Reflection #7

After reviewing the reading material from today, please 1) highlight the purpose and components of the Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Technical Education Act and 2) briefly research and discuss technical education programs that your local school district provides for students.

The Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Technical Education Act was reauthorized into law on August 12, 2006. The purpose of the law is for individuals to be provided with academic and technical skills to succeed in our ever changing economy. Students receive the support they need through secondary and post-secondary education.  According the Association for Career and Technical Education (ACTE) (2011), federal funds are used to ensure that these technical programs are up to date and academically challenging with business and the industry today. State and local funds generally provide for program improvement through change, integration of academic and technical education, equipment for classrooms with the latest technology, guidance and counseling, staff development, and student organizations. The law allows for more state and local accountability as well as accountability for the students through specific standards. States are working to provide specific standards and curriculum to allow for student progress and success.

The Clark County School District provides technical high schools with trait specific programs. Each school has a different program and students from all over the valley can choose to attend these schools. Students must, however, apply for each school.  A list of the schools includes:

Clark County School District, Las Vegas, NV: Technical Programs Search (2011)

HIGH SCHOOLS GRADES 9-12

·         Advanced Technologies Academy

·         Canyon Springs High School and the Leadership and Law Preparatory Academy

·         Clark High School

·         Desert Pines High School

·         East Career and Technical Academy

·         Las Vegas Academy of International Studies, Performing and Visual Arts

·         Northwest Career and Technical Academy

·         Rancho High School

·         Southeast Career and Technical Academy

·         Southwest Career and Technical Academy

·         Valley High School

·         Veteran's Tribute Career and Technical Academy

·         West Career & Technical Academy

After graduating from these schools, many students have earned college credits and/or have been trained in a trait that they can move forward in a profession right out of high school.  This training will also help many of them as they progress into college with a knowledge base of what they would like to do in the years to come.

References

Association for Career and Technology Education. (2011). Carl D. Perkins Act Implementation.   Retrieved from: http://www.acteonline.org/perkins.aspx#background

Clark County School District. (2011). School Types. Retrieved from: http://ccsd.net/areas/superintendents-schools/schoolTypes.php#select

Reflection # 6

How will you supervise and administer school counseling programs? Ground your thoughts in the course readings.

In order to supervise a counseling program, it is important to understand the role of a counselor. According to the American School Counselor Association (2009), a counselor is trained in school counseling (holding at least a master’s degree) to address the developmental needs of students.  Academic, career, and personal/social issues may all be met through a school counselor. As an administrator, it is essential to hire those individuals who are highly qualified in the area of counseling and hold the most up to date and current qualifications.

The next step to supervising a school counseling program includes setting the model as a guide for the school. According to A Model Comprehensive, Development Guidance & Counseling Program for Texas Public Schools (2004), each school needs something individually different.  Some schools need a new program, updating an existing program, or revamping a program with new resources.  In order to accomplish the goal necessary for one’s school, the Program Development Cycle could be used as a means for establishing the appropriate program. The cycle is five steps that can be accomplished in any order. The steps include: organizing-taking action and identifying leadership for the program, planning-assess the current program, designing-establish the program design, implementing-use counselor resources to make improvements, and evaluating-reevaluate to address further issues that arise. Through this program, one may move forward at the pace that works for the school, students, and parents while working through issues that need to be specifically met.

Once the position is filled and a model is developed, it is important the students feel comfortable meeting with their guidance counselor. As an administrator, it is important to allow the counselor the time necessary to meet with students daily. The suggested ratio of counselor to student is 1:250 (American School Counselor Association, 2009).  However, this is rarely the case.  Many schools have even double the number of students to one counselor. If student have time to meet with their counselor, students will not feel as if they are just a number, but a person with a future in mind. According to Johnson, Rochkind, & Ott (2010, p. 75), “In the Public Agenda study, nearly one-half of young people (48 percent) say they usually felt like “just another face in the crowd” in dealing with their high school guidance counselor.” With time, they will receive the actual guidance they deserve rather than the guidance they get in a five minute session with a counselor that has a desk full of paper work to complete. This means that lunch duty and test-booklet preparations may need to be completed by another staff member in order to allow the counselor time necessary to meet with students.

