When teachers employ technology in education, like using device-based timers in their classroom, something amazing happens. (Click below to access the brief article.)
In his short article on motivating students, Dr. Marv Marshall writes:
A very important difference between the two types of motivation concerns building characteristics and values such as integrity, kindness, generosity, caring, perseverance, and responsibility.
Click below to read the brief, but important, article.
As has happened too many times during my career in special education, I am once again reminded of something a professor said more than 40 yeas ago. In one of my first special education courses the professor (and I apologize for not remembering his name) talked to us about entering the field of special education. His words were something like this, “I’d like to be able to tell you that someday there won’t be any jobs for you – but I can’t. It seems that we continually find ways to create disabilities in our world. I believe you are entering a field in which you will always be needed.”
In my experience there have been far too many examples of how the changes in our world and the decisions we make keep special educators employed. For example -
• With the invention of each new recreational street drug come the babies born addicted to those drugs. Cocaine, meth, crack, heroine, and bath salts addicted babies in addition to children with fetal alcohol syndrome have filled and will fill our classrooms.
• As the number of drivers has increased so has the number of traumatic brain injuries. Our government attempts to protect children with stronger and stronger laws regarding car seats and seat belts but motor vehicle accidents are still the number one cause of traumatic brain injury in children. We will now wait to see how the too-frequent use of cell phones while driving impacts this situation.
• Prominent in the news is the accepted link between sports-related concussions and brain injury. As the number of pee-wee sports leagues and America’s love of youth sports continues to increase, so have the number of concussions and more serious brain and spinal injuries in children and youth.
• The increased frequency and intensity of violence on television, movies, video games, media, and communities has resulted in increased behavior and socialization problems. Various forms of physical and emotional abuse, to include specific forms such as shaken baby syndrome, add students to our classrooms.
• In the 1970’s approximately 15&37; of America’s children were considered to be living in poverty, today the figure is approximately 23&37;. Children born and living in poverty have an increased likelihood of being disabled due to pre-birth, during-birth, and after-birth factors. Schools now provide breakfast, lunch, after-school, and weekend meals, medical, childcare, counseling, and social services, and financial assistance and community linkages to students and their families - in attempts to combat the negative effects of poverty.
• The MIT researcher, Stephanie Seneff’s current claim of the strong research base for the link between the use of certain lawn/farm chemicals and autism draws attention to an ongoing debate. Is the use of more effective chemicals in farming, lawn maintenance, and pest management justifiable when the results are disability and disease?
Drug and alcohol use and abuse, motor vehicle accidents, sports-related brain injuries, the violence surrounding our lives, increased poverty, chemical use in our crops, lawns, and air, and lead poisoning in the drinking water in Flint, Michigan are all factors that can cause disabilities in children. These are changes in our world and decisions we make. As I said at the start, I am so very sad. I would rather that special educators were not so needed.
caseyThe rule of thumb has been that if the cognitive and speech scores are aligned with ID then services are no longer warranted. It happens quite a lot with middle and high school students.
Luas: You will find that kids with reading problems are generally poor at writing all of the alphabet letters. But with practice they can. Try it and see!
On 1/16/16, Denise wrote: > On 1/16/16, gen ed teacher wrote: >> Is it unusual to have multiple children in the same family >> that have a low IQ, low enough that they are in a self- >> contained ID class. > > > Oh yes apple does not fall far from the tree..
DeniseOn 1/18/16, AM wrote: > The apple doesn't fall far from the tree is such a disgusting > comment made by too many teachers. > > You can read more here. > [link removed]..
Sorry it offended you, was the simplest way to put the obvious.
I don't know what it was like at the start or 20 years in, but I spend half a day on both sides, with those that are mainstreamed and those that cannot be at the high school level. Both sides are simply an ineffective mess.
You are wrong. We have several teachers who have classrooms of students who are blind or losing their vision. My state has at least 8 classrooms that I know of.
And how amazing that you are familiar with all 50 states! Too bad you are about as wrong as you can be.
> If you went into VI expecting to have a bunch of kids sitting > in front of you, or a resource setting, then you didn't do > your research.
Wrong again. My professor made it very clear that our first jobs would be in the classrooms I described above. And mine was. But the district went "charter" and they closed my school.(And since I have two Master's Degrees and a Doctorate, I would say that my research skills are pretty good).
