Teacher
Planning and awareness:
- Find out about student needs and specific symptoms, talk to parents about strategies used at home or ideas for the classroom
- Prepare a written management plan
- Talk to parent and student about what (if any) information they want to share with their peers about CP. Have a community health nurse to talk to the class
- Research and read a lot about the condition and talk to qualified professionals to get ready for the year
- Create a system for sharing information between staff members
Instruction:
- Clear and brief directions including visual and oral components
- Make sure assignments and tasks are in easy to manage steps (beneficial for other students anyways)
- Use checklists and graphic organizers so the student stays on task
- Teach how to self-monitor
- Use memory prompts throughout the day
- Sometimes give extra time to complete tasks
- Use alternatives to writing if this is difficult for the student (maybe a type of writing software)
- Work on stretching
- Gross motor skills, specifically away from their midline
- Modify equipment and rules; enlarge targets
- Always consider safety implications - make sure the rest of the class knows the modified rules
Challenges:
- Team approach in the classroom; constantly being on the same page as other teachers and accommodating an individual student’s special needs requires major organization and time commitment
- Slowing the pace of everyday class activities is challenging because timing will not be in pace with the rest of the students – how can we make sure we are meeting the needs of everyone else in the classroom as well?
- Gaining parental support for child learning – they can help with the assessment process by providing details about learning needs and obstacles.
- Classroom awareness – educating the rest of the class so that group activities run smoother
- Digital resources should be made accessible for lessons and assignments
Attitudes
1. Teachers need to remember that, in their class, every single child's learning is their responsibility. Child are never "problems" that need to be dealt with.
2. Teachers must be flexible. They must be willing to adapt curriculum, their instruction and make accommodations when they need to.
3. Teachers must be able to be a team player
4. Teachers need to be problem solver's, not problem makers.
5. Teachers need to believe that all students can learn, even though they might not be able to speak or move fluently.
6. Teachers need to realize that even though CP is lifelong, and can inhibit the students ability to perform skills perfectly, it is still valuable for students to learn them. (badminton for students in wheelchairs)
7. Teachers need to recognize that students with CP might be very frustrated with their abilities. These students need your support, not your frustration.
8. Teachers must remember that attitude is extremely important. The responsibility of helping that student keep their attitude healthy is a teachers mission.
9. Teachers should be able to distinguish when between misbehavior and disability, and try encourage positive social characteristics.
10. Teachers should explore what resources that are available. Lets make this learning experience the best it can really be!
Note: This list has been adopted to one found at http://teacherweb.com/ON/JohnMcGregorSecondarySchool/LearningandEnrichmentCentre/CerebralPalsy.pdf
Much of the terminology is the same, but has been rephrased for the purposes of this website. The makers of this website found value in this list as practical reminders and encouragement for active teachers in the classroom.
Administrators
Policy:
- "Educating students with special needs in regular classrooms in neighbourhood or local schools shall be the first placement option considered by school boards, in consultation with students, parents/ guardians and school staff." (Education.Alberta.ca, 2003).
- A student will only be integrated into a special education program if the parents are consulted with and in some cases, the student is also.
- Having a special education program means that a student has behavioral, communicational, intellectual, learning, or physical characteristics that fits the criteria.
- Students in a special education program will be assessed on a constant basis and have an Individualized Program Plan (IPP).
- IPP's are designed to meet specific goals for an individual's educational, physical, behavioral, intellectual and emotional needs (whether the individual is disabled or gifted and talented).
- "School boards are responsible for ensuring that students with special needs recieve adequate special education programs" (Education.Alberta.ca, 2003).
Planning and awareness:
- Find out about student needs and specific symptoms, talk to parents about strategies used at home or ideas for the classroom
- Prepare a written management plan
- Talk to parent and student about what (if any) information they want to share with their peers about CP. Have a community health nurse to talk to the class
- Research and read a lot about the condition and talk to qualified professionals to get ready for the year
- Create a system for sharing information between staff members
Instruction:
- Clear and brief directions including visual and oral components
- Make sure assignments and tasks are in easy to manage steps (beneficial for other students anyways)
- Use checklists and graphic organizers so the student stays on task
- Teach how to self-monitor
- Use memory prompts throughout the day
- Sometimes give extra time to complete tasks
- Use alternatives to writing if this is difficult for the student (maybe a type of writing software)
- Work on stretching
- Gross motor skills, specifically away from their midline
- Modify equipment and rules; enlarge targets
- Always consider safety implications - make sure the rest of the class knows the modified rules
Challenges:
- Team approach in the classroom; constantly being on the same page as other teachers and accommodating an individual student’s special needs requires major organization and time commitment
- Slowing the pace of everyday class activities is challenging because timing will not be in pace with the rest of the students – how can we make sure we are meeting the needs of everyone else in the classroom as well?
- Gaining parental support for child learning – they can help with the assessment process by providing details about learning needs and obstacles.
- Classroom awareness – educating the rest of the class so that group activities run smoother
- Digital resources should be made accessible for lessons and assignments
Attitudes
1. Teachers need to remember that, in their class, every single child's learning is their responsibility. Child are never "problems" that need to be dealt with.
2. Teachers must be flexible. They must be willing to adapt curriculum, their instruction and make accommodations when they need to.
3. Teachers must be able to be a team player
4. Teachers need to be problem solver's, not problem makers.
5. Teachers need to believe that all students can learn, even though they might not be able to speak or move fluently.
6. Teachers need to realize that even though CP is lifelong, and can inhibit the students ability to perform skills perfectly, it is still valuable for students to learn them. (badminton for students in wheelchairs)
7. Teachers need to recognize that students with CP might be very frustrated with their abilities. These students need your support, not your frustration.
8. Teachers must remember that attitude is extremely important. The responsibility of helping that student keep their attitude healthy is a teachers mission.
9. Teachers should be able to distinguish when between misbehavior and disability, and try encourage positive social characteristics.
10. Teachers should explore what resources that are available. Lets make this learning experience the best it can really be!
Note: This list has been adopted to one found at http://teacherweb.com/ON/JohnMcGregorSecondarySchool/LearningandEnrichmentCentre/CerebralPalsy.pdf
Much of the terminology is the same, but has been rephrased for the purposes of this website. The makers of this website found value in this list as practical reminders and encouragement for active teachers in the classroom.
Administrators
Policy:
- "Educating students with special needs in regular classrooms in neighbourhood or local schools shall be the first placement option considered by school boards, in consultation with students, parents/ guardians and school staff." (Education.Alberta.ca, 2003).
- A student will only be integrated into a special education program if the parents are consulted with and in some cases, the student is also.
- Having a special education program means that a student has behavioral, communicational, intellectual, learning, or physical characteristics that fits the criteria.
- Students in a special education program will be assessed on a constant basis and have an Individualized Program Plan (IPP).
- IPP's are designed to meet specific goals for an individual's educational, physical, behavioral, intellectual and emotional needs (whether the individual is disabled or gifted and talented).
- "School boards are responsible for ensuring that students with special needs recieve adequate special education programs" (Education.Alberta.ca, 2003).