Blog 4 Disproportionate Representation in Special Education. Calhoun

Disproportionate Representation has been a problem for years in the Educational system of the United States.  Started with the complete segregation of African Americans as well as other non white immigrants.  Even some caucasian immigrants faced practices that forced them to learn English and become more "Americanized".  Multiple court decisions have made it so that every child is required to receive a free and substantial education, however problems still arise.
 Some promising solutions that were mentioned in "Education for All", such as Culturally Responsive Instructional Approaches, and Response to Intervention Models.  Culturally Responsive teaching according to Jimenez and Graf (2008), "requires that educators understand the sociocultural and historical context that influences their students's actions".   When trying to implement culturally responsive instructional approaches teachers must look at what environments there students are growing up in, and what is the best way to reach these students. This can come in all forms, whether its the cultural norms of the student body, or literacy practices of their students these factors need to be taken into account so that the students are receiving the best quality education.  RTI is another solution that is being implemented with a three tier system.  With the first tier  "quality instruction with ongoing monitoring of students' progress within general education classrooms". (Jimenez and Graf, 2008) At the second tier support is given to students who have yet to meet standards in the general education program.  Finally the last tier students who don't respond to the intervention they are then evaluated for placement in special education programs or in some they are put right into a special ed. program.  Culturally responsive instructional approaches and Response to intervention models are just some of the ways that educational systems are trying to solve disproportionate representation.

Although I do not have experience in the classroom with disproportionate representation I think that the best way to resolve it is by understanding the cultural backgrounds of each of your students.  I think that a lot of times teachers get lazy when dealing with students and think that since they don't understand something, or are acting out in class,  they automatically need to be in a special education classroom. Many times the student, I feel, is misunderstood.  They may have the ability to understand the lesson but they don't understand how it is being taught.  This is where the teacher needs to find out what helps the student to learn more efficiently. Whether its incorporating new methods of teaching a lesson, such as using popular music and having students make their own song incorporating material from the lesson.  This way could be effective because it allows kids to incorporate music and something they like into the lesson plan. It is also vital to understand the home life of the student.  Some come from a low socioeconomic group, and they might not be getting the resources needed at home to help support what they are learning at school. Teachers then have to understand that homework might not be the best thing because there is no one at home to help them if they have trouble completing it, which leads to it not getting done and that student feeling bad about their performance which will effect them in the classroom.  Our attention needs to be focused on the home life of students.  As mentioned in previous modules the key to success in an education system is good parent/ teacher relationships.  Teachers need to understand what students home lives and how students work at home the best so that they can implement them into the classroom.  Talking with parents and finding out what works best when learning at home, is vital to success in the classroom.  If students get consistency in the way that they learn, they will excel, which could lead to the diminishing of disproportionate representation.