1. Taking the information you read in this chapter, what should we be doing differently in our classrooms and schools? In what ways might you suggest we start making the changes needed if we are to meet the needs of ALL students?
The second chapter in the Sousa book is entitled When Learning Difficulties Arise, and talked about the multiple etiologies of learning disabilities, research on the best teaching methods and strategies, the need to teach students learning strategies, and the increased use of RTI (responsiveness to intervention) in identification of learning disabilities.
One of the statements in this chapter that struck me in particular is that “students with learning disabilities are working much harder at certain tasks than other students but the result is less successful. They often give up trying at school because of their fear of failure.” I think we need to acknowledge this early on for many who struggle in school, and give them breaks, shorter assignments, more time and acknowledge how hard they are working, and support them in becoming successful learners. In addition, we need to help build self esteem.
This chapter had a great list of guidelines to helping students with special needs succeed and to build self esteem, including strategies for engagement and retention, essential for all students to succeed. Some of these suggestions I think would make a big difference not only for the students with learning difficulties, but for all students: capitalize on the students’ strengths, use short sentences and simple vocabulary, allow flexibility in classroom procedures (using tape recorders, drawing pictures, movement around the classroom), use of computers for drill and practice and for teaching word processing, “catch the student being good”, use novelty and relevance to get their attention, model, use visuals, think and talk out loud, use mnemonics, use closure strategies (ex: tell your partner 2 things you learned today), strategies for using groups, have conversations with every student, get to know about their life outside of school, celebrate achievements no matter how small, explore different learning options (internet, interviews, DVD’s etc) . Using these strategies could make a big difference for many of our students.
2. In what ways might you translate the principles presented in the chapter into practical, everyday useful methods of teaching? Some of the strategies for self esteem could be built into greeting and closure/ departure routines, circle times, down times, break times, journal writing times. Use of cooperative groups can facilitate capitalizing on student’s strengths, movement around the classroom, closure strategies. Use of alternatives for work completion and showing what they learned can be used in academics (use of posters, tape recorders, computers, drawing answers, creating songs, dictate to partner, projects rather than traditional written tests). Teaching study skills throughout all subjects can be done through thinking and talking out loud, modeling, use of mnuemonics.
3. If you were to plan your next steps for making your curriculum more brain compatible what would I see you do differently in your classes? Since I don’t directly teach students, but instead teach teachers, I would incorporate the information in this chapter to help teachers have a better understanding of some of the research related to etiology of learning disabilities, misconceptions about learning disabilities, and interventions and learning strategies. I think many of the guidelines for working with special needs, including those to promote engagement and retention, are critical to the students I support who have autism. I also think the suggestions on building self-esteem are critical for all students and a good place to start discussion on how to better support our students with autism – particularly those on the higher end of the spectrum- whose self esteem is so fragile.
Hi Marcy..Wow!!!lots of infomation in this chapter...I read the book eons ago and now things are coming back...You hit it on the head though...all students need these things...the Multiple Intelligence stuff i will send you, especially the different ways to create products foe each intelligence and assess kids in their strength is what its all about...I will send you a list of people who have or based on what we know of them would have had ADD or have been labeled LD...its amazing...thanks for sharing these thoughts...
1. After reading Chapter 2, the main idea that stood out to me that I'd like to do differently this fall is... during DEAR time - it's okay if the kids aren't quietly reading the whole time. The kids really enjoy this time. We have our DEAR right after moring recess. The kids come in, take bathroom/drink breaks, grab our foam squares and spread out and read... but I think I've stressed the "read" too much and need to stress the "relax and reflect" too. I like how it explained that it's okay if the students do something else quietly. I believe I have stressed some kids out trying to get them to read during our DEAR time and then I totally missed giving them the opportunity to relax and reflect during this time. I'd also like to meet the needs of all students by providing them with the Take 5 Zone. Although my self-contained classroom is not big, I'd like to see what I can come up with this fall. TIt won't be able to be too much, but at least an area they can go to if they need to regroup. I feel this could benefit all students throughout the school year. In the past I've had a Wonderful Work Wall where the kids could post whatever work they wanted to and change it whenever - it was their space to decorate with their work. I think I need to bring that back again.
2. I love decorating and getting my classroom ready for the new school year as well as changing the decoration throughout the year. I look forward to using some of these new ideas in the future. Unfortunately, we can't have real plants in the room - but I should try fresh cut flowers or artifically plants. I think the kids would love having a mirror in the room - neat idea. I also like the having a wind chime outside my window. Great sound of nature - although a small fountain with water flowing would not be relaxing to me. I feel it's important to make the classroom comfortable students but myself too. My classroom is definitaly my second home and I like to make it as cozy as I can.
