Field Study Day 5

July 15, 2010

On this day I completed my final 3 hours of field experience giving me a total of 16 hours. Today started off like any other day but I knew it would not be because it was time to say good bye to these precious students that I truly cherished.

I wanted to do something special for the children so I went out and bought them each a coloring book with a box of crayons. I put them in cute little bags so that they could all have an activity to do for the summer. I also wrote something inside each one and even though they cant read it yet I hope one day when they can they will remember a little bit about me, if not at least they know I was there and that they touched my life.

I had asked Mrs. Flores if I could bring in a book that I read in my EC Reading class and she said yes. The reason I wanted to bring this book was because it had to be one of my favorite. At UHD I have an amazing reading professor who shares all these great books for children. I her class I have learned some of most valuable ideas I have had from school.

The book is the one from the photo it is called "BYE BYE TIME" by Elizabeth Verdick. It is for toddlers and up and it addresses the separation anxiety that children may feel when a caregiver leaves them temporarily. It discusses feelings they may have, coping mechanisms, and the helpfulness of creating a ritual...The pictures are upbeat and expressive. It is a great book so that children have the best good bye and not see it as a sad thing instead as a good thing. They all seemed to love it and even thought I was only there 5day I did not want to hurt their feeling when I said good bye for good.

The field experience was amazing and there are many little details I will always remember. Some are all the different gadgets available to the students and others are cute ones like the rope that Mrs. Flores uses to keep the students in line when leaving the classroom. It is a colorful rope with handles for the students so that they each grab on and for the person behind them. It is so cute and also the students find it entertaining. The biggest memory I will have of all of them is their smile! even though I was not able to take photos of them for privacy reasons I have them all in my hearts.

The day was finally over and it was time for my good bye. I did not tell then they would never see me again I just made sure I said a proper goodbye. I didn't want to upset any and I figure that they would most likely forget about me in a couple of days and keep smiling. Most as usual hugged me and rubbed my pregnant belly. They were truly exceptional!!!

I really want to thank Mrs. Flores and Mrs. Ruiz for all of their help. They are truly hard working educators and they bothered to take the time to explain things with detail to me. I am very grateful that they were able to let me in to their classroom, I know with summer school it is hard to be approved because of finger prints, etc. To all you students who did your field experience do not forget to thank your teachers or who ever assisted you with the Field Study. A thank you card or gift card goes a long way.

I LOVE MRS. FLORES SPECIAL EDUCATION SUMMER 2010 CLASS!!!!!

Field Study Day 4

July 14, 2010

On this day I completed 3 more hours of my field experience. Today was a usual day as always, I am actually surprised to see how great these students attendance is. Hardly any of them ever miss class. I asked Mrs. Flores and she said that it really has to do because they have both parents who work and summer school really helps them keep the student active and also with daycare issues. It hurt my feelings at first to hear that they might use summer school as a day care for the parents but then after a while I realized that maybe what these parents are doing is the best thing a parents can do because the learning benefits the students are getting are incredible. Summer school will not only keep them busy and active but it will keep them fresh and ahead of the game.

Today one of the precious little girls has a bad cold. Mrs. Flores decided to spend some time talking to the students about a cold and what precautions we should take to not get others sick and protect our selves from doing so as well. She told all the students to always cover their mouths when they need to caught and their nose when they need to sneeze. We went over the importance of washing our hands and not spreading germs. As a practice we had all the students wash their hands and remind them when their hands have stuff on them one should always clean them.

The students went to play in the centers and I walked around to play with them and assist them. I really am not very familiar with all of the devices and would hate to make a wrong decision so I decided to help them with the books and their coloring. I also played with the shapes puzzles those are always really fun even for me.

Recess was really interesting because for the first time I saw all the students very engaged and close together. Usually like I had mentioned before at recess they tend to want to do their own thing. Apparently this closeness was due to the fact that they found a lady bug in the play yard. They were all ecstatic about it and made a big circle around. Me and Mrs. Flores went over to tell them not to hurt the lady bug, then we talked a little bit about it and its colors. When it was time to go back inside the students were not very happy to leave it behind and it took several calls to get them in.

Today a new teacher came in to visit. She will be working for the school soon so she stop by to observe and get to know the classroom a bit. Due to this we really spent the whole day doing routine stuff and since she was a new face the students were a bit quiet and proper around her. But like always kept their best smile. That is why I am so in love with these students.

All the days I have been here I have carried my notebook and love to take notes of interesting things and write down all my questions. This has really helped me with my blogs as well. I hope I am giving you all great information about my field study.

Another Child on the Autism Spectrum is with God today, killed by his mother :0( When are people going to WAKE UP AND REALIZE we need more HELP!!!

http://abclocal.go.com/wabc/video?id=7581156

MORRIS HEIGHTS (WABC) -- A mother and son were found dead in their Bronx apartment, the victims of an apparent murder-suicide.

Authorities say a relative went to the apartment at 1944 Loring Place South in Morris Heights around 7:45 p.m. Wednesday to check on them. That relative found that the door was locked and was let into the apartment by the super. That's when the gruesome discovery was found.

