Week in Review - September 2, 2022


 

NASET

WEEK IN REVIEW

National Association of Special Education Teachers

September 2, 2022                 Vol 18 Issue #35


Continuing_Ed


Dear NASET Members and Guests,

Welcome to NASET's WEEK in REVIEW.  Here, we provide you with the latest publications fromNASET to read and or download, as well as some of the most interesting articles that have happened this week in the field of special education. We hope you enjoy this publication.  Feel free to send us articles for this publication or let us know your thoughts about the WEEK in REVIEW at news@naset.org. Have a great weekend.

Sincerely,

 

WHATS NEW AT NASET

September 2022 Special Educator e-Journal

Table of Contents

  • Special Education Legal Alert. By Perry A. Zirkel
  • Buzz from the Hub
  • Biden-Harris Administration Announces Final Student Loan Pause Extension Through December 31 and Targeted Debt Cancellation to Smooth Transition to Repayment
  • U.S. Department of Education Terminates Federal Recognition of ACICS, Enhances Federal Aid Program Participation Requirements for ACICS-accredited Colleges
  • U.S. Department of Education Invites Applicants for More Than $6 Million in Project Prevent Grant Program Funds to Support School Safety
  • Statement from Secretary of Education on National Center for Education Statistics' Data Showing Student Recovery Throughout the 2021-2022 School Year
  • Fact Sheet: Biden-Harris Administration Announces Two New Actions to Address Youth Mental Health Crisis
  • Examining General Education and Special Education Teacher Preparedness for
  • Co-Teaching Students with Disabilities. By Cindy Causey, Ed.S., Lina Soares, Ph.D., Catherine S. Howerter, Ph.D. , and Peggy Shannon-Baker, Ph.D.
  • Book Reviews:
  • SWITCH: How to Change Things When Change is Hard. Reviewed by Olive McLaughlin
  • Impactful Instructional Leadership – Framework for Success. Rebviewed by Priscilla Ramon
  • How to be an Inclusive Leader. Reviewed by Jennifer Schreiner
  • Latest Employment Opportunities Posted on NASET 
  • Acknowledgements

Read More


NASET ADVOCACY - Board Certification for Advocacy in Special Education (BCASE)


Autism Diagnosis Could be Improved by Considering Differences in How Men and Women Process Emotions

A new study published by a team of psychologists suggests that the diagnosis of autism could be improved by considering the differences between how women and men experience and act upon their emotions. The research from academics based at the universities of Bath, and Cardiff, finds that whereas men have lower emotional needs, women report greater need to engage in emotional experiences. This could be affecting autism diagnosis say the researchers. For example, men typically have more autistic personality traits, including a preference to do things the same way over and over again, intense interests, and difficulties working out people’s intentions. By contrast, women typically report that emotions help people to get along in life which may be helping them mask or camouflage their own autistic traits. Read More

 

How a Buddy Program Can Foster SEL

Since the return to in-person learning, teachers have struggled to deal with students who lack social skills and the ability to regulate their emotions. This is especially true in early childhood classrooms. A lack of exposure to peers during critical learning months and years has put many early childhood teachers in the situation of having to teach social and emotional skills before they can teach academics. A buddy program—pairing upper elementary or middle school students with students in pre-K through first grade—is a way for teachers to accelerate learning crucial social and emotional skills. As an assistant principal, I saw early childhood and middle school students gain valuable social, emotional, and academic skills through the buddy program our teachers started years ago. When they brought it back last year after a hiatus during the pandemic restrictions, it was even more impactful for students’ social and emotional learning than before the pandemic. Read More

 

Wanted: More Special Education Teachers in Iowa

When Jade Rowell first began teaching special education, she didn’t think she would like it very much. But Rowell, who teaches at Starry Elementary School in Marion, quickly fell in love with the job. Rowell, who has taught special education for five years, has many of the same students in her classroom during their three years at Starry Elementary, a school for kindergarten to second-graders. “You get to know your students on a different level and build rapport with them and their families,” she said. With a new school year starting Tuesday for many Eastern Iowa students, school districts are facing some of their largest staffing challenges in special education. As of July 28, the Cedar Rapids Community School District had 30 teaching positions open, Linda Noggle, executive director of talent management, said in an email to The Gazette. As of Wednesday, 18 of those open positions were for special education teachers in addition to 35 special education paraeducator positions. Read More

 

What is Dyspraxia?

