Reflection on American Teacher Documentary

          After viewing the documentary, American Teacher, I reflected on why I decided to major in Early Childhood and Special Education.  This documentary addresses the many difficult challenges teachers face.  Such challenges include earning a low salary, working long hours inside and outside the classroom, and, most importantly, not receiving professional respect.  American Teacher also mentions that such challenges result in burnout.  Consequently, several teachers leave the profession and pursue a different career path due to the stressful educational challenges. 

          Despite the struggles and challenges in the field of education, teaching truly is a rewarding profession.  I believe this documentary  provides the viewer with a vague insight of the positive reasons why one should pursue a career in education.  The teachers in this documentary express that they love the profession because every day is different.  Thus, teaching children to become productive and effective citizens is an exciting learning journey.  I agree with this idea about teaching.  I regularly look forward to going to my placements because each visit is a new adventure in which both the students and I learn something new together. 

Another important positive aspect in regards to the teaching profession is that teachers are a source of inspiration to students.  American Teacher suggests that effective teachers inspire students to have a thirst for learning by making the instructional material developmentally relatable and interesting.  Additionally, teachers help all students discover their talents and achieve their goals.  This idea relates to Piaget’s outlook regarding the goal of teaching, “The primary goal of education is to create people who are capable of doing new things, not simply of repeating what other generations have done – people who are creative, inventive, and discoverers.”

Overall, I decided to become a teacher because it is a rewarding profession.  John F. Kennedy said, “Children are the world’s most value resource and its best hope for the future.”  I believe it is a primary necessity to effectively educate our nation’s youth.  We need to nuture children's minds and hearts.  Thus, I strive to become a teacher who creates a socially acceptable classroom.  By achieving a welcoming classroom climate, I wish for my students to recognize their unique gifts and to achieve their goals. 

IRIS Module on RTI

IRIS Module on RTI

Thoughts (Before completing the model)

1.  What procedures do you think Rosa Parks Elementary is using to provide services to struggling students?  Why are school personnel dissatisfied with this process?

I think Rosa Parks Elementary is currently using the “wait-to-fail” approach to determine which students are struggling.  The “wait-to-fail” approach is when a student needs supportive services, but the student will not receive the services until he or she is failing academically.  As a result, the student is frustrated and struggles in school. 

In class this past week, we watched a video which explained that the “wait-to-fail” approach is linked to the use of the IQ discrepancy model.  Therefore, I also think Rosa Parks Elementary is using the IQ discrepancy model to determine if students need extra services. 

The school personnel are dissatisfied with this current process because they want to provide students with needed support before the students fall behind and are failing academically.  The personnel members wish to learn about a more effective way to identify and provide support to students.  They realize that students in first grade students who struggle with reading do not receive supportive services until third grade, when they have fallen behind and are failing. 

2.     What approaches are available to schools to help struggling readers and to efficiently identify students who need special education services?

In reflecting on my second grade methods block placement, I know that the school used the RTI model to help struggling students.  During the school day, a small group of students left the classroom to receive extra support from a reading specialist and a math specialist.  The general education teacher, reading specialist, and math specialist would keep records about each student’s progress.  They would often communicate, discussing how much progress has been made and what weaknesses to address. 

Additionally, schools may use entrance exams and diagnostic exams to identify students who need special education services.  I have volunteered at my hometown’s primary school summer school program.  The school required students to take a kindergarten entrance exam.  Students who scored low on the exam attend a kindergarten summer program.  The summer program provides these students with extra support they need to be successful in school. 

Moreover, in connecting back to the movie viewed this past week, schools also use the IQ discrepancy model to determine if students need special education services. 

3.      What other information might a school find helpful when choosing which approach to adopt?

I believe a school needs to critically examine and discuss all different types of available approaches before adopting one.  The school needs to review the current research and collected data about each approach.  The school should learn if the approach has been implemented in classrooms.  The school should also learn about the effectiveness of the approach.  Additionally, the school should learn if the teachers need to receive any special training in order to effectively implement the approach in their instruction.  The school needs to also determine if they will need to supply the teachers with additional resources to put the selected approach into practice.

4.      What steps might the S-Team propose to help its struggling readers?

I think the S-Team should consider using the RTI model to help struggling readers.  The RTI model will be helpful because the students who need extra support will be identified early on, before they progress further in school and are failing.  Thus, the “wait-to-fail” situation will be avoided. 

I also think the S-Team should reflect on the type of instruction the students are receiving.  Are the students receiving high-quality instruction?  What can be implemented in the classroom to help the student progress?  In order to effectively determine the level of instruction quality, the S-Team should work as a collaborative team in which the members share their related knowledge and experiences.  Having regular team meetings would help the members to share their ideas.   

