So what does this philosophy imply for how I will teach? I think it says that I will be very focused on providing a nurturing and loving environment for children to learn in, and that I will be encouraging to their individual talents and strengths. I also believe it may say that I will adjust my teaching to incorporate things the class I interested in, since people have a natural tendency to learn if they are interested in the subject. All of these qualities are ones I hope to have as a teacher one day, so I will definitely strive to stay true to the beliefs of the humanistic philosophy of education.
Friday, March 28, 2014
What I Learned about my Educational Philosophy...
After taking the Educational Philosophies Self-Assessment Test, I feel like I have learned a lot about what kind of teacher I will most likely be, and a lot about my teaching style. My educational philosophy came out to be dominantly humanism. This type of philosophy focuses on potential for human growth, and is a very optimist view of human nature, which I think does reflect my own view as well. It states that, "people are inherently good and will strive for a better world, and that, "people possess unlimited potential for growth and development." I can definitely relate to this point of view, because even though it may seem too good to be true, I believe it is true of most people if they are provided an environment and people to nurture the good inside them from a young age. This is especially true of children, and I definitely think that meanness or other "bad qualities" are learned behaviors, and aren't something that people are born with. I also am I strong believer that everyone has good in them, no matter who they are, and many times they just need someone to believe in them in order for that good to shine through. It is a teachers job to encourage the good in children and allow for their talents to flourish. These views are all incorporated into the humanist philosophy, so I think the assessment was pretty accurate in choosing what my own educational philosophy is.
So what does this philosophy imply for how I will teach? I think it says that I will be very focused on providing a nurturing and loving environment for children to learn in, and that I will be encouraging to their individual talents and strengths. I also believe it may say that I will adjust my teaching to incorporate things the class I interested in, since people have a natural tendency to learn if they are interested in the subject. All of these qualities are ones I hope to have as a teacher one day, so I will definitely strive to stay true to the beliefs of the humanistic philosophy of education.
So what does this philosophy imply for how I will teach? I think it says that I will be very focused on providing a nurturing and loving environment for children to learn in, and that I will be encouraging to their individual talents and strengths. I also believe it may say that I will adjust my teaching to incorporate things the class I interested in, since people have a natural tendency to learn if they are interested in the subject. All of these qualities are ones I hope to have as a teacher one day, so I will definitely strive to stay true to the beliefs of the humanistic philosophy of education.
Monday, March 24, 2014
What are some strategeies teachers can use to effectively include students with disabilities into thier classrooms?
Inclusion, while it has many benefits, can also be a struggle for both teachers and students. It is a difficult task to mix students of all levels and abilities into one classroom, and meet all of their needs equally. This task can become even more complicated when there is only one teacher left to meet the needs of each and every individual student. So, when a special education student is placed in a regular classroom, what can a teacher to best meet the needs of that students without compromising the needs of other students?
Teachers can start by making their classroom environment conducive to learning for all students. Organization is important to keeping all students, and especially students with special needs on task. Students with disabilities who are being sent to regular classroom from a separate environment may already find themselves distracted with the new environment without the addition of disorganization or additional distractions. To keep students on task, make sure the students desk is free of items they aren't currently using, reduce visual distractions in the classroom, and even make a checklist to keep the student organized. Also, having available pencils, books, paper, etc... and informing the student on their location can allow the student to feel prepared and organized.
Teachers can also help special education students feel more confident by managing and monitoring time well. In general students with disabilities work better in short periods broken up by break times, and it may help to break large assignments into smaller tasks to make them seem more accomplishable. Also, it may help the students feel more prepared if they are given warnings as to when a new activity will be started. For example, tell your students, "Independent reading will be over in 5 minutes," or "We're going to start math in 10 minutes." Remember that special education students may also need additional time to complete tasks, and give them a specific place to hand in their assignments.
When being tested, many special education students have special circumstances which the teacher should accommodate. For example, some students with disabilities have problems with motor or visual skills, so writing can be a problem. They may need to give oral responses to tests, or speak an answer verbally and have it written down for them. Just as with assignments, breaking tests into sections can help, and avoiding timed tests is recommended.
When dealing with behavior, positive peer role models are important and so is having a code of conduct to let a student know when behavior is not appropriate. Immediate feedback is important as well, and reinforcement should be given right after the good or bad behavior. Other tips for helping special education feel confident and motivated in a regular classroom, are to provide visual explanations whenever possible, and to explain expectations. Explaining too many concepts at the same time to a student with disabilities can be difficult to them, so keep your points concise and to the point.
These are tips for helping students with disabilities when they are included into a regular classroom, but in my opinion, they are tips that are beneficial to all students. While special education students may get the maximum benefit out of these strategies, I believe all students will appreciate these teaching tactics.
Teachers can start by making their classroom environment conducive to learning for all students. Organization is important to keeping all students, and especially students with special needs on task. Students with disabilities who are being sent to regular classroom from a separate environment may already find themselves distracted with the new environment without the addition of disorganization or additional distractions. To keep students on task, make sure the students desk is free of items they aren't currently using, reduce visual distractions in the classroom, and even make a checklist to keep the student organized. Also, having available pencils, books, paper, etc... and informing the student on their location can allow the student to feel prepared and organized.