Continued education and training is also important in our ever-changing world.  As an administrator, one should provide training opportunities for staff, counselors included. The authors (Johnson, Rochkind, & Ott, 2009) explain that counselors are not necessarily trained on how to aid students and parents in financial aid, college selections, apprenticeships, or other post-secondary options. Counselors also need continued training to develop and polish skills in working with students academically and socially. As the years progress, student problems change and counselors need to adapt to the change and learn how to address the new issues.

References

American School Counselor Association. 2009. The role of the professional school counselor. Retrieved from: www.schoolcounselor.org

Johnson, J., Rochkind, J., & Ott, A. 2010. Why guidance counseling needs to change. Educational Leadership, p. 74-79. Retrieved from: www.ascd.org

Texas Education Agency. 2004. A model comprehensive, development guidance & counseling program for Texas public schools (Rev. ed). Austin, TX.

Reflection #5

Interesting enough, when I realized this article was about accelerating students my first instinct was to say, “No way”.  The reason for this being I just assumed acceleration of students solely meant skipping grade levels. After reading through the material and evidence, my thought process and opinion has changed to, “It’s an option, for SOME students.”  Therefore, I do agree in acceleration of students, to a degree.  Acceleration, as defined by the authors Colangelo, Assouline, & Gross (2004, p5.), states,

“Acceleration is an educational intervention that moves students through an educational program at a faster than usual rate or younger than typical age. Acceleration includes single-subject acceleration, whole-grade-skipping, early-entrance to school, and Advanced Placement (AP) courses. Acceleration means matching the level, complexity, and pace of the curriculum with the readiness and motivation of the student.”

As the authors gave examples of America’s leaders who skipped grades, it was apparent to me that this is not a “no way” kind of decision.  The decision needs to be made on a case-by-case basis.  It is amazing to me that people like Martin Luther King Jr., T.S. Eliot, James Watson, and Sandra Day O’Connor all graduated early or skipped grades (Colangelo, Assouline, & Gross, 2004). These people made such a huge difference in our society; I can’t help but wonder if things would have been the same had they not been given the chance to accelerate? I also appreciated the comments from the student, Alexis Hanson, who accelerated from 6^th to 7^th grade.  She brings up great points regarding how students who accelerate deal with different issues.  One struggle she points out is the difficulty she felt moving into college. She says she had a hard time with study skills because she hadn’t ever needed them (Colangelo, Assouline, & Gross, 2004).  I find that interesting because EVERY student has trouble with study skills.  If that is the only concern she really had moving into college, I think she is right on track. Serving students with special gifts and talents is not a new concept, it is a concept that has been ignored and needs to be addressed in a new light.

The myths and truths that caught my attention also came in two-fold: agree and partially agree.  Again, this is why I now believe in acceleration, for SOME students. The myths and truths to come are from authors Congelo, Assouline, & Gross (2004).  Starting with Myth #4: “Age trumps everything else,” (p.6) explains that for many educators, age has become the determination for grade placement. I agree that this idea does play a huge role in the placement, but I do not agree that it actually should play a role.  I agree with the authors in the idea that students should be placed on readiness, not age. Myth #5: “Safer is better than sorry,” (p.6) supports the idea that teachers would rather keep a student in the age appropriate grade than regret the decision later.  Again, I agree that this does play a part in placement, but do not necessarily think it should.  The regret is very little compared to the satisfaction of acceleration for most students. Myth #8: “New friends are hard to make,” (p.7) is a reason I agree with because I have actually seen this take place.  The few students I have seen that skipped a grade struggled with emotional and physical readiness and therefore struggled to make friends. Myth #6 I partially agree with; it states, “Acceleration is not taught in colleges of education (p.7).”  Apparently it can be proven that acceleration is not taught in many colleges, but my college of education did cover GATE students and acceleration.  We did not have one specific class on the topic, but it was addressed multiple times. As I read through the truths and myths posed by the authors (p. 6-7), I did feel they were on the right track with their ideas.  Even if I did not totally agree with the idea, I agree that they are truths and myths.

According to the research I’ve completed regarding CCSD (CCSD Support Services Division) curriculum and standards in teaching gifted and talented students, it seems the idea of acceleration in neutral. It is very rare for a student to skip a grade. So, in that sense it is not highly complemented.  However, the district does provide gifted and talented education (GATE) to gifted students in grades 3-5.  Also, at the middle and high school levels there are accelerated classes in reading, math, English, and science. As well as advanced placement (AP) classes in high school.  Through these programs, it seems acceleration is supported in CCSD.

