Professional Seminar - Inclusive Practice Cases

Considered Response – Assignment #8

Tammy’s artistic skills can both help and hinder her as a learner, as they can both increase concentration and increase distraction. In this particular case, we are seeing someone who clearly has the ability to produce good work in certain areas of study, but is not showing promise in all areas. In cases like this, it can be difficult to determine whether a student is distracted or is trying to concentrate by having busy hands. In my experience, students with ADHD have a much easier time listening when their hands are busy with a menial task. For Tammy, this task is sketching or being artistic because it is something she enjoys. For other students, it could be playing with play-doh, squishing an exercise ball or braiding string. For Tammy in particular, it seems as though the teachers who are concerned with her distraction are those in the classes she is not excelling in. Her doodling is appearing to be taking away from her learning. In these classes I think it is important for the teachers to evaluate the quality of her work with and without her sketching during the lesson. This could give the teacher insight into whether or not this is the root of the problem or if Tammy really just struggles in these certain subjects.

The case stated that Tammy is receiving extensive support out of school with tutoring sessions. It would be beneficial if Tammy’s teachers could get in touch with her tutor and determine what Tammy is spending her time on during these sessions. It is possible that there is a disconnect between what her teachers think would most improve her performance and what her tutor has been focusing on. This idea of constant and open communication between everyone involved is crucial in helping a student who is not performing well. It is important that all areas of their life be studied in order to get a full and complete picture of the issues at hand. It would be counter-productive for Tammy to have a tutor and not be concentrating on the areas she struggles with the most.

This idea of time management leads directly into the other possible factor of why Tammy could be struggling. Tammy has a very busy workload with her extra-curricular involvement and the pressure that her family is putting on her to succeed seems to be overwhelming. She is being pulled in many directions and developing skills in many areas outside of school. This constant struggle to stay on top of it all could be the reason that Tammy is falling behind in English, Science and Math. Her English teacher stated that she has outstanding assignments and is falling behind in class. To me this could indicate three things; Tammy could be struggling with the English language, Tammy is struggling with the content or Tammy has not made English one of her priorities within her overloaded schedule. All options are possible in this case and could be inclusive or exclusive of each other. Tammy’s family needs to consider her struggles and adjust her workload accordingly.

The fact that Tammy has a busy workload also shows that she has people who care about her success and are there to support her. It is important for students like Tammy to have someone to hold them accountable for their work and keep them on track. It would be easy for her to get carried away with her art and only those subjects that interest her. Her parents seem to be very concerned about her success, but they do not seem to be very hands-on and in touch with her needs. They are willing to provide more assistance through additional tutoring, but they did even find the time to attend the meeting with her teachers. In this way, Tammy does not have someone who is connected to the details of her schooling and is holding her accountable for her schoolwork on a daily basis. Parents can easily provide their children with tasks to keep them busy afterschool and help them to acquire new skills, but it is their hands-on support and involvement that will be provide the optimum support. An article published in Our Children, the American PTA Magazine, states that “success depends on good instruction, parent support, and hard work by students”. Successful parent involvement can monitor and ensure that all three of these aspects are present in their child’s education. The parents need to communicate with the school and their child to determine what they all need to do to help their daughter succeed.

            The last issue that needs to be addressed is whether or not Tammy should be on an IEP for being gifted and learning disabled. The diagnosis for this can be difficult because “concerned adults are convinced that if these students would only try harder, they could succeed.” In Tammy’s case, she appears to be a dedicated student who is trying to focus on her studies the only way she knows how. She has figured out what works best for her learning, but there obviously is not enough that she can do on her own. Her efforts may be overlooked because she is excelling in some subject areas and it appears as though if she just put the effort in and concentrated on her work she would succeed. Unfortunately, if Tammy is in fact gifted and learning disabled, she may never be successful in Science, English and Math without the additional support provided by an IEP. With the help of an IEP Tammy would be able to show her knowledge in different ways that would allow her to demonstrate her knowledge without using the traditional written methods that her teachers are asking for. Some examples that the teachers could try with Tammy could include a visual journal, poster presentations or collages. This would allow Tammy to showcase her talent and show her learning in that particular subject area while still being engaged in her work. Although Tammy sounds like she could likely be gifted and learning disabled, Susan Baum cautions that we must still be careful with our diagnosis:

“There are a number of other reasons why bright children may be underachieving. Perhaps expectations are unrealistic. Excelling in science, for example, is no assurance that high-level performance will be shown in other academic areas. Motivation, interest, and specific aptitudes influence the amount of energy students are willing to apply to a given task. Social or emotional problems can interfere with achievement. Grades and school are simply unimportant to some students. Some youngsters have not learned how to study because, during primary grades, school was easy and success required minimal effort.”

