attitudes and actions that we should display towards others.  I loved the beginning of Elder Wirthlin's talk when he spoke of a few of the great men that lead our church.  In describing these men, he showed me that he had also gained those Christ-like qualities himself.  One thing that I really liked that he said about President Monson was, "while it is a compliment to him that many of the great and mighty of this world know and honor him, perhaps it is an even greater tribute that many of the lowly call him friend."  What a powerful message.  It is because of his great humility, and through the lense of the Lord that he is able to attract so many different types of people.

I feel like Elder Ballard spoke a lot about the "lense of the Lord."  I thought it was interesting that he mentioned the importance of letting children associate with other children, even of their beliefs are not the same.  When things are said in general conference, you know that they are applicable to the world.  As it applies to little children, it applies to us, adults, too.  I think we can all strive to be more like the Samaritan that saw the man from Jericho.

One last thing that I found very impressive was in Elder Wirthlin's talk when he told the story of him and the boys who bullied.  I actually listened the talk and it was so powerful to hear this story from him first-hand.  It was amazing to hear that such a young boy was able to have the courage to stand up to someone who saw another child of God in a negative way.  This gives me courage in my own life to be kind.