Teaching Teamwork Skills

Teamwork is an important skill to learn in the classroom. When students get on the job site, they will be expected to work with others as a team. This is a skill that needs to be taught and students need to practice so that they can improve on using this skill. Sometimes they may have to work with someone they don’t like or agree with so they need to learn how to get past this obstacle in order to accomplish the goal. Teamwork is an essential skill for students to learn, as it will help them succeed in school and in life.

Here are some tips on how to teach teamwork in the classroom:

• Define teamwork and its benefits. What is teamwork? Why is it important? What are the benefits of working as a team? Start by defining teamwork and its benefits for students. This will help them understand why teamwork is important and why they should be willing to work as a team.
• Model teamwork behavior. As a teacher, you are a role model for your students. Show them what it means to be a good teammate by modeling teamwork behavior in your own interactions with them and with other adults. This includes things like being respectful, listening to others, and being willing to help out.
• Provide opportunities for teamwork. There are many different ways to provide opportunities for teamwork in the classroom. You can assign group projects, have students work together on class activities, or even create a team-based reward system. The key is to provide students with regular opportunities to practice teamwork skills.
• Teach teamwork skills. In addition to providing opportunities for teamwork, you can also teach students specific teamwork skills. This includes things like communication, conflict resolution, and problem-solving. There are many different resources available to help you teach these skills, such as books, articles, and online resources.
• Celebrate teamwork successes. When students work well together as a team, be sure to celebrate their successes. This will help them feel good about their teamwork skills and encourage them to continue working as a team in the future.

Here are some additional tips for teaching teamwork in the classroom:

• Use a variety of teamwork activities. Not all teamwork activities are created equal. Some activities are better suited for certain age groups or skill levels. Experiment with different activities to find ones that work well for your students.
• Be patient. It takes time for students to learn teamwork skills. Don't expect them to be perfect overnight. Be patient and provide them with opportunities to practice their skills.
• Be positive. Teamwork can be challenging, but it's also a lot of fun. Be positive and encouraging, and your students will be more likely to enjoy working as a team.

Teaching teamwork in the classroom is an important investment in your students’ future. By following these tips, you can help them develop the skills they need to be successful in school and in life.

Photo by Hannah Busing on Unsplash

Happy National Pharmacist Day

January 12 is National Pharmacists Day. Pharmacists dispense medicine, provide advice, and even give vaccines. This day was probably founded by pharmaceutical organizations that wanted to show their appreciation for pharmacists.

There are over 300,000 pharmacists in America and they are very important to the healthcare system. This profession is considered one of the most trusted professions in America.

In Egyptian times, priests were also doctors, and many prepared medicines to treat their patients. During the time of ancient Greece and room, the professions of doctor and pharmacist became separate. Pharmacists used to make medicines themselves until World War II. At that time, the pharmaceutical industry was created. Medicine was made in factories and pharmacists filled prescriptions.

Take time to thank your pharmacist for the great job they are doing.

This would be a great day to do some research into being a Pharmacist.

• What education requirements are needed to be a pharmacist?
• What average salary does a pharmacist make?
• What are the pros and cons of being a pharmacist?
• What hours does a pharmacist work?

What other questions would you ask? Please share.

Animals as Teachers

“The NVIV (Next Vista Inspiring Video) series of posts are written by Rushton Hurley and designed to provide students and teachers with fascinating discussion prompts.”

In Animals as Teachers, Rushton features architect Mick Pearce, who looked at termite mounds to figure out how to design a natural cooling system for a commercial building.

Rushton gives the following prompts to accompany this video:

“Is there some sort of non-human life form that taught you something?

Thinking about animals, insects, etc. that you have studied, how might their advantages help us deal with challenges in our society?

You might also wonder why more buildings haven’t been built using the lessons we learn from termite mounds, which after all, have been around for as long as there have been termites. Why are we only recently learning the lessons that they can teach us?”

I like using nature to solve some of our real-life problems. This would be a great challenge for students to see how they can link the two. I would put students in groups to find another example and then share it with the class.

Please check out the video and think of other prompts you might come up with. Please share. 

A Reindeer Career

“The NVIV (Next Vista Inspiring Video) series of posts are written by Rushton Hurley and designed to provide students and teachers with fascinating discussion prompts.”

