Jackie Lawrence
EDF 2085
Reflection Paper #16
Ratko Mladic is the Serbian military commander who was largely responsible for the ethnic cleansing of Muslims in Bosnia. Civilians were terrorized, raped, and left to die in concentration camps throughout the war. It didn’t matter if Serbs, the so-called superior ethnic group, were living in cities that were to be cleansed. They were warned, and if they neglected to evacuate, they might have been killed as well. The Serbs, as highly successful cleansers, had their method down pact: concentration, decapitation, separation, evacuation, and liquidation. Over two hundred thousand people were killed and millions more were left without a place to call home.
In 1994, half a million Tutsi people were killed in Rwanda when the Hutu majority decided to mass arms and wipe out an entire ethnic group. Political ideologies, ethnic tensions, religious beliefs and media propaganda were chief factors in the promotion of what ultimately became genocide. This civil war was extremely organized and weapons such as grenades, machetes, and AK-47 assault rifles were used.
In western Sudan, a region called Darfur, one million black villagers were driven from their homes and executed by the Arab military. The reasoning of the Arabs was based on the fact that their skin was lighter, which, in their minds, made them superior. Janjaweed were Arab bandits that were known for stealing livestock and attacking innocent Africans. They were eventually enlisted as foot soldiers for the Arab military during a resistance movement. Tension over cattle eventually reached its peak, so torture and massacre were justifiable. The Arabs used methods such as raids and air assaults to kill the Africans.
Racial and ethnic divisions only lead to turmoil and tragedy. The purpose of studying history is to learn from the mistakes of the past, and regrettably, history seems to sometimes repeat itself. The terrifying part is that as technology continues to progress, we become more capable of mass destruction and completely wiping ourselves out. The crimes committed during these ethnic cleanses are absolutely horrifying and should never have been tolerated, even by bystanders. Personally, I just cannot fathom detesting a group of people to the point I want them dead, especially just because of their religion or the color of their skin.
Thursday, October 29, 2009
EDF 1005 Required Article Review and Reflection
Required Article Review and Reflection
According to a study conducted by the Institute for Education Sciences, in 2003 and 2004, the United States teaching force consisted of well over three million educators. Two-thirds are female and almost half have a master’s degree. Also, in public schools, seven percent of teachers have earned doctoral or specialist degrees. Obviously, they are well trained and fit enough to educate the future of our country. So why is it that an overwhelming number of studies point to the fact that they lack vital knowledge pertaining to education law?
Mark Littleton’s journal entitled “Action in Teacher Education” addressed various statistics and studies relating to the knowledge base of education-related law. In 1970 there were around 300 lawsuits involving schools, and in 2001, that number exploded to over 1,800. Centers of conflict involve public school finance, accountability, special education, English-language learners, and religion. If teachers were more knowledgeable about their rights, student rights, care and supervision, instruction, and health and safety issues, then many of these predicaments would cease to exist. The No Child Left Behind Act and the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act have both had a profound impact on the manner in which schools operate, as well as major legal consequences if mistakes are made. Unfortunately, Level 1 hearings in the United States concerning schools and special education matters have increased 92% in the past nine years. And in Florida, a devastating majority of legal disputes are centered on special education.
Although no national study about teacher knowledge of education law has been conducted to date, much research and analysis has been done, primarily through doctoral dissertations in a variety of states. Experience, age, and gender of teachers are the variables frequently investigated. When it came to experience, some reports actually contradicted each other. Some studies found that the more experience teachers possessed, the more knowledge they had on how to protect themselves and their students from legal problems. Seven other studies found no such correlation. And one report in Georgia in 2001 found that novice teachers with less than three years on the job had a better grasp of education law then teachers with over thirty years of experience. In terms of age, the main consensus is that older teachers are more aware of how to protect themselves in the classroom than younger teachers are. When it comes to analysis of sex, both male and female teachers are equally uneducated on issues pertaining to law and their careers. Examinations of other variables have also been done. For instance, urban teachers possess a greater knowledge of minority rights and suburban teachers know more about student discipline legal matters. Additionally, middle school and high school teachers seem to have more knowledge than elementary school teachers. And teachers who are members of professional organizations have acquired a better comprehension of education and legal issues then other teachers. A study in 1997 by Gullatt and Tollet found that very few states have teaching requirements that include courses on education law, regardless of the degree being earned. So basically, even the seven percent of public school teachers with doctoral degrees could potentially have just as little knowledge on this matter as their students.
