I have an IDEA

This week we had Monday off, which was nice, but also, at the same time, wasn't really a break. I met up with Taylor, and we kind of figured out what to do, but at the same time, didn't know what to do! We divided up the work and worked on the Weebly. We were so thankful to get the due date postponed, because this week has been super hectic and crazy and busy and I had no idea how I was going to finish everything in time. So I am grateful that it was pushed until Sunday.

On Wednesday, we talked about IDEA - PL94-142.  We also ranked what's important in school for teachers:

1. Kids who are Bleeding
2. Kids who are Broken
3. Counting Money Correctly
4. EC students

Anyway, back to IDEA. I can't imagine what it was like before this law was out. Kids were not being allowed into schools. So much potential was lost because the schools did not want the extra responsibility of these kids with disabilities and impairments. So sad.

One thing that shocked me was the fact that we can still test students even without parental consent. I mean, I understand some parents not wanting their child labeled, but I cannot imagine not getting the consent from the parent first. I understand why we still do it; the child needs services. But still... I would hate to think about the discord that might be created if that were to happen.

I also learned that there are several categories for EC students. I never realized there were so many, but at the same time, looking over the list, it makes sense. And then I began to think about all of the responsibility we as teachers have. We have got to think about so much! 

I am also an ASL major, and one of my internships is at the SC deaf and blind school this semester. I get to interact with some students who are required to have services, according to IDEA. The difference between some of the students is staggering. You have some there because they just lost their hearing through sickness or through hereditary means. Then you have some who are intellectually disabled as well as deaf and/or blind. Working with those kids is tough, because there body is much older than their mind is. I met one girl who was 25 and still in high school (which, fun fact I did not know, if you are an EC student, you can go to school until you are 25. Otherwise, it's 21 for everyone else.) I see kids who are doing amazing despite their disability, and then I see others that need every type of assistance available. It truly is eye opening.

We learned about the 4-5 settings for least restrictive environments (LRE) in NC.

Inclusion - most teachers teach this; EC students are functioning below grade level but has the cognitive abilities to be in a traditional classroom with support. If you are an LA or Math teacher, you’ll usually have another person in the classroom with you to help.

Resource - the students are in classroom; you still have to modify lesson. But there’s no other person there to help, and the child is pulled out during certain times of the day for separate instruction.

Self-contained - students come to traditional school but are in their own classroom for part or most of the day; not more than 10 students in classroom and there is a teacher assistant as well

Separate setting - NORTH SHELBY; NORTH LIBERTY; places where they cannot be in a normal traditional school; they have to go to a separate place for education

** Maybe Monitoring - students have an IEP; EC comes to check and see if they are progressing and if they need help. They may need slight accommodations, but not much.

      These were good to know about. I knew these different settings existed; however, I did not fully understand how they were divided up, or categorized.

I also learned some new things like the following acronyms: 

OSS - out of school suspension

ISS - in school suspension (didn't even know that was a thing! But if you're EC, you can't miss too many days of school because you have to receive services).

I researched the statistics of children with disabilities and I found the following link:

https://www2.ed.gov/fund/data/report/idea/partbspap/2013/nc-acc-stateprofile-11-12.pdf

The article states that only 57% of EC students graduate, as compared to the 78% of other "normal" students. That is a huge significance! There are some other things in the article that discusses assessment rates and where each impairment ranks in that. It also gives the outcomes of the students depending on when they started getting services and how much they will succeed and meet the goals they need to in life. It also discusses the percentages of each impairment and how many students in each race has a disability. I know it's a lot of numbers and a bit hard to process at first, but it is very eye opening for me.

The two standards I want to link this weeks learning to is Standard 5 and 2. 

0. Teachers function effectively in a complex, dynamic environment.
   Understanding that change is constant, teachers actively investigate and consider new ideas that improve teaching and learning. They adapt their practice based on research and data to best meet the needs of their students.
   

   • Actively investigate and consider new ideas that improve teaching and learning; and
   • Adapt practice based on data.
     
   Teachers adapt their teaching for the benefit of students with special needs.
   Teachers collaborate with the range of support specialists to help meet the special needs of all students. Through inclusion and other models of effective practice, teachers engage students to ensure that their needs are met.
   Teachers should:
• Collaborate with specialists; and
• Engage students and ensure they meet the needs of their students through inclusion and other models of effective practice.

It is important for us as teachers who are dealing with kids with disabilities to constantly research new ways to reach these students and help them learn. We also need to collaborate with their parents and any other specialists about the best way to instruct these students. Research of various strategies to include these students in every aspect of learning is extremely important.

This week was a bit overwhelming, but can you imagine how these students feel everyday, knowing that they're different and need help? Empathy and a different lense are so very important! These kids deserve the best to reach their fullest potential! Let's give that, y'all!

Diversity

This week was somewhat of a chill week. We played a game that helped explain some of the many diversities that are in this world, and we took a quiz on key terminology to know for this class and that are related to diversity.

