Q: What are the two most challenging issues that you deal with, in regards to special education or with student 504's?
A: "First, most of the students at Trinity are hands on learners (kinetic learners) – the biggest challenge is making sure the teachers are using hands on teaching techniques in the class room as they teach the material. The second – that the staff continually reinforces hands on STUDY SKILLS. Students need constant reinforcement to apply all the skills we taught in Sept." - Principal Bruce Corwin, Trinity Prep HS 10/16/10
Q: Any further comment or explanation?
A: "None at this time." - Principal Bruce Corwin, Trinity Prep HS 10/16/10
At TPHS we do our best to accomodate all students and their diversities. The survey to be administered this week will shed a better light on how well we are meeting their/those diverse needs in hopefully all areas.
"If you have an apple and I have an apple, and we exchange apples, we each have an apple. If I have an idea and you have an idea, and we exchange ideas, then we each have two ideas." ~ George Bernard Shaw
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
$pecial Floodgates of Care
Summary:
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in favor of an Oregon family, 6-3, that they can sue the local public school district, their son attended, to cover the cost of the private school he attended. The public school determined he he did not qualify for their special education services at the time. According to some, minimal care given by the school district, could have avoided his care (residential) at the private school. The private school is approximately $60K a year. An attorney representing the Forest Groves School District (the public school), said the family, "acted unilaterally, and forfeited any reimbursement!" There was no notice to Forest Groves District of this decision to move the boy. The floodgates are open, according to some, for more families to use this case to sue public school districts into paying for their unilateral decisions also. On the bright side, some feel this situation will encourage school districts to cooperate/communicate with parents in a more professional manner.
My Verdict:
Who are we to judge families and the decisions they make? This family felt it was best to move their child to a costly private school. This situation is somewhat analagous to the Lebron James drama that occured over the summer...Yes, he should have informed the Cavaliers owner, Dan Gilbert, of his decision prior to the airing of, 'The Decision,' on ESPN,' just as the family probably should have informed the school district. Lebron, like this family, did make a unilateral decision, so what? Again, who are we to judge what Lebron feels is the best decision to take his talents to South Beach, and play for the Heat, and what environment this family feels is best for their son and his educational needs. Both of these situations, show that when a decision is to be made, people sometimes do what they feel is in their best intentions, regardless of adivice or prior sought out advisement...that is interesting, eerily similar to how some educational administrators make decisions...i.e. Cut-Throatson Academy???
References:
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in favor of an Oregon family, 6-3, that they can sue the local public school district, their son attended, to cover the cost of the private school he attended. The public school determined he he did not qualify for their special education services at the time. According to some, minimal care given by the school district, could have avoided his care (residential) at the private school. The private school is approximately $60K a year. An attorney representing the Forest Groves School District (the public school), said the family, "acted unilaterally, and forfeited any reimbursement!" There was no notice to Forest Groves District of this decision to move the boy. The floodgates are open, according to some, for more families to use this case to sue public school districts into paying for their unilateral decisions also. On the bright side, some feel this situation will encourage school districts to cooperate/communicate with parents in a more professional manner.
My Verdict:
Who are we to judge families and the decisions they make? This family felt it was best to move their child to a costly private school. This situation is somewhat analagous to the Lebron James drama that occured over the summer...Yes, he should have informed the Cavaliers owner, Dan Gilbert, of his decision prior to the airing of, 'The Decision,' on ESPN,' just as the family probably should have informed the school district. Lebron, like this family, did make a unilateral decision, so what? Again, who are we to judge what Lebron feels is the best decision to take his talents to South Beach, and play for the Heat, and what environment this family feels is best for their son and his educational needs. Both of these situations, show that when a decision is to be made, people sometimes do what they feel is in their best intentions, regardless of adivice or prior sought out advisement...that is interesting, eerily similar to how some educational administrators make decisions...i.e. Cut-Throatson Academy???
References:
Abramson, Larry. "Justices Rule For Parents Of Special Ed Student." NPR : National Public Radio : News & Analysis, World, US, Music & Arts : NPR. Web. 16 Oct. 2010. http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=105797012
"NPR Media Player." NPR : National Public Radio : News & Analysis, World, US, Music & Arts : NPR. Web. 18 Oct. 2010.