The United States Congress and state legislators continue to formulate laws that make legal standards and education norms almost inseparable. Many educators express confusion when faced with difficult situations in the classroom. Some are timid in taking risks and being innovative, while others regard the law with apathy, or even ignore it altogether. Teachers can easily destroy their professional careers and reputations with one incident that could have been easily prevented. Young people’s lives can go down the drain after an experience with a negligent teacher. So what can we do to address this alarming problem? Mark Littleton makes three clever suggestions. Structured coursework, periodic professional development sessions, and membership in law-based informative organizations may be what teachers need to close the legal knowledge gap. Wagner did a study in 2006 and found that 75% of the teachers he surveyed had never taken an education law course. Based on the alarming increase of school based lawsuits, teacher preparation programs, colleges, and universities should incorporate these classes and make sure the learner’s knowledge of education law is acceptable for real world situations. Professional development sessions have proved to be the most effective method in reminding practicing teachers the consequences of making serious mistakes. As 88% of America’s teaching force has been on the job for more than three years, a periodic reminder is not a bad idea. Additionally, professional organization membership can also assist in generating teacher awareness. Professional libraries can be established to inform teachers of the variety of job-related legal issues they can encounter, and what approach to take with each. School administrators can mandate recurring training on subject matter specific to their districts. Focusing on special education, tort liability, student rights, and religion can only benefit teachers and expand their familiarity with issues that could arise. Undergraduate and graduate schools, policy-makers, and public school district personnel can all do their part in combating the documented lack of comprehension of education law by our teachers.
Schools in the United States have not only been growing in size, but they have also become increasingly multifaceted, diverse, and complex. Our society is on a continuum in becoming more and more sophisticated due to technology. As we develop, various problems arise. Sadly, in the school system, a major one of these problems pertains to litigation matters. This journal article parallels closely to EDF 1005 at Miami Dade College. A head-start in attaining knowledge of education law can only help my own career, even at an introductory level. The more information I seek out, the bigger chance I have in ultimately becoming a successful employee at a public or private high school. I can continue studying the major Supreme Court cases that have shaped the history of the US educational system, and I can look to my professors for positive influence and insight. Legal disputes are time-consuming, disruptive, and cost a lot of money. They are the absolute last thing children should have to deal with. Schools should be a place of refuge, where children can go to escape problems at home and divulge themselves in books and learning, using knowledge as an outlet to achieve peace, clarity, and self-esteem. The more educated teachers are on how to avoid conflict, the fewer lawsuits there will be. And it doesn’t need to be stated that less lawsuits would benefit the lives of administrators, parents, students, teachers, communities, and society as a whole.
According to a study conducted by the Institute for Education Sciences, in 2003 and 2004, the United States teaching force consisted of well over three million educators. Two-thirds are female and almost half have a master’s degree. Also, in public schools, seven percent of teachers have earned doctoral or specialist degrees. Obviously, they are well trained and fit enough to educate the future of our country. So why is it that an overwhelming number of studies point to the fact that they lack vital knowledge pertaining to education law?
Mark Littleton’s journal entitled “Action in Teacher Education” addressed various statistics and studies relating to the knowledge base of education-related law. In 1970 there were around 300 lawsuits involving schools, and in 2001, that number exploded to over 1,800. Centers of conflict involve public school finance, accountability, special education, English-language learners, and religion. If teachers were more knowledgeable about their rights, student rights, care and supervision, instruction, and health and safety issues, then many of these predicaments would cease to exist. The No Child Left Behind Act and the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act have both had a profound impact on the manner in which schools operate, as well as major legal consequences if mistakes are made. Unfortunately, Level 1 hearings in the United States concerning schools and special education matters have increased 92% in the past nine years. And in Florida, a devastating majority of legal disputes are centered on special education.