Dyspraxia is also known as motor learning difficulties, perceptuo-motor dysfunction, and developmental coordination disorder (DCD). The terms “minimal brain damage” and “clumsy child syndrome” are no longer used. According to the National Center for Learning Disabilities, individuals with dyspraxia have difficulties in planning and completing fine and gross motor tasks. This can range from simple motor movements, such as waving goodbye, to more complex ones like sequencing steps to brush one’s teeth. Dyspraxia is a neurological disorder that impacts an individual’s ability to plan and process motor tasks. Individuals with dyspraxia often have language problems, and sometimes a degree of difficulty with thought and perception. Dyspraxia, however, does not affect the person’s intelligence, although it can cause learning problems in children. Developmental dyspraxia is an immaturity of the organization of movement. The brain does not process information in a way that allows for a full transmission of neural messages. Read More

 

 


 


Startling Number of Women Using TikTok to Self-Diagnose ADHD

Women are diagnosing themselves with neurodivergent conditions such as ADHD (attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder) after watching trending TikTok videos. Doctors explained to Women’s Health that women are statistically more likely to have symptoms overlooked and go undiagnosed, but they warned licensed professionals should be giving the diagnosis — not armchair “experts” on social media. TikTok videos touting the different ADHD symptoms have been surging in popularity in recent years as some corners of social media have become a safe haven for addressing mental health, and spreading information and awareness. Read More

 

Creating Student Engagement through the Power of Play

Recently, my colleagues and I attended a summer camp where we introduced students to some fantastic STEM activities. Kids learned how to create their own lava lamps out of everyday kitchen materials. They programed Sphero robots and used them to make cooperative artwork. We also taught them how to make circuits out of batteries and wire, as well as exploding paint bags. The events were endless, and the students had a great time, because more than anything science should be fun! As I look back on the events of camp, I’m reminded of how important this type of play is for young minds. Play is an essential part of learning and growth. In nature, animal cubs play to sharpen their hunting skills or learn valuable foraging techniques. Among humans, play teaches valuable social skills like communication and cooperation. It also fosters a learning mindset, teaching students to absorb knowledge through exercise and practice. Read More

 

Way Beyond Virtual Field Trips: The Surprising & Incredible Ways Educators Are Using ClassVR Virtual Reality in Schools

Join us as we dig in to the “endless” ways ClassVR virtual reality headsets are helping educators get students excited about learning — and some incredible and surprising benefits of using ClassVR in schools, particularly for special education students, students with autism, and those with limited mobility. Guests are digital learning specialist Charley Suter from Spaulding Academy & Family Services, a small, nonprofit special-education school in Northfield, New Hampshire, and Michael “GoogleMan” Jaber, instructional technology coordinator at Sheboygan Area School District in Wisconsin. Jaber and Suter explain their vetting process and why they settled on ClassVR headsets, the training and set-up required for teachers to start using them in classrooms, how easy it is for educators to create custom content, and the endless possibilities for using ClassVR headsets to boost learning outcomes, particularly among special-needs students. Read More

 

New Discovery Means Diagnosis and Support for People with Rare Gene Anomaly

A global collaboration involving the Sunshine Coast Health Institute (SCHI) and the University of the Sunshine Coast (UniSC) has made a breakthrough discovery that could fast track diagnosis and support for families affected by a rare genetic disorder. UniSC's Professor Robert Harvey and Dr. Lachlan De Hayr, who are based at the Sunshine Coast Health Institute, were part of a team of genomics researchers who found a new disorder associated with intellectual disability and heart malformations linked to alterations in the ZMYND8 gene (Zinc Finger MYND-Type Containing 8). The findings were published in Genetics in Medicine. Read More

 

 



