Thursday, April 28, 2011

Gym Class

Today I did my product part of capstone. It was so much fun! I talked to one of the gym teachers and she thought of a little better way to set it up.
I used a regular goalie lacrosse stick. I used an empty trash can and a little soccer goal. Most of the kids liked the little soccer goal the best cause it was a lot easier to score on. I also got different style of balls they throw into the goal. Some was harder and some were extremely soft. The style we used for the kids depended on the one they wanted.
First, I had Matt go, he loved it! He scored 8 goals; he was really excited about that. He could use the stick extremely well and didn't really need my help at all.
Then we had Taaj, Taaj had a harder time with playing lacrosse. His hands don't open all the way so what I did was get two hair scrunches and put them on the lacrosse stick then I put his hands in the scrunches. He didn't really like playing lacrosse. I think that the main reason he didn't like it was because the stick was really heavy and it was really difficult to balance it.
Overall, I think that this really did help me learn to include kids better. I know what to do different and what to do the same.

Thursday, April 21, 2011

Related Websites

Special Olympics:
Here is the mission statement from the Special Olymipics website.
The mission of Special Olympics is to provide year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for children and adults with intellectual disabilities, giving them continuing opportunities to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, experience joy and participate in a sharing of gifts, skills and friendship with their families, other Special Olympics athletes and the community.

Special Olympics in Ohio:
http://www.sooh.org/page.php?p=1178
The mission of Special Olympics Ohio is to provide year-round sports training and competition opportunities for children and adults with intellectual disabilities. The competition for the athletes are at the local, area and state levels. There are approximately 75 local and area events and Special Olympics Ohio hosts seven state-wide competitions each year. For a calendar of state competitions click here. In addition, every 2 years Special Olympics Ohio sends a team of athletes to compete in the World Games which alternate between winter and summer sports.

Product

The product I am creating to help inclusion be more affective is I am making a blog and I am making a lacrosse stick. The part that I will be focusing on the most is making the lacrosse stick. I want to make it easier on the children that use it, so I am planning on putting a goalies head and a regular shaft. When I finish making the lacrosse stick I will be using it in my gym class when the children with disabilities come and play with us. I will be helping the kids step by step and if I have to make some changes in the way we use the lacrosse stick then we will make changes. I will also be taking pictures of them using the lacrosse stick to show how we used it and how well it worked.

Introduction

“I am not ‘disabled.’
                                I learn differently.
                                I am not ‘handicapped.’
                                I take in and use information
                                                that is somewhat unique to me…
Teach me.
Don’t label me.”

                This is a little excerpt of the poem “Teach Me: Don’t label me” by Barbra K. Given.  This poem is an example of what kids with special needs want; they are regular kids and want to be treated like it. Special education expects have come up with an idea of how the kids with special disabilities can learn with other kids: inclusion. Inclusion is educating students with Individual Education Programs (IEPS) in the regular classroom for all or part of the school day. This is what all the parents and specialist are trying to achieve: having the kids with special needs try to learn with the other students. But you have to wonder is this really helping? Or if this is really helping the students, what can we do to change things and make them better?  In general there are pros and cons of inclusion and I will give both sides.

