Chapter 5 Learning Log

What?  There are several ways in which students in any classroom may be different from one another.  Starting out, teachers may find this to be overwhelming.  however, with time and experience, I'll learn how to bring diversity into the classroom and make each student feel special and loved.  It is very important to know as much as you can about each student.  What's it like for them at home?  What languages do they speak?  Any information will be helpful to the teacher in providing that student with the proper learning environment.  Individualize instructions for those students who are non-disabled, as well as disabled and special needs.  It is VERY important to have good communication with the students' parents, because the more information about their child you swap, the more successful the teacher will be in reaching out to that student.  When dealing with inclusion, it is important to take into consideration their disabilities.  Your classroom always should be LRE (Least Restrictive Environment), meaning the teacher should do everything they can to reach every student, and the way they are teaching should benefit everyone in the classroom and leave nobody out.

So What? It is important to know this information because we, as teachers, will deal with this for the rest of our career.  In every classroom there is AT LEAST one student who struggles, is disabled, or is special needs.  It is important for the teachers to be well educated in how to handle these kinds of situations so they are able to reach out to every one of their students, whether they are disabled or fully able.  As I further my education and career, I will become more aware of which abilities and behaviors are typical for a particular age-group and will be able to identify children who are atypical in one way or another.  The job of referring students to a specialist or for assessments ultimately comes down to the teacher, so it is important to be aware and educated on this information.  For all I know, in the school I teach at, they might practice inclusion.  I would need to provide specialists with information for IEP's and detailed specifics about the disabled students.

Now What? Now that I have learned about the information in Chapter 5, I feel a LITTLE bit more confident in going into teaching and being aware that I will encounter these kinds of situations.  I am still nervous because of the unknown, and actually having them in a classroom compared to just doing textbook exercises on the information.  I believe I will be able to express my knowledge about inclusion and IEP's, as well as apply to my classroom the concept of "Least Restrictive Environment", which is extremely important to have in the classroom.  As a teacher, it is my job to teach everyone in my classroom, not just those who are willing and able.  I need to reach out to those who have severe to minor disabilities, as well as special needs.  Whether or not my school I teach at practices inclusion, I need to be aware of what it is and how to adapt my classroom to it.  From Chapter 5's information about individual differences, I think it is very important for the students in the classroom to be aware of the differences amongst the students around them, and it doesn't matter if the differences are minor or major.