Reference

CCSD Student Support Services Division: http://sssd.ccsd.net/gate.html

Colangelo, N., Assouline, S.G., & Gross, M.U.M. (2004). A nation deceived: how schools hold back America’s brightest students. The Connie Belin & Jacqueline N. Blank International Center for Gifted Education and Talent Development, 1, 1-82. Retrieved from: http://nationdeceived.org

Reflection #4

How will you, as a school leader, ensure that the needs of students who are English language learners are met?

How will you supervise programs for ELL students?

First off, as stated in the power point by Ms. Jenkins, as a school leader one must start by identifying and addressing the needs of the students.  If a school has a high population of limited English proficient (LEP) students who require special language services, it would then be the responsibility of the administrator to provide the necessary resources for academic success. 

A starting point to address the needs, once assessed, is to create a team that is equipped to train and support teachers who need assistance with ELL students. This team could be similar to the RTI team, and maybe even work with the RTI team, but specialize in ELL strategies.  (This team may already be a standard in some states or schools, but I have not worked in a school with this in the works.) This team could present strategies at staff development days, hold after/before school open-door strategy sessions, parent involvement meetings, tutoring opportunities, etc.

The next step would be to determine which type of language program or programs work for the LEP students, teachers, and staff.  Honigsfeld (2009) gives examples of program models that might be seen in a public school system.   The English-language monolingual program is where a LEP student is placed in a class and receives no special instruction with language skills. The English-language-monolingual-plus ESL program holds students in a general education classroom but also provides instruction in English as a second language (ESL). The transitional bilingual educational program starts with the child in a bilingual classroom.  The student is taught in their native language and is also given ESL services.  However, the instruction is eventually provided only in English and the student is moved as quickly as possible to a monolingual English classroom. A maintenance bilingual education program is very similar to the above transitional program.  The only difference is that this program’s goal is to develop full proficiency in both languages. Finally, a structured immersion program is when the student is placed in a general education classroom where instruction is provided only in English; however LEP students are allowed to address the teacher in their native language when they do not understand.  The teacher must be fluent in the native language of the students, but does not use the language often unless necessary while teaching a certain subject. After determining which program or programs would be the most beneficial in our school, I would then provide the appropriate trainings and hiring that teachers would need in order to successfully implement the program in their classroom with the least amount of change to their procedures.

Supervising the program would then take constant communication with the teachers, staff, students, and even parents.  Communication regarding what works and what does not work will help all parties involved be more successful.  Also, communication through trainings is important. As the teachers are trained in strategies to teach students, it would be imperative for administration to be present to learn as well.  Administrators need to be actively engaged in learning and teaching.  When the staff sees the administration present, they sense the importance of the training and will be more inclined to participate and implement the instructional strategies in their own classrooms. Finally, assessing teacher instruction is the responsibility of the administration. If teachers are trained to work with LEP students, they should be implementing the strategies that will provide for positive academic achievement. Through this, hopefully the students will benefit and the school will move forward in a positive manner.

References

Honigsfeld, A. (2009). ELL programs: not one size fits all. ProQuest Education Journals, 45(4), 166-171.

Reflection #3

Highlight the major components of Title I and how policies have evolved through NCLB 2001 and ARRA 2009. Discuss measures that you believe can be taken as a school administrator to enhance academic outcomes for at-risk youth through Title I funding.

According to the U.S. Department of Education (2004) Title I is titled, “Improving the Academic Achievement of the Disadvantaged”.  Basically this law is to ensure that all students have a fair and equal opportunity to obtain a high quality education.  Students are also required to be proficient on State academic standards through State assessments.  The major components of Title I include: teacher qualifications, student achievement, parent communication, financial funding, and school accountability (U.S. Department of Education, 2004). In order for all of these components to be successful, No Child Left Behind (NCLB) and ARRA were created to successfully meet the standards of Title I.

As part of Lyndon B. Johnson’s war on Poverty, the Elementary and Secondary Education Act was established in 1965. The act was then reauthorized in 2001 as the No Child Left Behind Act. NCLB contains four basic parts: accountability for student performance, focusing on what works for students, increased flexibility with reduced bureaucracy, and empowerment of parents. In order for states to assess student achievement, highly qualified (HQ) teachers must be hired in their subject or content area. Becoming highly qualified requires a bachelor’s degree, state certification (usually an assessment), and competency demonstrated in the classroom.  To focus on what works for students, teachers are trained to use teaching strategies that are research based, which allows students to learn and obtain knowledge in the most up to date and appropriate manner.  Student performance and accountability should then be met in reading, math, and science through State assessed standards. Through these assessments, schools must meet Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP).  If the progress is not met for two consecutive years, schools must then go through a school improvement process which includes five levels of improvements. As schools meet AYP, flexibility in programs and funds then becomes possible. The state and local programs work together to decide what funds will be transferred and where. Finally, parents are informed regarding assistance materials and training, school changes and assessments, and student achievement-all in the language the parent can understand (Texas Education Agency, 2011).