TRIVIA QUESTION OF THE WEEK

Congratulations to: Jennifer Buteau, Corrinn Mildenberg, Lauro Esquilona, Katrina Snider, Deanna H. Gray, Bonnie Baldwin, Tracey Christilles, Patsy Ray, Zenaida Lemus, Diane Campbell-Mitchell, Karen Frantz-Fry, Dawn Bradley, Wanda J. Routier, Cynthia Turcotte, Margaret Kullenberg, and Cynthia Fortlage who all knew the answer to last week's trivia question:

According to a new study led by University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) researchers, elementary school-age children who get less than nine hours of this have significant differences in certain brain regions responsible for memory, intelligence and well-being compared to those who get the recommended nine to 12 hours of this. Such differences correlated with greater mental health problems, like depression, anxiety, and impulsive behaviors, in those who lacked this. It was also linked to cognitive difficulties with memory, problem solving and decision making. What is it?

Answer: SLEEP

This week's trivia question: When these type of courses are delivered through career and technical education in high school, they can help students with learning disabilities feel better about their ability to succeed in STEM (science, technology, engineering or mathematics). These courses also help students with learning disabilities see the usefulness of the field, itself. According to national survey data from more than 20,000 students across the country to dig into this connection between this field of study and STEM, when compared with other students with learning disabilities, those who took these types of courses in a career and technical education program were more likely to believe they could succeed in STEM. They were also more likely to believe STEM was useful for future employment or college options. What are the courses?

If you know the answer to this week's trivia questions, email it to us at contactus@naset.org by September 6, 2022. If you are correct, you will be acknowledged in next week's NASET's Week in Review


Largest Study Yet Identifies Over 200 Genes Strongly Linked to Autism

An analysis of over 150,000 people, 20,000 of whom have autism, revealed over 250 genes that have strong links with the condition, marking the largest and most comprehensive study of its kind to date. Findings were published in the journal Nature Genetics. Findings open up the possibility for a precision medicine approach to autism, a personalized care process that is gaining popularity in other disease states where genetic mutations increase certain risks. “Some individuals with autism spectrum disorder carry functional mutations rarely observed in the general population,” researchers explained. To better understand genes disrupted by these variants, investigators assessed data from participants of the Autism Sequencing Consortium, the Simons Foundation Powering Autism Research initiative, and three other consortia. Read More

 

Risk for Neonatal Complications Elevated for Mothers with Disabilities

The risk for neonatal complications is elevated for mothers with disabilities, according to the results of a Canadian study published in Pediatrics.Hilary K. Brown, PhD, an assistant professor in the department of health and society at the University of Toronto Scarborough, and colleagues assessed births recorded over a 15-year period in Ontario and found a “mild to moderate elevated risk for complications among newborns of women with disabilities.” Brown told Healio that the study was prompted by a lack of information on pregnant women with disabilities. “There's a large body of research that shows that women with disabilities experience a lot of barriers accessing health care,” Brown said. “We also know that they're disproportionately affected by social determinants of health, like poverty and barriers to education and that sort of thing, but not a lot of research previously has looked specifically at reproductive and perinatal outcomes.” Read More

 

California Requires Late Start Times for Middle, High Schools

“The ability to have a later start time can help them have a more conscious approach,” said Dr. John O’Keffe, Neuro Performance and Leadership Strategist. Students are back in school, but this year, they get an extra hour of sleep.  That’s thanks to a first-of-its-kind mandate in the Golden State requiring that middle schools start no earlier than 8 a.m. and high schools 8:30 a.m. – all in an effort to help students get more sleep. “Sleep is obviously very important to all thinking processes, and especially for children because they’re more sensitive in their brain development,” said Dr. O’Keffe. “Sleep affects the autonomic nervous system and that affects all of our movements from breathing to heart to hand movements, anything you can think of.” Sleep also affects the conscious mind and a student’s ability to select and absorb information. Read More

 



Risk of Pediatric Neuropsychiatric Conditions Linked to Rare Genomic Variants, Intellectual Disability