Tammy’s case is an interesting and difficult case to diagnose. There is still a lot of information that needs to be collected in order to determine the root of Tammy’s difficulties. It is crucial that the family make time to sit down with the teachers and discuss Tammy’s schedule, strengths, areas of concern and her interests. It would also be helpful for Tammy to sit down with a counselor and discuss how she is coping with all the pressure and if there is anything that the school can do to help her through her heavy workload. Tammy’s teachers should continue to observe her working habits and take note of any differences they see in the quality of her work under different circumstances (Ie: verbal retelling of instructions while sketching vs. not sketching). Tammy should also have professionals come to her school and spend time in her classroom with her in order to determine if she should be diagnosed as gifted and learning disabled.

Resources

LD Online

http://www.ldonline.org/indepth/gifted

Meredith G. Warshaw. Resources for Gifted Children with Special Needs

http://www.uniquelygifted.org/

Ronald Deitel. Helping your Child Perform Well on Tests.

www.cse.ucla.edu/.../parents/cresst_HelpYourChildonTests_010804.doc

Susan Baum. Gifted but Learning Disabled

http://www.kidsource.com/kidsource/content/Gifted_learning_disabled.html

____________________________________________________________________________

Assignment #8 – Module 5 Case 1 – Initial Response

Tammy clearly excels at art based assignments and work that involves creativity. She seems to have a very busy schedule and too many extra-curricular activities that are not allowing her the time to complete her schoolwork. It is important to learn more about Tammy’s academic history and her home life.

Strengths

Artistic abilities

Drama

Great ideas

Polite, respectful and hardworking

Concerns

Written work

Late assignments

Overloaded schedule

Takes longer than others to complete assignments

Contributing factors

·               Overworked between school and extra-curricular activities

·               What is her first language? What language is spoken at home? Is this affecting her written work?

·               Perhaps Tammy is not having issues with comprehension, she is just not able to show her understanding in the required way

·               Her creativity and imagination keeps her from concentrating in class. ADHD?

·               Tammy does not find the content important or relevant to her future

·               Up until this point, Tammy has been successful with the amount of effort she has been putting in and she does not care to do more than the minimum in the subject areas she does not like

·               No one to hold her accountable on a daily basis with her father away and mother working

The school administration should sit down with Tammy’s parents and discuss her home life and involvement in extra-curricular activities. It would also be helpful to discuss her work habits and what their priorities are for her. Tammy should have the opportunity to sit down with the school counselor and discuss anything that may be going on in her life that could affect her performance in school. If her inability to concentrate is severe, a professional should test Tammy for ADHD.

Gifted/Learning Disabled students show extreme strength in certain areas of learning and extreme weakness in others. They can have very high IQ, but performance results that do not equate. These students can go unnoticed because their gift can often mask their disability and it is normally not until later in their education that they are diagnosed with any sort of disability. Gifted and LD students are often very aware of their struggles and benefit greatly from constant encouragement and flexibility.

____________________________________________________________________________

Assignment #7 – Module 4 Visual Case Study

Concerns

Recent immigrant

Refugee

Little formal education

Little or no knowledge of English

No knowledge of local customs/expectations

Strengths

Cooperative

Quiet

Respectful

Contributing factors

·               Lack of formal education

·               No knowledge of language

·               Unfamiliar environment

·               Other priorities (work, siblings, etc)

·               Staying in a motel

·               Unknown future

·               School holds little importance in his country

Research the education system and political status of the student’s hometown or country to determine their stance on education and their current political state and standard of living. Have an interpreter come in and help you communicate with Salim and his mother to determine the amount and type of education the student received in his home country. Explain to them the role and importance of schools in Canada and the resources you are able to provide for them. Also, as a teacher it is important to use the resources around you by speaking with your peers about their experiences with similar cases.

Most likely the two factors that are affecting Salim are the language barrier and his lack of formal education. He may be feeling the effects of an unfamiliar environment and unknown future. He may have also dealt with some trauma as he was escaping his country.

