Looking at all of the different elements of an Individual Program Plan there are many things to keep in mind. I have created a few IPPs in my two years of college, but have never looked at creating one from any viewpoints other than that of the teacher. I am looking forward to creating and IPP that involves multiple perspectives so I can learn to see how different people feel about creating an IPP for a child. It is very important as a teacher to keep the child's parents in mind when creating an IPP, as well as other members of the team, and I believe the assignemt to create an IPP this way will be useful once I graduate.
Using the various components of an IPP it will be possible to create a good, appropriate IPP for any student. Keeping in mind the child's needs and what is the most important thing they must improve on at that time, goals must be created that are attainable. I believe creating attainable goals are the most important part of an Individual Program Plan, and that appropriate goals will motivate to student to do their best in school. When a student is motivated in school they will also enjoy being there much more than if they go to school only because they have to.
The second most important part of an Individual Program Plan to me is assessment of improvement, both evaluating progess throughout the year, and the review of progress at the reporting periods. This lets the student know where they have been improving and how to continue doing so. Seeing their success they will be motivated to continue working to keep achieving their goals. It also lets the members of the team know that their efforts are worth it and their time spent working on the IPP and with the student are truly making a difference.
Overall, IPPs are very effective for students and teachers, and are important for any classroom that includes disabled students. They may be a lot of work, but are worth it as they bring clarification for the student, as well as the team members, as to what they must do so the student can succeed. With an IPP everyone knows what is expected of them and how they are going to go about achieving it. They are a wonderful tool for the classroom and have a lot to offer for teachers and students.
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Friday, September 24, 2010
The Retreat!
This week we did not have class on Thursday because we were at Camp Kuriakos out by Sylvan Lake for the retreat. We learned a lot at the retreat, and did tons of team work to bring us closer together as a cohort. I found that everyone was very involved in all of the activites, and it seemed like all were having fun and working together very well. My first team involved myself, Amanda, Ashten, Sarah L, Elizabeth, Darcy, T.J., Tatianna, Kalee, and Selene. I found that we all worked well together and included everyone in all of the decision making. We did many activities together and grew to know each other quite well throughout the day. Our team name was "bunja-ninjas", and we had a wonderful time doing the cheer for the rest of the cohort after supper. My second team involved myself, Asten, Elizabeth, Mike, Tammy, Brittney, and Kyla. We worked very well together and did some activities before sharing our "stories" with each other. I learned a lot about each of them and feel like I know them all much more now that I did previously.
Aside from actual group activities we all spent lots of time together getting to know one another. I learned that many people in our cohort are quite musically talented, and enjoy entertaining other people. I've learned about many people's personal lives, where they grew up, and what they do outside of school now. It was a wonderful experience getting to know everyone so well, and I'm glad we were able to do so because I now feel much more connected to my cohort than I did previous to the retreat.
Aside from actual group activities we all spent lots of time together getting to know one another. I learned that many people in our cohort are quite musically talented, and enjoy entertaining other people. I've learned about many people's personal lives, where they grew up, and what they do outside of school now. It was a wonderful experience getting to know everyone so well, and I'm glad we were able to do so because I now feel much more connected to my cohort than I did previous to the retreat.
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Inclusive Education
There are obviously many ups and downs to inclusive education, and since we've began the course I've been trying to figure out my own opinion on the subject. This early on in the course I believe it is still difficult for me to come up with a solid opinion about it, but I have began to develop a preliminary position about whether inclusive education is the best option or not.
In a positive light inclusive education can offer many things to both the students with disabilities as well as to the students who are in the classroom with them. It shows the other students in the class that kids with disabilities are generally no different than them, and that they should, and can include them in all things they do. It also helps them to become familiar with people who have disabilities so when they encounter them in everyday life, and in society later on in their life, they will not feel uncomfortable with them and will be completely open to socializing or working with them. It also shows the students with the disabilities that they are like the other kids in the class, and that they can become involved in regular activities with them. It helps them to learn how to interact with other people and how to gain many socializing skills that will be necessary in their future.
The negative side to inclusive education revolves mainly around the assistance that all children in the classroom may miss out on. In a classroom that is inclusive the teacher has to divide their time between all of the students, with and without disabilities, which could be very hard for them. It also could steal time from students who need help if the teacher is trying to assist students with drastically different abilities all at once. The students who have disabilities may not get all of the assistance they need in an inclusive classroom because the teacher will simply not have enough time to spend with them while also teaching and helping the rest of the class as well.
In my opinion, I think it really all boils down to the amount of assistance the students with disabilities are going to recieve. Inclusive education is completely acceptable, if it is possible to have one teacher aid in the classroom for atleast every two students with a disability. In my own experience, students with disabilities can learn in the regular classroom if they have someone there to provide one-on-one assistance with their learning. If this is not possible, I believe inclusive education has a high risk of failure. The teacher will not be able to allot enough time to the students with a disability while still sufficiently teaching and assisting the rest of the class, so that everyone in the classroom gets the best education possible. There needs to be someone who is assigned the job of assisting the students with disabilities, whether it be a teacher in a special education classroom, or it be a teacher aid sitting with the student with a disability in the regular classroom.
