When I graduated High School, I left Victoria for England, as part of the GAP program. I was sent to a town called Worcester, to work in a school for an entire year. During my interview, I listed my main strength as visual arts. When I arrived, I found myself in the middle of a school for the blind and visually impaired...
Finding it slightly ironic that a visual artist was placed at a school for the blind, I was completely overwhelmed. I had no idea how to handle this, or any experience in this case that would help me. I soon learned to adapt. I was forced to take everything I thought I knew and throw it out. I adapted projects to become tactile, I discovered products that would work. There are papers made by the RNIB, and I believe something similar made by the CNIB that are completely tactile. Each colour is a different texture. There is thick plastic that can be drawn into, and the user can feel what they were drawing. Everyday objects could be used to create texture and make a different experience in the process of making art.
My thought for this blog is how are you going to adapt your teaching, depending on the child, and whatever their ability or disability may be? Especially if it is something you have little, to no experience with. What will you do, if you are doing an art project, or a sports activity where the student has limited mobility, or a visual impairment, or a learning disorder? There should always be ways to maximize inclusion in the classroom, but how do we become adept at figuring that out?
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It is so important to remember that just because our students might have a different approach doesn't mean they can't take part in our class. Art, music, and phys. ed. are particularly important for these considerations.
ReplyDeleteI is a necessary challenge for us as educators to make sure everyone of our students are being properly challenged.
Think outside of the box and don't be afraid to ask a student how they feel they could be better included. No one knows their needs better than they do!
I think this is an extremely great topic to cover, but I also think it is something that is very hard to prepare for. How do you prepare for someone with a challenge to come into the class when you are unaware of how that individual works. There are so many different things we, as teachers must prepare for, but we must also be prepared to be challenged and to be put in a position we have never had to deal with before. That is what being a teacher is, you have to adapt to each individual student depending on each students personal needs and abilities.
ReplyDeleteI have to agree with Court that this is difficult to prepare for. Over the course of our careers, we are going to experience students with a wide variety of abilities and needs. I think it is something that we just get better at with experience and through pursuing professional development.
ReplyDeleteI recall Allen giving the example in class of the girl in a wheelchair (I think) who's father insisted that she would take PE. While I think some activities would be fairly easy to include such a student, some aspects of the curriculum are going to be a lot harder. I wouldn't say impossible however. I always like to think of the example of Ryan Heuman when it seems like a student can't be included. http://bctf.ca/publications/NewsmagArticle.aspx?id=12140
Andrew nice link.I checked out that sight interesting story.I think touches on what you and court were saying.It is very hard to prepare because each situation is different which makes it hard.I think you just have to deal with each situation and not assume anything prior.If anyone has not seen this link they should check it out.Definitely makes you think.
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