There are many unknown factors that can affect his performance in school. It is important to address the most obvious factors first and observe whether or not the student is making progress or if the other possible contributing factors need to be addressed for him to become comfortable and productive. Start with one or two concerns, do not try to address everything at once. As you get to know the student better, dig deeper into what is affecting their performance. For this student, regular meetings with a translator and extensive anecdotal notes will be very helpful in tracking and determining your concerns.

____________________________________________________________________________

Assignment #6 – Module 3 Case Study 2 – Initial Response

Tracey Wong has been diagnosed with AD/HD and has been permitted certain accommodations throughout the school year to help her with her learning and demonstrating her knowledge. One of those accommodations is the ability to have access to a quiet environment to write exams. The particular room is not available for her final exams and the school has asked her to write the exam in the gymnasium with the rest of the Grade 12 students.

            There are many dilemmas in this case. One dilemma in this case is whether or not Tracey should be permitted to use a different space to write her final exam. We must consider what is fair and equal for all students and what is fair for Tracey. Another dilemma is the effect a room change will have on Tracey, even if it is to another quiet space, will the change affect her performance? The biggest dilemma in this case is the effect writing this high-stakes test without the accommodations previously permitted would have on the learner.

            It is important that Tracey and her parents discuss their concerns with the school administration. It is not right and would not be a fair representation of Tracey’s ability to put her in this situation without preparing her for it. There really is one option for Tracey; she needs an alternate room that will allow her a quiet environment to write the exam.

            Tracey parents need to address the issues of universal access and accommodations for learning. By allowing Tracey accommodations for the entire school year and not allowing them for the final exam, the school is setting her up for failure. It is the schools responsibility to provide her with the necessities she needs to learn and show her knowledge, and it must be uniform throughout the year. Tracey needing a quiet room is no different than a person in a wheelchair needing a ramp.

What Tracey is asking for is not a modification that changes the difficulty, it is an accommodation wherein she must demonstrate the same skills in a different environment, therefore there should be no discrepancy concerning equality. Regardless of ability, all students should have access to resources that may improve their learning and this should be true in testing situations as well.

 ____________________________________________________________________________

Assignment #5: Module 3 Case Study 1 - Initial Response

Monisha Khan graduated recently and is not yet fully confident in her abilities as a teacher. She is particularly concerned about how to manage the needs of a learning disabled student in an inclusive classroom environment.

Monisha is concerned about how her accommodations for the special needs student will be perceived by the rest of the class. She is worried that her students will think that Brian is getting unfair treatment and there is not equality in her classroom.

Monisha has the option to either assist Brian in allowing modifications, or leave things the way they are and let Brian fall behind. I believe it is a clear choice for Monisha to modify her lessons, as she already admits that they are not really working to engage her students. If she is able to engage her students, she won’t likely see any more problems with behaviour.  I also do not believe we are successful as teachers if we are not successful with all of our students. With that said, there really are no options in this case.

As I mentioned in an earlier case, I had a case very similar to this in my last practicum experience. My partner teacher and I dealt with it by allowing everyone the opportunity to approach us with suggestions on how they thought they may be able to perform better. We explained that certain people were allowed modifications because they learn better that way and if anyone thought there was something they needed to help them learn better they could approach us privately and we could discuss it. Not one student approached either of us or questioned the modifications again.

I do believe there are times when we have to be very cautious about what modifications are appropriate. We need to always consider the skill we are looking for and make the modification so that the necessary skills can still be shown. For example, if a student has a difficult time reading, it wouldn’t be harmful to have someone read the questions on their Science test so they could show that they understand the concepts. However, if that student was permitted this modification on a reading comprehension exam it would be inappropriate and unfair.

We should teach in a way that engages all types of learners. We cannot just lecture at the front of the classroom because we need to connect with visual, auditory and tactile learners. The way in which we teach should be similar for all students, but the way in which they learn will always be different. Because of this, we cannot have the same expectations of them. We must allow them modifications and options to show us what they know. 

____________________________________________________________________________

Assignment #4: Module 2 – Case 2 – Initial Response

David Jackson has been teaching High School Math and Science for eleven years. He is having difficulty successfully teaching two new twin boys in his class, as they have been diagnosed with mild learning disabilities.

The dilemma in this case is what David should do to successfully integrate the twins into his classroom and ensure that they are engaged and successful.