In A Reindeer Career, Rushton features Davaajav, a reindeer herder who lives in Mongolia.

He gives the following prompts to accompany this video:

“Try to imagine at least five possible futures for Davaajav and his family. What is in the video, or in other research you do on reindeer (also called caribou) that supports each idea for a possible future path?

Are there jobs in your community that seem to have fewer and fewer people doing them? Do jobs have life spans?”

I found this video interesting because I’ve never heard of a reindeer herder. Students would find this intriguing also. I didn’t know there was anyone who did that kind of work. I wonder if some of their future jobs could be to sell reindeer fiber and reindeer milk (what healthy qualities does reindeer milk have?).

Since I like to knit and spin yarn, I am very interested in animal fiber. I know that people spin muskox and bison fiber and I’ve spun yarn from yak and camel but I wasn’t sure about reindeer so I did some research. I found an etsy shop that sells reindeer yarn: Alaska Natural Fibers. 

Here is their description of reindeer fiber and yarn: 

“But, you say, isn’t reindeer hair thick and stiff? Not all of it.

The down is fine and soft but difficult to extract and delicate to handle. We separate the hollow hair from the fine down and what is left is beautiful.

Reindeer are 90% covered with hollow, stiff, white hairs. Snuggled in-between that floatation and heat-trapping layer is a very fine springy and short down fiber. In a similar way that the muskoxen grow and shed a winter undercoat of qivuit, the reindeer grow an entire winter protection layer and shed it in the spring. Reindeer shed everything down to the skin - naked! Muskoxen don’t shed their long protective fibers.

Since reindeer shed their coat entirely every spring, this makes gathering the fiber from a herd quite arduous as handlers are picking it up off the ground and out of fields.

By micron count, the reindeer undercoat is as fine as qivuit but grows in kinky inch long spirals and is an extremely soft down. Magnified the fibers resemble a tightly coiled spring nestled between long, rigid toothpicks.

Reindeer processes into a lighter and airier fiber, yet, at 100% it’s sticky like Velcro so needs blending to calm it down and get it through our milling machines.

We consider carefully when adding another animal wool to smooth the reindeer for processing. This blend has merino from Unalaska, Alaska on the Aleutian chain.

With handling and wear a reindeer garment just gets lovelier for it keeps its integrity and with time and handling, it blooms a halo of fine mist.”

Please check out the video and think of other prompts you might come up with. Please share.

Observations

We can learn a lot by observing others. When we want to learn something, we should observe those who know how to do what we want to do.

I’ve always wanted to be a teacher, so I was constantly observing teachers as I went through school. I noted teachers that I felt were good and helped me be a better teacher. I observed those teachers that I knew I wouldn’t want to be like.

When students think about careers, they should go shadow someone already in the field. They should learn about the pros and cons of that career so they know what they're getting into if they decide to pursue it.

When I want to try a new craft, I like to go on YouTube and observe someone else actually making what I want to make. I can observe what they are doing so that I could do the same thing. If I watch several videos, I'll get a better idea of the different techniques used so I can decide which one will work best for me.

I believe students learn a lot by observing too and we don’t remember how influential observations may be.

When students are observing me, I want to be a good role model. I want them to see how I can solve problems. I want them to see how I deal with my emotions especially frustration, disappointment, and frustration. I want my students to observe that I try to be fair and kind to others.

Knowing that students are good at observing others, it is important to take time to discuss their observations. This is an important way to show you are not ignoring their knowledge of what others are doing and how they behave. By talking about the positive and negative things they observe, you can help them process what they have observed. They can learn to decide what actions are appropriate or not appropriate.

Observation is a crucial strategy in learning.

How do you encourage students to use the power of observation? Please share?

Photo by Elisabeth Wales on Unsplash

I Love My Job

In Five Reasons Why I Love My Job from Sioux's Page,  Sioux Roslawski asks,

“Do you love your job or do you hate it? If you're retired, what is the best part, and do you miss any part of your former job? If you aren't crazy about your job, what would be your dream job?”

I retired from teaching special education after almost 30 years and I loved it! I loved the difference I made in many lives. Over time I realized that I couldn’t save everyone but I gave it my best effort.