Review of Relevant Literature

The idea of teaching inclusion first started around 1975 when Public Law 94-1975 was passed. During this time they had mainstreaming, which was when kids with disabilities would go to regular classrooms during specific times based on there skills. In 1986 The Regular Education Initiative (REI) promoted the position that students with disabilities be educated in general education classes without pullout special education services. The REI included major revisions in how services are provided to students with learning disabilities. In the early 1990s the inclusion movement came to effect. The movement helped kids socially with the inclusion classes and also with kids with sever disabilities in general education classes (Raymond).
These sources I have found on the internet starting with the article called “Including Children with special needs in regular classrooms: Pros & Cons” by Alan Harchik. This information is helpful because it states the pros and cons of the inclusion and gives both sides on the debate. This is a reliable source because Alan Harchik has a Ph.D. and a BCBA which means a Board Certified Behavior Analyst. Another article I used from the same website is “Inclusion for Special Education Students: Advantages and Benefits” by Keren Perles. This article is suggesting why inclusion was a good idea and how it is helping kids all across America. This is a reliable source because someone else edited her work to see if it was correct.
I have done so much talking with teachers about Inclusion, the main two teachers I have talked to was Mrs. Sarah Strong and Mrs. Martina Chuey. Mrs. Chuey teaches at Symmes Elementary in the special education classes. She has been a teacher for a long time and she was a special education teacher before the Inclusion rule. She talked to me all about it the pros and cons and how she felt about the situation, she also gave me the book, Ideas for Inclusion by Anne M. Beninghof. This is a book that has an overview of what inclusion is. Also it gives a lot of information on how you teach the kids that are being included and how it might be easier to teach them.
Mrs. Strong, on the other hand, is a new teacher at Sycamore high school, and inclusion is the only way that she has learned how to teach. She gave me many books about inclusion and articles and really got me to understand what inclusion was about. One book she have me was Teaching Students with Learning Problems by Cecil D. Mercer and Ann R. Mercer. This book gives a lot about the history of inclusion. It claims how it first started, how people were taught before inclusion and is just an overall amazing source. She used this book in college, so it is an extremely reliable source. Another book she gave me was Learning with Mild Disabilities by Eileen B. Raymond which really emphasizes the laws that apply with inclusion. It was also a textbook she used in college. The last book she gave me from when she was in college was Exceptional Children by William L. Heward. This is an amazing book because it proposes the arguments for and against inclusion. Finally, from the High school I emailed Mrs. Wasem and she have me her opinion on inclusion and how we can improve on it.

Rational and Hypothesis/Essential Question/Practical Problem

My background with special education really started when I took Sign language. It was a beautiful language and I just couldn’t get enough of it. When I was in ASL 1, 2, and 3 we used to visit the kids at St. Rita’s School for the Deaf a lot. Every time we had a field trip to see them I was in the best mood I have been in months I loved those days and wished everyday I could see those kids. When we first went to visit the kids I would sign every chance I could with the kids, and I got to know them better and the kids were just like you and me. They had a personality, they had boyfriends and girlfriends, and they had a sense of humor you would not even believe.