David needs to consider the severity and type of learning disability that each boy has and treat each of them as individuals. He should also consider the length of time they have had these disabilities. Looking into their CUM files, he may get some critical insight into their educational needs. This will also help him determine if it is just his teaching or if previous teachers have had difficulty in the same area.

A good option for David is to speak with his peers, especially those with Special Education experience. Rather than trying to reinvent the wheel, he should ask what has worked for others in the past. He may discover that simple adjustments to his teaching (more connections to reality, hands-on activities, visual representations, etc) could drastically change the twins’ performance. It may also be helpful for him to have a specialist visit his class, observe the student in their environment and give him feedback on what might work.

I do not believe that at this stage it is reasonable to for David to ask that the students be removed from his classroom. Although he has the experience and confidence of a veteran teacher, it does not mean that he has all the answers. Often with veteran teachers, the blame will be placed on the student because the teacher has been successful so many times in the past. As teachers, it is important to continuously reflect on our teaching before making conclusions about our students. Like our students, we should always be learning.

David should consider doing formative and summative assessment for the twins. This will help to understand if they are missing what he is teaching or if they are much further behind.  Their primed background knowledge will be key in determining whether or not they will be able to move forward with the class. As the text mentions, the twins should be in close proximity to David so he can monitor their progress. With the twins, David should focus on their individual learning goals rather than the curriculum expectations.

Educating John and Ben in the same class as the other grade 11 students can pose some difficulties. With high curriculum expectations and a heavy course load, it is difficult for the teacher to work at a rate that will be conducive to everyone’s needs. In many primary classes we could combat the different learning levels by using ability groups or mixed groups for learning, however, secondary school is much more focused on individual achievement and results.

Applied Math 20 no longer exists, but would be equivalent to a lower level math course. It should be noted that if a student is struggling in this class, they are significantly below grade level.

David has become aware that the twins are not progressing through his own observations and assessments. These could be as simple as observing class participation, chatting with students or anecdotal records. They could also be more formal records like tests or projects. It is the result of a combination of these two formal and informal assessments that was likely the red flag for David.

____________________________________________________________________________

Assignment #3: Module 2 Case Study #1 – Initial Response

Joan Martinez is entering her fourth year of teaching and is nervous about the transition from her familiar elementary school classroom to an unfamiliar grade 8 class. She is concerned about her classroom management skills and the behaviours that may challenge her.

Joan Martinez does not have any experience teaching grade 8 and is not sure what classroom management strategies work best for her with students at that age. On top of that, she has a pre-conceived notion that some of her students have behaviour issues and will cause her problems. Having this information about the students is both an advantage and disadvantage because it can help you to be prepared, or it can cause you to label your students without first making your own conclusions about their behaviour and learning.

Joan needs to approach her year with solid strategies and classroom rules and expectations in place.  It is always my hope that everything will fall into place because of mutual respect, but we must plan beyond that. I believe that having set rules in mind is necessary, but it is also a good strategy to take time on the first day of classes to create a list of rules with your students. This way, the students have worked with you and agreed upon the classroom expectations. They feel a sense of ownership and pride in what they have come up with and it is a good way to start to build a community.

Classroom management is both proactive and reactive. It should be primarily proactive, in that you have set your expectations and foreseen any possible issues that may arise and worked to avoid them. It is reactive in the sense that even the best laid plans go awry. We can never predict everything that will happen in our classroom, we can only try to plan for the many possible scenarios. 

Regardless of age, the primary factor that effects classroom management is respect. If you can build a classroom community that is based on mutual respect than the majority of your work is done. You won’t need to set out specific rules about talking in turn, lateness or how to treat each other. However, this is more difficult with younger children, as they are still learning the routines and norms of a classroom and need to learn what is expected of them.

As mentioned, I believe that your classroom management plan should be set out on the first day of classes. This way, the students get used to routines and expectations. There can be exceptions and revisions that take place throughout the year however, and there should always be room for flexibility.

In the classroom I was in for my last practicum, we had to make many adjustments to the classroom rules and expectations based on the behaviours of a few students. We found that these students were able to listen and concentrate much better if they were not part of the whole class during instructional time on the carpet. They were given the opportunity to sit in chairs at the back of the group and keep something in their hands to fidget with. Because we made this exception for certain students, we told the rest of the students that if they thought there was something that would improve their learning they were welcome to run it by a teacher. We found that this was very successful, and eliminated possible feelings of inequality. They understood that the modifications were made for learning and were not biases. After this experience, I really believe that we should offer all our students modifications if we think that it can help their learning. Sometimes we forget that we are there to help them do their best, not to make them get in line.