The game we played was stressful and annoying. Some memorable quotes coming from that day of class were "Adulting is hard..." and "Life is stressful..." All things we know to be true, but when you really think about it, you realize, "Oh, man... this REALLY IS difficult..." And how true is it of our students! They are coming from such a wide range of families and scenarios and dealing with so many things. We will never be able to imagine what they're going through, since we, as teachers, will not have experienced everything that our students have gone through. However, we can help no matter what.

I liked the document "Primary and Secondary Dimensions of Diversity" which discusses the obvious things we see that are different about our students and are easy to recognize and incorporate into our lessons/classroom. But then there are also things we cannot see on the surface - like income status, parental status, religious status, etc. These things are important, too, and good things to know about our students. Knowing these secondary dimensions will help us understand how students learn and how to motivate them and why they might be upset or unwilling to do an assignment.

We discussed having a multicultural classroom and what that looks like. We read an article, "Heightening the Standard of Quality Education," and some things that really jumped out to me were the following quotes: "Multicultural education is education that concerns and benefits everyone. It takes into account all the complex components of an individual -- gender, class, religion, and economic background, not simply race. It deems these positive qualities and incorporates them into the curriculum and educational policies... We need to create conditions so the students feel that they are worthy, capable, and belong... Therefore, multicultural education is valid and addresses the performance gap by identifying the talents, qualities, and frames of reference of children and creates a learning environment that students can see themselves mirrored in, which attributes to increased motivation and interest in learning material." I know that's a super long quote, but I feel like it's all important and shows how having a multicultural education is vital to the prosperity of our students.

The standard that this week connected most with is Standard 2 - Teachers Establish a Respectful Environment for a Diverse Population of Students. "Teachers embrace diversity in the school community and in the world. Teachers: • Demonstrate knowledge of diverse cultures; • Select materials and develop lessons that counteract stereotypes and incorporate contributions; • Recognize the influences on a child’s development, personality, and performance; and • Consider and incorporate different points of view." This is vitally important for the success of a classroom! If we don't know how our students learn and what might be influencing their learning abilities, then are we really doing the job we're supposed to be doing?

I want to leave with a quote from an article I read about multicultural education.

http://www.theedadvocate.org/6-ways-to-implement-a-real-multicultural-education-in-the-classroom/

"Value your real-life experience of diversity over the textbook version... multicultural education cannot be taught in a textbook. It must be developed by each educator based on a particular student group." Relationships are key!

Poverty... it's worse than we thought!

Poverty... that is what we talked about this week... it was a difficult topic to get through, but one that was needed for us students/future teachers to talk about. 

Many of the children we will instruct will come from the lower income class. They won't have all of their materials because they will be too focused on what to eat for the day or if their clothes are too dirty or wishing they had gotten more sleep during the night. They won't be focused; they will act out. They will be frustrated and give up easily. Reading and learning about all of the statistics of children in poverty can be overwhelming. It makes you think "Well, what can I do!? These kids aren't going to make it!" So what next?

Ruby Payne is amazing! I read a few articles, some by her and some by other authors using her research and strategies, and let me tell ya! They are awesome! They give teachers simple strategies to use within the classroom that makes the whole problem of addressing these kids needs easier! 

https://www.ahaprocess.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Understanding-Poverty-Ruby-Payne-Poverty-Series-I-IV.pdf

The above article is actually several articles, but they offer so many strategies to use within a classroom with students from low-income situations. My favorite article was"Building Learning Structures Inside the Head." It set up an analogy of a house with 4 Learning Structures: 1) Structure 2) Cognitive Strategies (processes) 3) Conceptual frameworks 4) Sorting mechanisms— important from unimportant. I won't go into detail as this blog is already long, but it makes so much sense! You have your main structure - what the main topic is in a subject, and from there you branch out to make sense of the topic. You research the topic; you analyze it; you get all this information about the topic, and then you organize it into models/frames/pictures from the overall concept to more specific details. From there you sort it all out using a model so that the final product makes sense in your head. I know that my explanation of it might not make that much sense, which is why you should go read the article yourself! 

http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational-leadership/apr08/vol65/num07/Nine-Powerful-Practices.aspx

This article above talks about 9 powerful practices to use within the classroom, and this article was mentioned in class. The most important thing that we teachers can do is to form relationships with the families and the students, show we care. We can help parents and students understand what all they need to accomplish or do in order to be successful within the classroom and outside of the classroom. Relationships are key!

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/answer-sheet/wp/2013/10/28/five-stereotypes-about-poor-families-and-education/?utm_term=.a5466ba343e8

This article talks about 5 stereotypes people have about poor families. Now, after watching Tammy's story, I would agree with this article; however, I know that's not the case for all poor families. If students get the proper encouragement from family and teachers, they can advance as far as they want to. Many students from poor families simply do not know how to organize/get work done, or talk/act in certain situations, or know how to think about bigger and better things when all they see around them is depravity. It is important for us as instructors to encourage them to do their best, to inform them of hidden rules and how to act and how to organize, and also to set their eyes on future goals. I know it's hard to manage a class full of 30 kids, over half of whom are not focused. You're trying your best to get through your lesson and just get through the day, but it's important for us to take a step back and see how we can make these students see that education is important and will get you far in life. 

