March 10th, National Public Radio featured a story on the release of the draft report on National Standards.  The National Governors Association and the Council of Chief State Education Officers have put together a set of national educational standards.  It has fewer standards than most state standards, and they are set higher.  You can see the draft at the Common Core State Standards Initiative.

So, will they do any good?  It has been argued that standards in and of themselves do not improve school performance.  In fact, one way states have gotten around No Child Left Behind (NCLB) has been to dumb down their standards and modify their tests until they got the results they wanted.  That has been clearly illustrated by the difference between performance on state tests and the National Assessment of Educational Performance.

If the reauthorization takes the new standards seriously, and we have a national test, we might just end up in a great place, where we see states compared to one another, not just their own performance.  It would make it clear that states that spend money on education actually have better performance than states who don't.

So, for me the jury is still out.  I plan to spend some time looking over them (the link is above.)   Let me know what you think!

Do We Need National Standards? originally appeared on About.com Special Education on Thursday, March 11th, 2010 at 21:02:18.

Permalink | Comment | Email this

Okay, I think I'm in love!! (don't tell my wife.)  Today's New York Times Magazine (disclosure:  they own me,) has a great feature article, "Can Good Teaching Be Learned?" about the work of Doug Lemov.  A former teacher, administrator and charter school founder, Doug became curious as to what made a great teacher.  Research has shown that excellent teachers are the single most important element in raising student performance.  So, how do you get excellent teachers?  And, can you make an excellent teacher?  Can you build a better teacher?

What Doug discovered was that excellent teachers not only shared certain qualities, but they developed a certain set of skills, especially when it came to classroom management. He enumerated 49 techniques, which he will describe in detail in his upcoming book Teach Like a Champion: 49 Techniques that Put Students on the Path to College. As I read, I went away with the conviction that I was a pretty good teacher.  I use most of the techniques described, though a new one  I really loved is  "Cold Calling" which eliminates the problem of round robin reading without abandoning reading aloud entirely.  I have always been a big fan of "Positive Framing," a technique where you describe what you want in a positive way and then begin to praise students for doing it.  "Everyone clear your desk, please.  Thanks for getting your desk cleared so nicely, Rodney.  Oh, and I see Mary Beth has her's cleared, too.  Thanks, Mary Beth."

I can't wait to get my hands on the book, which has a late April release date.  With any luck, I'll convince the publisher, Jossey Bass, to get me an advanced review copy,  so I can review it and give you a preview of the 49 techniques.  In the mean time, check out the article online at the New York Times: it even includes video clip examples of many of the techniques!  I'm hoping it helps you make yourself into the kind of excellent teacher that encourages excellent student performance and academic growth.

What Kind of Teacher Are You Building? originally appeared on About.com Special Education on Sunday, March 7th, 2010 at 14:55:01.

Permalink | Comment | Email this

It's funny how the stars sometimes align.  I have been talking to the people over at Ablenet, as I just reviewed their new special education math curriculum, Equals .  At the same time I am working on the IEP for a new student from New York.  She understands one to one correspondence and can count, though she creates very little independent language.  I try hard not to write IEP goals that dictate instruction, but as I plan, I'm definitely thinking about using Touch Math.

I have seen students do really well with Touch Math.  I do wonder if it doesn't  become a crutch rather than a strategy that they can leave behind as they gain confidence.  I like number lines rather than counters for that reason.  Like prompt dependence, some strategies are hard for kids to leave behind.  Is Touch Math one of them?

I know the touch math people market the program for all children, but I wouldn't use it with typically developing children, since typically developing children are capable of math fluency (the ability to remember and recall math facts quickly.)  I think it's a good tool for children with learning disabilities, but I think it is still fraught:  fraught with the danger of developing a dependency on a strategy that keeps them from memorizing math facts.   Even though they do know that two plus two is four, they have routinized the way they do math.  Much like finger counting, it can become a crutch that follows them through life.  How many adults stand by while people take advantage of them because the only way they can check the math is with their fingers, and they don't want other people to see?

What do you think?

Scaffold or Crutch? originally appeared on About.com Special Education on Saturday, March 6th, 2010 at 10:12:28.