____________________________________________________________________________

Assignment #2: Module 1 – Case 1 - Initial Response

Christopher Melrose is having great difficulty learning the curriculum the way it is being taught in certain subjects in his classroom. His mother, Mary Melrose, is opposed to having him pulled out of the class for to receive support with a special education teacher. Her opinion opposes the opinion of the school, who believes he needs to be pulled out for extra support several hours a day.

The dilemma in this case is that there are two strong opinions on what is right for an individual student. Both parties want what is best for the student, but have differing opinions on what that is.

The school believes that the best option is to pull out the student and get him individual help with a specialist. This opinion would likely come from research and testing and have a more methodical approach. It is also possible that the school will do this because the classroom teacher does not have the time and resources to give the student enough individual attention and the support he needs. It is likely that the student needs to be taught in different ways and given different ways of expressing their understanding and those options are not available within that classroom setting.

The term “special education” has a negative connotation that many parents cannot see passed and don’t realize that the programs are there for the benefit of their children. Mary may think that pulling her son from class may have a negative impact on his social experiences and create unwanted negative labels. He could become an outsider and be disconnected from the routines in the classroom. It is possible that Mary is voicing her own opinion and/or being an advocate for her son, as the article does not mention what his wishes are.

One of the key factors, as Christopher is in grade six and capable of making decisions, is what he wants to do. I realize that this is not the only way to determine what is right for him, but his cooperation will have a large impact on the success of either scenario. The type and severity of the disability should also be a factor in deciding what is best for Christopher. Students with certain disabilities, such as ADHD or Autism, will often benefit from being removed from a room with a lot of excess stimuli.

In determining whether or not Christopher should remain in the classroom there are a few simple questions that need to be asked.

·               Will he receive the support he needs?

·               Will he be able to improve his performance or perform to his potential?

·               Is the classroom environment conducive to his learning needs?

__________________________________________________________________________________

Assignment #1: Disability, Ability and Responsibility - Initial Response

I have to admit, my long-term memory is lacking, so if I were to reflect on my own education and my memories of the people around me, I would most likely be creating a story the would fall somewhere between reality and the dream world I often found myself in in the classroom. Of the few memories I do have, I do not, however, have any memories of any sort of special education programs or separation of students within the school. In fact, I had a friend who was legally blind and, to my recollection, had no special programs or classes.

I first began to notice the trend of inclusive education in my first practicum experience in a grade one class. At this age, many special needs have yet to be diagnosed and those that have been diagnosed tend to be pretty severe. Considering this, I was surprised that we had so many students who were on IPPs. The IPPs were primarily for speech and the students were constantly being pulled from class for extra support. In my novice opinion, this was not supporting the children; it was removing them from their learning environment and interrupting instruction, work time and routines. Although this was considered inclusive practice, what stood out to me was all the instruction and work time that the students were being excluded from.

 My last practicum was in a grade six class with the integration of students who were bused in for the Learning and Literacy program (L&L) offered at the school. This program is for students who are not performing at grade level and need extra help in the classroom and modifications for learning. It was in this practicum that I truly saw the meaning of an inclusive classroom. If I was not told that there were special education students in my classroom in my first few days of observation, I would not have guessed by the way the class was being taught that there were such different levels of learners learning together. What made this possible was the addition of a full-time L&L teacher in the classroom who teamed with the other classroom teacher. There were modifications, such as the full time use of a laptop, a scribe or narrator for certain assignments or tests, a reduced amount of written work and extra time spent on literacy. These modifications were never pointed out and no one ever brought extra attention to the students who needed these supports. In fact, any student was permitted to benefit from the same supports if they thought that it could help their learning. This is what I believe inclusive practice to be; a seamless flow wherein no student is left out, pulled out or called out.           

I realize how lucky I was to have the experience I had in my L&L classroom with a partner teacher who truly believed in her students and the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. It has influenced my practice in immeasurable ways and changed the way I viewed inclusive classrooms. It is evident to me now, as I read and write about my current beliefs, that this experience made me a better teacher, as it showed me the potential that each student can achieve if they are given the time, support, tools and encouragement that they need.