I was willing to learn and try new techniques that might be the key to unlock my student’s success. I loved that no day was ever alike and no student was ever alike. Every day brought on new challenges. I miss my students but I don’t miss the paperwork and the red tape.

I loved to see the light in a student’s eyes when they finally understood something that we had been struggling with. I felt like we were in a battle to succeed and we fought side by side so each student’s success made me feel like I won the battle too.

Helping parents understand their child’s disability and listen to their fears and frustrations was important too. I feel that by being nonjudgmental and open to their suggestions, made us work better as a team to help their child succeed. Even though I listened to their discouraged voices and tried to lend support as much as possible, they in turn would do the same for me.

The appreciation of the students and parents made me feel that the struggle every day was worth it. I tried to show my students and their parents how much I appreciated them also. Each student touched my heart and changed my life also. It would be impossible for this not to happen if I gave 100% to my work. If anyone says this doesn’t happen, I would truly doubt the commitment they give to teaching.

Maybe that is why I spent my whole career in special education which is rare. Many people get burned out early in a career in special education. I’m not saying I didn’t get frustrated or discouraged, but my rough times never were bad enough to make me want to quit. These times only made me more determined to fight back and help my students succeed.

I never regretted a minute of going into teaching and I don’t think I ever will.

What do you love about the job or the job you used to have? Please share.

Being Crazy With Landscaping

In Being a Mom from Sioux's Page, Sioux asked,

Is there something you've done/considered in the past that made your friends or family look at you like you're crazy?

I love blogging prompts from this blog!! (Did I tell you I was one of her biggest fans!) And I love relating her prompts to my classroom.

There are many things I’ve done that just had my family shaking their heads. For instance, the time I wanted to teach my student how to frame pictures or when we studied vermiculture (worm farming) first hand for a whole year. There are many examples but I’m going to mention only one of them in this post.

My students were in a self-contained special education program and in the past had attended the vocational center to learn skills for employment. Over time, the center became a “career and technology” center geared for students who were going to college and not my students who didn’t even receive a regular high school diploma. They were no longer invited to learn skills like brick masonry, auto collision, auto mechanics, carpentry and wood working, and horticulture.

I was so disappointed for my students that I wrote a grant for my students to learn and apply horticulture skills at the main school site. Keep in mind that I knew very little about horticulture or landscaping but was willing to learn alongside my students. I worked with another special education teacher who had the training in horticulture and we combined our classes for activities.

In order to get the grant, we had to have a plan of action. We decided we would landscape the front of the school which included planting trees and bushes. After getting approval from the administration, we priced equipment, supplies, and materials we would need. Students learned how to price different companies and create a work budget and a work timeline.

When we won the grant, the real work began. I assigned a foreman (who loved working outdoors and had some experience with his dad at home with working in the yard). Different people had different assignments and willingly got into the project.

The fun began when we had to dig 30 holes, three feet deep and three feet in diameter. I joined right in so I could be an example for my students and realized why I became a teacher instead of a landscaper! I came home each night with blisters on my hands because we dug all those holes by hand! Then when the trees were delivered by a crane and put in each hole, many of the general ed students were curious as to what we were doing. Many asked my students how they could get into my classes (which made my student’s self-esteem shoot right out of the sky!) We also planted azaleas and juniper bushes near the building.

Before winter, we brought in mulch and mulched everything we planted! I can’t tell you how many days I came home filthy and exhausted but I felt so thrilled. My students learned new things every day. They learned about following directions, helping others, budgets, planting, landscaping, and working with others.

Many of my students said it was the best year of their lives! They were the stars of the school for the first time. Others were wishing they could be in their classes instead of the other way around.

It was a success from all viewpoints! I still hear from students decades later about how great that whole project was. Those trees are still there and I’m so proud of my students.

But during that year, my family and friends just saw me or heard about the project and just shook their heads. When I want to try a new project, I tend to jump in with both feet. Sometimes it is a success and sometimes it is just a life experience to learn from. Either way, I don’t regret a minute of it!

Have you done something crazy? Please share!

Image: 'birth tree: planting a snow bell'
http://www.flickr.com/photos/73645804@N00/441505709
Found on flickrcc.net

Secondary Transition and Common Core State Standards: Tools You Can Use

I recently attended the South Carolina Council for Exceptional Children’s state conference and learned a lot of great things. Over the next few days, I hope to share with you some of the information that I learned.