Permalink | Comment | Email this

I don't think I'm going to be able to answer this quickly, though you might be able to help (see my email under my picture.)   Today I had coffee with my graduate adviser, Dr. Vicki McGinley, to talk about technology with her students at West Chester University of Pennsylvania.  The topic of employment came up.  Dr. McGinley is best acquainted with employment in the mid-Atlantic. She had two suggestions:

• Go west, young man (or woman,) go west. Western states still seem to need special education teachers. You will need to check their state departments of education for certification licensing, and be sure you find out what tests (Praxis or state tests) they require for certification.   Some states have websites to inform you of their teacher needs, such as Nevada.
• Country Mouse or City Mouse? The two areas in more populous states that will be hiring recent graduates are inner city districts and rural school districts.  Because of the glut of unemployed certified special education graduates, these areas should not be hiring teachers on emergency certifications, though some districts may still be counting on Troops to Teacher grants  and Teach for America Interns to keep their costs down.

Good luck!  If you have suggestions for employment opportunities for this spring's graduates please share them.  But don't despair.   Dr. McGinley says state departments of education were expecting huge retirement this year, but the economy means that many retirees are waiting for their retirement portfolios to recover.  It's still coming guys!   Hang in there, and substitute, if you must!

Where Are the Jobs? originally appeared on About.com Special Education on Sunday, February 28th, 2010 at 17:27:30.

Permalink | Comment | Email this

When Brad Cook, a second year doctoral student in special education, contacted me several weeks ago, I was taken by his research and his topic:  special education teacher burn out.  You may be feeling the stress of dealing with difficult behaviors, difficult parents, parent expectations, administrators' expectations and paperwork, paperwork, paperwork.  Still, I know some of us really love our work--so much so that we keep at it despite the challenges.

I posted a blog with a poll form to find out where my readers are:  Where in the World Are You! I found that there are some readers out there from every part of the globe.  I'm hoping that some of you will help out with Brad's research.

Brad's research shows that special education burn out, at 10 to 12 percent, is twice as high as among general education teachers.  A special educator is 2 and a half times as likely to quit teaching because of burn out as a general education teacher.  Sound about right to you?  Brad is exploring the relationship of burn out to different dynamics of a special educator's work.  He is especially interested in adding teachers outside the United States of America, especially outside North America, to see if similar issues impact special education teacher burnout.

If you would like to assist Brad with his research, you can contact him on a website he created for his study,  SpecialEd Burnout. You may not be suffering from burn-out, but if you could post this link to colleagues in your location, it would be a great help to Brad and advance our understanding of special educator burn out.

Got Burn-Out? originally appeared on About.com Special Education on Friday, February 26th, 2010 at 19:43:25.

Permalink | Comment | Email this

High stakes testing is rolling around, and once again special education students will be subjected to the same tests as their peers.  The reauthorization of IDEA in 2004 states:  All children with disabilities are included in all general State and districtwide assessment programs . . . with appropriate accommodations and alternate assessments and as indicated in their respective individualized education programs." (Section 1412(c)(16)(A)).

By now, the plans are well laid for your states high stakes tests.  Polished up the old SDI's?  Adults assigned to proctor each of your students?  Ready to deal with twitching and distracted students?

I'm polishing up an alternative assessment for one of my students from New Jersey.  Ugh.  I am assessing a young man with autism on skills that he will never find useful or functional.  It may very well be useful to a typically developing 14 year old to recognize patterns of numbers, but this child is puzzled.  I would rather he knew how to make change at McDonald's, or how to read the television guide.  I understand that the purpose of the alternate tests is to ensure that students with disabilities are not denied an education similar to typically developing children, but still . . . how much sense does that make?

Please check out my resources for test preparation, and expect more soon.

Testing, Testing, 1, 2, 3 . . . originally appeared on About.com Special Education on Sunday, February 21st, 2010 at 22:19:06.

Permalink | Comment | Email this

I just received an email from a predecessor here at Special.ed, Barbara Day.   She wanted to share the obituary of a disabilities advocate who was a great resource for her and made a significant contribution to disability rights.

Keith Kessler, who was a quadriplegic most of his life from a sports injury, passed away at the age of 59 in Woodbridge, Virginia from complications from pneumonia.  He was the founder of the DAC, the Disabilities Action Committee, and had a significant impact on disability rights and disabilities services, meeting with governors and legislators.

So, thanks, Keith, and thanks to all those people with disabilities who decided to use their energy despite their disabilities to make the future better for others who would follow them.

As Barb says of  Keith: "Some people grin and bear it. Others smile and change it."

Thanks, Keith! originally appeared on About.com Special Education on Sunday, February 21st, 2010 at 19:02:44.