For the record, I am certified in other areas and have had jobs with classrooms, in co-teaching, and so on. Working with a lot of students is something I can and have managed. Unfortunately, this is the certification area where there is a need in my state, and so I am stuck.
Don't you ever think you know me, or have any right to speak to someone like you did.
Your strident tone in your message was disturbing. I sincerely hope you learn to be humble and know that you really don't know much.
> You are wrong. We have several teachers who have > classrooms of students who are blind or losing their > vision. My state has at least 8 classrooms that I know > of. > > And how amazing that you are familiar with all 50 states! > Too bad > you are about as wrong as you can be.
I'm not wrong. I mentioned SCHOOLS for the blind, not classrooms. In fact, you just proved me right. Your state has 8 classrooms across the entire state. That means about 8 teachers might have full-time classroom assignments. I imagine there are significantly more than 8 VI teachers in your state, which would mean a traditional, full-time classroom job makes up the minority of VI teaching positions in your area (as it is in most areas) and therefore it is reasonable to expect to not have said traditional classroom.
The Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired, which I'm sure you're aware is one of the most comprehensive resources for educational resources in VI education, lists 51 schools for the blind in the US. If... y'know, you do simple math and divide the number of states by 51, you get a little above 1 per state. This is, of course, not perfectly divided as 1 per state. Virginia has three schools, which means at least a couple of states out there don't have a formal school for the blind, but we get pretty close to 1 per state.
>> If you went into VI expecting to have a bunch of kids >> sitting in front of you, or a resource setting, then you >> didn't do your research. > > Wrong again. My professor made it very clear that our > first jobs > would be in the classrooms I described above. And mine > was. But > the district went "charter" and they closed my > school.(And since I > have two Master's Degrees and a Doctorate, I would say > that my research skills are pretty good).
So wait. You're telling me that the situation has changed in education since your first job? Your professor in your teaching program maybe didn't fully know how things worked in the real- world of education? Shocking! You've just described an experience almost everyone, everywhere, in all fields of education has experienced... So now you know why things aren't how you thought they would be.
> For the record, I am certified in other areas and have > had jobs > with classrooms, in co-teaching, and so on. Working with > a lot of > students is something I can and have managed.
Cool.
Unfortunately, this > is the certification area where there is a need in my > state, and > so I am stuck.
You could always go into administration or sell real estate.
> Don't you ever think you know me, or have any right to > speak to > someone like you did.
I don't have to assuage your ego or tell you everything is going to be alright.. You're a VI teacher complaining about having a textbook position in VI. You literally have the archetype example of a VI teacher's job. You wish someone would have told you? Hey: Art teachers work with paint. Elementary teachers work with 8-year-olds. VI teachers travel and do pull out! > > Your strident tone in your message was disturbing. I > sincerely hope you learn to be humble and know that you > really don't know much.
Well, I might be your boss someday. Don't expect me to be humble.
Bob RoseOn 1/06/16, Teachers.Net Gazette wrote: > Although adults experience this phenomenon, we seem to be > surprised when we encounter it in young people.
I am wanting to go to school for special education, but I would like some input on online schools. Is there a board test you do have to take after completing your college courses? I am military so we move a lot. Thank you
Grand Canyon University is a good online school. Yes, you will have t...See MoreOn 1/02/16, Amber wrote: > I am wanting to go to school for special education, but I > would like some input on online schools. Is there a > board test you do have to take after completing your > college courses? I am military so we move a lot. > Thank you
Grand Canyon University is a good online school. Yes, you will have to take a state exam. If depends on which state and what you are concentrating on to take the right test. There is a shortage of SPED teachers, but a lot of us want to do resource. That is because a lot of school districts are cutting budgets, so less staff. At one time, if you were doing ED Self Contained class or a severe/profound class, etc., there were adequate staff to help. Now, it is not like that and it puts more pressure on the SPED teacher with writing IEPs, etc. I love SPED and have done it for many years, nut it has gotten harder. Pay is not any better than teaching general ed. If you do go into SPED, I highly recommend you take Educational Liability insurance. One never knows these days and you want to cover your rear end.
Western New Mexico State University has a on-line program tuition is ...See MoreOn 1/02/16, Amber wrote: > I am wanting to go to school for special education, but I > would like some input on online schools. Is there a > board test you do have to take after completing your > college courses? I am military so we move a lot. > Thank you
Western New Mexico State University has a on-line program tuition is in-state for up to 6 credits. $200 per credit.