This session was presented by Jennifer Cease-Cook from the National Secondary Transition Technical Assistance Center

1. Common Core Standards have been adopted by 45 states and Washington DC.

2. New Territory: large scale formative assessment, “through course assessments,” computer based/adapted assessments, emerging technology available, matching testing accommodations to classroom accommodations, single set of testing policies within a consortium.

3. Are college ready and career ready the same: look at academic skills, test proficiency, job-specific/technical skills, business and industry leaders focus on employability skills (soft skills) – problem solving, communication, teamwork, technology, adaptability, increased national focus on Career Pathways, industry certification, alternative pathways.

4. College readiness: key cognitive strategies, academic knowledge and skills, academic behaviors, contextual skills and awareness.

5. Career Readiness: work based learning experiences, self determination

6. Standards-based education does not equal special education

7. What does this mean for students with disabilities? – increased academic rigor, increased focus on college preparedness in education, increased attention that multiple methods of assessment and instruction critical, increased focus on using date for instructional and program decisions increased recognition of importance of alternative pathways.

8. Designing instruction – address real life topics, make curricular content more meaningful and relevant.

Additional resources:

www.corestandards.org – resources and current info on the adoption and implementation of the Common Core State Standards

http://commoncore.org/ - a curriculum mapping project for resources regarding instruction and curriculum design associated with the Core Standards

www.nsttac.org – 101 documents on secondary special ed issues including college and career readiness

www.ideapartnership.org

www.cast.org

www.careertech.org

www.p21.org

www.ncwd-youth.org

www.parcconline.org

www.k12.wa.us/smarter

My big takeaway from this session was that we need to make education relevant and meaningful to our students. There were great examples for doing this in this session.

Image: 'balance-your-stuff-1a--richardstep-unleash-your-strengths'
http://www.flickr.com/photos/63435518@N08/7437996872
Found on flickrcc.net

Finding the Right Fit

I don’t know about you but I like to buy clothes that fit me. This makes me feel good because I think I look good.

The same thing should be said about our job, no matter what we do.

I see a lot of teachers talk about how they are burned out in the first few years but I wonder if it is because they haven’t found the right fit. Imagine wearing a pair of shoes all day that were the wrong size!
 
Just like clothes shopping, we might have to try a few different places before we find the right fit. Sometimes spending a couple of years in one place help us determine what we are looking for because when we first become teachers we are so thankful to get a job that we don’t think about whether it fits us or not.

I worked at my first school for three years. I learned about working with colleagues. I learned about having an administrator that I respected was important to me. By reflecting about my time at this one school, it helped me look for a better fit for the future.

For six years I worked on getting a better fit about my second school. During this time, besides honing my teaching skills, I was able to learn more about professional development and allowing myself time to grow in my career.

My third school was a great fit. I really liked my principal and he encouraged me to take a leadership role during this time. I was able to look at my values and realize how important they were to me. My values were a big part of how I saw my job and myself in that position. When I left there, it was because the administration with a new principal had different values from me and I wasn’t willing to compromise on them.

My last school was a fabulous fit! The principal encouraged me to spread my wings even more than I imagined and I took a major leadership role in my department. I was able to help the department become better and well known for its student success and paperwork accuracy.

If you notice from each job to the next, I was constantly trying the place on for size and seeing if it “fit” me. Sometimes it takes more than one school and a lot of patience.

I hope that new teachers don’t give up so easily when times get tough. It may just be that where they are isn’t the right fit for them. They need to look at other places and try something new. Each new place should be a better fit than the last one.

Hopefully, they will find the right fit like I did. Maybe that is why I love my career so much! Maybe that is why I didn’t burn out so easily like my colleagues. I’m not sure if that is the reason but I know it worked for me and it made my career a success.

