At Clay Middle School, we began by looking at possible adaptations of a general

education math test. They had simplified some problems to make them more accessible and

test on relevant knowledge. They had also changed things such as number lines to make them

clearer and easier to understand. Next, I went to a special education classroom where they

were learning to make jelly toast. There were 4 students in the room and multiple staff that

specialized in certain areas. Finally, I went to a general education math classroom. I helped

students with solving linear equations and witnessed a group activity to develop the skill.

My critical incident was in the special education classroom. In the classroom, there were

2 students who were unable to vocally communicate and used assistive technology. One used a

tablet with icons to choose that would read a phrase or word for him. The other student had a

similar device that allowed her to choose icons; however, this device chose icons based on her

eye movement. She only needed to look at the icon for it to speak the word or phrase for her.

Additionally, I saw some neat accommodations such as visual instructions instead of written

words. I also noticed that whenever the instructors did something abrupt, especially something

that involved the students, such as moving them, the instructor would very clearly announce

what she was doing before doing it. I also noticed one instructor speaking to the children in a

high pitched voice with simplified words.

My first emotion I experienced was anger over the baby-talking to the students. After

that, I felt excited about the impressive technology that the students had. I felt joy about the

connection it seemed that all the students and teachers had. My initial thought was that it was

unfair to the students to be talked to like that, I personally disagree with talking to even small

children with a baby voice. However, I think it’s even worse to talk to adolescent or older people

with disabilities like they can’t understand you. It was clear that the students knew what was

happening even if they couldn’t properly communicate that with their instructors. This line of

thinking was quickly pushed aside in favor of the assistive technology. I thought it was very

impressive that we have developed something that advanced that lets someone communicate
non-verbally without moving. It can allow her to communicate her wants and needs and speak

for herself instead of relying on interpretation. That independence is essential for her mental

health.

I think I learned a lot during this visit and did a lot of valuable observation. I also now

have things to research and learn more about. However, next time I would like to be more

involved with the students. I didn’t get a chance to interact with them. I have already noticed that

we have some shared interests that could allow me to develop a relationship with the students.

During this, I also want to continue observing what the instructors do that help the students

learn both academic and social skills.

My connection, while fictional, is based on real experiences. The book Out of my Mind

by Sharon M. Draper focuses on a girl named Melody with cerebral palsy. One of the most

important events in the book is her getting assistive technology. She gets a computer that allows

her to type in sentences and chose pre-set words and phrases that allows her to vocally

communicate. This gives her independence she never imagined and changed the way she

navigates the world. Though I did not get a chance to personally interact with the girl at Clay, I

kept relating her to Melody. I also thought of the problems discussed with the device in Out of

My Mind, specifically how long it took her to type and communicate, and thought how this device

would have made her life easier.

I saw HLP 19 being used in the special education classroom. Two students had assistive

technology that made communication easier and more accessible. I used HLP 7: Establish a

consistent, organized, and respectful learning environment when helping students in the math

classroom. When working through problems, I asked the same questions each time so the

student could begin to see patterns and ask herself the same questions. I also used HLP #8 and

22: Provide Positive and Constructive feedback to guide students’ learning and behavior.

Whenever my student answered something correctly or showed a strong thinking process, I

would compliment her on it to reinforce that behavior. I saw HLP 18: Student engagement being
used. The teacher in the math classroom did an activity that allowed each student to have equal

participation by doing the problem, checking the problem, and grading the problem. I also saw

HLP 14 being used. The teacher in the math classrooms would show various papers as

examples of what to do. The activity was also part of the I do, we do, you do process as a

bridge between we do and you do.

Are opportunities provided for practice in: Good health habits, sharing with others,

waiting turns, making rules, emotional control, taking care of their own property, cleaning up

after work, accepting responsibility, overcoming difficulties, being leaders, being helpful,

enjoying books, hearing music, meeting friends, and anything else you wanted to note from your

setting. The special education classroom practiced good health habits by helping them make

jelly toast. It provided a fun way to provide nutrients. There was also practice here in waiting

turns, as only 2 students could use the toaster at once. They also had to practice cleaning up

after work. They had to put away their dishes and clean up any mess that their food left, if

possible. They were also communicating about what they thought of the food, which helped

them practice not only social skills, but the ability to properly communicate emotions.

List three specific strategies that the teacher/you used to manage the classroom. One

strategy that the math teacher used was assigned cards. On each desk, there was a card with a

number and color. The teacher then used this to draw from her own deck of cards, which called

on students which equal chances. The teacher also gave them multiple options to work on. At

the beginning of class, she said that they could either work on their homework or work on Aleks,

which ensured students all had time to accomplish what they needed while also giving faster

students something to work on and keep them occupied. The same teacher also had a timer for

each activity to keep students and the lesson on track.

Describe the room arrangement of the classroom? The classroom was set up in rows of

desks. Each student had a seat partner that they were closest to and were able to ask

assistance from. Around the classroom, there were many math posters that gave advice and
formulas for the work. There were also motivational posters, such as a poster showing how to

replace negative language with positive language. The teacher’s desk was in the back corner,

allowing the students space while also being able to see all of them at once.