16th Annual Student Council for Exceptional Children Conference

              On Saturday, November 13, 2010, my roommate Kristin Schallmo and I attended the 16th Annual SCEC Conference in Allendale, Michigan at Grand Valley State University.  I found this conference to be very inspirational and informative on the topic of teaching.  The conference opened up with a speaker named Ruth A. Jones who is an educational consultant, a motivational/inspirational speaker, and a former elementary principal. She provided inspirational messages to us on what a teacher's duty is for her students.  Her speech explained how we teachers need to educated our students in order for them to grow up to be kindhearted, successful, contributing citizens of society. Through her stories of helping unprivileged children and providing them with the care of a teacher, she inspires me to become a compassionate, well-rounded, hard-working, special education teacher one day.

              The conference then had break sessions.  I attended three: (1) Adapted Physical Education -The Importance of Play taught by Ms. Colleen Lewis , (2)  Behavior Bags of Tricks taught by MCEC, and (3) Creating your professional Learning Network taught by Mr. Ron Houtman. All of these sessions were enlightening and education. 

             However, I learned the most from Mr. Ron Houtman.  He provided us with information regarding how to extend out professional network to other teachers and educational faculty on the web and also the importance of technology in the classroom today in the 21st century. Many key terms, such as AT and UDL, he explained, are critical acronyms to understand if one wants to become part of the educational system.  These terms are incorporated in the educational curriculum for all students and it is our job, as teachers, to understand what these terms mean and their purpose in the classroom. He navigated us college students through various educational websites and resources on how to incorporate technology in the classroom. In our day, technology will be a necessity in the classroom and we teachers need to understand and learn how to effectively incorporate it into our curriculum.  Along with teaching us about technology, he expressed the importance of creating a digital footprint through websites such as a wiki, blog, twitter, etc.  Through his session, I gained insight on how to develop my own professional network online and the uses of technology in the classroom.

           I learned a lot from this conference on how to better prepare myself as a teacher and am excited to attend another educational conference in the near future. 

My Experiences in the Classroom

        Last week I taught my first science lesson to a 3rd grade class.  It was a little scary, for this was the first time I would teach a science lesson to a class full of students. As I walked up to the front of the classroom, however, I became filled with excitement and my nerves disappeared.  All of the children's eyes were on me as I explained the activities we would do. The children, for the first time, viewed me as a teacher and responded positively to what I asked of them. As I continued on with my lesson, I knew that teaching is what I love to do. 
        I have grown to know so many of these students and I feel a special relationship toward them.  I care deeply about each one.  As I view my Collaborating Teacher act toward the children, I can see how much she cares about her students.  She gives them hugs, comforts them when they are sad or upset, and brings excitement to their learning which makes the children want to learn even more.  It is important to show students that they are important and that someone cares about them.  My CT does this very well, and I hope to be like her when I become a teacher one day.

The Power of Music

As I was looking on the internet, I came across a site about the power of music with children who have special needs.  The woman who wrote this article, Pamela Wilson, explains how hearing music and playing instruments can improve these children's behavior, social, and academic achievements. Music can be used as a means of expression.  Some children with disabilities may not be able to verbally communicate their emotions to another, but through music, they may be able to carry out their feelings. 

Music is not only important to those with disabilities, but to all people.  Can you imagine not listening or playing music? I know that some days, music is what gets me through the day.  I am a part of Michigan State University Women's Glee Club and the power that music brings to my day when I am stressed out with classes and whatnot, is incredible.  I feel so comforted, relaxed, and joyful as I hear and sing music.  This feeling is what helps me through my day and it can help those with disabilities throughout theirs. 

Incorporating Technology into the Classroom

According to a blog that we had to read in my CEP 452 class at Michigan State University, I gained some valuable insight on why and how the internet can be a positive aspect in students' learning. In a blog by George Couros: "The Responsibility of the Open School," I learned how important it is to use all of the resources that are given to us on the internet in our daily teaching.  Youtube, GoogleEarth, Twitter, Skype educational assessment websites with fun learning games such as Study Island, and even Facebook!