Next-generation sequencing has made it possible to identify an increasing number of genomic variants associated with intellectual disabilities, and a national cohort study in the United Kingdom highlighted the likelihood of children with such disabilities developing other neurodevelopmental or mental health conditions. Genomic testing early on could identify the children who are most at risk and provide opportunities to intervene as early as possible. Exome or genome sequence analysis is recommended for children presenting with developmental delays or intellectual disabilities in the United Kingdom, but there has been limited research on rare genomic variants and long-term outcomes for such children. Most existing research is limited by modest sample sizes or small proportions of children with moderate to severe disabilities. Read More

 

For the First Time in 20 Years, Teachers Can Deduct More for School Supplies

For the first time in 20 years, the Internal Revenue Service is increasing the deduction limit for the amount of money teachers spend on school supplies, the agency has announced. Teachers will now be able to deduct up to $300 of out-of-pocket classroom expenses in 2022, up from the $250 that has been set since the incentive first started in 2002. "The limit will rise in $50 increments in future years based on inflation adjustments," the IRS said. Eligible educators include K-12 teachers, principals, teachers' aides or counselors who spend more than 900 hours at the school during the academic year. Public and private school educators can benefit. Eligible educators who are married to another eligible educator and file a joint tax return can deduct up to $600 in qualifying expenses, but still no more than $300 per spouse. Educators who do standard deductions also qualify. The limit is still $250 for those who are filing their 2021 taxes. Read More

 

Brooklyn Teacher Making Theater More Accessible to Students with All Abilities

A serendipitous subway ride about 20 years ago led Michael Pantone from his acting career to teaching theater at a Brooklyn public school serving children with disabilities. On the No. 2 train, Pantone had run into an actor friend as she headed to direct an after-school theater program for middle school students. She invited Pantone, who was between acting gigs, to check it out. He went the next day and ended up assisting her. That led to them co-directing a summer student theater program. Then, the private school that housed the program offered Pantone a full-time position teaching theater. Read More

 

A ‘National Teacher Shortage’? New Research Reveals Vastly Different Realities Between States & Regions

A new report casts doubt on the narrative of a widespread “national teacher shortage,” finding instead that thousands of vacancies appear to be localized so far in nine states across the country. Mapping the vacancies nationally, a recently published working paper and website crafted by three education researchers offers the latest, though incomplete, snapshot of reported teacher shortages. The data suggest the pandemic has exacerbated shortages in specific teaching areas and some states that have faced persistent and well-documented shortages for years, creating a patchwork of different education realities in the United States that vary from district to district and across state lines. Read More

 



JOB POSTINGS

* Student Learning Support (SLS) Teacher (Immediate Opening) - Rochambeau is committed to a diverse workforce representative of our students, one that embraces cultural competency and an international community. Diversity is the hallmark of Rochambeau, with over 80 nationalities represented in the student body. We are dedicated to fostering a culture where diversity, equity, and inclusion remain at the core of who we are. To learn more- Click here

* Special Education Teachers K-12 (1 Year Only) - Skills and experience with standardized academic testing, writing IEPs, developing positive behavior support plans, and strong direct scientifically – based instruction utilizing a variety of interventions such as Wilson, Seeing Stars student success preferred. To learn more- Click here

* Special Education Teacher - Avondale House is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit agency that provides, educational services to children with autism, a day habilitation program for young adults, where clients receive training in daily living skills and pre-vocational activities, employment services for those with disabilities and four residential homes for individuals unable to live in their own home. Avondale House has been serving individuals with autism since 1976. To learn more- Click here

* [2022-2023] High School Global History and Earth Science Learning Specialist - Reporting to the Academic Dean, the High School Global History and Earth Science Learning Specialist will be responsible for building meaningful relationships with students, implementing a Common Core-aligned curriculum, and working with their grade team to analyze data to drive instruction. This is an exciting opportunity for an educator who is passionate about improving student outcomes by leading excellent instruction and building a positive school culture. To learn more- Click here

* [2022-2023] Middle School ELA Learning Specialist - Reporting to the Academic Dean, the Middle School Social Studies Teacher will be responsible for building meaningful relationships with students, implementing a Common Core-aligned curriculum, and working with their grade team to analyze data to drive instruction. This is an exciting opportunity for an educator who is passionate about improving student outcomes by leading excellent instruction and building a positive school culture. To learn more- Click here