ARRA, or the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, has a goal to establish long term economic health of the Nation by investing in education and public services now. The success will depend on the communities as a whole to apply funds appropriately to strengthen education and teach low-achieving students.  In order to successfully achieve these goals, ARRA funds must be used in the following manner: 1) Spend funds quickly to save and create jobs.  Teachers can be hired specifically to teach in Title I schools or they can be kept on the current payroll if necessary. 2) Improve student achievement through school improvement and reform. Programs and activities can be purchased that will promote student achievement. Also, the funds may be used for staff development to teach teachers successful strategies to teach students who need the extra assistance. 3) Report fiscal and programmatic information in order to ensure transparency and accountability.  This means that schools and districts must report how the funds and tax dollars are being used. This way, the public and parents will be aware of the development in education and understand how the money is spent.  4) Invest the one-time ARRA funds thoughtfully to minimize the “funding cliff”. The local education agency (LEA) and participating schools need to be prepared for reoccurring costs when the ARRA money ends.  So, the programs they purchase should be one-time payments to avoid considerable debt. Basically, the LEA should determine how these funds and other funds can be combined to successfully help students who are failing or with learning disabilities succeed in academics and to achieve standards. (U.S. Department of Education, 2009).  

As an administrator, it is important to be aware of all the components of Title I, including NCLB and ARRA.  Not only is it important for the administrator to understand, but the staff should be well versed in the information also.  Again, communication is essential as an administrator and it is important for one to share with the staff exactly where the school stands regarding AYP.  This will allow for academic success with students as teachers have a desire to meet AYP. Funding can be a very controversial aspect of administration in a school. Teachers, staff, parents, and community partners all have a different idea of how funds should be spent.  As an administrator, it is important to get input from these groups, but make the best decision possible based on the needs of the students and school. It is also important to be aware that only 15% of the ARRA funds can be carried over to the next fiscal year. That being said, LEA and administration need to determine if they will need more time to spend the funds appropriately. If that is the case, they need to immediately apply for a waiver to carry over more of the funds as necessary. As an administrator, it is imperative to use the funding in a manner that will drive results for students, increase education capacity for long term results, improve productivity, and foster continuous improvement (U.S. Department of Education, 2009). Keeping those goals in mind, an administrator should purchase the teacher friendly resources and programs that will give them motivation to teach students in need. While meeting these small goals, the student achievement gap will decrease and success will prevail in school districts, the ultimate goal.

Resources

Texas Education Agency Division of NCLB Program Coordination. (2011). General NCLB information-NCLB overview presentation. Retrieved from: http://www.tea.state.tx.us/index4.aspx?id=4261&menu_id=798

U.S. Department of Education. (2004). Elementary & Secondary Education: Title I — Improving the academic achievement of the disadvantaged. Retrieved from: http://www2.ed.gov/policy/elsec/leg/esea02/pg1.html

U.S. Department of Education, Office of Secondary and Elementary Education. (2009). Using Title I, part A ARRA funds to grants for local education agencies to strengthen education, drive reform, and improve results for students. Retrieved from:  http://vizedhtmlcontent.next.ecollege.com/CurrentCourse/ARRA.pdf

Reflection #2

As an administrator, what steps will you take to ensure that students with disabilities receive appropriate educational placement when behavioral issues arise?

The atmosphere of a school starts from the top; the administration sets the tone for teachers, support staff, parents, and students.  As an administrator, it is essential that high expectations are set from the start of the school year.  This includes: high expectations of teacher and staff instruction, parent involvement, and student participation and achievement. The first step I would take as an administrator is to set the tone in a positive manner by communicating this expectation through example.  Creating positive and informative staff development days, keeping up with evaluations in a timely and orderly manner, and being visual in teacher classrooms is a great way to exemplify to teachers high expectations. Teachers will then pass the “message” along to students and parents in setting high expectations in their classroom through developmentally appropriate instruction and assessments.  Through this instruction, the hope is for students to be academically challenged at their level rather than being bored and/or frustrated. Hughes and Adera (2006) find, “Research has consistently demonstrated that one of the most effective deterrents against inappropriate student behavior is active, engaging, and relevant academic instruction” (p. 27). Students who consistently experience academic failure tend to use behavior as a way to escape from a situation; the behavior is not usually positive (Gable, Bullock, & Evans, 2006).

