SEPTA at SEPTA at Altamonte Altamonte

Elementary Elementary Gabriela MorrisGabriela Morris

Morris@Knights.UCF.eduMorris@Knights.UCF.eduApril 8, 2010April 8, 2010

EEX 4242EEX 4242

SEPTA- SEPTA- Special Education Special Education PTA Of Seminole CountyPTA Of Seminole County

An organization of parents An organization of parents and teachers advocating and teachers advocating exceptional children. exceptional children.

Recognizing the special Recognizing the special needs of exceptional children, needs of exceptional children, academically, behaviorally, academically, behaviorally, emotionally and physically. emotionally and physically.

SettingSetting

Altamonte Altamonte Elementary SchoolElementary School

Using a Pre-Using a Pre-Kindergarten Kindergarten classroomclassroom

None of the None of the children actually children actually went to the went to the Altamonte Altamonte Elementary School. Elementary School.

DemographicsDemographics

Within the Observation:•The children were all Caucasian•Mental Disabilities•Ages: 2-8

The ChildrenThe Children

There were 15 students There were 15 students signed up, but on signed up, but on average about 10 average about 10 showed up. showed up.

Their were mostly boys Their were mostly boys who enjoyed playing who enjoyed playing around the room and around the room and being creative with their being creative with their games.games.

The girls were of the The girls were of the same age but never same age but never played together, Briana, played together, Briana, 2, was very independent 2, was very independent and Megan, 2, cried and Megan, 2, cried most of the time missing most of the time missing her parents. her parents.

What I Did?What I Did? Planned an art activity Planned an art activity

where the children where the children decorated picture decorated picture frames.frames.

The other girls and I The other girls and I planned a dance planned a dance activity.activity.

Did activates involving Did activates involving playdoh.playdoh.

Played games of Simon Played games of Simon says and human pin-says and human pin-ball. ball.

My Own Experiences My Own Experiences I had worked with children with disabilities before I had worked with children with disabilities before

and felt comfortable playing and planning activities.and felt comfortable playing and planning activities. Though I was not sure what to expect at first, I Though I was not sure what to expect at first, I

learned a lot about patience and positive learned a lot about patience and positive reinforcement.reinforcement.

I really enjoyed the children and the experience.I really enjoyed the children and the experience.

ReflectionReflection This experience has helped me This experience has helped me

understand the patience needed to understand the patience needed to care and teach children with care and teach children with disabilities. These children have so disabilities. These children have so much energy and keeping up with much energy and keeping up with them became difficult.them became difficult.

Jacob was a 7 year old boy who really Jacob was a 7 year old boy who really challenged everyone, he had a big challenged everyone, he had a big impact on me because it showed me impact on me because it showed me how quickly a child can go from being how quickly a child can go from being calm to becoming a challenge. This is calm to becoming a challenge. This is especially difficult when there were especially difficult when there were other children in the room. other children in the room.

This experience had made me see This experience had made me see that every child is very different and that every child is very different and need specific attention, but it is very need specific attention, but it is very difficult in a classroom environment difficult in a classroom environment with other children. with other children.

ReflectionReflection With this experience I will know as With this experience I will know as

a future teacher that every child is a future teacher that every child is very different and every disability very different and every disability is different depending on the is different depending on the child.child.

As a teacher an important factor, As a teacher an important factor, learned from this experience, learned from this experience, would be research. Understanding would be research. Understanding the disability a child has will help the disability a child has will help in learning how to teach them. in learning how to teach them.

An approach that I will use as a An approach that I will use as a teacher will be to incorporate arts teacher will be to incorporate arts and physical education to many of and physical education to many of my lessons. I noticed that the my lessons. I noticed that the children got distracted of children got distracted of activities quickly and keeping activities quickly and keeping them engaged in either an art them engaged in either an art project or a physical activity project or a physical activity relevant to the lesson can help relevant to the lesson can help them avoid getting distracted. them avoid getting distracted.