Sunday, October 3, 2010
Eduevolution
A quote I adhere to most often, "Everything in moderation." Not true when it comes to knowledge and the pursuit of it. I know all of the videos enhanced my eagerness and desire to help build a better education system. My trilemma is determining three videos to focus on and discuss. TED, the U.S. Education Problem, and Adult Literacy shined above all the others, when it came down to deciding. I do agree, due to my experiences with technology, that digital engagement is the turnpike into the hearts and minds of digital imigrants and natives. Largely by the digital route, we as teachers will see a change in our pedagogical dna. If I were prinicipal and applied the content from the videos to what my school would look like and how it would be run, then I believe people would say that goes against the norms and the invalid standardized testing that takes place every year in U.S. Schools.
Mr. Baraniuk and Sir Robinson would be my left and right hand consultants at Lambwood Leadership Prep High. Yes, that is correct, I have a named already picked out for my private high school of leadership. The possibilities are endless for acquiring knowledge and high-level learning achievement; open source learning, a knowledge ecosystem, and where a student becomes an educational DJ. A place where every progressive source of knowledge is continuously harvested and made available to all. For example, imagine no more math text books, digital texts instead with every equation available for practical usage anytime anyplace. I like what Mr. Baranuik said about creative commons, it needs to be used and free to all for use. By having such an institution, a learning revolution of innovation would take place that would feed the spirits of these future leaders. I agree with Sir Robinson's notion that we need to create this agricultural model of education, through which an organic process can proceed, personalizing education to the individual. All of this accomplished with technology in and out of the classrooms.
The video stated, the U.S. Education Problem, discusses jobs being outsourced and how we need to incorporate interlocalism support, a two way street of educational altruism. At LLPHS, we would develope and support interlocalism through encouraged volunteerism, community outreach, and technological donation. In my opinion, only through this kind of support can an educational system get to a high level of success and achievement. My school would support the community infrastructure, so that we can be progressively building from the inside, that would eventually lead to securing the outside community. As mentioned in the video stated, Adult Literacy, through the rigorous academics and project based learning at LLPHS, we would conquer embarassment trumped by bad behavior, facilitate the language of content areas, and develope leading student facilitators. LLPHS would be run by PARR; Participation in community, Altruism toward all, Respect for all cultures and climates, and Responsibility for others first, then thyself.
Since I am a chair of math department, it is only fitting that this video and its many statistics be added to our class video library, you've got love numbers:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vPO_HGafBsE
My thoughts:
The video asks one question at the end...what does this all mean? To me...hope, infinite probabilities, optimization of time and resources, a more complete cognitive planet. As we know though, equations have balance...there is a book I am currently reading called the The Dumbest Generation; Don't Trust Anyone Under 30. In the book, Dr. Mark Bauerlein from Emory University, discusses the shocking statistics concerning young adults and teens not interested in having educational leisure. He mentions that in todays world there are far more places of information access than in the past century, and our youth and young adults today, don't care to use the technology, books, and museums, for example, for educational purposes. This is a scary notion...yes, technology can help, but you have to know how to use the tools available. If we as country don't embrace the digital gadgets our students are using, in and out of class, then we will become the Dumbest Generation(s) for not fighting the good fight with our student's digital weapons of learning.
Mr. Baraniuk and Sir Robinson would be my left and right hand consultants at Lambwood Leadership Prep High. Yes, that is correct, I have a named already picked out for my private high school of leadership. The possibilities are endless for acquiring knowledge and high-level learning achievement; open source learning, a knowledge ecosystem, and where a student becomes an educational DJ. A place where every progressive source of knowledge is continuously harvested and made available to all. For example, imagine no more math text books, digital texts instead with every equation available for practical usage anytime anyplace. I like what Mr. Baranuik said about creative commons, it needs to be used and free to all for use. By having such an institution, a learning revolution of innovation would take place that would feed the spirits of these future leaders. I agree with Sir Robinson's notion that we need to create this agricultural model of education, through which an organic process can proceed, personalizing education to the individual. All of this accomplished with technology in and out of the classrooms.
