Tuesday, November 26, 2013
7B-Sandra Zeman to Kelly Semple
I absolutely loved your paper. I feel that you were right on track with every step in the transition process. I found that everything you shared was a crucial part of creating a successful transition for the student.
The step involving the student learning to advocate for themselves is so important to their future. The student has to have a gradual release of responsibility of their life. We can't shelter and coddle a child for 18 years and then expect them to go out into the real world one day and be successful. Teaching them to become independent is a process and learning to advocate for themselves in important to the process.
I also agree that early intervention is needed to assist the student in the future. And we have already learned that early intervention does not only mean when they are a small child. It also includes interventions throughout their school years. This will help them plan for an independent life and be prepared much more easily.
Perhaps the most important step mentioned was collaboration. It is important to remember that every adult in that student's life has an interest in the transition process. It is important to include parents, other educators, related service providers, and the student in the process. The student will also benefit from those individuals remaining on the same page and keeping an open line of communication and collaboration throughout the transitioning time.
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Kelly, I have been following your posts and the information you have provided for our online class. You are quite passionate and strong in your beliefs about educating the exceptional student and most importantly in preparing them to transition into real world. Your past experiences have provided our class with a different view and perspective on which educational placement and services are truly in the best interest of the disabled child. I have to admit it has been helpful for me as an educator. I fully and completely believe in Inclusion. It isn’t just in supporting the civil rights and justice of all individuals but it truly does work. The stars don’t have to align to work. The current changes in academic standards is challenging for teachers, especially those that have been n the teaching field for a long time, but the goal with them is to prepare all students for a college or career after high school. Changes are a constant in education and it is about best serving the students. Inclusion provides students with the exposure to this curriculum. The principle of inclusion hasn’t been tweaked from mainstreaming. Just look at the words themselves and you will realize they are not the same. The same thing with LRE, it isn’t mainstreaming. I know you said you are hung up on the concepts that you were introduced to many years ago and despite the readings, videos, blogs, and researches you still can’t move on. It may be that you just don’t’ have the experiences to support understanding that educational services have changed, not just in name but in the opportunities and services for all students not just those with special needs. Being in a school or classroom would allow you to see and possibly understand that inclusion can and does work. I think another big change has occurred with social acceptance and tolerance with the older, teenage students. Social media has been instrumental in bringing bullying and injustices to the forefront. Even though bullying and meanness still happens, it is being tolerated less through awareness. Social media is promoting humility and compassion. It is amazing too, the opportunities for social involvement, extra curricular activities and sports for the learning disabled. The limitations are what you make them.
ReplyDeleteYour ideal of perfect education is the model upon which best practice in the classroom is today. Educators are responsible for creating learning environments in which students learn to respect and value each other and everyone’s individual differences, understand their roles and responsibilities, work in self=directed manner and participate in setting classroom rules. UDL, RTI and PBS are three best practice strategies that align with your beliefs. So even though you aren’t a teacher (yet?) you have the insight and beliefs that are needed to best serve all students. I agree completely that early intervention is the first step and most often it takes place in the early childhood school years. That is where all students are taught and given the opportunities to learn independence. Self-awareness is extremely important at any age for individuals with challenges to begin understanding and how to deal appropriately with those challenges. But self-awareness isn’t about accepting limitations to become self-confident. Limitations can be overcome. Self-confidence comes from building on strengths, having desires and goals. Collaboration and funding are the key factors in making inclusion and all special education services successful. Thank you for sharing your beliefs and information.