* [2022-2023] High School Earth Science Learning Specialist - Reporting to the Academic Dean, the High School Global History and Earth Science Learning Specialist will be responsible for building meaningful relationships with students, implementing a Common Core-aligned curriculum, and working with their grade team to analyze data to drive instruction. This is an exciting opportunity for an educator who is passionate about improving student outcomes by leading excellent instruction and building a positive school culture. To learn more- Click here

* Teacher Child Development Center - The Teacher is responsible for the planning and provision of individualized instruction to children with disabilities and typical role models ages birth to three years old. Incumbent in this position demonstrates sensitivity to the service population’s cultural and socioeconomic characteristics. To learn more- Click here

* Special Education Teacher $2,000 sign-on bonus! - BASIS is seeking an experienced Special Education Teacher who is eager to develop leadership skills by serving as a member of the school’s administrative team. This is a teacher/administrator hybrid role whose primary responsibilities include the provision of special education services and supporting special education program operations as part of the administrative team at a school site. To learn more- Click here

* Special Education Assistant $2,000 sign-on bonus! - BASIS.ed offers an incredible opportunity to be deeply involved in an academic community that is dynamic, exciting and unpredictable. You'll join others in a highly social, supportive and collaborative environment. To learn more- Click here

* Special Education Teachers - The Teacher position is responsible for the planning, organization and implementation of an appropriate instructional program, in an elementary or secondary virtual learning environment, that encourages students to develop and fulfill their full academic potential, in accordance with the school’s vision and mission. An appropriate instructional program includes academic instruction that is aligned to state standards, and includes appropriate interventions to improve student learning. To learn more- Click here

* Private Teacher - An experienced, private, in-home schooling educator is needed for a full-time opportunity! Promote academic, social, and environmental growth of child. Plan and implement lessons and activities to engage the child in learning. To learn more- Click here

* Teacher - Special Education - This position involves developing and implementing individualized educational programs, which address the educational needs of elementary, secondary, and transition-age students with disabilities or the remediation of social/emotional, educational, and prevocational/vocational skill deficits primarily for students in a transition 18–21-year-old program at Skagit Valley College and to serve as a transition facilitator as our students leave the juvenile justice school and return to their districts. To learn more- Click here

* [2022-2023] Middle School Learning Specialist - Reporting to the Academic Dean, the Learning Specialist will be responsible for providing tailored support to students with special education needs, through integrated co-teaching, in small group settings, or a combination of both. This is an exciting opportunity for a seasoned educator who is passionate about ensuring all students succeed and thrive in school. To learn more- Click here

* Learning Specialist/IDD Program Manager (Grant) - The Full-Time Learning Specialist/ IDD Program Manager reports directly to the Director, Center for Accessibility and Inclusive Education. The Learning Specialist/ IDD Program Manager performs administrative level functions to support the daily activities of the Adult Transition Program and in doing so, contribute to the success of grant implementation. To learn more- Click here

* Special Education Teachers (In Person) - Reporting directly to a Special Education Administrator the Special Education Teacher provides services to special education students with a range of moderate to severe disabilities ages three to 21 years of age. The Special Education Teacher leads the IEP team to develop data driven student learning and behavioral goals. To learn more- Click here

* Special Education - Elementary Teacher - Career opportunities where you can choose your path. From coaching to administration, there are many options to grow your career, while pursuing your interests and passions. We are hiring immediately for a full-time Special Education - Elementary Teacher. Come grow your career with the Clark County School District! To learn more- Click here

* Special Education Teacher and Paraprofessional Positions – District Wide - The purpose of these positions is to help each student learn subject matter and skills that will contribute to his/her development as a mature, capable, and responsible adult. Provide a positive, healthy, and safe environment in which the student can achieve his/her maximum potential. To learn more- Click here

If you are an Employer looking for excellent special education staff - Click here for more information


FOOD FOR THOUGHT

No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted. Aesop

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