The victims, 37-year-old Micaela Jackson and her 12-year-old son Kenneth Holmes, were reportedly both shot in the head in a bedroom, and police say a gun was recovered near the woman's hand. Police say there was no sign of forced entry.

Autism Awareness Commercial

Having a friend with an Autistic child has really opened my eyes to how little people really know about Autism. She stresses to us her friends over and over about how we can help to raise awareness. I donate and try to attend all the events she invited me to. But unfortunately there are still many parents who are clueless. She send me this commercial today and I just wanted to share with the rest of you since its very touching.



Autism Speaks and the Advertising Council launched a new public service advertisement today that was created by BBDO. It aims to let the general public know that autism is more common than you think and is closer to home. The television PSA was directed by Oscar nominated director Lasse Halstrom who is behind Hollywood films such as What's Eating Gilbert Grape, Cider House Rules, Chocolat and, most recently, Dear John

Some Supplies Found in The Special Education Class

I went around looking at all the supplies that Mr. Flores special education class has. I found some really neat stuff. Some of the supplies I had no idea what they did but Mrs. Ruiz the aid helped me with my notes on the supplies.

The first one I saw was the Toobaloo. Looked like a phone/pipe thing. What it really did was transform reading practice into a multi-sensory learning experience. All children will benefit from beginner readers, to children with speech disorders. Increase the opportunity of maximum reading comprehension by involving three senses: sight, sound, and touch. Hold like a telephone and hear the sound amplified through the earpiece.

Then there was the whisper phone. It was placed in front of a mirror and it looked like a headset. I believe it was placed in front of the mirror the allow student to observe what they are saying. It is a hands-free, acoustical voice-feedback headset that enables learners to focus and hear themselves ten times more clearly as they learn by processing language aloud.

To practice their letter they have Letter Formation San Trays. This helps them practice letter writing with this solid 8" x 8" wooden box. The contrasting dark blue laminate bottom makes letters stand out clearly. Includes lid and fine grain sand.

They have many activity books. Some that have Lively characters that serve as letter models and letters are grouped based on the developmental progression of pre-writing skills. This helps them learn number and letters.

A really fun supply pack was the Little Scientist Hands on Pre-k curriculum.It is an inquiry-based program combines scripted lesson formats with pre-packaged hands-on investigations to engage students in "minds-on" science exploration. Aligned to state and national standards, each self-contained unit contains everything needed to complete up to 19 investigations around four content-related topics. Materials include supplies for up to 20 students (working in groups of 5), display posters, instructional guide, home connection mini-books, and student journals, along with written and performance-based assessments.

What Parents Must Know When Transitioning from EI to Special Education

Being around the exceptional children at my field study, has made me wonder as a future parent how and when do you decide that you need to place your child in a special education class. I am guessing as a parent it is a hard decision to deal with and maybe even some tend to be in denial that their child has special needs. I did a little bit of research on what a parent should know and prepare for as they transition and this is what I came up with from a website. This is for autistic and physical disabilities children.

Are you the parent of a child under the age of 3 with autism or a physical disability, receiving early intervention services? Are you concerned about what will happen to your child when they transition to special education? Would you like to have a few items that you can keep in mind during this process? This article will help you have an inside track on transition from EI to special education.

1. 6 Months before your child turns three your EI service coordinator must notify your school district about your child and their disabilities. You as a parent should also notify your school district in writing, about your child's disabilities and needs. I would attach to the letter any testing that your child has received while in Early Intervention, and also any reports written (medical, OT, PT, Speech/Language). Also include in the letter that you think your child is eligible for special education and related services, and you look forward to working with special education personnel.

2. Begin to educate yourself about the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. Go to google and put in IDEA or spell it out and much information will be found. Also, start looking for a parent group in your area that can help you become educated in this area. Special education personnel may try and tell you things that are not true, and education will help you overcome these untrue statements, for the good of your child.

3. Screening is not required when your child transitions from EI to special education, according to IDEA. Some school districts are telling parents that their child must be screened, and then tell them that their child is not eligible for special education services. If your school district will not accept the reports of the testing your child has already received, ask for additional testing. Do not accept screening as an eligibility tool, because it is not!!

4. A conference must be held at least 3 months before your child turns 3 between the parents, the EI service coordinator and a representative of your school district. Insist that your child's disabilities be discussed, needs for related services (PT, OT, Speech/Language), past testing, any testing the child needs now, whether your child is eligible for special education services, and program options for the child until the end of the school year.

5. If possible bring another parent or advocate who is experienced with IDEA, to this conference. They will help ensure that your child receives the special education and related services that they need and are entitled to under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. Do not take no for an answer!

6. If testing is needed, it should start immediately and be finished before the child's third birthday.

7. Special Education services must begin by the child's third birthday, not after!

(http://ezinearticles.com/?7-Things-That-Parents-Must-Know-About-Transition-From-E-I-To-Special-Education-at-Age&id=2155444)