In a positive light inclusive education can offer many things to both the students with disabilities as well as to the students who are in the classroom with them. It shows the other students in the class that kids with disabilities are generally no different than them, and that they should, and can include them in all things they do. It also helps them to become familiar with people who have disabilities so when they encounter them in everyday life, and in society later on in their life, they will not feel uncomfortable with them and will be completely open to socializing or working with them. It also shows the students with the disabilities that they are like the other kids in the class, and that they can become involved in regular activities with them. It helps them to learn how to interact with other people and how to gain many socializing skills that will be necessary in their future.
The negative side to inclusive education revolves mainly around the assistance that all children in the classroom may miss out on. In a classroom that is inclusive the teacher has to divide their time between all of the students, with and without disabilities, which could be very hard for them. It also could steal time from students who need help if the teacher is trying to assist students with drastically different abilities all at once. The students who have disabilities may not get all of the assistance they need in an inclusive classroom because the teacher will simply not have enough time to spend with them while also teaching and helping the rest of the class as well.
In my opinion, I think it really all boils down to the amount of assistance the students with disabilities are going to recieve. Inclusive education is completely acceptable, if it is possible to have one teacher aid in the classroom for atleast every two students with a disability. In my own experience, students with disabilities can learn in the regular classroom if they have someone there to provide one-on-one assistance with their learning. If this is not possible, I believe inclusive education has a high risk of failure. The teacher will not be able to allot enough time to the students with a disability while still sufficiently teaching and assisting the rest of the class, so that everyone in the classroom gets the best education possible. There needs to be someone who is assigned the job of assisting the students with disabilities, whether it be a teacher in a special education classroom, or it be a teacher aid sitting with the student with a disability in the regular classroom.
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
The VERY First Day
Sitting here trying to come up with something to write in my blog I couldn't think of anything really significant I wanted to share with everyone. Then finally I thought to myself, why not start at the very beginning?
Throughout my life I had never really known what I wanted to do and had never really thought about it either. In my grade 11 year of high school in Vulcan my mom (a school coordinator and teacher aid in the Milo School) offered my two best friends and I an opportunity to write and direct the annual Milo School Christmas Production. All three of us knew the staff as well as the students in the school well (as we had attended school there from Kindergarten to grade 9) and decided it would be a lot of fun to take on the challenge. Over the next few months we wrote the play, and had a blast doing so. Around the start of November we began going to the Milo School once a week to cast the students in their roles and start practicing the play with them. We did this throughout November and the beginning of December, and finally the day of the Christmas Production was upon us. Now I can't honestly say that everything went off without a hitch, but what fun would it have been if it had? We had to change a few things on the fly and keep the students focused on their roles during the production, but in the end the play was definitely a success. The students all had fun, and my friends and I had a wonderful experience that we will always remember.
It was shortly after this experience that I finally realized what I wanted to do with my life, I wanted to become a teacher. In the beginning I had my heart set on being a Kindergarten teacher. Working with them during the Christmas Production was always fun, and I felt that at that age they truly appreciated and respected me as their leader. As time went on I realized that being a Kindergarten teacher may someday be what I would like to do, but that all age groups of students can respect and appreciate you if you are a good teacher and lead them in the right direction in a fun, safe environment. By the time I graduated high school I knew without a doubt that teaching is truly what I wanted to do, and that I really wanted to be able to impact students' lives in a positive manner.
Throughout my life I had never really known what I wanted to do and had never really thought about it either. In my grade 11 year of high school in Vulcan my mom (a school coordinator and teacher aid in the Milo School) offered my two best friends and I an opportunity to write and direct the annual Milo School Christmas Production. All three of us knew the staff as well as the students in the school well (as we had attended school there from Kindergarten to grade 9) and decided it would be a lot of fun to take on the challenge. Over the next few months we wrote the play, and had a blast doing so. Around the start of November we began going to the Milo School once a week to cast the students in their roles and start practicing the play with them. We did this throughout November and the beginning of December, and finally the day of the Christmas Production was upon us. Now I can't honestly say that everything went off without a hitch, but what fun would it have been if it had? We had to change a few things on the fly and keep the students focused on their roles during the production, but in the end the play was definitely a success. The students all had fun, and my friends and I had a wonderful experience that we will always remember.
It was shortly after this experience that I finally realized what I wanted to do with my life, I wanted to become a teacher. In the beginning I had my heart set on being a Kindergarten teacher. Working with them during the Christmas Production was always fun, and I felt that at that age they truly appreciated and respected me as their leader. As time went on I realized that being a Kindergarten teacher may someday be what I would like to do, but that all age groups of students can respect and appreciate you if you are a good teacher and lead them in the right direction in a fun, safe environment. By the time I graduated high school I knew without a doubt that teaching is truly what I wanted to do, and that I really wanted to be able to impact students' lives in a positive manner.
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