Although no national study about teacher knowledge of education law has been conducted to date, much research and analysis has been done, primarily through doctoral dissertations in a variety of states. Experience, age, and gender of teachers are the variables frequently investigated. When it came to experience, some reports actually contradicted each other. Some studies found that the more experience teachers possessed, the more knowledge they had on how to protect themselves and their students from legal problems. Seven other studies found no such correlation. And one report in Georgia in 2001 found that novice teachers with less than three years on the job had a better grasp of education law then teachers with over thirty years of experience. In terms of age, the main consensus is that older teachers are more aware of how to protect themselves in the classroom than younger teachers are. When it comes to analysis of sex, both male and female teachers are equally uneducated on issues pertaining to law and their careers. Examinations of other variables have also been done. For instance, urban teachers possess a greater knowledge of minority rights and suburban teachers know more about student discipline legal matters. Additionally, middle school and high school teachers seem to have more knowledge than elementary school teachers. And teachers who are members of professional organizations have acquired a better comprehension of education and legal issues then other teachers. A study in 1997 by Gullatt and Tollet found that very few states have teaching requirements that include courses on education law, regardless of the degree being earned. So basically, even the seven percent of public school teachers with doctoral degrees could potentially have just as little knowledge on this matter as their students.
The United States Congress and state legislators continue to formulate laws that make legal standards and education norms almost inseparable. Many educators express confusion when faced with difficult situations in the classroom. Some are timid in taking risks and being innovative, while others regard the law with apathy, or even ignore it altogether. Teachers can easily destroy their professional careers and reputations with one incident that could have been easily prevented. Young people’s lives can go down the drain after an experience with a negligent teacher. So what can we do to address this alarming problem? Mark Littleton makes three clever suggestions. Structured coursework, periodic professional development sessions, and membership in law-based informative organizations may be what teachers need to close the legal knowledge gap. Wagner did a study in 2006 and found that 75% of the teachers he surveyed had never taken an education law course. Based on the alarming increase of school based lawsuits, teacher preparation programs, colleges, and universities should incorporate these classes and make sure the learner’s knowledge of education law is acceptable for real world situations. Professional development sessions have proved to be the most effective method in reminding practicing teachers the consequences of making serious mistakes. As 88% of America’s teaching force has been on the job for more than three years, a periodic reminder is not a bad idea. Additionally, professional organization membership can also assist in generating teacher awareness. Professional libraries can be established to inform teachers of the variety of job-related legal issues they can encounter, and what approach to take with each. School administrators can mandate recurring training on subject matter specific to their districts. Focusing on special education, tort liability, student rights, and religion can only benefit teachers and expand their familiarity with issues that could arise. Undergraduate and graduate schools, policy-makers, and public school district personnel can all do their part in combating the documented lack of comprehension of education law by our teachers.
Schools in the United States have not only been growing in size, but they have also become increasingly multifaceted, diverse, and complex. Our society is on a continuum in becoming more and more sophisticated due to technology. As we develop, various problems arise. Sadly, in the school system, a major one of these problems pertains to litigation matters. This journal article parallels closely to EDF 1005 at Miami Dade College. A head-start in attaining knowledge of education law can only help my own career, even at an introductory level. The more information I seek out, the bigger chance I have in ultimately becoming a successful employee at a public or private high school. I can continue studying the major Supreme Court cases that have shaped the history of the US educational system, and I can look to my professors for positive influence and insight. Legal disputes are time-consuming, disruptive, and cost a lot of money. They are the absolute last thing children should have to deal with. Schools should be a place of refuge, where children can go to escape problems at home and divulge themselves in books and learning, using knowledge as an outlet to achieve peace, clarity, and self-esteem. The more educated teachers are on how to avoid conflict, the fewer lawsuits there will be. And it doesn’t need to be stated that less lawsuits would benefit the lives of administrators, parents, students, teachers, communities, and society as a whole.