When I finished all the levels that Sycamore had to offer I was crushed that I couldn’t communicate with the kids I loved so much, but then fate happened. One of my really good friends, Mallory, swam with mental disabled kids once a month at Mason. Because I am a life guard, a swim teacher, and I did water polo, she asked me if I could help her teach swim lessons with her; of course I said yes, because I got to miss school. The first boy I met was Brandon. He didn’t really talk, but I didn’t even care; I would talk and talk forever with him. By the end of the lesson he didn’t want to let go of me. We had such a fun time he didn’t want to leave. Also, in gym class once a week we work with kids with special needs.  I got the craziest one of the bunch, Taaj. Taaj is ridiculous: he loves to flirt with girls, loves to run, and loves to have an audience. One day a week I meet with Taaj and we play games during gym and it was a blast. Well, one day we went on a field trip together to Perfect North; I had the honor of pulling Taaj in the tube the entire day. We went down the hill so many times in the tube by the end of the day when I was pulling him he started to fall asleep in the tube! At the end of the day we all took a group picture and Taaj and I were standing right by each other. He was so tired that while we were taking the picture he was falling asleep on my shoulder while he was standing up! That day was the most fun I have had in a really long time and that was the real moment when I knew that I just had to be a special education teacher.
                I think that other people want to know this information because this is such a big debate is this community that people will want to know about it. Also, in my paper it is straight to the facts. Another reason is everyone wants to help kids learn the best they can. It is already really stressful and difficult on the kids with special needs to be taught and to learn. If we could help them learn the easiest they can it will be an amazing thing for the students.
                What I hope to learn by researching the inclusion rule is to fully understand what way the kids will learn better. When I am a special education teacher I want to learn everything I can to help my students be the best they can be. Also, I want to learn the inclusion rule because now with special education it is what the teachers have to follow in the real world and I want to help myself be ready for when I will teach.
                My essential question is what is the best way for kids’ to learn: inclusion or not. A secondary question is does Sycamore use the inclusion policy the best way they can; if they don’t how can we change it for the better. Another essential question I had was what schools around the area have a good inclusion policy; is Sycamore doing the same? And Finally, What schools around the area don’t have a very good inclusion policy; could we help them out to make them better? I came up with my essential question because Mrs. Chuey was talking about the good old days when inclusion was not happening because it was easier on her kids to learn basic ways to be independent.  I was interested in it and heard stories from her and realized that would be the perfect topic for me. I don’t really think that the questions seem too difficult to answer because everyone has a strong opinion on inclusion on both sides of the argument. On the other hand the secondary questions might be more difficult because it is almost an opinion of which schools do a better job with inclusion. I think the answer to my initial question of if inclusion is helping the students or not, I think that is it really beneficial to the students with disabilities and kids who don’t have disabilities at the same time. I think that it will beneficial to the kids that have disabilities since they are working and learning with kids who will be around them forever, they need to understand and learn how to work with them. I think that this will be extremely beneficial to the students without disabilities because they realize the kids that have disabilities are just like you and me. The kids might need some extra help with learning, but they are just like you and me. The other question I had was that if Sycamore has the best policy possible for inclusion: I think that answer is simple, yes. Sycamore is one of the best schools in the state and they really do care about their students and want them to succeed. I think that they will try to do everything in their power to make kids be the best they can be. In doing this project all I expect to find out if the students will work best: with inclusion or without. I also hope to find out if Sycamore is not doing the best they could be doing and what can we do to change it.

