Week 5

Today in class we hiked down and across the gorge by the falls. While we were walking we discussed some topics that were in the Chapter about students that were classified as IDD. Some things that we started talking about that had to do with children with IDD were the "qualificaitons" such has having difficulty with conceptual skills as well as social skills and practical skills. As we walked we also talked about the support that is neccessary for students with IDD. We also discussed different ways to help these students in the classroom and our walk was supposed to be an example of a way to help out a student that may struggle. It is a different way of learning and it allows them to be able to stand out for once. Our walk started out exciting as we walked across the street some guy driving down the street flicked us off. Once we got to the bottom of the gorge we paused in certain areas to discuss the chapter. While we walked we had to take pictures that would create a story that we made up. We were also told to pick up a rock and throw it in the water to relieve all stress with it. Everyone also had a chance to walk away from everyone else and take 5 minutes to sit in peace and quiet. We walked against the steam because having any type of disability forces a child to overcome so many obstacles that are put on them by being born with that disability and being "different" from the other students.

I enjoyed the walk. I thought it was a good idea. It was a different way of learning and it allowed everyone to get fresh air and talk and learn about IDD is a setting other than a classroom.

This week in learn and serve there was not much to do in the classroom for a little while until the students had independent work. I went to their desks and helped them finish thier work. Then I took 3 of the students aside to do a reading worksheet. The students had to read a short paragraph and answer questions that followed. I had each student read a sentence and then they each read a question. As the students found the answer to the question I had each student point out where they found the answer in the reading. All of the students did very well with this. Then the students were at their seats again. They had two more assignments to do and they all struggled with them. One was a simple writing assignment but the second was a counting money worksheet and this one caused the most problems. I had trouble trying to help all of the students at the same time. None of them knew the values of each coin or how to count them. I felt terrible because as I was helping the students I had to leave because my time was up and I had stayed an extra 15 minutes to help. The students were very excited though because the Zoomobile was coming to the school later on that day and based on the students beahavior they would be allowed to see the animals and everyone in my class was allowed to.