EDF 1005 Reflection Paper #19
Jackie Lawrence
EDF 1005
Reflection Paper #19
The education system in the United States, since its beginnings, has primarily attempted to prepare children to succeed in the world. A utilitarian system has always been dominant, whereas value is measured in terms of usefulness. In colonial New England, reading, writing, arithmetic, and religion were dominant areas of focus in local schools. During the 18th century, Benjamin Franklin impacted education with his faith in practicality and rational utility. Thomas Jefferson thought young people should be exposed to politics while in school through universal schooling. Beginning in the 1830’s, industrialization and urbanism swept the North. Immigrants were arriving in the US at amazing rates, and cultural diversity was exploding. It became increasingly important to make sure children became literate, and Horace Mann assisted in influencing the development of universal elementary schooling. It was customary for many parents to work incredibly long hours in the factories, so schools suddenly became responsible for “command of the basic intellectual processes, preparation for citizenship, preparation for an appropriate vocation, and training in basic morality.” In 1890, only twenty-seven states had attendance laws regarding children and schools, and lots of kids worked instead of receiving an education. Progressive reformers fought child exploitation in the workplace with a passion, and by 1918, compulsory education laws existed in all of the states. Slowly but surely, education became more clearly defined and structured. Questions began to arise in terms of what the most effective method of schooling our children may be. Would a set, clearly defined curriculum work better than a flexible system that adapts to student needs? Should courses of study be different for children who aren’t planning on attending college after high school? Is it better to stress individuality or conformity in the classroom? These questions and others are still largely debated today. The main consensus is that schools should focus on active learning, personal experiences in the classroom, acceptance of diversity, clarity of thinking, and building up of self-esteem/efficacy. Also, technology has assisted us in making major strides within our current education system. Computers, the Internet, DVD’s, projectors, tape recorders, and the like have made drastic changes in the way we learn. Issues of prejudice and discrimination have always been a social problem in the United States, including the school systems. As globalization continues to make our world increasingly smaller, multicultural education has become a major focus, with the belief that positive influence will advocate acceptance.
EDF 1005
Reflection Paper #19
The education system in the United States, since its beginnings, has primarily attempted to prepare children to succeed in the world. A utilitarian system has always been dominant, whereas value is measured in terms of usefulness. In colonial New England, reading, writing, arithmetic, and religion were dominant areas of focus in local schools. During the 18th century, Benjamin Franklin impacted education with his faith in practicality and rational utility. Thomas Jefferson thought young people should be exposed to politics while in school through universal schooling. Beginning in the 1830’s, industrialization and urbanism swept the North. Immigrants were arriving in the US at amazing rates, and cultural diversity was exploding. It became increasingly important to make sure children became literate, and Horace Mann assisted in influencing the development of universal elementary schooling. It was customary for many parents to work incredibly long hours in the factories, so schools suddenly became responsible for “command of the basic intellectual processes, preparation for citizenship, preparation for an appropriate vocation, and training in basic morality.” In 1890, only twenty-seven states had attendance laws regarding children and schools, and lots of kids worked instead of receiving an education. Progressive reformers fought child exploitation in the workplace with a passion, and by 1918, compulsory education laws existed in all of the states. Slowly but surely, education became more clearly defined and structured. Questions began to arise in terms of what the most effective method of schooling our children may be. Would a set, clearly defined curriculum work better than a flexible system that adapts to student needs? Should courses of study be different for children who aren’t planning on attending college after high school? Is it better to stress individuality or conformity in the classroom? These questions and others are still largely debated today. The main consensus is that schools should focus on active learning, personal experiences in the classroom, acceptance of diversity, clarity of thinking, and building up of self-esteem/efficacy. Also, technology has assisted us in making major strides within our current education system. Computers, the Internet, DVD’s, projectors, tape recorders, and the like have made drastic changes in the way we learn. Issues of prejudice and discrimination have always been a social problem in the United States, including the school systems. As globalization continues to make our world increasingly smaller, multicultural education has become a major focus, with the belief that positive influence will advocate acceptance.
