1. Giving students a choice is an opportunity which is very motivating and positive to the students. It gives them the chance to feel in control. I agree and believe we can give them options and choices with guidance. It's a great self-esteem and confidence builder. 2. I don't have centers in my classroom because it's for special education students with emotional and behavioral disabilities. But, I do give them choices. The students earn money and the money goes into a bank account. The bank account is displayed on a chart and changes daily. The students are allowed to make choices and determine how they will spend the money. Some students will buy free time after assignment completion. Others will buy computer time and so on. I have a list of choices displayed in my classroom. I like to give them the opportunity to choose how they will spend hard earned money! 3. I like the idea of goal setting and believe some of my students would be willing participants. Goal setting is something I would like to incorporate into a weekly lesson next year.
In my classroom I believe in having my students make choices over their learning process. I like to give my students choices on how they present what they learned. I honestly can not stand it when teachers only lecture and give traditional assessments. You don't have to go over board with choices. One can offer the "must do" and "may do" activities.
I agree that by allowing students to make choices during their learning will allow student to trust, and create less stress because of the consistency, which as the author states is brain compatible elements.
I would like to incorporate an extension list that students can do after reading. My top students would read chapter and then I would give them ideas of how I wanted them to extend their learning, but I think by having a list is a great way for my students to show what they learned. In this list I will use more MI. This makes the students more accountable for their choices.
Hi Jodi...If you dig into Multiple intellgences a little I'll bet that you could find some near ideas to create stations for your students...Most of the students you are dealiing with I would bet are Bodily Kinesthetic learners or visual spatial or both...to allow them to choose as you are already doing the way in which they learn their math or science today might be a great way to give them success...I mentioned the book Multiple Intelligences inthe classroom before but it has super ideas on how to create learning stations and what kinds of actvities you could use...in fact the sheet I sent you that has products and performances on it and the flip side about assessment are all things that can be incorporated into stations...I have found that behavior issues evaporate when a teacher allows kids to learn through their strong intelligences...food for thought
Question 1 - Sousa did a wonderful job summarizing all of the research being done in the area of autism spectrum disorder. It is a complex disorder, and has sparked a tremendous amount of research into cause and intervention. In my two years as an autism support teacher, I have been surprised at the myths that persist about ASD – still people blaming the parents’ parenting, thinking that students with autism are significantly cognitively disabled, that many of the challenging behaviors they present are oppositional defiance and under their volitional control. I’ve also been surprised to find out how many school staff want to know more about ASD. They want to know the cause (a multi-billion dollar question), and they want answers on how to intervene. They really do want to understand about ASD. This gives me much hope.
As more and more students with ASD are in our classrooms, we all need to understand that each child with autism is unique. We need to understand that there are neurological reasons why they process the world differently. We need to understand that there perception of the world is much different, and we have to attempt to better understand their perception.
Several themes struck me as areas that we as school districts need to change. First of all, children with ASD need early, intense intervention. This should start before we even get involved with them (age 3 in our district), but if it hasn’t, we need to find the resources to see that it does. Our state is fortunate in that it has some funding to support this early, intense intervention, although there is a long waiting list, which delays the intervention needed. We as a school district need to find resources to provide the intensity needed at whatever age they enter our system.
We also don’t do a very good job bridging the intense home interventions with the school interventions for the school age child. They go from 40 hours a week of intervention at home to inclusion in a classroom – and some kids are doing both at once (leading to exhaustion in some cases). We often create anxiety, stress and conflict between teachers and parents in this transition because of the change in service delivery models.
Sousa also stated “Success in school for students with ASD should be measured not so much by whether they succeed in algebra as by whether they acquire the knowledge and skills that will make them more self-sufficient as adults”. I think this is so true. It’s easier to see with the severely involved student with ASD, but is equally important for the student with high-functioning autism. He may be able to make rapid math calculations and memorize sports facts, but can he make and keep a friend?
