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The 4 C's: Synchronous Group Dialogue Synthesis: Ashley, Benita, &…
The 4 C's: Synchronous Group Dialogue Synthesis: Ashley, Benita, & Lauren
CONNECTIONS What are our initial reactions? What connections did we make between within our own school contexts that support the claims H&K make in their text?
Classroom Ecology – We think this is an important thing to consider, but we wonder: How does one go about bringing this up or assessing this prior to a CST? Teachers and teacher language have a huge impact on their students. #
Why didn’t the teacher go into the room (when the teacher brought the kids to music) to give them a reminder and help them be successful?
Lauren shared that some teachers might feel this is overstepping their bounds, even if they are acting in the best interest of the children
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School psychologists succumb to pressures of teachers – even if students were not true candidates for special education, psychologists still referred because principals said to do it and team of teachers would make it feel awkward
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We were shocked to find that placement in special education was not the best placement for students who had been referred; we refer students based on their needs with the hopes that they will get additional accommodations to help them be successful. # #
The special education teacher on Ashley's team in middle school still has to teach all of the things she and her team teach -- the same curriculum. In civics, they have a huge curriculum. The special education teacher has to give accommodations. Ashley wonders, even if students get special accommodations, they may not be getting anything "better;" they are still learning the same curriculum. Time is an issue!
CHALLENGES What ideas, assumptions, or positions do we question or argue from the text?
Benita worked with 4th graders and gave the 2nd grade art curriculum; she found that they behaved much better. #
In general education, Ashley and Lauren find the opposite: that students who are given curriculum or content that is too easy are more inclined to misbehave than students who are given challenging material.
Benita's son's friend got medicine to help him focus, but he didn’t have a behavior issue; older students can just go to the doctor to get medication. Teachers talk about students and their labels and needs, and many high school kids know this and don’t want their names circulating, so it's better for them to go through a doctor than through the school referral process. #
The area where the H&K study took place had many new teachers with little experience, especially in special education (this isn't bad, as we all have to start somewhere). Is this a reason why the classes and students were not as successful? Could the same be said for general education teachers as well?
H&K said there are challenges at home that are impacting students and we don't know what they are or how to directly deal with them.
Language barriers are a challenge. Some lessons can be translated and some info sent home but not all of the time. #
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CONCEPTS What are the key concepts from the text and our discussion which we find most important and relevant?
Testing – high stakes testing impacts school report card; teachers are pushing for referrals prior to 4th grade so the students receiving accommodations’ scores do not bring down the school report card grade #
p 119 – A teacher in the study said the reason for the increase in 4th grade referrals is "due to high stakes testing, of course."
Informal diagnoses/psychologists' philosophical notions: testing instruments differed and the ways which the testing instruments were used differed, bringing about varied test scores.
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In many cases in the H&K study, it was found that the special education setting was less appropriate than the general education classes for students with special needs.
In the H&K study, one of the schools implemented a program where students in general education were pulled for small group intervention by specialists. Because of this, special education teachers ended up having classes that were larger than the general education classes; and they had fewer adult supports. (p. 117/118)
In the study, "Janey’s” daughter had an IEP for LD; Janey found that there was poor instruction taking place in the special education classrooms and that the IEP was not being adhered to by teachers (p. 86).
In the study, "Kanita’s" label of EBD was found to be a “mistake” – she was successful in the general education setting, but when she was labeled with EBD, she was so stigmatized that she became unsuccessful – her behaviors were similar to that of her peers but were interpreted as problematic (p. 93).
Many families of students with special needs in the H&K study couldn't challenge the school system due to their lack of cultural capital. #
CHANGES What changes were suggested by the text, and how have H&K's claims impacted us in our own school settings?
Figure out a way to share with teachers the impact they have on their kids; also figure out a way to make classroom environment a factor when students are being referred # #
A middle school colleague has a silent classroom; (s)he uses powerpoint and kicks kids out if they “misbehave." Ashley's classroom has stations where kids are moving and it is loud; she and her teammate are working on doing an ALL station classroom and maybe that could show other teachers about the benefits of this.
Not knowing how special education classes are set up at the high school level, Benita tries to be considerate of students who struggle with reading and try to help them. They get exposure books and reading and learn they can read about art in books; that way, if they are not getting reading in their special classes, then at least she knows they get it with her. # #
At Ashley's school, the principal had teachers go into other classrooms and observe. She got a chance to learn about classroom management techniques, etc., and it was a great opportunity.
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Benita wants to be able to speak for the kids. How can we help students have a voice when their parents are not there? Some parents don't have social or cultural capital, especially families of ELLs. We don't see the families of some ELLs for many reasons. We have to be a voice for those students. #
Ashley shared that being an effective teacher could help. She implements some strategies she has used with students receiving special education services with her students in general education. She knows she can use these strategies with many students. Knowing what you can do to best reach all students is being an effective teacher. #
Lauren shared she also implements accommodations with students in general education which are most often used as the result of an IEP.
We need to advocate for our students. We need to be sure that other teachers of our students with IEPs are familiar with them and that our students are getting what they need.
We will do a better job communicating with families, especially those who speak other languages at home.