Response (after completing the module)

1.      What are the disadvantages of the IQ discrepancy model and how does RTI address those concerns?  What might be difficult in implementing the RTI model?

The IQ discrepancy model includes many disadvantages.  For instance, it is unclear if the student is struggling due to the quality of instruction or due to a disability.  The IQ discrepancy model does not use classroom data and may have bias results.  As a result, a student may be misidentified and misplaced.  Moreover, this model requires students to meet specific criteria to receive special services.  Students who need such services, but do not meet all needed requirements, do not receive the services.  These students will continue to struggle and may receive special services after they are failing.  This is known as the “wait-to-fail” problem. 

The RTI model addresses these concerns in many ways.  The RTI model examines classroom instruction and implemented interventions, ensuring that the students are receiving high-quality instruction.  Therefore, there is a distinction between the disability and quality of instruction.  This model uses classroom data; thus, bias results, misidentification, and misplacement of a student are reduced.  Additionally, the RTI model immediately provides struggling students with needed support.  Therefore, the “wait-to-fail” problem is avoided.  I believe the most important advantage of using the RTI model instead of the IQ discrepancy model is that the RTI model provides students with high-quality instruction before they are placed in a special education class.

The RTI model may be difficult for teachers to implement in the classroom.  Teachers may struggle to teach and record data at the same time.  Additionally, teachers need to communicate with related professionals about effective interventions to include in their practice.  Finding time to meet with related professionals may be a logistical struggle.   Moreover, the school may lack needed resources required for suggested interventions.  The teachers may also have to pursue special training in order to effectively carry out certain interventions.  Despite these challenges, I believe teachers need to realize that their primary duty is to teach students in the most effective and appropriate style.  All students learn differently; therefore, teachers need to be adaptive and open to learning new ways of instructing. 

Reflection on Chapter 1: Perspectives of Disability

My Thoughts on Disabilities

This chapter focuses on the need for teachers to understand and professionally education students who have disabilities.  I believe teachers need to give all students an appropriate and high quality level of instruction.  Additionally, teachers need to be knowledgeable of all types of the disabilities such as low incidence disabilities, high incidence disabilities, and mild disabilities.  This knowledge will help teachers and students to experience a successful and pleasurable inclusive learning adventure.  Moreover, having a wide understanding about different disabilities is imperative because classrooms consist of diverse students.  In my methods block placement last semester, some students received assistance from aides and also left the classroom for extra services.  This experience represents the need for me to be informed of different instructional strategies. 

In addition to learning about disabilities and instructional strategies, teachers need to understand each student’s strengths and weaknesses.  By focusing on a student’s capabilities, the teacher creates an appropriate instructional plan.  These ideas relate to my special education placement in a multiple disability classroom.  The teacher was responsible for meeting the needs of 8 students, who all had multiple disabilities.  In order to meet the needs of all the students, the teacher created a daily schedule for each student.  I also learned from this placement the need to communicate and work as a team with OTs, PTs, and aides. 

Moreover, the teacher also needs to collect data to determine the effectiveness of instruction. Collecting data, such as anecdotal records, relates to my case study from my reading and writing methods class last semester.  To help an at risk student develop her reading and writing skills, I collected qualitative data (anecdotal notes and interviews) and devised a plan of action.  This case study showed me the importance of observing, gathering data, and reflecting on the data and classroom instruction.

Another important topic covered in this chapter is classification.  Should we classify a student?  I believe we should because the student will receive needed services, helping him or her to thrive in school.  However, teachers need to be careful and focus on the student’s abilities instead of his or her classification.  Therefore, it is essential to use people first language.  In addition to posing the question of classification, this read also made me consider if inclusion is linked to the civil rights movement?  I believe inclusion is linked to the civil rights movement because every student deserves a free and appropriate education (relates to FAPE).

Furthermore, this read covers how society has changed its views and outlook in regards to people who have special needs.  It was disturbing to read that people who have disabilities were once rejected, neglected, and feared by society.  I admire Itard because his work, Wild Boy of Aveyron, introduces to society that all children have potential and when provided with appropriate instruction, they can learn.  However, I pose a question: has society completely accepted and welcomed people who have special needs for who and what they are?  I think society has not completely accepted individuals with special needs.  Unfortunately, people still use negative language, such as the word retarded, when referring to people who have special needs.  While society has come a long way regarding how people with special needs are treated and viewed, room for improvement still exists.

Overall, I believe the education profession is a dynamic profession; therefore, teachers should never stop learning about new strategies to help all students excel in the classroom.  I also believe we need to reflect on our views of inclusion.  I view inclusion as beneficial and necessary because students who have special needs are part of the community and society.  Additionally, students with special needs need to learn social skills and their peers act as role models.  By learning about students’ needs and adapting instruction, teachers and students will journey through an appropriate and enjoyable inclusive learning adventure.