Decemeber 2019 - Special Educator e-Journal
Table of Contents
- Special Education Legal Alert. By Perry A. Zirkel
- Buzz from the Hub
- Book Review: Go See the Principal: True Tales from the School Trenches. By Miranda Freites
- Universal Design for Learning: Assistive Technology. By Rebecca Fields & Marissa Pardo
- Post-School Transition Strategies and Services for Students with Disabilities. By Lauren Bacus
- Graduation Rates Are Increasing, but Students with Special Education Needs Are Still in Peril. By Christine Powell
- Critical Analysis: Strength-Based Approaches for Students with Emotional and Behavioral Disabilities. By Natasha Quesada
- The Effect of Music Intervention on the Attention Span of Students with Disabilities. By Jovana Maximilien
- Book Review: The Mindful School Transforming School Culture through Mindfulness and Compassion. By: Amairany Paniagua
- Book Review: The Power of Positive Leadership. By Karina Constantine
- Acknowledgements
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Special Education Legal Alert
By Perry A. Zirkel
© November 2019
This month’s alert summarizes an unpublished federal district court decision that illustrates various current issues, including the possible child find-RTI connection and a published federal appeals court decision that illustrated the generally nondramatic impact of Endrew F. These various issues are further explained and updated in various articles listed in the “Publications” section of perryzirkel.com.
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Buzz from the Hub
All articles below can be accessed through Login:
- Guardianship: Clashing Views from Self-Advocates and Family Leaders
- Seizing the Opportunity: Educating Students with Disabilities in Charter Schools
- Bullying and Harassment of Students with Disabilities: Top 10 Facts that Parents, Educators, and Students Should Know
- Understood’s Fact Sheets
- Videos | High-Leverage Practices in Special Education
- Active Listening and Effective Questioning
- Become a Better Listener: Active Listening
- Interpersonal Skills
- School-Age Family Engagement | Online Module
- We Have to Talk: A Step-By-Step Checklist for Difficult Conversations
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Book Review: Go See the Principal: True Tales from the School Trenches
By Miranda Freites
Bibliographic Citation
Brooks, G. (2019).Go see the principal: True tales from the school trenches. New York: Hachette Book Group. 190pp. $15.99.
Introduction
The book I choose to review for this assignment is entitled Go See the Principal: True Tales from the School Trenches by the author Gerry Brooks (2019). This book initially caught my attention because of who the author is, Gerry Brooks. Gerry Brooks is an elementary school principal turned viral YouTube star for K-12 teachers, administrators and even parents In short videos he tells jokes about real life issues that every faculty member at a school may relate too and even get a good laugh from. His book is a great addition to his videos, discussing with humor the events teachers, administrators and even parents may face every school year.
The book outlines that there are many opportunities for improvement in a child’s educational life, in which he addressed each of them by calling out how administrators can better support teachers, teachers can better communicate with parents and parents can better understand their child’s teacher, all in the spirit of serving students. Ultimately, used with a great sense of humor, Gerry Brooks’ goal is to empower educators in order to empower all of us.
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Universal Design for Learning: Assistive Technology
By Rebecca Fields & Marissa Pardo
Abstract
The purpose of this study is to define what Assistive Technology (AT) devices and services are and how students with disabilities (SWD) may benefit from these tools. Assistive technology can be no-tech, mid-tech, or high-tech devices that can be electric or non-electric in nature. These devices are meant to assist SWD and to provide them with equal opportunities to access the general education alongside their non-disabled peers. Different types of AT will be discussed as it pertains to specific cognitive and physical disabilities. The criteria to determine the need for AT will be explained.
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Post-School Transition Strategies and Services for Students with Disabilities
By Lauren Bacus
Abstract
The purpose of this paper is to explore current research regarding the various perspectives and practices of implementing transition planning before, during, and after individuals with disabilities exiting the public education school system. To examine current research on this topic, four articles were selected to analyze perspectives of educators and parents regarding transition planning and the actual implementation of transition plans. The articles found through Florida International University’s online library include: Making Community Connections: Educator Perspectives on Transition Planning for Students with Intellectual Disabilities, Transition Planning for Students with Intellectual Disability, Autism, or Other Disabilities: Data from the National Longitudinal Transition Study-2, and Transition Strategies and Recommendations: Perspectives of Parents of Young Adults with Disabilities. The fourth article, Specific Needs of Families of Young Adults with Profound Intellectual Disability During and After Transition to Adulthood: What are we missing? was found through Google Scholar. Many similarities between the four articles are noted, as well as the various flaws and implications with each study. Topics and hypotheses for future research are mentioned, and recommendations for practices regarding transition planning are shared based on participants’ knowledge, concerns, and experiences.