Monday, October 26, 2009
EDF 1005 Murtala Muhammad Airport
My dad is not only my best friend, but an incredible writer. He worked as a publisher of children's books at Universal Printing Comapny located in Grand Central Station for as long as I can remember. As a child I quickly learned that books and writing could lead your imagination to far-away, wonderful places. Once I discovered your writing style through your blog, Professor, I called my father immediately. I knew he would appreciate how vividly you can describe a place, an experience, or a feeling. Although a little over my head sometimes, your posts can take me away from sitting at the computer and actually put me in your shoes. Murtala Muhammad Airport had just this effect. I now have an idea of what an airpot in Nigeria is like. I can truly imagine the sea of faces, the long lines, the porter running around. And your apprehension over your camera and personal belongings. I have a love of traveling myself, but have only been to Africa through you.
Thursday, October 22, 2009
EDF 1005 Reflection Paper #17
Jackie Lawrence
EDF 1005
Reflection Paper # 17
In contemporary America, the majority of children attend some type of government financed educational system. We go by the 5-3-4-4 model, and while many people decide not to attend college, most receive a high school diploma or equivalent. During America’s beginnings, many children couldn’t afford to go to school at all. They were forced to work in the factories or on the farms instead. Hundreds of years of reform and governmental influence has proved effective in attendance rate, as well as a variety of other issues.
In colonial America, the Puritans established common schools, which were founded on the belief that a strong religious focus would maintain social order and ensure success. Also, it was important to ensure church attendance, and an education with a religious background would help. Common schools were private and funded mainly through the parents of the students. Today, only private schools still draw on religion as a main part of the curriculum, and even Catholic schools make it a priority to provide background history on a variety of world religions.
In terms of discrimination, colonial schools did a good job making Native American citizens feel unwanted. They attempted to “Americanize” them, versus celebrating their diversity and helping them find their place in the American lifestyle. However, African Americans had it the worst, and continue to face prejudices today. Slavery, segregation, and other forms of discrimination have had a profound impact on African American education in America, and continue to do so in less obvious ways.
The first school that specifically taught young women in New England how to be successful teachers was founded in 1839. The hopeful attendees had to pass a general knowledge test on a variety of subjects in order to get in. Up to this point in history, teaching had not been considered a respectable job; the upper class was too good for this profession as teachers were only paid $30 a month. Although teachers are still underpaid in comparison to how hard they work, at least they are looked at with more respect. According to President Bush’s reform, by the year 2000, “The nation's teaching force will have access to programs for the continued improvement of their professional skills needed to instruct and prepare all American students for the next century. U.S. students will be first in the world in science and mathematics achievement.” Teachers today as viewed as primary influences over a child’s fragile development, and trusted to mold them into successful, thriving adults.
EDF 1005
Reflection Paper # 17
In contemporary America, the majority of children attend some type of government financed educational system. We go by the 5-3-4-4 model, and while many people decide not to attend college, most receive a high school diploma or equivalent. During America’s beginnings, many children couldn’t afford to go to school at all. They were forced to work in the factories or on the farms instead. Hundreds of years of reform and governmental influence has proved effective in attendance rate, as well as a variety of other issues.
In colonial America, the Puritans established common schools, which were founded on the belief that a strong religious focus would maintain social order and ensure success. Also, it was important to ensure church attendance, and an education with a religious background would help. Common schools were private and funded mainly through the parents of the students. Today, only private schools still draw on religion as a main part of the curriculum, and even Catholic schools make it a priority to provide background history on a variety of world religions.
In terms of discrimination, colonial schools did a good job making Native American citizens feel unwanted. They attempted to “Americanize” them, versus celebrating their diversity and helping them find their place in the American lifestyle. However, African Americans had it the worst, and continue to face prejudices today. Slavery, segregation, and other forms of discrimination have had a profound impact on African American education in America, and continue to do so in less obvious ways.
The first school that specifically taught young women in New England how to be successful teachers was founded in 1839. The hopeful attendees had to pass a general knowledge test on a variety of subjects in order to get in. Up to this point in history, teaching had not been considered a respectable job; the upper class was too good for this profession as teachers were only paid $30 a month. Although teachers are still underpaid in comparison to how hard they work, at least they are looked at with more respect. According to President Bush’s reform, by the year 2000, “The nation's teaching force will have access to programs for the continued improvement of their professional skills needed to instruct and prepare all American students for the next century. U.S. students will be first in the world in science and mathematics achievement.” Teachers today as viewed as primary influences over a child’s fragile development, and trusted to mold them into successful, thriving adults.
