4/17/2021
Topic:
Students with Disabilities
Sharon Weissman
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I have a student in my first grade class this year with a severe speech impedement. He is a bright student but it is very difficult to understand him. This year has been especially challenging due to Covid and mandatory mask wearing. He is inquisitive and enjoys being engaged. I often have to ask him to remove his mask when speaking. Even then he is difficult to understand. He is in speech therapy and handles most situations with patience. And he doesn't seem to mind repeating himself until he is understood. As the year has progressed I have come to learn his pronounciation of common words and letters. Often the other students try and translate for him. He is a sweet kid and well liked by his peers. So far his disability hasn't seemed to affect him either emotionally or academically. |
4/22/2021
Topic:
Tools And Strategies
Sharon Weissman
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Several years ago when teaching fourth grade I had a student with dysgraphia. She struggled to put her thoughts down in written form and her handwriting was difficult to read. She was very bright and had a lot to contribute to the dynamic of the class. Her parents sought help in the beginning of the schoolyear and she was allowed special accomodations to use assistive technology. She and her family chose both a dictation machine for use in class and a text-to-speech computer for homework and large writing assignments. It was amazing seeing the change in the student both academically and socioemotionally. Now, instead of putting all of her energy into a task she just wasn't capeable of and caused much anxiety, she was freed up to actually participate in real time and to contribute. In this case, technology was a great help to the student and the classroom dynamic as a whole. |
4/22/2021
Topic:
Assessment of Learning
Sharon Weissman
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I use most of the tools described in this lesson. Pre-assess to see where students are and to formulate lesson plans and strategies. Quick 5 minute daily assessment to insure knowledge from the previous day. Weekly assessments and unit assessments. I use out the door tickets as well as individual white board for quick response. When teaching a fourth grade literary circle I allowed a student who was having difficulty writing to submit his answer through art. He built an intricate bridge using popsicle sticks which was used as a symbol in the story. He was so proud of his work. |