Blog #5

From my very first blog reflection on the topic of inclusion, my ideas on inclusion have both changed, expanded and stayed the same in some aspects. My definition of inclusion still remains the same—students with LD’s being in the same classroom setting as students that are typical learners. Before, I mentioned that I thought it was necessary to pull students out of classes sometimes so they could receive more one-on-one attention but now I realize that this individual attention can be provided in a normal classroom. I think that I realized this when I observed in my mother’s classroom and saw that instead of pulling the students out of class with LD’s, they were kept in the same classroom but were able to get individual attention from both a special educator and a teacher’s assistant. I think that my views on inclusion have expanded a lot now that I have a better understanding of just how important it is. I did mention that it was beneficial to typical learners so they learn to be more sensitive to the needs of their classmates but now I can see just how beneficial it can be to those with LD’s. Not being pulled out of class is a HUGE DEAL to them. This way, they feel a lot more included in the classroom and like they belong there. I think that this can build a child’s confidence with a LD because they will feel like they belong in the classroom just like all of their other classmates. Three important strategies that a general educator could use to have an inclusive classroom could be: implementing co-teaching (and using a variety of co-teaching methods), having all students use a checklist during lessons (this will help them be organized and prepared to move onto the next step), and providing immediate feedback with positive reinforcements. 

Blog #4

I observed in Mrs. Armiger’s (my mom’s) fourth-grade classroom at Oak Hill Elementary School in Severna Park, Maryland. She has 25 students in her class, 4 of which have learning disabilities and IEP’s. I observed in her math class and during recess. During her math class, the students were working with addition and subtraction of three digit numbers. Her students with IEP’s and LD’s are placed at a separate table in the classroom together. There, they have a special educator and a teacher’s assistant read the problems and help them through the class-work. The student’s with IEP’s received the accommodation of a number chart for 1-1,000. This accommodation made it easier for them to complete their work because they had the visual aid of the numbers right in front of them so they could add and subtract easier. Three of the students with LD’s received less problems than their classmates (the bottom and more difficult row of problems was crossed off of the worksheet). One of the students at the table, Carter, who had a seizure when he was a toddler which led to learning difficulties, received a differentiated assignment—instead of subtracting three-digit numbers, he was subtracting two-digit numbers. I was able to interact with all of the students in Mrs. Armiger’s classroom during recess and I especially enjoyed interacting with Carter. It was very heart-warming to me how motivated he was to understand his schoolwork and succeed. While watching him during the math lesson, he got frustrated and stressed out several times and this was a very sad thing to see because I could tell how much he wanted the information to click with him immediately but it took Carter the length of the math lesson to understand and be able to regurgitate the steps to subtract two-digits numbers.  This experience reinforced why I want to become a teacher, specifically a special-education teacher (I’m double-majoring in elementary/special education) because I want to help students like Carter, who want to learn and understand so bad but have such a hard time.