Yes, even Facebook can be incorporated into the classroom.  As I was reading Geroge Couros's blog, I discovered a comment about how one first grade classroom used facebook in the classroom.  I would never think to use facebook; however, with the right tools and goals in mind, facebook in the classroom could really engage the students in learning.  The idea of setting up facebook as a classroom community online has many advantages such as:

• Including the parents in what is going on each day in the classroom with status updates from the teacher and students.
• Teachers can make events invitations online and give the parents information and they can ask questions.
• Pictures and videos can be downloaded online for everyone to observe and show off the student's work.
• Students can communicate with parents at school.
• There are a lot of privacy settings, such as the password being protected and students can only go on the account at school with supervision.

With all of this technology around us, teachers should learn how to best incorporate it into their classroom in order to best prepare our students for the future.  The world is changing and we are not in an age where everything is on paper anymore.  We are in a technology age where new electronics are developed each year.  We need to embrace all of the information we receive from the internet and the technology we use today and apply it to how teachers educate students.  The new ways to use the internet in the classroom may allow children to learn the material in a better, sufficient way to where they may enjoy learning. 

This video below explores the advantages of using Skype in the classroom when teaching about different cultures in the world.  One classroom in Germany interacts with another classroom from the United States and they explain their cultures.  This opens up many doors for the students and expands their horizon of the world. 

VIDEO: Manheim Central Students Use Technology To Expand Classroom

The Design of a Classroom

After reading my Michigan State University Professor's blog on how the architecture of a classroom can play a large role in students' success or failure at school, I could not agree more with him. My Professor explains in his blog how the classroom was purposefully designed at first and how it has been modified throughout time in order to help students feel comfortable in the classroom so they can succeed in education.

All of the furniture in the classroom and how it is set up directly influences a student's educational success. Everything in the school impacts these students academically from the noise in the hallways, to how the desks are rearranged in the classroom, to if the chairs have backs to them or not, to the different posters placed on the wall, to even the lighting in the classroom.  Teachers need to be aware of everything they put in their classroom and how it will affect their students; not just students with disabilities, but all students. 

To some people, a desk is just an ordinary desk, but to a student that simple furniture could impact his success at school.  If by adjusting a classroom desk could help a student feel more comfortable in the classroom and succeed in school, then why not we, teaches, give that simple modification to the student?

Digital Texts

After reading the texts "The Battle to Define the Future of the Book in the Digital World" by Clifford Lynch and "Books for All: Accessible Curriculum Materials for Pupils with Additional Support Needs" from The Scottish Government website, I have learned a lot about digital texts and their importance in our day in age. 

Lynch explains how e-books (digital texts) are the new development in how we read books.  With this new advancement, one can choose from a variety of books displayed online.  One can carry this e-book, such as a Kindle, in the palm of his hand, wherever he may go, for this device if very transportable. Students may be drawn to e-books because of how much material can be placed in this device, and the light weight of the e-book.  Also, a student who would like to take notes on a book may do so in an e-book easily.  Even newspapers, such as the Wall-Street Journal or New York Times can be read on an e-book. Now, one may say "Will electronic books replace paper books or newspapers?" This is a question that no one can answer, however, with our technological advances, many paper products, such as books, are now being converted to a more accessible way for people to view them.  Maybe e-books will promote more people to read!

In the article from The Scottish Government website, it explains how digital texts can be incorporated in daily school curriculum.  The benefits that go along with having an electronic book not only can improve learning of children who have disabilities, but also children who do not.  In this article, its explains how some students dislike reading a paper textbook in front of them, however, if the textbook were electronic, that would heighten some of the childrens' motivation to learn and read a book. The staff at these schools discuss how they find this technology to be very practical, beneficial, and cheap to use. 

Digital texts may work for some students, and it may not work for others.  However, if electronic books can improve the learning of some children, then why not let teachers incorporate this technology in their own classroom?