Research and Findings

When I did research on this topic I would give myself like an hour at a time to research. When I first started I was thinking that I would force myself to research all the information, but when I started I just couldn’t stop; I didn’t want to stop. The information was so interesting I couldn’t put it down. I read a lot about inclusion from everywhere; books, magazines, and the internet. I think the best place to start is the positives of inclusion.
There are so many positives why every school should have inclusion, but the main reason is it is morally correct (Mercer).  Mrs. Wasem wrote on email that stated, “Students that have disabilities are just like “normal” people; they just take a little longer to learn.  It doesn’t make sense if the kids just learn a little slower than most kids they have to be isolated in a room. People with special needs are a part of society so why shouldn’t they be infused throughout the school population as well.  It makes it more real life like.” These kids need to experience things for themselves and see kids they wouldn’t normally see or talk to. Another important reason is the kids self esteem (Mercer). Just imagine you have to tell your 6 year old that learns a little bit slower that everyone else they can’t be with their best friend. Instead they have to be with a group of kids that learn slower than everyone else. How do you think that child would feel; I know the feeling, stupid.
I think that the most important thing that inclusion could do for the community is for the children without disabilities become friends with the children that have disabilities. They can learn the differences they have, so they will accept them in the community (Harchik). If the children learn not to be afraid of students with disabilities or if they know that they are the same as you and me it will be a lot easier on the children with handicaps. Mrs. Chuey said to me in an interview, “I do see the positive impact that this does have with them regarding social skills though in extracurricular classes like lunch, recess and special area classes.” Also, if the students can create a long lasting friendship it can give the kids with disabilities skills to communicate with others on a social level later in life (Perles). The lessons you learn as little kids you will remember forever; if you realize that kids that aren’t like you can talk and be friends with it will stay with you and you will remember.  Something that you would never think of that is a positive is the kids with non-disabilities’ can be a role model. The students with disabilities’ see that the kids with non-disabilities’ talking and having fun with kids in a normal social matter (Perles).
I talked to a lot of teachers about inclusion and they had a lot to say about the topic. Mrs. Strong said, “The beauty of education is that it is always changing to meet the needs of our students.  Inclusion is one of the many initiatives that has helped to bring education to where it now but it will continue to be molded and changed to meet the needs of our students.”  And the most important thing is what is best for the students completely. Personally I like it because it allows students who have disabilities to access the general education setting. Students with disabilities are infused with their typical peers instead of being isolated in a special needs classroom.  It is good socially for both students (Wasem).  
Now that we have gone through the positives of inclusion we need to go through the negatives. We talk about inclusion and how children with disabilities need to be in regular classrooms, but just because the child with disabilities is in a regular classroom does not mean that the child will learn and behave appropriately or be socially acceptable by the children without disabilities (Heward). Just because the student is in the environment of the other students with non-disabilities doesn’t mean they will change their behavior; you are just changing their environment.  Another big issue with the inclusion rule is there is no real research; and if there was research it was from many years ago (Mercer). No one really knows which the best thing is for the kids with disabilities because no one has done testing to figure it out.
Another important negative factor in inclusion is that it doesn’t always put the child’s need or family’s preference first (Harchik). The teachers or class administration doesn’t take account the student with disabilities weakness; they just think inclusion is the way we have to go even if it is not helping the student.  It is impossible for some students to be fully included because of the need for skill development.  We would be doing a disservice to them to expect them to function in a typical setting and we would be preventing them from learning and receiving the education that they deserve,” Mrs. Wasem said. Parents in general usually do want to see their child included in the regular education curriculum as much as possible.  Sometimes even if that means having less time to prioritize skills regarding academic versus functional and what the child would benefit most from during their school education years (Chuey). An additional problem is the children with disabilities if they go to a public school.  Some public schools are unable to provide the services for the children with disabilities, especially the students with severe language and behavior disorders (Harchick).
What about the teachers? They didn’t go to school to teach children with disabilities. The teachers know how to teach the children with non-disabilities, and they also know how the children with non-disabilities kids learn the best, not the kids with handicaps (Mercer).  In addition to that, most of the children have one-on-one aides, but some aides don’t have any teaching experience or have little experience, so they don’t know what to do (Harchik). Also, the teachers already have enough trouble teaching kids with the same learning style and learning level how much more difficult do you think it would be if you brought in other students with a completely different way of learning and a different learning level (Mercer). Another reason is if the general education classroom is not their least restrictive environment and they would not benefit from the typical setting, then it is our responsibility to make a setting available which the student would be successful in (Strong).  A negative for inclusion is they don’t have enough time to get accomplished what needs to be done. Mrs. Chuey shared with me, “there is not time for the functional skills curriculum to be taught within the school day when in the classroom they are required to master skills in order to pass state and district wide tests that are connecting to funding issues.”
In dealing with Sycamores policy of inclusion I have seen it first hand and I believe that is it the best possible way it could be. Sycamore teachers care about their students and it is amazing to be associated with them; but don’t take my word for it I have talked to teachers in the area and they have given me their opinion. Sycamore has always been one of the top districts in regards to implementing new laws and initiatives.  They have been efficient and effective in transitioning students to be fully included within the general education curriculum.  While the current policy and implementation is proficient there are certain areas which could be improved upon however, like with most things, this will take time (Strong).  Mrs. Wasem stated, “We are always looking and reviewing what we do, sending teachers to workshops on this to see if we can bring improvements to our school.  One of the problems that we as special education teachers sometimes encounter is that we don’t have the time to collaboratively plan with the general education teacher that we are co-teaching with.  Scheduling at the high school is difficult and with the special education teacher’s caseload and needs of their students, that adds to the difficulty of common plan times, etc.  Also if we co-teach with more than one teacher in a subject area, it adds more constraint in scheduling a common planning time.” These are really good points that most people would never think of that would be necessary to plan with the kids.  Overall, I do think that Sycamore has a good policy for inclusion.  I think our district does a good job of trying to meet the needs of all students.   It is based upon individual needs of students so someone who has severe behavioral outbursts may not be included fully or is removed if behaviors are disrupting to other learner’s  needs as well as someone who needs intense work on skill development.  I like how we take a look at what is best for each student and adjust as needed to make it a good fit for everyone (Wasem).  I do believe that Sycamore is very advanced in their philosophy regarding inclusion and the need to serve all individuals to the best of their capability (Chuey).