That being said, the second step as an administrator relates directly to the first step: to prevent behavior issues as much as possible. As students are actively engaged in a good cause, their time to misbehave diminishes. Administrators are responsible for setting the master calendar of class sections.  It is important to take into consideration the types of classes students will need in order to be successful and where they should be placed each year.  It is also the responsibility of the administrator to suggest strategies to teachers who may struggle with behavior management.  Some academic strategies teachers could implement in their classroom include but are not limited to: engaging activities rather than worksheets, instruction in organization and study skills, instruction using higher order thinking skills, instruction relevant to student interests and the world they live in, ongoing assessment of progress (progress monitoring), and practice of social skills and problem solving techniques (Hughes & Adera, 2006).

As an administrator, knowing the regulations and laws is essential (as in every aspect of special education). Congress just amended a section to IDEA in 1997 that specifically addressed discipline issues (Bateman, 2007). These amendments are detailed, but require students with disabilities receive a free and appropriate education while establishing a safe environment for all students.  Part of knowing the laws also requires documentation of behavioral issues and discipline procedures.  This includes past history documented by parents, staff, teachers, and administrators. Students with disabilities are required to follow the school’s discipline procedures.  However, out of school suspension may not exceed ten days. If the student brings illegal substances to school, weapons, or inflicts bodily harm on another, they may be removed for no more than 45 school days.  The key component is to know the appropriate placement for students when moved to an alternate setting and to continue services if required by law. The previous steps and documentation should allow for administration to collaborate with teachers, staff, and parents to find the appropriate setting for the student’s least restrictive learning environment even when behavioral issues arise.

Resources

Bateman, D.F. (2007). The special education program administrator’s handbook.  Boston, MA: Pearson Education.

Gable, R.A., Bullock, L.M., & Evans, W.H. (2006). Changing perspectives on alternative schooling for children and adolescents with challenging behavior. ProQuestion Education Journals, 51 (1), 5-9.

Hughes, A.F., & Adera, B. (2006). Education and day treatment opportunities in schools: strategies that work.  ProQuest Education Journals, 51 (1), 26-30.

Reflection #1

1. Highlight the general components of P.L. 94-142, and how IDEA benefits students who receive special education services.

2. Walk me through the eligibility procedures in deciding whether a student would benefit from receiving special education services.

3. Discuss measures that should be taken by educators to effectively accommodate students who receive special education services.

4. Highlight the differences between mediation and due process, and measures that you as an administrator can take to resolve conflicts between your school staff and parents.

Enacted in 1975, the Education for All Handicapped Children Act (Pl 94-142) was created for all children with disabilities to receive a free and appropriate public education. After reviews of the law every five years, small changes were made and currently the law is titled the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act or IDEA 2004. A nondiscriminatory assessment was also part of this act which required parental permission.  This assessment would allow for an individualized education program (IEP) for the student to gain and maintain the most valuable education possible (Bateman, 2007). “Section 504 of the law defines an individual with a disability as one who has a physical or mental impairment which substantially limits one or more major life activities, has a record of such an impairment, or is regarded as having such an impairment” (Bates, 2007, p 22). There were essentially four purposes to the law.  Along with providing services to meet the specific needs of the student with disabilities, the rights of these students and their parents would be protected, states would be given assistance to provide for student needs, and the effectiveness of the education would be assessed (Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, 2007).

Eligibility for special education services requires a referral process starting with screening activities. The earlier a child is identified the better it is for their development.  If special education services are questioned, the teacher or caretaker first seeks parental permission to assess the child. The next step, according to Bateman (2007), is to seek information relevant to the student’s development.  Questionnaires are completed regarding demographics and relevant family information, health and sensory information, cumulative school files, and current classroom progress.