Teachers can also help special education students feel more confident by managing and monitoring time well. In general students with disabilities work better in short periods broken up by break times, and it may help to break large assignments into smaller tasks to make them seem more accomplishable. Also, it may help the students feel more prepared if they are given warnings as to when a new activity will be started. For example, tell your students, "Independent reading will be over in 5 minutes," or "We're going to start math in 10 minutes." Remember that special education students may also need additional time to complete tasks, and give them a specific place to hand in their assignments.
When being tested, many special education students have special circumstances which the teacher should accommodate. For example, some students with disabilities have problems with motor or visual skills, so writing can be a problem. They may need to give oral responses to tests, or speak an answer verbally and have it written down for them. Just as with assignments, breaking tests into sections can help, and avoiding timed tests is recommended.
When dealing with behavior, positive peer role models are important and so is having a code of conduct to let a student know when behavior is not appropriate. Immediate feedback is important as well, and reinforcement should be given right after the good or bad behavior. Other tips for helping special education feel confident and motivated in a regular classroom, are to provide visual explanations whenever possible, and to explain expectations. Explaining too many concepts at the same time to a student with disabilities can be difficult to them, so keep your points concise and to the point.
These are tips for helping students with disabilities when they are included into a regular classroom, but in my opinion, they are tips that are beneficial to all students. While special education students may get the maximum benefit out of these strategies, I believe all students will appreciate these teaching tactics.
Monday, March 17, 2014
Should Special Needs Students be Mainstreamed?
A multicultural classroom is a class of diverse students, which includes not only students of difference races and cultures, but also students of different ability levels, as well as students with disabilities. Mainstreaming, also known as "inclusion" has been the cause for much debate between teachers, administrators, and parents. It refers to the process of incorporating special needs students into regular classrooms, rather than having them isolated from children without disabilities, even if they cannot meet the standards of the curriculum. There are benefits and disadvantages to inclusion, and it is not always clear whether it is best for special needs students.
One clear benefit to including special needs students into regular classrooms is the friendships they will have a chance to form. Socialization and the chance to make friends is a great opportunity for special needs children. They are also challenged to deal with social issues that may arise in the future, and learn how to deal with them. Being isolated from other children removes many normal interactions that help will help special needs children learn how to communicate successfully with others. As a part of the class, special needs students get the change to feel like they are not so different from everyone else and are challenged to have higher goals for themselves. They also get the chance to have positive role models and see positive relationships and behavior from other children in the class. Inclusion is not only beneficial to special needs students, but also to other students in the regular classroom as well. They get experience working and dealing with people who are different from them, which is something they will surely have to face in the real world. They must learn to accept and respect people who are different from them, which is what a multicultural classroom is all about. One last benefit to inclusion, is the cost. A Special Education Expenditures Program study showed that it costs $10,558-$20,000 to educate a student with special needs services involved, and $6,556 without.
While there are many advantages to inclusion, there are also some drawbacks. For many special needs students, a regular classroom can be distracting, and they may focus more on the socialization aspect of school more than the academic. Another disadvantage is that many special needs students need the one on one attention they will get from separate classrooms in order to get the maximum benefit out of their education. Also, having to accommodate the needs of a special needs students with the needs of regular students can be a struggle for teachers.
I believe that, while every student is different, most special needs students will benefit from having their time divided between a regular classroom and another separate environment where they can focus solely on their school work. The amount of time a student spends at each place will depend on the individual student and wherever they seem to do best. This way, special needs students get their particular needs met while getting the benefits of being part of a regular classroom.
One clear benefit to including special needs students into regular classrooms is the friendships they will have a chance to form. Socialization and the chance to make friends is a great opportunity for special needs children. They are also challenged to deal with social issues that may arise in the future, and learn how to deal with them. Being isolated from other children removes many normal interactions that help will help special needs children learn how to communicate successfully with others. As a part of the class, special needs students get the change to feel like they are not so different from everyone else and are challenged to have higher goals for themselves. They also get the chance to have positive role models and see positive relationships and behavior from other children in the class. Inclusion is not only beneficial to special needs students, but also to other students in the regular classroom as well. They get experience working and dealing with people who are different from them, which is something they will surely have to face in the real world. They must learn to accept and respect people who are different from them, which is what a multicultural classroom is all about. One last benefit to inclusion, is the cost. A Special Education Expenditures Program study showed that it costs $10,558-$20,000 to educate a student with special needs services involved, and $6,556 without.
While there are many advantages to inclusion, there are also some drawbacks. For many special needs students, a regular classroom can be distracting, and they may focus more on the socialization aspect of school more than the academic. Another disadvantage is that many special needs students need the one on one attention they will get from separate classrooms in order to get the maximum benefit out of their education. Also, having to accommodate the needs of a special needs students with the needs of regular students can be a struggle for teachers.
I believe that, while every student is different, most special needs students will benefit from having their time divided between a regular classroom and another separate environment where they can focus solely on their school work. The amount of time a student spends at each place will depend on the individual student and wherever they seem to do best. This way, special needs students get their particular needs met while getting the benefits of being part of a regular classroom.
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