Teaching Approaches, Student Discipline, and Special Education Classifications
The Essence of Teaching: Love, Discipline, and Student Well-being
Teaching and Nurturing Students with Love
Student's Experience with a Disrespectful Professor: A science professor explicitly stated she taught only for money, showing no passion or respect, which made her ineffective and created a negative learning environment for the student in fourth grade.
Professor's Personal Negative Experiences with Discipline:
Fourth Grade Incident: As a "hyperactive" child, the professor (then in fourth grade, reading at a twelfth-grade level) would get out of his seat and walk around. His teacher violently pulled his hair, an act the professor views as lacking love and being potentially damaging, though he "didn't cry," he "just yelled." He questioned if she taught with love or mere concern.
Junior High Incident (Cuban Missile Crisis Era): During a nuclear shelter drill, the principal forbade talking, sitting, or drinking water. The professor, an "oppositionally defiant" student due to previous experiences, was egged on by his classmates to drink water. The principal then hit his head on the water fountain, chipping his tooth.
Consequences of Harsh Discipline: These incidents made the professor more defiant. He believes such methods () do not help children and instead make things worse. Effective discipline should involve communication, understanding "what was going through your head?" rather than physical punishment.
Parental Response: In both cases, the professor's parents blamed him, reflecting a cultural expectation of child obedience and responsibility for their actions, even when facing inappropriate disciplinary actions from adults.
Cultural Perspectives on Discipline:
Bangladesh vs. America (Farida's Account): In Bangladesh, physical discipline (e.g., using sticks in schools, parents smacking children) is considered normal. Upon moving to America, Farida experienced a significant cultural shift where such actions are forbidden and even soft-spoken reprimands can upset children. This highlights the evolution towards "teaching with love" in America.
Historical Context in America: After World War II, physical punishment was common in American schools, particularly in religious schools not run by the Department of Education (DOE). Laws regarding child discipline have since evolved, focusing on protecting children and holding adults accountable.
Modern Educational Philosophy: The current approach in America emphasizes fostering self-esteem, social skills, and comfort in children. The belief is that children learn better and become stronger individuals when treated with love and respect.
"Teach Your Children Well" (Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young): The discussion uses this song as a metaphor, implying the message of teaching with love applies to both parents raising their own children and professional educators.
The Positive Impact of Early Education: Former Mayor de Blasio's K initiative is praised for providing early childhood education, giving more children an equal footing and preparing them for school, especially those whose parents may not speak English or have the resources to read to them.
Challenges in Modern Discipline (Lauren's Experience):
Charter School Mistreatment: Lauren's eldest daughter, initially diagnosed with an emotional disturbance (later re-evaluated as academic-triggered emotional behaviors), faced frequent suspensions and detentions from kindergarten through fifth grade in a charter school.
Triggering Behaviors: The school's staff was perceived to "trigger" the daughter, forcing her to talk when she would "shut down," leading to more punitive measures. An incident where a principal grabbed her ponytail was a breaking point.
Lack of Support: The school was seen as failing to accommodate the child's needs and instead harassing her, despite having an Individualized Education Program (IEP). Public school enrollment significantly improved her situation.
Defining "Teaching with Love":
Controlled Responses: It involves controlling one's own response to a child, maintaining a positive and friendly demeanor, and taking small, consistent steps towards change.
Farida's Pre-K Experience: Working with a "tough kid" (biting, kicking, scratching) in Pre-K, Farida's principal advised working "with love," using soft words and hugs. This approach led to a positive interaction where the child's violent behaviors were absent for an hour, despite challenging behaviors like not sitting still or getting paint everywhere.
Rosa's Experience with Respecting Boundaries: Listening to students and respecting their personal space (e.g., a student who dislikes being touched) is crucial. Teaching other children about boundaries and emotional regulation helps create a safe environment.
Ethical and Practical Implications: Educators must find "love" for children they have never met, treating them professionally and with care, recognizing they are "other parents' children."
Importance of Peer Connections: The class structure encourages students to interact and form professional connections, which can be beneficial for career growth and support in the challenging field of special education.
Understanding Special Needs and Disabilities
Group Discussion: Personal Experiences with Disabilities
Activity: Students were asked to share experiences with individuals having disabilities, considering how they knew them, their disability, supports, job/higher education, and etiology (cause of condition).
Professionalism: Special education teachers are highly specialized professionals whose knowledge is sought after in their communities, similar to nurses, doctors, or lawyers.
Student Contributions:
Bashra: Cousin with severe non-verbal autism (violent as an adult), born in America to non-related parents, cause unknown. Highlighted challenges of adult care.
Natalia: Nephew with high-functioning autism, identified at age two (flapping hands, toe-walking, obsession with trains, rigid routine). Benefited from a Nest program that grouped him with similar peers, where he thrives and is aware of his disability.
Andre: Cousin with autism (non-violent, verbal, aware, uses "my coco not acting well" for meltdowns). Contrasted with a violent student he currently works with, showing the spectrum's variability.
Ruby: Cousin diagnosed with epilepsy (seizures) in middle school, later with Amplified Musculoskeletal Pain Syndrome (AMPS). Received support in specialized schools (including therapy with nature/animals), went to college, and became a teacher. Emphasizes the power of tailored support.
Stella: No personal experience, but acknowledged the value of comprehensive services available in the U.S. school system.
Bianca: Brother's friend with non-verbal autism, uses an iPad for communication, received strong advocacy from his mother to find a better school.