Graduation Rates Are Increasing, but Students with Special Education Needs Are Still in Peril
By Christine Powell
At face value, the state of American education is on an upswing; 2014 was a landmark year, with the highest graduation rate on record in American high schools. An increase in the number of students that earn a diploma has been a reliable indicator of the preparedness of our youth to pursue college and career opportunities. The upward trend in graduation rates has some scratching their heads about the trustworthiness of these numbers. The argument made, is that the uptick has been realized by a lowering of the standards, making the value of a diploma seemingly less than it once was. But until there is another way to benchmark student achievement, the diploma is the standard, and it is better to have one than not.
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Critical Analysis: Strength-Based Approaches for Students with Emotional and Behavioral Disabilities
By Natasha Quesada
In the article, “Inclusion of Students with Learning, Emotional, and Behavioral Disabilities Through Strength-Based Approaches”, the authors Ampuja & Garwood, (2018), discuss the need for finding ways to maximize the educational performance of students with Emotional and Behavioral Disabilities (EBD) in the general education setting. More and more students with EBD are being educated in general education classes rather than separate classrooms. By promoting a growth-mindset way of thinking, students will focus on their strengths rather than deficits.
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The Effect of Music Intervention on the Attention Span of Students with Disabilities
By Jovana Maximilien
Abstract
With an increasing number of students diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Autism Spectrum Disorder, Learning Disabilities, and Emotional Behavioral Disorders, the traditional classroom with straight rows, a blackboard, and complete silence have become obsolete. Nowadays, students come from a multitude of backgrounds, possess different cognitive, social, and emotional abilities. The formal teaching methods are often not engaging enough for the brains of these students that are wired differently. As many students struggle with staying on-task for assignment completion, classroom engagement has become quite a challenge in the classroom. Teachers often look for motivations, engaging activities, and reinforcers to captivate and retain the attention of students with disabilities. One budding research technique in the field is the use of music intervention for students with disabilities. This literature review focuses on the effect of music intervention (background music, music therapy, music as a reinforcer) on the increase of student engagement, on-task behavioral skills, and academic success.
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Book Review: The Mindful School Transforming School Culture through Mindfulness and Compassion
By: Amairany Paniagua
The Mindful School Transforming School Culture through Mindfulness and Compassion is a book that provides school leaders and their personnel with strategies that can help increase students academics as well as their social, emotional functioning, through the use and implementation of mindfulness and compassion-based programs. The authors Patricia A. Jennings and other contributors, review case studies, evidence-based practices, and use their collective personal experiences to help guide new and old school administrators in the ever-changing modern school system. They encourage school leaders to analyze and think about how implementing mindfulness and compassion-based program at their school will help them better serve their staff, students, parents, and themselves.
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Book Review: The Power of Positive Leadership
By Karina Constantine
Gordon, J. (2017). The Power of Positive Leadership. Hoboken, New Jersey: Wiley.
ISBN-13: 9781119351979 is The Power of Positive Leadership written by Jon Gordon and published April 24th, 2017 in Hoboken, New Jersey by Wiley. It costs $12 on Amazon but you can also purchase a hardcover copy for $22.50, or an audiobook version for $17.83 from Barnes and Nobles. It has 187 pages and is 5.7(w), 8.6(h) and 0.9(d).
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Acknowledgements
Portions of this or previous month’s NASET’s Special Educator e-Journal were excerpted from:
- Center for Parent Information and Resources
- Committee on Education and the Workforce
- FirstGov.gov-The Official U.S. Government Web Portal
- Journal of the American Academy of Special Education Professionals (JAASEP)
- National Collaborative on Workforce and Disability for Youth
- National Institute of Health
- National Organization on Disability
- Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
- U.S. Department of Education
- U.S. Department of Education-The Achiever
- U.S. Department of Education-The Education Innovator
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
- U.S. Department of Labor
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration
- U.S. Office of Special Education
The National Association of Special Education Teachers (NASET) thanks all of the above for the information provided for this or prior editions of the Special Educator e-Journal