The video stated, the U.S. Education Problem, discusses jobs being outsourced and how we need to incorporate interlocalism support, a two way street of educational altruism. At LLPHS, we would develope and support interlocalism through encouraged volunteerism, community outreach, and technological donation. In my opinion, only through this kind of support can an educational system get to a high level of success and achievement. My school would support the community infrastructure, so that we can be progressively building from the inside, that would eventually lead to securing the outside community. As mentioned in the video stated, Adult Literacy, through the rigorous academics and project based learning at LLPHS, we would conquer embarassment trumped by bad behavior, facilitate the language of content areas, and develope leading student facilitators. LLPHS would be run by PARR; Participation in community, Altruism toward all, Respect for all cultures and climates, and Responsibility for others first, then thyself.
Since I am a chair of math department, it is only fitting that this video and its many statistics be added to our class video library, you've got love numbers:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vPO_HGafBsE
My thoughts:
The video asks one question at the end...what does this all mean? To me...hope, infinite probabilities, optimization of time and resources, a more complete cognitive planet. As we know though, equations have balance...there is a book I am currently reading called the The Dumbest Generation; Don't Trust Anyone Under 30. In the book, Dr. Mark Bauerlein from Emory University, discusses the shocking statistics concerning young adults and teens not interested in having educational leisure. He mentions that in todays world there are far more places of information access than in the past century, and our youth and young adults today, don't care to use the technology, books, and museums, for example, for educational purposes. This is a scary notion...yes, technology can help, but you have to know how to use the tools available. If we as country don't embrace the digital gadgets our students are using, in and out of class, then we will become the Dumbest Generation(s) for not fighting the good fight with our student's digital weapons of learning.
Hard Headed Bull
Schools should take a part in social issues concerning the community of stakeholders and yes, here again schools should take a crucial stance in helping to quell/squash bullying. Reasons are as follows; schools are to model and be a safe environment, schools are to protect the stakeholders there within, and schools should educate and counsel those on both sides of these situations.
If a school is not a safe environment, then one cannot expect a student to attend on a regular basis. The expectations of the school are to be that of safety from physical, psychological, and/or social harm. Obviously Facebook has done our society, in this realm, no favors. A students teenage angst does not end when they leave campus. Our students are constantly bombarded with damage and fallout from those internal and external to the school environment...what can a staff do to soften the blow(s)?
Our abilities to observe the hallways and classrooms need to be resharpened. No more can we let teaching moments go by just because we don't want to get involved. I always take a moment to stop when an ounce of negativity spews forth from one/more of my students toward other student(s). In those moments, my lesson plans become tentative and I focus my concerns for both sides of the drama. I make referrals as needed to those (counselor(s), principal, and parent(s)) who can better the situation. I never let a teaching moment go by...have I before? yes, when I first started teaching, trying to just survive the day. In my most recent years I have learned form those mistakes and now look for those moments, as we all should, would, and could.
To conclude, other issues that schools should have some responsibility for are as follows; the socioeconomic status of students/families and the parenting skills of the parental stakeholders.
If a school is not a safe environment, then one cannot expect a student to attend on a regular basis. The expectations of the school are to be that of safety from physical, psychological, and/or social harm. Obviously Facebook has done our society, in this realm, no favors. A students teenage angst does not end when they leave campus. Our students are constantly bombarded with damage and fallout from those internal and external to the school environment...what can a staff do to soften the blow(s)?
Our abilities to observe the hallways and classrooms need to be resharpened. No more can we let teaching moments go by just because we don't want to get involved. I always take a moment to stop when an ounce of negativity spews forth from one/more of my students toward other student(s). In those moments, my lesson plans become tentative and I focus my concerns for both sides of the drama. I make referrals as needed to those (counselor(s), principal, and parent(s)) who can better the situation. I never let a teaching moment go by...have I before? yes, when I first started teaching, trying to just survive the day. In my most recent years I have learned form those mistakes and now look for those moments, as we all should, would, and could.
To conclude, other issues that schools should have some responsibility for are as follows; the socioeconomic status of students/families and the parenting skills of the parental stakeholders.
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