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
EDF 1005 Reflection Paper #18
Jackie Lawrence
EDF 1005
Reflection Paper # 18
“In America, education has always been viewed as a vehicle for improving the society at large.” Although we have always faced an abundance of obstacles along the way, I do believe that Americans, in general, have faith in the system. There may be a plethora of flaws and always something to improve, but people wouldn’t flock to the US by the thousands if they didn’t believe opportunities were available for the taking. Additionally, our country has always been based on the idea that educated citizens are the key to producing a strong, powerful society. Since the beginning of early colonial America, our founding fathers set up private schools which operated on a laissez-faire basis. Parents decided how their children were to be educated, and paid for whichever type of school they chose accordingly. America’s first governmental schools had a firm religious foundation, with the majority in New England. Even though compulsory attendance laws didn’t exist, it was found that 96% of children in Boston were attending school by 1817. Boston ultimately became the first American city to establish a fully government-financed school system because, to the reformers, 100% attendance was necessary. In 1837, Horace Mann founded the Massachusetts Board of Education which sought to achieve social unity through governmental control of education methods. Many people fervently disagreed with Mann’s efforts, but this only further supports my belief that education has always been a key aspect of what Americans value. They may disagree about how to go about improving the system, but these disagreements stem from an underlying passion and faith in education. Many Americans today believe that democracy itself would be threatened without governmental influence in schools. Even throughout my lifetime, I have seen reform after reform within the system. And President Barack Obama is still working on it, through parental responsibility along with “retaining, recruiting, and rewarding an army of new teachers to fill new successful schools that prepare our children for success in college and the workforce.” Because of influences from my family and society, I actually felt guilty about not attending college. A huge part of what puts me in my seat today is the conviction that my life will be better with a college degree and an educated mind. And honestly, it already is.
EDF 1005
Reflection Paper # 18
“In America, education has always been viewed as a vehicle for improving the society at large.” Although we have always faced an abundance of obstacles along the way, I do believe that Americans, in general, have faith in the system. There may be a plethora of flaws and always something to improve, but people wouldn’t flock to the US by the thousands if they didn’t believe opportunities were available for the taking. Additionally, our country has always been based on the idea that educated citizens are the key to producing a strong, powerful society. Since the beginning of early colonial America, our founding fathers set up private schools which operated on a laissez-faire basis. Parents decided how their children were to be educated, and paid for whichever type of school they chose accordingly. America’s first governmental schools had a firm religious foundation, with the majority in New England. Even though compulsory attendance laws didn’t exist, it was found that 96% of children in Boston were attending school by 1817. Boston ultimately became the first American city to establish a fully government-financed school system because, to the reformers, 100% attendance was necessary. In 1837, Horace Mann founded the Massachusetts Board of Education which sought to achieve social unity through governmental control of education methods. Many people fervently disagreed with Mann’s efforts, but this only further supports my belief that education has always been a key aspect of what Americans value. They may disagree about how to go about improving the system, but these disagreements stem from an underlying passion and faith in education. Many Americans today believe that democracy itself would be threatened without governmental influence in schools. Even throughout my lifetime, I have seen reform after reform within the system. And President Barack Obama is still working on it, through parental responsibility along with “retaining, recruiting, and rewarding an army of new teachers to fill new successful schools that prepare our children for success in college and the workforce.” Because of influences from my family and society, I actually felt guilty about not attending college. A huge part of what puts me in my seat today is the conviction that my life will be better with a college degree and an educated mind. And honestly, it already is.