How do you go about finding the right fit for you? Please share!

cc licensed ( BY NC ND ) flickr photo by espelina: http://flickr.com/photos/espelina/14202413/

Careers on Wheels Day

The other day my husband and I drove the Red Cross Emergency Response Vehicle (ERV) to an elementary school for their Careers on Wheels Day. There were 10 stations and we were one of them. Students came in groups to each station for 15 minutes and we talked to them about the Red Cross, our job, the training we had, and the pros and cons of the job. Unfortunately our weather took a turn for the cold (about 32F after being almost 80F a few weeks ago!) so it was pretty cold for the children. Even though they were cold, many of the children asked very good questions. They seemed to enjoy looking into the back of the ERV and asking what the different items were. I spent some time explaining to them how much reading, math, writing, and following directions were involved or we wouldn’t be able to help people. We talked about different disaster and things they should have with them in case of a disaster. The main point I made was that in case of a fire, their main goal was to get out of a burning building alive. They shouldn’t worry about taking anything with them! Many teacher appreciated that I was able to tie in classroom skills with what the Red Cross does. It was an enjoyable day and I think we gave children something to think about.

Does your school have a Career Day? Is so, how is it organized? Please share.

The Essential Role of the Behavioral Analyst for Autistic Children

(Today’s post is written by guest writer, Laura Seale.)

If you are studying towards a degree in special education, there is a need for trained professionals in the Applied Behavior Analysis or ABA. Applied Behavior Analysis (often termed Applied Behavioral Analysis) is a field of study and research that has extensive scientific basis for success in treating behavioral issues in children and adults, including autism. Autism can run on a spectrum from very mild (usually diagnosed as Asperger’s Syndrome) to very serious issues, with low-functioning autism. Some children struggle to develop speech or can only use one sense at a time.

Applied Behavior Analysis offers hope for individual autism sufferers and their families to develop creative ways that each person can work with their disability to function effectively as possible in the world. Now that more is known about autism, including the spectrum of severity of symptoms, this has highlighted the increasing importance of tailoring treatment to each individual case. Unlike with a traditional illness, in which symptoms can be similar between sufferers, even symptoms within family members with autism can be dissimilar. Learn why more families are adding a behavior analyst to their child’s treatment team and how you can be a part of this evolving career tract.

Board Certification

Before you can work in the field as a behavior analyst, you will need to have the proper credentials. Your first step will be to get the adequate education, which often means studying towards an education or a special education degree and earning your teaching certificate. There are different levels of certification for bachelor’s degree and master’s degree candidates that are outlined on the Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB) website. From here, the next step is to become board certified as a behavior analyst. While varying states handle the issue differently and to date there is no uniform consensus, becoming a board certified behavior analyst is the best and quickest way to ensure you will not later hit obstacles in your career because you never took this step.

Because the BACB is a respected nonprofit organization that administers the only recognized certification program for behavior analysts, whether you plan to start your own consulting business or work within a school district or private practice group, obtaining your board certification showcases your credentials and preparation. In fact, it can elevate you above other behavior analysts who lack this valuable credential.

Understand Your Role

Once you have earned your board certification, your next step is to understand how you will fit in with a team that is supporting an autistic child as well as their family members. Because often the family members are the least skilled at managing their autistic child’s symptoms but the first line of support for that child, applying your behavior analysis skills with an autistic child will be involved in analyzing the family dynamic and the behavior of family members. In addition to this, you will be developing strategies specific to how that child behaves as well. For instance, if the autistic child throws a temper tantrum, the family may have grown accustomed to responding in a certain way, even if way is not entirely useful. The whole family will enter into a period of behavior modification and education to learn how to best function as a family, while still supporting the autistic child.

A Behavior Analyst is Part of a Team

In this capacity, you may find yourself working in a team setting with the child, the parents and siblings. You may also find yourself in a classroom situation with the child’s regular teachers. You may even be in administration, with a child’s private therapist and physicians along with other professionals and supportive persons. Your behavior analysis skills may be applied to studying and completing homework, communicating through words and behavior, paying attention and retaining information, socializing with others, teaching basic life skills and helping the child transition into higher grades or even a part-time job as they get older. In this way, as a behavior analyst, you can play an essential role in supporting autistic children and their families in ways that were unheard of just a few years ago.

Image provided by Lance Neilson from Flickr’s Creative Commons

About the Author: Laura Seale is studying to be a special education teacher. She has worked with several students with autism during the past few years; following her graduation, she will be working toward her PA teaching certification.