Question 2 - As more and more students on the spectrum are included in our classes, we need to modify our teaching strategies to be inclusive of their needs. Teachers need to become more comfortable with strategies to support students with ASD, and many of those strategies enhance learning for all students. We can help students with ASD learn (and many other students as well) by recognizing their need for predictable environments and routine, foreshadowing change, use of visual aids to support verbal instructions (most have strengths in the visual system, weaknesses in auditory processing), curricular modifications including alternative methods of demonstrating their knowledge, recognize that they may experience sensory overload and need sensory breaks, and teach social interaction skills and anxiety management skills.
Question 3 - When I work with teams that are working with students with autism, one of my priorities is to help them have a better understanding of ASD, and how it manifests in the student they are working with at the time. We work together to understand more of the student’s perspective of the world, look for how they respond to things in their environment, what causes them stress (especially sensory responses), what are their interests, what are their strengths, what are the challenging behaviors and the function of those behaviors, what are the precursors and the consequences of those behaviors.
Although I have touched briefly on some of the neurological causes of autism, in some cases it would be beneficial to go more into depth on some of the current brain research. I know the interest is there, almost always the question is asked “What causes autism?”. I could develop a summary sheet that would give some of the highlights of current research, although it would have to be frequently updated!!
As a teacher I like to give the kids choices when possible. I agree that they enjoy the lesson more when they have some decision making in on it. I never knew that research shows that this control and positive reaction actually sets off a release of endorphins... and that these endorphins give a general sense of well being and confidence. That's very interesting!!!!
I agree with the sub heading - Limiting Choices - I need to find the happy medium of how to run the classroom... not all free choice and not all total control. I like the "must do" and "may do".
Chapter 9 has many example pages of how to possibly set up projects or activities with choices... I find these very helpful.
After reading this chapter, it makes me realize I need to go back to goal setting. We "had to" do that a few years back and it slowly died off. I like how it gives the kids the internal motivation. I believe goal setting is wonderful for kids and adults of all ages.
5 comments:
1. Giving students a choice is an opportunity which is very motivating and positive to the students. It gives them the chance to feel in control. I agree and believe we can give them options and choices with guidance. It's a great self-esteem and confidence builder.
2. I don't have centers in my classroom because it's for special education students with emotional and behavioral disabilities. But, I do give them choices. The students earn money and the money goes into a bank account. The bank account is displayed on a chart and changes daily. The students are allowed to make choices and determine how they will spend the money. Some students will buy free time after assignment completion. Others will buy computer time and so on. I have a list of choices displayed in my classroom. I like to give them the opportunity to choose how they will spend hard earned money!
3. I like the idea of goal setting and believe some of my students would be willing participants. Goal setting is something I would like to incorporate into a weekly lesson next year.
In my classroom I believe in having my students make choices over their learning process. I like to give my students choices on how they present what they learned. I honestly can not stand it when teachers only lecture and give traditional assessments. You don't have to go over board with choices. One can offer the "must do" and "may do" activities.
I agree that by allowing students to make choices during their learning will allow student to trust, and create less stress because of the consistency, which as the author states is brain compatible elements.
I would like to incorporate an extension list that students can do after reading. My top students would read chapter and then I would give them ideas of how I wanted them to extend their learning, but I think by having a list is a great way for my students to show what they learned. In this list I will use more MI. This makes the students more accountable for their choices.