3. My next steps for making my curriculum more brain compatible would be to get out of our four walls. We like to do litter clean up, but I've never considered a garden before. I feel it's important to bring in community members or even walk to visit them at their work site. Being I teach second grade in a smaller community, I need to do this more often. We have the resources in our area - I just need to tap into them more than just the police and fire department.
1. I agree with Chapter 2 and believe we should have atmospheres in school which are almost stress free. It would be difficult to have no stress but less would allow for better learning. I like the term relaxed alertness and believe it could be incorporated into our daily lives as well as in schools. This chapter discusses the idea of arriving home. If we could welcome parents and students into our classrooms and allow them to feel at home, some of the daily stress would be alleviated. It's a challenge but our words, attitudes, self-respect and consistency play a large role in learning atmospheres. 2. Creating an atomsphere of a second home is important to me. I enjoy changing my classroom furniture and decorations and my students enjoy helping me. I plan on using the principles stated in this chapter and involve the students in more decorating and possibly creating a theme corner. Also I try to use a positive attitude and make everyone feel welcome in my classroom. 3. Something that struck me as important is using DEAR time to drop everything an relax. I always used it for drop everything and read. Next year I will use the time for my students to choose how they want to relax. I'll plan a daily consistent time to implement DEAR. I would also like to have a joke a day. I have a weekly brain teaser question but like the idea of a joke a day. There were a lot of ideas in this chapter which I would like to implement as part of my curriculm and classroom next year.
I think we can make students feel more welcomed by greeting them at the door each morning. Most days I do greet my students, but some mornings it is impossible! Also each morning one of the first things we do as a class is have a morning meeting. We often share special things we did the night before. It is important as teachers to remember that our apperance,gestures, and classroom enviroment really makes a statement to students as well as enhance their learning.
I can translate the principals learned in this chapter in my teaching. I do several of the classroom enviroment techniques to provide my students with a positive, low stress, and engaging enviorment. My classroom is always very colorful and I make it feel like home! On the last day of school we found out that because of fire codes we may not be able to hang anything and only 20% of a wall may be covered. I would like to try to bring in fresh flowers for the classroom.
In my classroom I will build more meaningful choice centers. I would like to have a theme table for each science unit I teach. I have a table for a couple units, but would like to build on this area. Also I would like to relax my dear time. This past year we did DEAR right after lunch. I let the students go anywhere in the room, but always thought it had to be a quiet enviorment of just reading. I never thought about just letting them relax and reflect! Lastly I will have a place for students to decorate with their accomplishments!
5 comments:
1. Taking the information you read in this chapter, what should we be doing differently in our classrooms and schools? In what ways might you suggest we start making the changes needed if we are to meet the needs of ALL students?
The second chapter in the Sousa book is entitled When Learning Difficulties Arise, and talked about the multiple etiologies of learning disabilities, research on the best teaching methods and strategies, the need to teach students learning strategies, and the increased use of RTI (responsiveness to intervention) in identification of learning disabilities.
One of the statements in this chapter that struck me in particular is that “students with learning disabilities are working much harder at certain tasks than other students but the result is less successful. They often give up trying at school because of their fear of failure.” I think we need to acknowledge this early on for many who struggle in school, and give them breaks, shorter assignments, more time and acknowledge how hard they are working, and support them in becoming successful learners. In addition, we need to help build self esteem.
This chapter had a great list of guidelines to helping students with special needs succeed and to build self esteem, including strategies for engagement and retention, essential for all students to succeed. Some of these suggestions I think would make a big difference not only for the students with learning difficulties, but for all students: capitalize on the students’ strengths, use short sentences and simple vocabulary, allow flexibility in classroom procedures (using tape recorders, drawing pictures, movement around the classroom), use of computers for drill and practice and for teaching word processing, “catch the student being good”, use novelty and relevance to get their attention, model, use visuals, think and talk out loud, use mnemonics, use closure strategies (ex: tell your partner 2 things you learned today), strategies for using groups, have conversations with every student, get to know about their life outside of school, celebrate achievements no matter how small, explore different learning options (internet, interviews, DVD’s etc) . Using these strategies could make a big difference for many of our students.
2. In what ways might you translate the principles presented in the chapter into practical, everyday useful methods of teaching?
Some of the strategies for self esteem could be built into greeting and closure/ departure routines, circle times, down times, break times, journal writing times. Use of cooperative groups can facilitate capitalizing on student’s strengths, movement around the classroom, closure strategies. Use of alternatives for work completion and showing what they learned can be used in academics (use of posters, tape recorders, computers, drawing answers, creating songs, dictate to partner, projects rather than traditional written tests). Teaching study skills throughout all subjects can be done through thinking and talking out loud, modeling, use of mnuemonics.
3. If you were to plan your next steps for making your curriculum more brain compatible what would I see you do differently in your classes?
