Chapter 6

Chapter 6 Blog

(1.) Why is good classroom management so important to students and teachers?
Good classroom management is important to students and teachers because it is allows them to be successful in a general education classroom. Students may to increase behaviors, decrease others, and learn new ways of acting in order for them to reach their full potential in the classroom.

(2.) Why should teachers never get into a power struggle with students?
Teachers should never get into a power struggle with their students because this is unprofessional and can lead to further disruptions in the class. As a educator it is important to diffuse the situation if it is turning into a power struggle. Some tips for a teacher include; engage students by providing a "hook" for each lesson at the beginning to keep them thinking and interested, try to understand the students background and home life, make a teaching moment, and never react or engage with the student in front of the class (it makes them embarrassed and sends a message that the teacher doesn't care). Remember not to react to every little distraction (unless it is distracting other students), keep your composure, don't attempt to have the last word, and do not use language that makes the student feel they need to become defensive.

(3.) Brandon has an emotional and behavioral disorder. There are several areas in his behavior which need improvement. How would you assist Brandon in changing the following behaviors? 
To assist Brandon to change his behaviors in the classroom environment, I would provide several different tools to help him improve. First, I would establish and communicate to him my expectations and goals for him regarding classroom behavior. Second, I would monitor his behavior continuously and positively reinforce his good behavior. As a teacher I believe that it is also very important to model good behavior, lead by example. Students look up to their teacher in more ways than they are aware. I would also try to get the Brandon's parents involved in this management. If Brandon has a common plan of action and expectations at school and at home, it will be easier for him to understand and implement these improvements. 

(a.) Brandon is aggressive to his peers. He hits them whenever he becomes angry or upset 
When Brandon is being aggressive towards his peers, this is a very serious problem. These aggressive behaviors could be bullying behavior which is not acceptable in any way. Brandon might be producing these behaviors because he is searching for attention or power. Therefore, It is extremely important that the teacher is not exhibiting these behaviors. Brandon needs to be continuously shown the appropriate behavior. To help Brandon change this behavior, the teacher could allow a open discussion where peers explain how they feel when they are bullied or picked on. The teacher could also teach a lesson on bullying. It is also important for Brandon to learn about self-monitoring. He needs to be taught how to realize when he is preforming these actions and how to stop. Self-talk, recognition, and problem-solving techniques are great ways for should learn Brandon to help him stop or avoid these aggressive behaviors. 

(b.) Extremely disrespectful to his teachers   
When Brandon acts in a disrespectful manner towards teachers, it is important to lose the battle, do not scold him, and stay calm. If you get upset, he has "won". The teacher needs to stay calm at all times and end the situation and move on. If the educator continues talk back and forth with the student, the situation will continue to escalate. Right after the disrespectful event, the teacher then should proceed with their day like nothing happened. Once the situation is forgotten or the student is no longer showing disrespectful behavior, the teacher should approach and deliver a consequence (making to explain why they are receiving this consequence) to the student regarding their disrespectful actions. Approaching disrespectful actions by Brandon in this way will allow the teacher to stay calm and model good behavior while enforcing rules and expectations. 

(c.) Refuses to follow teachers’ directions
When Brandon refuses to follow the teachers' directions, it may seem that he wants the personal power. When Brandon shows defiance and refusal to follow directions, it is important that the teacher stays calm and tackles the situation. The theater needs to respond fast and redirect. This can be done by being brief in directions, speaking calm and matter-of-factly, use short and direct statements, avoiding questions, and keeping a neutral posture. As a educator you need to avoid negotiating in these situations and give limited choices. Do not allow your student the power. Most importantly, make sure that you give the student time once you have give the student the consequence, redirection, or instruction. They may need time to decide what to do, they need space literally and emotionally. Allow them this time to choose the right direction.  

