February 11 and 12, 2009

Greetings once more!



After Tuesday's classes, Mrs Taylor advised me that Thursday the 12th would be continuation of the review for Friday's section test. In light of this, we decided that it would be an excellent chance for me to do some of my SPED observations.



Let me take this opportunity to thank Mr. Don Bartch, vice-principal at Scales Elementary School. He placed me in contact with Mrs. Lynn Reynolds, who is a Special Education teacher at Scales, and she has generously opened her classroom to me for observations.



The students in her class range from K through 4th grade. These children each spend at least 30 minutes a day in full inclusion with a regular ed class, and receive both group instruction and one on one IEP instruction with Mrs. Reynolds or one of her two assistants. The disabilities represented in the class range from severe cerebal palsey to ADHD with co-disabilities of defience disorder, with emotional disorders and autism present in some students as well.



Wednesday was gym day, which allowed the students to have supervised self-directed play and exercise. I was only able to observe for one hour on this day.



Thursday's special activity was music. I am not certain what I expected with a class that is almost half non-verbal, but I thought that the music teachers and the aids did a wonderful job. This was a fantastic example of co-operative teaching across multiple disciplines! The teachers passed out and collected in turn bean bags, percussion sticks and marachas. The bags and sticks were color coded, and the students selected their favorites. Each item had an associated song, and the students who are verbal sang along with the recording and the teachers while all the students followed the action instructions in the songs. Particularly touching was how some of the students with full mobility helped those without mobiltiy participate and included them in the music play/learning. Activity lessons included reinforced body recognition (placing the bean bag against the arm, leg, foot, head, etc.), fine motor skills ('sawing' and rapping percussion sticks to beat), color recognition, and counting.



I was allowed to participate in the one on one teaching with Mrs. Reynolds. She explained the goals guide for each of the IEPs for the students we worked with, as well as a brief discription of the child's handicap. I was able to witness both the great joy of seeing these special children doing wonderfully in their individual areas, and the frustration of working with a child who is ED and defiant. I do not know if I could handle this day after day.

More soon.