After this information is reviewed, a group of individuals determine a plan to provide the student with learning opportunities in his or her least restrictive learning environment (LRE) (Bateman, 2007). This team uses scientific, research based interventions to determine if the student responds positively. The interventions are based on a tiered approach where students are first given extra support in the general education classroom. If the student does not respond to the first tier, the next approach is to give more intense instruction (including small groups).  Schools may have different strategies implemented at this tier.  Finally, if the student still does not progress, the student is given special education with an individualized education plan (IEP) (Fuchs & Mellard, 2007).  A 504 plan may also be implemented if the student falls under Section 504 of the law. The RTI team continually meets during this process to determine the progress of the child. Bateman (2007) states, “The purposes of the consultation meetings are twofold: (1) to generate general education class supports (i.e., prereferral strategies) to help the student remain in general education and (2) to determine observation schedules needed to verify the student’s progress toward the general education class prereferral strategies” (p. 69-70). That being said, it is important to note that, “IDEA 2004 established a sixty-day timeline from receipt of parental consent for evaluation for eligibility to the determination of eligibility and the educational needs of the child, unless the state has already established a timeline for these activities.  If the state has a deadline for completing the initial evaluation, the state deadline applies” (Bateman, 2007, p. 76).

Students who receive special education services will have an IEP.  This plan allows for the best education possible for the student.  One of the most important things a teacher can do is follow the plan in the IEP as outlined, not only for legal purposes, but to maintain consistency for the student achievement. If an educator is unsure of how to go about teaching the student according to their IEP, they should seek assistance from colleagues and administrators. Educators should hold a high standard to reach all children and following the accommodations will allow for their success as well. Another tip for educators to effectively teach students with an IEP is to communicate daily with parents. This will provide a positive environment for the student and allow the parents to feel comfortable with the teacher.

When problems arise where the IEP is not met or the parents are not satisfied with how the process is progressing, someone outside the system is called in to help resolve the dispute-mediation. Bateman (2007) states, “Mediation is especially productive when the main barrier is communication” (p. 41). There are three requirements for the mediation process including: voluntary involvement, it is not used to deny or delay a parent’s right to due process, and it is conducted by a qualified and impartial mediator who is trained in effective mediation techniques. At times, the dispute is resolved within 45 days and parents and teachers quickly get back to work educating the child (Bateman, 2007).  However, this is not always the case; conflicts often arise and mediation can take much longer than the given time frame.

Due process is one step further than mediation. According to Bateman (2007), this hearing is conducted by the State educational agency or the local educational agency to resolve the complaint from the parent or guardian. The first step of due process is a preliminary meeting. Within 15 days of receiving the complaint, the local educational agency will send a representative with decision making authority to meet with the parent and IEP team, possibly a lawyer, and/or teacher. At this point the opportunity to resolve the problem is a top priority.  If the conflict is not resolved within 30 days, a due process hearing may take place. When a resolution is reached, a written contract is created and either party has 3 business days to void the agreement.

Clearly, the goal of educators is to meet the needs of all students.  The goal should be to avoid mediation and due process if possible. As an administrator, steps should be taken to prevent these types of situations when working with staff and parents. Communication is a very effective mode for positive relationships.  As parents and teachers feel a sense of community with the school, the desire to comprise will improve. Bates (2007) describes strategies for avoiding due process hearings. It is imperative that the administration is knowledgeable about the purpose and requirements of disabilities laws, and that they believe in the principles of the laws. Teachers and administrators should also know how to serve children with disabilities.  Adopting a team approach adds to the communication and community feel of the school, and as stated before, communication is essential. Professional development meetings and activities for staff and even parents are also a positive way to increase awareness and promote positive teaching styles and relationships. While each of these steps takes time and practice, the outcome proves to be positive and all parties will find success in teaching children.

References

Bateman, D.F. (2007). The special education program administrator’s handbook.  Boston, MA: Pearson Education.

Fuchs, L.S., & Mellard, D.F. (2007). Helping educators discuss responsiveness to intervention with parents and students.[Brochure]. Lawrence, KS: National Research Center on Learning Disabilities.

Special Education and Rehabilitative Services. (2007, July 19). History twenty-five years of progress in educating children with disabilities through IDEA. Office of Special Education Programs. United States Department of Education, Washington, DC. Retrieved from: http://www2.ed.gov/policy/speced/leg/idea/history.html

Purpose

This blog will be dedicated to reflections based on a course through Texas A&M-Commerce, Facilitating Learning for Diverse Students. My goal is to better understand diversity in the classroom and how to adapt to each individual.  I hope to use this information not just in the classroom, but in life to work with others tactfully and successfully.