Chapter 17

CHAPTER 17 BLOG- Ashley Taus

Individuals who are gifted definitely need and deserve to be taught in a different manner. Their lessons / assignments must be changed to make them more suitable for their abilities. After reading chapter seventeen, please answer the following questions:

(a.) Why would it be unfair to provide a student who is gifted more of the same work after he or she completes an assignment? In other words, you have given your 2nd grade class 20 addition and subtraction problems to complete for an assignment. Why would it be unfair to give a student who is gifted 20 more addition and subtraction questions once he or she had completed the original assignment? 

I believe that it would be extremely unfair to give a student who is gifted more of the same work because if the student has already completed their previous work correctly, it seems pointless to give them even more work. You are just providing the student with busy work which is not helping them learn or reach their full potential. As a teacher you should be giving assignments to students so they can practice what they were taught. Giving a student that is more gifted is not helping anything, it is just a waste of time. A teacher could give the student a more challenging think-sheet once they have completed the first one to see if they can expand their thinking and knowledge. 

(b.) Why is it unfair to constantly ask your students who are gifted to assist their peers with assignments? 

I think it is unfair to constantly ask the students who are gifted to assist their peers on assignments because they are not the ones that should be doing the assisting, the teacher is. A student that is gifted should be treated  (to a certain extent) just like the other students in the classroom. They should not have the role of aiding other students, they should focus on themselves and their learning. Of course there are times when students should work together and help each other because sometimes students learn better when it comes from their peers (another perspective), but this should not be very often and all students should be helping each other. 

(c.) What are some drawbacks to acceleration?

One drawback to acceleration links to social issues. When a student masters a subject and then moves on, they become distant from their other peers and what they are learning. The other students may see them as a outcast of differently because they are no learning the same material. This is evident when content acceleration occurs because the student is put in different classrooms for different subjects. Therefore, the student is always with different classmates and doesn't have the time to excel in one classroom socially. Also, the student could become extremely bored with the material they are learning. The student is learning their material straight from the book or worksheet. They are not involved in the introductions of lessons and activities, so they are not as interested in the material they are learning. Learning needs to still be fun and interesting to these students. 

Christmas In Purgatory

Christmas In Purgatory

     "Christmas In Purgatory" is a real story about five state institutions for the mentally retarded. These institutions were located in four eastern states of the United States of America. During 1965, Fred Kaplan and U.S. Senator Robert Kennedy visited and observed several institutions. Fred Kaplan took pictures of what they saw by using a hidden camera attached to his belt. Some of what Kaplan and Kennedy saw were beds were arranged side-by-side and head-to-head, solitary confinement cells consisted of just a bare floor, children's hands tied and legs bound, the odor of the rooms overpowering, and infants placed in cribs with no interaction of any physical or mental stimulation. Their reactions and thoughts about the visits were shown by the help of the media. These findings stunned millions of Americans. Also, public office holders and professional persons responsible for the care and treatment of the mentally retarded began to be questioned.
     The individuals in these facilities were being treated so poorly because there wasn't enough staff to attend to each person. To accommodate, the staff began to loose personal interaction with the individuals because they had so much to do and not enough help. There are so many infants in the facilities because families gave up their children and sent them away. The families either could not give them proper care for they intellectual disability or didn't want to deal with them. I find it unbelievable that people can just drop off their child or loved one and just turn their heads and look the other way. I believe that people are treated much better now in intellectual disability institutions because there is so much more awareness about these disabilities. People are looking to help the mentally retarded now and teach them how to be useful in society, not to just stuff them somewhere until they pass away. The language that the author's used is extremely powerful. They make sure to get their point across and make the audience realize how tragic these institutions were.
     I think that this is very beneficial to read about. This story is not just about the history of institutional care. It is also about society and what was observed as acceptable and normal. One of the most amazing things I learned was that as a educator, it is my job to help better the education and accommodations for students with disabilities. Most of what occurred was allowed because people just turned and looked the other way. They thought that it was none of their concern or place to say anything. I hope after learning and reading about this, people realize that they are able to make a difference and need to speak up. They should take action not only on mental retardation institutions, but other topics as well.

-Ashley Taus