Emotional and Behavioral Disorders

Mulcahy, C. A., Krezmien, M., & Maccini, P. (2014). Teaching mathematics to secondary students with emotional and behavioral disorders: challenges and practical suggestions for teachers. Preventing School Failure, 58(2), 69-79.

This article addresses the challenge of teaching math content to students with behavioral and emotional disorders.  While the goal is true inclusion, many students that are diagnosed EBD spend their time in a self-contained classroom without a content-specialized general education teacher. “To successfully teach mathematics to students with EBD, teachers must have expertise in behavior interventions, classroom management, explicit and strategic instruction, principles of adaptations and accommodations, and expertise in mathematical content and practice.” (Mulcahy, 70) The authors offer seven suggestions for teacher of students with EBD.

1. ·  Make sure students are engaged by using mathematical problems that are relevant to the lives of the students
2. ·   Evaluate students’ mathematical knowledge and progress in grade-appropriate math curriculum
3. ·  Develop a curricular map to plan lessons aligned to the standards
4. ·   Use min-lessons to address any deficits – DO NOT sacrifice grade appropriate content
5. · Combine behavior and academic strategies to tackle weaknesses and build on strengths
6. ·   Establish a mathematics language-rich classroom
7. ·   Use technology, hands-on activities, and manipulatives

Looking back at this week’s reading in our text and this article, I can see one dramatic parallel: Students with EBD struggle academically. Many times this is a result of their placement and the skills they have missed in a regular classroom.  While I struggle with true inclusion in all situations, I can see the need for all students to receive meaningful instruction. The story of “Ryan” is a good one but so often this is not the experience for the general education teacher, the special education teacher, or the student himself.

In my opinion, this is a great article.  It is by far the best one I have read so far.  I know how very hard special education teachers work but we cannot expect them to be an expert on every subject they are responsible for teaching in secondary education. As a teacher that works in a middle school, I know the additional classes that were required for me to be math endorsed.  My job is centered on this one subject and it is a daunting task to master the common core standards, find the best instruction methods for each child, and to write the assessments to measure progress.  Now a special education teacher must enter a classroom and do this same thing for at least four different subjects!  And what about high school?  The weakness I see is this is our system of education.  I believe that students would be better served if secondary special education teachers also held a specialized degree to the class that they are responsible for teaching. I know this brings upon the issue of more pay for multiple degrees but that would be my perfect world.

Intellectual disabilities

Jorgensen, C. M., & Lambert, L. (2012). Inclusion means more than just being "in:" planning full participation of students with intellectual and other developmental disabilities in the general education classroom. International Journal of Whole Schooling, 8(2), 21-36. 

This article describes a process to plan for students with intellectual disabilities to be fully included in the general education classroom.  The journal article addresses a five step question based process that takes place each week to plan lessons for each subject area. The questions are:

1.       What is the general education instructional routine?

2.       What are the students without disabilities doing to participate in the instructional routine?

3.       Can the student with the disability participate in the same way in all components of the instructional routine or does the student need an alternate way to participate?

4.       What supports does the student need to participate using alternate means?

5.       Who will prepare the supports?

Further, the article includes a model that can be used for teachers to answer the above questions.  The main goal is to ensure that all students are receiving instruction grounded in the curriculum.  The author also provides districts with suggestions to find the time needed for this instructional planning.

                My own experience has been with children with mild intellectual disabilities.  I appreciate the model given and is something I could see myself using during plan time between the general and special education teacher. For true inclusion to be successful, these steps must be taken. The special education teacher must know the topics of the lesson, the delivery that will be used and the expectations of the students.  Only then will the interventions chosen have an impact on the learning

                The ideas and models included in this article are wonderful for a school in a perfect world.  Unfortunately, this is not a place I have ever seen.  I certainly will plan better in the future with my partnered teacher.  I appreciate that I need to find the time to discuss the delivery of the lesson as well as the goals set out for each student.  I am guilty of sharing only the topics and assessments to be modified.  My biggest worry for the inclusion for students with intellectual disabilities is the level of the disability.  While I can appreciate these working in mild cases, I do not see the possibility of a positive outcome for students with severe intellectual disabilities.  My mom was a nurse for CPS for the past 20 years and her last assignment was to be one-on-one with a girl at Curie High School.  She went from class to class including algebra, chemistry and writing. She was non-verbal and confined to a wheel chair.  No steps in his article would benefit her learning-inclusion at its worst! 

ADHD article

The article can be summarized in its title, “ADHD in the Classroom: Effective Intervention Strategies”. It describes many options for teachers to deal with behavior, academics, communication with home and collaboration with important school personnel.  Further, the authors highlight the need for balanced treatment plans including both proactive and reactive interventions.  Finally, the need for multiple facilitators is addressed.  Teachers cannot do it alone.  A student with ADHD will make the most progress with a team working towards that same goal. 

I found this article connected to my experiences in the classroom.  I am a general education teacher and I have had both diagnosed and undiagnosed ADHD students over the past nine years.  I have witnessed middle school students that struggle to pay attention in class and act out inappropriately. In addition, I have observed students struggle with the side-effects of the medication prescribed to fight the symptoms of ADHD.  During the 2014-15 school year I had a student in my inclusion 8^th grade math class that was constantly tired, late to school and lethargic because he had no appetite during the day.  Some of the interventions suggested in the article worked very well with this student.  For example, self-regulation, a chart that the student used to evaluate his own behavior, gave this 8^th grader an investment in his own success. He was able to keep track of his on-time arrivals, his work completion and his behavior. He also received academic interventions at the end of each day.  This included working with peers in small groups and computer programs to reinforce skills.  Finally, the communication between home and school occurred weekly.  I believe this may be the most important step.  Success can only occur when both school and home are working together. Parents need to know what is happening during those 7 hours in order to keep doctors informed and to reinforce the skills and behaviors.  Teachers need to know of changes, concerns and successes at home too. 

This article is worth a teacher’s time.  It explains concrete interventions that can be immediately used in the classroom.  While these interventions have been suggested for children with ADHD, it is my opinion that they could benefit many more. I especially liked that the writer looked at the “whole” child; interventions were suggested for academics, behavior, peer relations and home.  The only weak point I found was the practicality of collaborative consultation.  The author defines this as an equal partnership between a classroom teacher and the school psychologist.  In my case, I rarely see the school psychologist.  In fact she is split between many schools in the district and I have only sat across the table from her during an IEP or 504 meeting.  This intervention is just not possible in most schools.

 

 

DuPaul, G. J., Weyandt, L. L., & Janusis, G. M. (2011). ADHD in the Classroom: Effective

Intervention Strategies. Theory into Practice, 50(1), 35-42. Retrieved from

http://www.informaworld.com/openurl?enre=article&id=doi:10.1080/00405841.2011.534935