Permalink | Comment | Email this

I recently received and email from Bradley Cook, a PHD student and special educator in Atlanta, Georgia, asking for assistance.  He is doing a study of burnout in special educators, and wants to compare the incidence in different regions/countries.  I know that I get emails from around the world, but before I decide how best to help Bradley find subjects, I want to do a rather "unscientific" survey of my readers.

Could you take the time to participate in the survey below?  I'm trying to create a more regional picture of readers.  So, each region is represented by:

• Europe
• Eastern Europe: Former Soviet bloc countries, including Poland, Estonia, Latvia, Hungary, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Rumania, Bulgaria, Russia, Ukraine, Georgia, (you get the picture.)
• Africa
• North America
• Central America/Caribbean
• South America
• Southeast Asian: Including Singapore, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Malaysia, Burma, the Philippines.
• Central Asia: China, India, Japan, Korea, Pakistan, Afganistan, Iran, Iraq, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, and Tajikistan.
• Middle East:  Saudi Arabia, Israel, Syria, Jordan, Lebanon, and all the countries on the Arabian Peninsula
• South Pacific:  Include Commonwealth Countries (Australia, New Zealand) as well as other south Pacific Islands.

If you don't find yourself here, email me and I'll add your country to the blog!

Where in the World Are You? originally appeared on About.com Special Education on Sunday, February 14th, 2010 at 19:48:59.

Permalink | Comment | Email this

Wednesday, February 10, 2010 we in the mid Atlantic region were going into the deep freeze when the  American Psychological Association announced that they intended to go ahead with reclassification of Asperger's Syndrome and PDD NOS (Pervasive Developmental Disorder, No Otherwise Specified) as part of the Autism Spectrum Diagnosis.  With the recent studies of Autism prevalence estimating that the ratio dropped to one in 100 or one in 91, a lot of people took notice, especially since it is clear that Autism has extraordinary social costs.

Now, with the new announcement, there are some people rejoicing, and people with family members both with Asperger Syndrome and Autism who are worried about what it will mean for their family member's cohort.

Those rejoicing are people who are having difficulty getting services for their children with Aspergers.  Public Radio, among other news outlets, reported that it is especially a problem in California, where schools attempt to deny students with Asperger's Syndrome services because they score well on IQ tests, and have few problems with language.  If you have a family member with Asperger's Syndrome, or have worked with these children, you know they have some pretty significant difficulties with social interaction and understanding social conventions, difficulties that can prevent otherwise talented students from succeeding in academic situations.

Families with children with Asperger's Syndrome worry that by planting the diagnosis firmly in the Autistic Spectrum, their children will be misunderstood.  Families with children with Autism fear that it may dilute the services their children receive.

Personally, I always understood that children with PDD-NOS and Asperger's Syndrome were on the spectrum.  I also understand that as they fall on the higher functioning end they have unique deficits that may not be apparent to a general education teacher but will significantly affect their success.  That autism cliché holds true:  When you've met one child with autism . . . you've met one child with autism.  Every child on the spectrum has his or her own unique sets of skills, deficits, strengths and needs, and it is only by being attentive to those differences that we can really help these kids flourish and do their individual best.

What’s Up With Autism? originally appeared on About.com Special Education on Sunday, February 14th, 2010 at 18:47:03.

Permalink | Comment | Email this

I opened this month's electronic newsletter from the Southern Poverty Law Center, Teaching Tolerance, and found an article about inclusion at the top.  The article points out that although 57 percent of students receiving special education services are in a general classroom, only 19 percent of students diagnosed with cognitive disabilities are in inclusive classrooms.  The author, Nirvi Shah, rightly bemoans the fact that schools are still slow to make inclusion happen, especially for children with more significant disabilities.

The article faults teacher education.  That, I know, is changing.  Still, we have a generation or two of teachers who still believe that special education is a place and not a service.  Special education is something you go to, not something you do with a teacher who offers you support.

We have to remember that inclusion is not multiple choice.  The legal underpinnings of inclusion is the  Equal Protection Clause of the U. S. Constitution, which means that public schools must provide all students a public education in an environment which is "least restrictive."

I recommend taking the time to read the article, if only to understand the experience of families seeking inclusion for their children.  Unfortunately, many of us teaching in special education have little leverage in effecting inclusion practice in our districts.  We have it, or we don't.  Often if we have it we don't have the support and resources we need to do it well, or the kids we work with continue to be marginalized by general education teachers who just don't get it

Is Inclusion a Civil Right? originally appeared on About.com Special Education on Sunday, February 7th, 2010 at 14:55:26.

Permalink | Comment | Email this