Restaurant Service in a Nutshell

What is considered good service in a restaurant? I tell my students that they need to offer good service if they work in a restaurant but I’m not sure I defined what that means. Maybe good service to me might not mean the same for everyone else. I can tell you though that the better the service, the better the tip that I leave is much higher.
My husband and I go out to eat a lot. Probably more than the average person so I think I have seen all types of service. Sometimes there are many things that affect how much I enjoy my visit to a certain restaurant and I think all of these things affect my tip (even though it probably should not).
If you are a host/hostess:
1. I should be acknowledged when I walk in. If they can’t seat me right away, at least let me know that you see me and will seat me shortly.
2. Ask my preference as to a table or a booth.
3. Don’t seat me at a place if there is trash under or around that table.
4. If there are plenty of tables, don’t seat me right next to another occupied table. This may be convenient for the server but not enjoyable for the guest.
5.
If you are a server:
1. Acknowledge that you see me even if you can’t get to me right away.
2. Introduce yourself and act welcoming like you are glad I am there. I don’t like when you make me feel unwelcome or that you are doing me a favor by waiting on me. Without me, you don’t have a job so essentially I’m doing you a favor by being there.
3. Don’t take too long to get my drink order so I can look at the menu while you get my drink. Usually I come in and I’m thirsty.
4. Always make sure that my drink is not empty. Don’t ask me if I need a refill. Just bring me one! If my glass is empty, I need a refill.
5. When you bring my food, check and make sure that everything looks right. Ask me if I need anything else. Don’t just ask these questions and then turn before I can answer. Wait for me to answer.
6. Keep your eye on me every once in awhile to see if I need anything. Don’t ask me every 2 minutes if I need anything because then you are interrupting our conversation which is annoying.
7. Ask me if I’m done before you take away my plates. I do not want you to touch my plates if I am still eating or using the plate.
8. Some people eat faster than others. Don’t bring the check until all of the people are done eating unless someone asks for it. Bringing the check before people are done makes them feel rushed. Rushed people do not leave good tips.
9. Let me know if you take the payment or if I have to go somewhere to pay. I hate having to guess what to do. If I have a question about my bill, offer to check it even if you think I’m wrong. Then go check it because I may be right.
10. Thank me for being there. Invite me to return again (remember, I’m job security! The more customers, the more the business needs to keep you.)
These are my suggestions for good service. Do you have any others to suggest? Please share.
Image: 'untitled'
http://www.flickr.com/photos/22729253@N06/5264089141

Understanding The Military and Special Education

Recently we held our Passport to Success 2010 which is an event filled day of activities enabling students to receive information which will assist them in transitioning from high school to post secondary training or post school employment. I think it is a wonderful event which brings agencies and businesses together for the students and parents in one venue. In fact, I was thrilled to see some parents attend and get involved.

It was my job to invite vendors to the event and was thrilled that in our economic situation, that about 25 vendors decided to attend. The US Army Recruiting Office was one of those that sent a confirmation that they would attend. I was so excited to have them present because so many of our students ask about going into the military.

Yet on that day, two nice recruiters arrived to talk to me and said that if any of these students had “special education” in their records anywhere, the military would not accept them. I tried to explain that not all of the students in special education are developmentally disabled or physically disabled and that some may have minor disabilities that still enable them to attend college. They said that they understand that but that the military doesn’t offer any accommodations like the education system offers and would not take any student who received special education services. Of course, they asked me not to “kill the messenger” because they were just relaying what they were told to do. Then they politely left.

I can understand not wanting to have someone developmentally disabled or unable to control their behavior having a gun in their hands. I understand not wanting to have someone who can’t read or write or understand basic instructions because it would be too dangerous. But that is not everyone who receives special education services! Is this not discrimination?

What I don’t understand is who is lying? I know some students who received special education services that are serving in the military right now. I know their permanent records showed special education services because I have seen those records. I also know that they are performing well and in fact, moving up in ranks. Many current students know these people also and are getting mixed messages here. They don’t understand when some people are saying they can’t join and then others show they can by their actions. I’m not sure even I understand the right story.

I have had former special education students who are able to hunt and even provide food for their families. They have worked construction jobs and some have even worked on their own houses to provide shelter for their families. Some of my students are even quite adept at using computers and repairing them. For most of their jobs, they are required to prove competence and no one cares if they received special education services when they were in school. If they are incompetent, they lose their jobs and that is fair.