Farida & Helen: Discussed a five-year-old with a language delay (repeating words, bilingual home) without a diagnosis yet. Helen noted parental denial and the impact of bilingualism on language development. Helen also shared about a friend who likely had an undiagnosed learning disability/ADHD in a country without sufficient resources, leading to her dropping out of school.
Professor's Reflection: Personalizing the experience of disabilities helps teachers foster love, empathy, and understanding for students and their families, acknowledging the often "hard road."
Historical and Evolving Views on Autism:
Past Misconception: In the professor's undergraduate years, autism was incorrectly viewed as "early childhood psychosis" (similar to schizophrenia), a purely medical condition.
Current (Controversial) Beliefs: Some now claim autism can be "cured by diet," which the professor identifies as a rumor or fallacy, not supported by the CDC.
Modern Understanding: Autism is recognized as a spectrum disorder. With proper varied approaches, many autistic individuals can work and excel in their careers.
Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) and Disability Classifications
Individualized Education Program (IEP): The professor confirmed the acronym IEP stands for Individualized Education Program. It is a legal document.
The 13 Classifications of Disabilities on an IEP (New York State Law): These classifications are used to categorize a student's primary disability for special education services.
List of Classifications:
. Autism
. Learning Disability
. Hearing Impairment
. Deafness
. Multiple Disabilities
. Deaf-Blindness
. Visual Impairment
. Traumatic Brain Injury
. Orthopedic Impairment
. Other Health Impairment
. Intellectual Disability
. Emotional Disturbance
. Speech or Language Impairment
Legal Framework and Roles in Special Education:
Committee for Special Education (CSE): In New York State, every district has a CSE (New York City is one giant district with multiple CSEs per borough). The CSE is the final legal jurisdiction for authorizing special education services and is tied to the budget office and state education department.
School Psychologist's Role: The school psychologist is the primary professional responsible for determining a student's classification. They are the head of the IEP team, possessing advanced training in assessment (requiring a doctorate or Ed.D. in educational/school psychology). This is an autonomous position, where even principals cannot overrule their classification judgment.
IEP Team Members: Key members of the team include the speech and hearing therapist (who conducts tests and provides therapy) and the special education counselor (important for students with emotional problems).
Evaluation and Parental Consent:
School-Initiated Evaluation: A school can evaluate a child without direct parental consent. If parents refuse, the school can present its data to the CSE, which may then reach out to the parents. This process can be lengthy and emotionally charged.
Parental Rights: Parents can seek outside evaluators if they disagree with the school's findings, potentially leading to prolonged disputes. The state's educational court is the final authority in such matters.
Pre-K/K Considerations: Students in Pre-K/K generally cannot receive a specific disability classification on their IEP; it is often labeled as a "Pre-K IEP." This can lead to challenges when parents are in denial about a child's needs.
Example (Lauren): A -year-old in Pre-K showing severe signs of non-verbal autism (eating difficulties, throwing objects, "speaking in tongues") faced parental denial. The mother and grandmother believed he would "grow out of it" and suggested spanking. The school struggled to get consent for evaluation.
Legal Implications of IEPs: An IEP is a legally binding document. Schools failing to properly implement services or follow regulations can face severe consequences, including closure.
Definitions of Key Classifications (from NY State Law):
Intellectual Disability (ID):
Characterized by "significantly sub-average general intellectual functioning."
Exists concurrently with "deficits in adaptive behavior" (e.g., getting dressed, punctuality).
Adversely affects a student's educational performance.
Takes root during the "developmental period" (observable early in a child's life, e.g., lack of milestones like sorting shapes at eight months).
Deafness:
A "hearing impairment that is so severe that the student is impaired in processing linguistic information through hearing with or without amplification."
Adversely affects a student's educational performance.
Autism:
A "developmental disability significantly affecting verbal and nonverbal communication and social interaction."
Generally "evident before age three."
Associated characteristics (not every child will have all): repetitive activities, stereotyped movements (e.g., rocking), resistance to environmental changes or changes in daily routines, unusual responses to sensory experiences (e.g., screaming at classical music, sensitivity to flickering lights).
The definition notes it does not apply if the student's characteristics are due to an "emotional disturbance."
Adversely affects a student's educational performance.
Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI):
An "acquired injury to the brain caused by an external physical force" (e.g., car accident, being hit with a pipe) or "by certain medical conditions" (e.g., stroke, encephalitis, aneurysm, anoxia, brain tumor).
Results in "mild, moderate, or severe impairments" in conditions such as cognition, language, memory, attention, reasoning, abstract thinking, judgment, perceptual, or motor abilities.
Includes "open or closed head injuries."
The definition does not include injuries caused by congenital or hereditary conditions or birth trauma (e.g., injury during fetal development or birth).
Adversely affects a student's educational performance.
Examples: A high school student with mild injuries from a pipe attack retained an IEP. A football player suffered severe cognitive delays and lost reading ability after a bench-pressing accident caused oxygen deprivation to his brain, highlighting the broad range of impact from TBI.
Assignments:
Opinion Paper: First assignment, worth , will be due around October/November. It involves choosing one of about six opinion essays, writing a few paragraphs (with a word range), and including a reference sheet, submitted through Canvas. Instructions will be reviewed in the next class.
Textbook: The textbook ("Special Education: Contemporary Perspectives for School Professionals" by Marilyn Friend) is supplemental; lectures are the primary source for tests. Any edition is acceptable.