Hi Jodi...If you dig into Multiple intellgences a little I'll bet that you could find some near ideas to create stations for your students...Most of the students you are dealiing with I would bet are Bodily Kinesthetic learners or visual spatial or both...to allow them to choose as you are already doing the way in which they learn their math or science today might be a great way to give them success...I mentioned the book Multiple Intelligences inthe classroom before but it has super ideas on how to create learning stations and what kinds of actvities you could use...in fact the sheet I sent you that has products and performances on it and the flip side about assessment are all things that can be incorporated into stations...I have found that behavior issues evaporate when a teacher allows kids to learn through their strong intelligences...food for thought
Question 1 - Sousa did a wonderful job summarizing all of the research being done in the area of autism spectrum disorder. It is a complex disorder, and has sparked a tremendous amount of research into cause and intervention. In my two years as an autism support teacher, I have been surprised at the myths that persist about ASD – still people blaming the parents’ parenting, thinking that students with autism are significantly cognitively disabled, that many of the challenging behaviors they present are oppositional defiance and under their volitional control. I’ve also been surprised to find out how many school staff want to know more about ASD. They want to know the cause (a multi-billion dollar question), and they want answers on how to intervene. They really do want to understand about ASD. This gives me much hope.
As more and more students with ASD are in our classrooms, we all need to understand that each child with autism is unique. We need to understand that there are neurological reasons why they process the world differently. We need to understand that there perception of the world is much different, and we have to attempt to better understand their perception.
Several themes struck me as areas that we as school districts need to change. First of all, children with ASD need early, intense intervention. This should start before we even get involved with them (age 3 in our district), but if it hasn’t, we need to find the resources to see that it does. Our state is fortunate in that it has some funding to support this early, intense intervention, although there is a long waiting list, which delays the intervention needed. We as a school district need to find resources to provide the intensity needed at whatever age they enter our system.
We also don’t do a very good job bridging the intense home interventions with the school interventions for the school age child. They go from 40 hours a week of intervention at home to inclusion in a classroom – and some kids are doing both at once (leading to exhaustion in some cases). We often create anxiety, stress and conflict between teachers and parents in this transition because of the change in service delivery models.
Sousa also stated “Success in school for students with ASD should be measured not so much by whether they succeed in algebra as by whether they acquire the knowledge and skills that will make them more self-sufficient as adults”. I think this is so true. It’s easier to see with the severely involved student with ASD, but is equally important for the student with high-functioning autism. He may be able to make rapid math calculations and memorize sports facts, but can he make and keep a friend?
Question 2 -
As more and more students on the spectrum are included in our classes, we need to modify our teaching strategies to be inclusive of their needs. Teachers need to become more comfortable with strategies to support students with ASD, and many of those strategies enhance learning for all students. We can help students with ASD learn (and many other students as well) by recognizing their need for predictable environments and routine, foreshadowing change, use of visual aids to support verbal instructions (most have strengths in the visual system, weaknesses in auditory processing), curricular modifications including alternative methods of demonstrating their knowledge, recognize that they may experience sensory overload and need sensory breaks, and teach social interaction skills and anxiety management skills.
Question 3 -
When I work with teams that are working with students with autism, one of my priorities is to help them have a better understanding of ASD, and how it manifests in the student they are working with at the time. We work together to understand more of the student’s perspective of the world, look for how they respond to things in their environment, what causes them stress (especially sensory responses), what are their interests, what are their strengths, what are the challenging behaviors and the function of those behaviors, what are the precursors and the consequences of those behaviors.
Although I have touched briefly on some of the neurological causes of autism, in some cases it would be beneficial to go more into depth on some of the current brain research. I know the interest is there, almost always the question is asked “What causes autism?”. I could develop a summary sheet that would give some of the highlights of current research, although it would have to be frequently updated!!
As a teacher I like to give the kids choices when possible. I agree that they enjoy the lesson more when they have some decision making in on it. I never knew that research shows that this control and positive reaction actually sets off a release of endorphins... and that these endorphins give a general sense of well being and confidence. That's very interesting!!!!
I agree with the sub heading - Limiting Choices - I need to find the happy medium of how to run the classroom... not all free choice and not all total control. I like the "must do" and "may do".
Chapter 9 has many example pages of how to possibly set up projects or activities with choices... I find these very helpful.
After reading this chapter, it makes me realize I need to go back to goal setting. We "had to" do that a few years back and it slowly died off. I like how it gives the kids the internal motivation. I believe goal setting is wonderful for kids and adults of all ages.
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