We also looked at report cards, and I looked up the county I am from and where I plan on returning when I graduate... Our schools aren't doing too well, which isn't a shock, because the area I live in isn't the best, but still... seeing that grade makes me sad because so many of these kids aren't ready for real life or real college and I want to see them successful. My brother wrote an article talking about how he chose to become a doctor because 1: he saw the suffering my dad went through and how we had to drive approximately an hour to get the care that he needs and 2: he wants to provide care to those that are like us - in rural areas - that need a doctor nearby to attend to their needs instead of  having to drive a ridiculous amount to get to a "good" doctor and a "good" hospital. My brother saw the depravity way before I did, and it makes me want to go back and try to help these students that are dropping out or are not college ready. 

The standard that I want to focus on is standard one: teachers demonstrate leadership. Below this standard it says: "Teachers should: • Take responsibility for all students’ learning; • Communicate vision to students; • Use data to organize, plan, and set goals; • Use a variety of assessment data throughout the year to evaluate progress; • Establish a safe and orderly environment; and • Empower students... Teachers should: • Work collaboratively with all school personnel to create a professional learning community; • Analyze data; • Develop goals and strategies through the School Improvement Plan; • Assist in determining school budget and professional development; • Participate in hiring process; and • Collaborate with colleagues to mentor and support teachers to improve effectiveness... Teachers should: • Advocate for positive change in policies and practices affecting student learning; and • Participate in the implementation of initiatives to improve education... Teachers should: • Strive to improve the profession; • Contribute to the establishment of positive working conditions; • Participate in decision-making structures; and • Promote professional growth." All of these things are important if we are looking at poverty and trying to figure out what to do about it. Having plans for the school as a whole, in addition to the class, and in addition to individual students will help bring focus and organization and help students and teachers strive to meet this goal. Having incentives to motivate students will help as well. Even though as teachers, we look at the bigger picture (we're trying to get these kids ready for higher education), these kids won't always see that. So, sometimes, we'll have to think of other ways to get these kids motivated to learn, whether through activities, or prizes, or whatever! We have to do what's best for our kids and get them motivated to learn!

This was a sad week, but a needed week. I hope we all leave ready to create ways to improve the lives and education of our students. Remember, relationships are key!

prejudice; whiteness; culture; race

First off, I didn't realize there were at least 5 levels of prejudice. I knew that each level was a thing; I just did not know that they were actually defined.

Level 1  Antilocution

Level  2 Avoidance 

Level 3 Discrimination 

Level  4 Physical Attack 

Level  5 Genocide or Extermination

I have seen many of these in action, and it breaks my heart seeing that such hatred is still alive and well in this country where so many things are possible. I watched the video "Race Baiting 101" and I loved the quote they used, "The power is in uniting against hate." The fact that our country was once, and still is, in a three tier class really opened my eyes. You really can see how that applies, even today. Minorities are often at the bottom, with poor white people next, and then the elite on top. The ones on top really do control everything, and yet they do not know what the lower classes go through. I have often thought how we could make equality happen, and to be quite honest, I do not think it ever will happen. The type of society that we live in will not allow it to happen. And with everything going on recently in politics, it is obvious that we are not as far advanced with equality and oneness and everyone thought we were. 

The video we watched about the brown eyed, blue eyed experiment was amazing and also shocking. You could see the kid's souls get crushed because the "more important people" thought they were "dumb." What others thought of them really affected their performance. They started to believe it! That is why words are so so so so so important! Kids will believe just about anything, and if you constantly tell a group of people something over and over and over and over again, they eventually start believing it and acting it out. 

Two articles I had to read for my sociology class really go along well with what we've learned this week.

http://everydayfeminism.com/2016/08/told-white-friend-black-opinion/#.WaM4j_3Nutu.facebook

http://occupywallstreet.net/story/explaining-white-privilege-broke-white-person

I encourage whoever reads my post to read those articles. It really shows you how true "Race Baiting 101" and the three tier system really are, and also how important for those of us that are white, even if we aren't rich, we can still be a voice for those that aren't as privileged as us.

Many of the things that we have discussed so far this semester has shown that we must be leaders in our classroom; we must set the ground rules for how we will respond to race, diversity, minority groups, etc. We have to show the kids that racism and prejudice and hatred will not be tolerated. We have to lead by example and show the kids that everyone should be accepted and loved. We have to fight for the chance for everyone in our class to succeed. This also incorporates standard 2. Everything we learn in this class will incorporate standard 2. And as much as we strive to incorporate diversity, if society is still struggling today, like it has been for the past 300 years, something is not being done right. It is obvious that the "masters" still control the lower classes, and until something drastically, emphatically, enormously happens... we will still be struggling for years to come.