Since I don’t directly teach students, but instead teach teachers, I would incorporate the information in this chapter to help teachers have a better understanding of some of the research related to etiology of learning disabilities, misconceptions about learning disabilities, and interventions and learning strategies. I think many of the guidelines for working with special needs, including those to promote engagement and retention, are critical to the students I support who have autism. I also think the suggestions on building self-esteem are critical for all students and a good place to start discussion on how to better support our students with autism – particularly those on the higher end of the spectrum- whose self esteem is so fragile.
Marcy - Special Needs Brain Learns - Chapter 2
Hi Marcy..Wow!!!lots of infomation in this chapter...I read the book eons ago and now things are coming back...You hit it on the head though...all students need these things...the Multiple Intelligence stuff i will send you, especially the different ways to create products foe each intelligence and assess kids in their strength is what its all about...I will send you a list of people who have or based on what we know of them would have had ADD or have been labeled LD...its amazing...thanks for sharing these thoughts...
1. After reading Chapter 2, the main idea that stood out to me that I'd like to do differently this fall is... during DEAR time - it's okay if the kids aren't quietly reading the whole time. The kids really enjoy this time. We have our DEAR right after moring recess. The kids come in, take bathroom/drink breaks, grab our foam squares and spread out and read... but I think I've stressed the "read" too much and need to stress the "relax and reflect" too. I like how it explained that it's okay if the students do something else quietly. I believe I have stressed some kids out trying to get them to read during our DEAR time and then I totally missed giving them the opportunity to relax and reflect during this time. I'd also like to meet the needs of all students by providing them with the Take 5 Zone. Although my self-contained classroom is not big, I'd like to see what I can come up with this fall. TIt won't be able to be too much, but at least an area they can go to if they need to regroup. I feel this could benefit all students throughout the school year. In the past I've had a Wonderful Work Wall where the kids could post whatever work they wanted to and change it whenever - it was their space to decorate with their work. I think I need to bring that back again.
2. I love decorating and getting my classroom ready for the new school year as well as changing the decoration throughout the year. I look forward to using some of these new ideas in the future. Unfortunately, we can't have real plants in the room - but I should try fresh cut flowers or artifically plants. I think the kids would love having a mirror in the room - neat idea. I also like the having a wind chime outside my window. Great sound of nature - although a small fountain with water flowing would not be relaxing to me. I feel it's important to make the classroom comfortable students but myself too. My classroom is definitaly my second home and I like to make it as cozy as I can.
3. My next steps for making my curriculum more brain compatible would be to get out of our four walls. We like to do litter clean up, but I've never considered a garden before. I feel it's important to bring in community members or even walk to visit them at their work site. Being I teach second grade in a smaller community, I need to do this more often. We have the resources in our area - I just need to tap into them more than just the police and fire department.
1. I agree with Chapter 2 and believe we should have atmospheres in school which are almost stress free. It would be difficult to have no stress but less would allow for better learning. I like the term relaxed alertness and believe it could be incorporated into our daily lives as well as in schools.
This chapter discusses the idea of arriving home. If we could welcome parents and students into our classrooms and allow them to feel at home, some of the daily stress would be alleviated. It's a challenge but our words, attitudes, self-respect and consistency play a large role in learning atmospheres.
2. Creating an atomsphere of a second home is important to me. I enjoy changing my classroom furniture and decorations and my students enjoy helping me. I plan on using the principles stated in this chapter and involve the students in more decorating and possibly creating a theme corner. Also I try to use a positive attitude and make everyone feel welcome in my classroom.
3. Something that struck me as important is using DEAR time to drop everything an relax. I always used it for drop everything and read. Next year I will use the time for my students to choose how they want to relax. I'll plan a daily consistent time to implement DEAR.
I would also like to have a joke a day. I have a weekly brain teaser question but like the idea of a joke a day. There were a lot of ideas in this chapter which I would like to implement as part of my curriculm and classroom next year.
I think we can make students feel more welcomed by greeting them at the door each morning. Most days I do greet my students, but some mornings it is impossible! Also each morning one of the first things we do as a class is have a morning meeting. We often share special things we did the night before. It is important as teachers to remember that our apperance,gestures, and classroom enviroment really makes a statement to students as well as enhance their learning.
I can translate the principals learned in this chapter in my teaching. I do several of the classroom enviroment techniques to provide my students with a positive, low stress, and engaging enviorment.
My classroom is always very colorful and I make it feel like home! On the last day of school we found out that because of fire codes we may not be able to hang anything and only 20% of a wall may be covered. I would like to try to bring in fresh flowers for the classroom.
In my classroom I will build more meaningful choice centers. I would like to have a theme table for each science unit I teach. I have a table for a couple units, but would like to build on this area. Also I would like to relax my dear time. This past year we did DEAR right after lunch. I let the students go anywhere in the room, but always thought it had to be a quiet enviorment of just reading. I never thought about just letting them relax and reflect! Lastly I will have a place for students to decorate with their accomplishments!
Post a Comment