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| https://waterscousa.com/blogs/news/dehydration-and-the-brain |
The purpose of this assignment is to organize a collection of materials and reflect upon your experiences, learning, effort and thinking throughout this semester. The collection of materials includes:
- Selection and description of your favorite work from this class.
I think my favorite work in this class is the final group project. The purpose of this work is not only to create a publishable paper but also to experience me in working with a group thoroughly. I love the idea of how the class gives us time to discuss about norms in a group, to guide us to manage the project and takepart in a role through team meeting minutes, and to reflect on each of us after completing the project--what I have learned from the group project and how I could improve myself the next time I work with others. All in all, this project provides both experiences in academics and practices as collaborative teamwork looks like.
- A listing of 10 important materials you have collected over the semester and a description of what they taught you (e.g., activities, readings, handouts, etc.)
- Paraprofessionals
What I thought of paraprofessionals in schools was those who had professional or specific skills such as medical specialists, pedagogists, technology experts, and parents. However, this course broadened my viewpoints in which the role of unprofessional people such as cafeteria workers, school janitors, and security officers also important to get involved in designing a student’s program. They can provide their perspectives on how the student interacts with peers out of class or any information
- Co-teaching arrangements
As a special education teacher in an inclusive school back home, I have yet experienced six co-teaching arrangements in an inclusive classroom. Those approaches blew me away, and I hope I can discuss with my co-teachers and implement them in an inclusive school where I will work together. Besides, this idea is an alternative way instead of a pull-out program for students with diverse learning needs that usually happens in schools.
- Presuming competence
This term taught me how to not see kids from my perspective only, but also to clarify or confirm what I notice by touching base with parents, kid’s peers, and others. Also, this emphasizes that what I should see is positive things that help me better understand and put the positive ones in my lesson plan.
- The principles of UDL
What I learned from this is that teachers should be familiar with the principles of UDL to have multiple ideas to develop the class opportunity for students with diverse learning needs so they are easier to takepart in the classroom.
- 30 Days to the co-taught classroom by Paula and Kluth
This reading is simple, practical and meaningful for me. It also offered me step-by-step skills to understand how collaborative teamwork in the classroom works. Through this book, I learned how to communicate effectively with co-teachers, how to appreciate our joint plans, and how to celebrate our efforts.
- Book club activities
The book activities have taught me better understand how the books represent issues in disabilities. As the book of the school bus I read, I learned that they who are diagnosed as having disabilities must have rights to everything as others do. However, social judgment sometimes draws them back in which we should do in reverse. By reading this book, I noticed that the first-hand author with a disability brought me to see beyond what people called “a disability”. I mean, with getting to know people with disabilities, we could see them in positive ways instead of “what they cannot do”.
- The reading of maintaining inclusive classrooms
What I can takeaway from this reading is that it is important to maintain the relationship among teachers by getting to know one another continuously, to solve problems together by trying multiple problem-solving techniques, and to take care of themselves by giving personal spaces out of academics.
- Community builders
I enjoyed the community builder conducted by Melvina and Mai that let all participants stay calm in darkness with gentle music. What I learned is that community builders can be set like meditation to achieve a mentally clear and emotionally calm and stable state. I would love to practice it in the classroom with students and hope it will work and let students more focus in the class.
- Celebrations
This reading helped me appreciate my efforts in schools in which celebration rarely happens because teachers have many things to do with academics and administration in Indonesia. The idea of a celebration is great for me to appreciate teachers’ efforts and to build a support system in schools.
- The collective sharing
I do love this assignment because I can learn from paraprofessionals directly and practically. Their experiences were valuable to me. Also, the idea of interviewing them allowed me to explore more than what the assignment wanted. For example, when I questioned a Speech-Language Pathologist, I could get information on how to infuse AAC devices in the classroom.
- A description of changes to your personal philosophy, understandings or attitudes about teaching and learning.
This is a great question. For my philosophy, attending a school is not about academics but also social justice where all students with diverse learning needs have the same right and opportunity as others do. To create this environment, the understanding of collaboration and cooperation in schools is pivotal for teachers and paraprofessionals. The more they perceive that intended meaning in the name of social justice, the more students feel a sense of belonging at schools. Moreover, these readings’ class has improved my understanding of teaching and learning such as about presuming competence, positive student profiles, approaches to co-teaching, and working things out collaboratively. To conclude, the class of collaboration and cooperation in schools has infused me with many great scholarships theoretically and practically.
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