EDF 2085 Required Assignment #1: Observation For Equity
Jackie Lawrence
EDF 2085
Required Assignment #1: Observation For Equity
Every day after lunch, the special education students at North Miami Senior High School review with their teacher ten items they ate. The teacher writes the various foods on the chalkboard, and each student is then called to the front to recite to the class what was eaten. As some of the kids exhibit a lot of trouble speaking, this is a lengthy process. Only three students are capable of copying onto paper what is on the board. As they work on this task, the other children break up into small groups to work on activities that are within their skill levels. The learning styles of this group are incredibly diverse, which must be somewhat exasperating at times for their teachers. For example, Kenny is autistic and often has an extremely short attention span. He likes to grab his classmates and twist their arms and hands. The teachers must constantly tell him to put his hands in his pockets, and he is regularly isolated from everybody else. He displays a preference for learning through touch, and gets frustrated when disciplined for hurting his classmates. Kenny is just one of about fifteen exceptional children in his class. Although each student is treated equitably and with respect, some obviously require more individualized attention than others. The teachers utilize a variety of materials in order to achieve growth and development from each child. There might be ten different activities going on at any given time. For example, some kids may be coloring, while others are on the computer, while others are stringing beads or sewing. While all of this is going on, the teachers are busy creating an open climate so each child can feel comfortable with his or her classmates.
Each student’s IEP is readily accessible so the teachers are constantly aware of the different diagnoses they must be prepared to deal with, as well as individual goals that are to be met. I was fortunate enough to be allowed to look through the IEP’s, and found them to be extremely comprehensive. They included the student’s IQ test results, assessment of conduct and learning styles, medical and behavioral issues, and the unique requirements of each student.
In 1990, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act was passed, which focused on all students receiving the necessary services they require while being mainstreamed and integrated into as ordinary a school setting as possible. Even the most profound students at North Miami Senior High School make the trek to the cafeteria to have breakfast and lunch with everybody else. The gifted and talented kids are placed in honors courses with the older kids, while students with learning disabilities receive specialized attention. Behavioral problems are addressed in specific classes with highly-trained teachers. The school psychologist works long hours to make certain each student that needs care gets it. I truly believe the administrators at North Miami Senior High make an incredible effort to achieve tolerance and acceptance between students, along with a successful and valuable learning experience.
EDF 2085
Required Assignment #1: Observation For Equity
Every day after lunch, the special education students at North Miami Senior High School review with their teacher ten items they ate. The teacher writes the various foods on the chalkboard, and each student is then called to the front to recite to the class what was eaten. As some of the kids exhibit a lot of trouble speaking, this is a lengthy process. Only three students are capable of copying onto paper what is on the board. As they work on this task, the other children break up into small groups to work on activities that are within their skill levels. The learning styles of this group are incredibly diverse, which must be somewhat exasperating at times for their teachers. For example, Kenny is autistic and often has an extremely short attention span. He likes to grab his classmates and twist their arms and hands. The teachers must constantly tell him to put his hands in his pockets, and he is regularly isolated from everybody else. He displays a preference for learning through touch, and gets frustrated when disciplined for hurting his classmates. Kenny is just one of about fifteen exceptional children in his class. Although each student is treated equitably and with respect, some obviously require more individualized attention than others. The teachers utilize a variety of materials in order to achieve growth and development from each child. There might be ten different activities going on at any given time. For example, some kids may be coloring, while others are on the computer, while others are stringing beads or sewing. While all of this is going on, the teachers are busy creating an open climate so each child can feel comfortable with his or her classmates.
Each student’s IEP is readily accessible so the teachers are constantly aware of the different diagnoses they must be prepared to deal with, as well as individual goals that are to be met. I was fortunate enough to be allowed to look through the IEP’s, and found them to be extremely comprehensive. They included the student’s IQ test results, assessment of conduct and learning styles, medical and behavioral issues, and the unique requirements of each student.
In 1990, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act was passed, which focused on all students receiving the necessary services they require while being mainstreamed and integrated into as ordinary a school setting as possible. Even the most profound students at North Miami Senior High School make the trek to the cafeteria to have breakfast and lunch with everybody else. The gifted and talented kids are placed in honors courses with the older kids, while students with learning disabilities receive specialized attention. Behavioral problems are addressed in specific classes with highly-trained teachers. The school psychologist works long hours to make certain each student that needs care gets it. I truly believe the administrators at North Miami Senior High make an incredible effort to achieve tolerance and acceptance between students, along with a successful and valuable learning experience.
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