Week 3

Ok so I was kinda bad last week about posting. I have some notes from the classes I can go back and reflect on when I have a little more time. For now I'll just take a moment to reflect on the classes.

In "Inclusion" we discussed Autism and how to make accommodations and modifications for a student on the autistic spectrum. Being a math teacher, I think the connection between students with Asberger's and skills in mathematics is really interesting. As Dr. G discussed how students with Asberger's like learning about maps, globes, and routes because they tend to be regular and consistent, I thought that was really interesting. It's really pretty amazing in a way that what is often seen as a deficit (a student with Asberger's inflexibility) is actually really beautiful. What that student is trying to do is anchor themselves in something grounded and real in this world that doesn't change. I think we all have our own ways of doing that and I think that was part of Dr. G's point--we all have our quirks, some are just more pronounced than others.

Dr. G's daughter spoke to the class about her work with autistic children, which was also interesting. She gave the advice to be patient and not to give up on the chid. I really admire that she's passionate about what she does and I can't imagine how much she's learned. I think my biggest take-away from her talk and much of this class is that it's important to teach in "preventative" measures as well as being in the present. From my (little) experience teaching, it's helpful to put some space between some students if possible if you anticipate them setting each other off or distracting each other from class. I think accommodating for students with disabilities could be a lot like this--just about knowing their behaviors and personalities and anticipating their needs and how they are going to act and interact with other students. We will be working on some lesson plans soon for the course, and I'm sure that will give me much more to think about.

We also have case studies for the course, which I hope to get a lot out of. They're written in a 3rd person omniscient form, focusing on the point of view of the teacher. I guess the idea is that usually the teacher could have done something to prevent the problematic situation with the student from occurring. It's a little nerve-wracking to read because I can easily see myself in their position as a new teacher or a teacher trying to do their best. It's amazing how much these exercises make me appreciate my parents and anyone who ever taught me.

Speaking of nerve-wracking, I think I'm starting to get a little more confident about my teaching and the challenges I am up against. I think it helps that we are forming a sort of community and we are getting a lot out of our time with our instructors. Also, we talked about confidence and teaching today in "Content Literacy." Confidence comes from knowing your subject area and knowing how to teach but it also comes from casting away your doubts and fears. It's no surprise that teachers who are more confident do better in terms of reaching kids. So I hope to learn to take that on just as much as I'm taking on the idea of being "harder" out here on the East Coast. :)