How can we deny these students the right to serve our country? Many people complain about our young people not appreciating our own country and then we treat the ones that do in this manner. I also look at the statistics and see how many people in our country have some kind of disability or another. Where will the military draw the line? Yesterday they were accepted but today they are not and tomorrow they might be?

I also think this is setting a precedent for students and parents to refuse the help that a school can provide. I think that many can struggle and possibly survive the school system without help but is that the best we can do for our students? I know that I have taught my students to find out what they need and what works best for them so they can apply it to their lives after they leave my classroom. Could this not also work if they chose the military path? What is the military so afraid of? I know the military came to our school and gave the ASVAB test so wouldn’t that rule out many who couldn’t pass the test? I believe that some of my special education students would be able to surpass some of the general education students in a physical test. Everyone who enters the military goes to basic training which would be one more level for students to show competence.

Is this a way to discourage students and parents from seeking special education services? It is hard enough for the students to face the stigma of having a disability but to me, this is just another insult. I spend hours and days telling my students that they have nothing to be ashamed of because a disability is not their fault. Yet, I feel that it is my responsibility to share this information with parents and students when they are considering special education services. Parents and students need to be given the whole picture and not find out until it is too late.

What do you think? Should this information be shared with parents and students or not? How do we prepare students who want the military to be an option when they graduate? Please share your thoughts.

Posted on the Successful Teaching Blog by loonyhiker (successfulteaching at gmail dot com).

Original image: 'The Drill Instructor'
http://www.flickr.com/photos/46042146@N00/1052385311 by: Randy Robertson

School Isn’t For Everyone

It is hard for me to believe this and feel like a good teacher at the same time, but I do. Of course, I did feel better after reading there are worse things than dropping out of school from siobhan curious: classroom as microcosm, Siobhan Curious states,

“I also think there needs to be a shift in social attitudes supported by a change in the system, so that it is easier and more acceptable for students to leave school if they are unhappy and not learning, spend some time in the work force, and return to school whenever they are ready.”

When I was dating my husband, I heard many stories from him and his mother about the difficult times he had in school. He ended up joining the navy and getting his GED. I have taught many students who feel like staying in school is a waste of time.

My students were in the Occupational Diploma Program which was a district program and not a state recognized program. My students were students with disabilities that kept them from passing the state exit exam in order to receive a state high school diploma. This means that they walked at graduation and got their occupational diploma but the state still considered them drop outs on the AYP report. What a slap in the face this was for my students! They followed a rigorous curriculum in order to receive this but they still weren’t counted as being successful.

The local Career and Technology Center was focusing on college bound students who could pass licensure tests so my students were not really encouraged to attend. There were no programs like brick masonry, or building construction, or auto mechanics offered for my students. Of course, I heard that it was hard to find instructors but I also heard that they didn’t really seek anyone out for these types of programs. I’m worried about the future. We will still need our cars worked on, and houses built so who is going to do this if we are not training our youth in these occupations. I had students who were willing to learn this but no one willing to teach them. Some of my students didn’t see the value of staying in school when they wanted and needed to learn a trade. I tried to encourage them to stay in so they could show future employers that they were willing to hang in there and not quit on their commitments but that is the only reason I could really see them staying in school.

I did find information about Job Corps for my students and invited a speaker to my class. I was amazed how great the program sounded. I have had few students go through the program and was thrilled to hear that they were successful with the program.

I believe I needed to find out what options my students had besides school. I also needed to think about the realistic consequences of choosing these options. My students depended on me to be honest and they trusted my opinion. I couldn’t just be single minded and force my hopes and dreams on to them but had to think about what was in their best interests. I also communicated a lot with their parents as we looked at options too. By this time their parents were so frustrated and concerned that they didn’t know which way to turn. Many times I laid out the options for everyone to see so they could go home and discuss these options. Since everyone’s goal was for the student to find success, we were able to help the student make the best decision at that time.

Sometimes school isn’t for everyone and all I hope to do is help my students become successful in finding their way towards independence.

Original image: 'One Room School' http://www.flickr.com/photos/57038667@N00/2822293763 by: Cindy Seigle