Class+5+January+23

EDUA 2800 A14 Psychology of Learning & Instruction 2: Inclusive Special Education

//January 23rd, 08 - Lecture Notes//

a) Write down the number of your birth month (January = 1) b) Multiply by 2 c) Add 6 d) Multiply by 50 e) Add the date of your birth f) Subtract 365 g) Add 65 What do you notice about your answer? -The correct answer provided your birth month followed by your birth date.
 * The class started off with a “Birthdate Fun” activity to work our Mathematical-Logical Intelligence. Students were required to perform the following:**


 * We then had a look at the lesson outline:**

//Topic//: __Parents and Planning__

//Lesson outline:// -parents -planning

Today: Chapter 3 + 4 Friday: Chapter 4 + 5 Wednesday: Chapter 6 February 1st – Friday – Chapter 7 presentations

//Preparation for next class:// Read Chapter 5

//Make note of this:// Learning Activity #1 due next class (Friday) (blank consent form)


 * We then as a class talked about assignment questions.**


 * We were shown The Inclusive Special Education Concept Map as a guide for where the lecture was going:**

__**Inclusive Special Education**__ a) Why (research) à positive benefits, legislation à charter of rights, litigation (litigation being more American) -started with legislation and from that we got some litigation b) Who (parents) c) What d) How (parents – i.e. planning, collaboration)

-To begin today's lecture, we were given the following scenario and asked to answer the question that followed: a friend of yours is going to a baby with down syndrome. What will you say? As a class, we came up with a variety of answers:
 * __Parents of children with special needs:__**
 * Congratulations
 * Your baby is lucky to have you as a mother
 * Let me know anyway that I can help you, etc.

-We were told that a pregnant mother was given a sympathy card by her co-workers when they found out that she was expecting a child with down syndrome.

-Reactions to having a child with special needs change when parents find out their child has a special need.

-A parent's reaction when told that they have a child with special needs may be different if they find out when their child is born versus later in the child's life (i.e.) when the child has already commenced school.

-What factors do you think would influence how people react to having a child with special needs? We discussed with a small group and as a class came up with the following:
 * age of the child (before birth, at birth, later in the child's life)
 * how you’re told (with empathy versus bluntly)
 * support available (family, friends, information and resource centers, etc.)
 * prior knowledge/experience with the disability
 * lifestyle, work, socioeconomic status (working fulltime, traveling, etc.)
 * culture/religion (some may see a child with special needs as a gift, others as a punishment, source of shame, etc)
 * age of the parents (older women have a higher chance of having a child with down syndrome)
 * type of disability/severity (is it life threatening?)

-We summed it all up by saying that there isn’t a specific reaction as people say there is.


 * __Parents of children with special needs:__**
 * often struggle with issue of guilt and self-esteem
 * often face additional responsibilities in terms of time, energy and finances (some parents will use the respite service when they need some free time)
 * may experience a cycle of grief not unlike dealing with death (before this stage was similar to what a person went through when they knew that they had a terminal illness. Now, it resembles what a person goes through when someone dies)
 * coping with the stress of raising a child with disabilities may lead to abuse
 * may experience social isolation (friends no longer come and visit, friends and family don’t know how to act, what to say)
 * may encounter attitudes, ignorance, and disrespect from professionals that increases stress (if parents do not agree with what they are told, they are said to be in denial by some professionals. This is insulting)


 * __Role of parents: (according to the Winnipeg school division)__**
 * parents are encouraged to participate in the education of their children
 * through individual discussions with the appropriate teacher(s) and/or principal
 * through participation as volunteers, and/or
 * through participation in the parent council


 * __Your role as a parent;__**
 * identify that your child has special needs when entering the Winnipeg School Division
 * be informed of the Winnipeg School Division
 * participate in discussions affecting your child’s education
 * take an active role in your child’s IEP
 * give written and informed consent for any special assessments
 * receive information on child’s educational progress and receive written reports at least twice a year
 * have access to information in your child’s school file
 * be consulted with and give permission before your child is placed in an alternative setting
 * provide written authorization for any specialized additional services your child might need
 * provide written and informed consent to share information for Special Needs Categorical funding Level II & III if necessary
 * maintain ongoing communication with your child’s teacher(s)
 * attend parent teacher conferences
 * be an advocate for your child

__**There are several reasons for which parents may not be involved:**__
 * they work a lot
 * they are not familiar with the material their child is learning
 * they do not consider school to be important

a)__Communication__ b)__Professional competence__ (being a professional, providing a quality education) c)__Respect__ (honoring cultural diversity, affirming strengths) e)__Commitment__ (being available) f)__Equality__ (sharing power between professional and parents) g)__Advocacy__ (advocate on behalf of the child)
 * __Partnerships as Archways:__**
 * d)__Trust__** (as the keystone of the arch – between the relationship between parents and professionals)


 * the key thing to note here was that trust was at the center of the relationship between parents and professionals. Communication, professional competence, respect, commitment, equality and advocacy are things to help build that trust.

-If the trust relationship between the parents and the teacher(s) has been previously broken, parents tend to be a little eerie in trusting future teachers.

-Group planning We were broken down into groups of 3-4 in class and given the same question. We were given a scenario and the question “What are some of the things you could do to make inclusive schooling work for David that you might suggest when you have the planning meeting?” From the readings we found that David would have a difficulty in the areas of English, Math, Science, Social Studies and Phys Ed./Health to some extent. We then discussed as a class some of the options for David:
 * We then as a class went into group planning:**
 * allow him to do his homework on the computer
 * make him student of the week/month
 * have him teach computer skills to his peers
 * make an audio recording of the class novel
 * find a picture book about what the class is studying
 * have the students take turns photocopying their notes and giving them to him
 * during group work, he can be the recorder or time keeper
 * read the novel out loud as a class
 * modify all the lessons so that they are doable

//January 23rd, 08 – Textbook Notes//

Chapter 3//: __Partnering with Parents and the Community__//

Key Points:
 * It is important for a partnership to exist between families and the teachers of their children. This partnership is of particular importance for children with special needs. For example, the teacher(s) and the family of the child with special needs as well as other school staff meet to develop a custom made educational outline and set of goals for the special needs child.
 * Rewards and challenges accompany raising a child with a disability. Families are often affected by the previous challenges that they have had with other professionals and teachers. They are greatly impacted by these experiences and often bring that history into relationships with subsequent teachers. For instance, the family of a child with special needs may hesitate to meet the child's new teacher due to negative experiences that they had with previous teachers, staff members, etc.
 * The needs of the family should be placed in the centre as the main focus, not the needs of the school (a system-centered approach) or of the child alone (a child-centered approach). In doing so, children are made aware of the centrality of the family. For example, a child's best possible outcome will occur if he or she is supported by the inner circle-family, close friends, mentors, etc.
 * As teachers, there are several things that can be done to strengthen our relationship with parents. Of particular significance is welcoming all children into the classroom, working in partnerships with the families, effectively teaching each child and clarifying with parents the how and why of our teaching. To illustrate, if a child with special needs is having difficulty reading a book for novel study, informing the parents and trying to work together to find a solution like having them read the book to their child or the teacher making an audio recording of the book for the child.
 * In our communities, there are resources that make our students' learning stronger and provide helpful information for parents and children. As teachers, we can also reach out to these resources. For example, informing parents of an after school leisure program in the community that is geared towards special needs students.
 * Intervention for young children with special needs as well as family assistance can be provided by service agencies. For instance, the respite service provides the caregiver of a special needs child some free time