Blog Post #10: Special Education and General Education

Do you believe that schools should combine both special education and general education students in the same classroom? If so, how would teachers, parents and students figure out how to provide both support and academic challenge to kids with special needs? What strategies for all students would need to be put in place? Should special education and general education merge? What are your honest thoughts about this topic? Why do you feel this way?

In my opinion, I do not see why having both special education students and regular students in the same classroom would be an issue; however, challenged to spark when faced with various possibilities. For example, some students are or seem uncomfortable around students with special problems or needs, therefore creating an environment with a slight discomfort. However, this problem can be overcome once students get used to dealing with special education students and interacting with them. If students are still uncomfortable, student aids or special aids are available and these people are similar to one on one teachers for those who need help. Teachers and  more likely parents will all be safe and feel comfortable that their children are in a secure and stable environment with care and respect for each student. There, of course, will be struggles and challenges to deal with the special education students, but by having a combined environment filled with both students, it is a learning experience for both groups of students. Kids with special needs will gain an academic knowledge in a variety of ways; by learning from the students and experiencing new challenges. There is definitely nothing impossible for the kids with special needs, as they find a way to adapt to new things in a new way. Hence the term impossible. Though its definition states not possible, you can read it as I-AM-POSSIBLE. Anyways, the general educated students will gain a newly-found respect for the kids with special needs and learn to appreciate and understand life's gift of lessons. My honest opinion is that merging special education and general education is possible, but might take some time to get used too. Nevertheless, there really is nothing wrong with it and essentially, you grow into a new family. 

Experience of Tutoring

Today, unlike any other day, was one that truly gave me a new perspective on life. I have never been more enlightened or filled with satisfaction and happiness of knowing that I have done something right. The experience of tutoring children, who have mental or physical disabilities, is an opportunity to be thankful for. I just look at this experience and reflect about things that I have done in my life. Although these children may have disabilities and lack characteristics and abilities that we have, the smallest and most minute details are striking to them. Their disabilities do not put them down, but rather raise their self-esteem up and create the strong, confident people that they are. Each minute detail is taken into consideration, and sometimes I think to myself why people of our time who have nothing wrong with them chose otherwise. After simply just rolling a ball back and forth from one player to another, the precision that these children have is quite remarkable. At one point, I even stopped playing just to admire these children's techniques and abilities. With each special child, even the more challenging tasks were taken and replicated perfectly. Instead of just rolling the ball back and forth, changing into a push-up position, and tossing the ball around your hand, the perfect amount of force was applied and the ball always reached the other side in an aligned path. The children have inspired me and demonstrated that even if, for example, you have broken your foot, you can choose to live in pain, or move on and ignore the pain. Just forgetting about the pain removes more than half of the issues that come your way.

Whether is be physical or mental disabilities, these characteristics do not define a person's character or even appearance. A person is defined by their personality and I can reassure you that all of these children are very good-hearted and welcoming people. When, as a class, we first met the children, one child asked us, "Hi, how are you all doing?" I instantly felt connected to these children and felt an ounce of gratitude that has instantly sparked joy into me. I felt a wake up call, a call to remind people like me, that whatever life throws at you can be avoided if you create your own path and work hard instead of taking the easy way out. These children definitely have a more difficult life than us, but they chose to life their lives filled with joy and happiness and never forget to have fun. If we all just life by that motto, maybe our society can change. Any decision, choice, action, and obstacle is created based on you. You can be the evil demon inside yourself creating obstacles to knock you down, or rise to the occasion as the angel and lift yourself out of your flusters and move on. Whatever you chose to do, remember to put your heart and soul into it, because you can never get back what has happened. I cannot even explain the amount of happiness I have gained throughout this experience. Even by reflecting on tutoring keeps me eagerly waiting on the tips of my toes, ready to help these Special ED children once again. I have gained a whole new set of friends, who have definitely changed my perspective on every detail that comes up every inch of the way. 

Advertisement with Persuasive Strategies

This advertisement, above, claims that by buying PEDIGREE (a dog product), a donation will be made to The Pedigree Adoption Drive association will help dogs, such as the dog seen in the advertisement, find loving owners and homes. With this claim, the advertisement appeals to a wide range of audience members: to people who love dogs, dog owners, as well as those who would just like to help make a difference for the animals that need this care. Additionally, the advertisement is organized in a clean fashion and includes a wide variety of persuasive techniques. One specific strategy that is dominant is the use of ethos to create credibility and trust in the audience. The Pedigree Adoption Drive is an association and additionally a "Big Name," which gives the viewers a reason to believe the advertisement and address the advertisement's claim. In the lower right corner, written in fine print, the advertisement states that as of 2008, the total donations given were between $250,000  to $1 million. The use of the logos, or logic, supports the claim by using statistics and facts. At the same time, before anything, the advertisement captures the audience's attention with the use of the dog, Otis, who looks like he is sad, bored, or depressed, making that pouty face. This advertisement appeals to our emotions by using pathos. We, the audience, feel bad for the dog and hope that we can help make the dog happy and live a more pleasant life. Therefore, the usage of the emotional appeal captivates the audience. By simply buying the PEDIGREE product, we will indirectly make a donation through The Pedigree Adoption Drive, to help dogs find loving homes. 

Bullying Video

This link below is for a movie titled Cyberbully. This movie shows how cyberbullying almost leads to suicide attempts and learning to stand up for yourself eventually. Grab a tissue, because when you watch this movie, there is no holding back those tears!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=shnAPc3wYbA 

New Year/New Semester Goals

"The power of setting goals is an extremely valuable life skill. The New Year is the perfect time to start discussing what the future holds and how we can plan for positive growth and change both individually and together."

For the upcoming academic year, I believe to create sub-goals in a matter based on my progress. Normally, when I create my main goals with sub-goals, I set those goals purely based on my PLAN for success. This upcoming year, I hope to be able to accomplish as much as I possibly can to achieve my GOAL by creating, more or less, a stepping stone goal. Each stone that I step across is a sub-goal that I have achieved, which leaves me one step closer to achieving my dreams.

With the first semester finished, I have been able to identify my strengths and weaknesses. More specifically, I am able to identify which subjects I am strong in and which ones are more difficult for me. For example, French for me is a subject I enjoy and it is one of my strengths along with English and Math. However, I feel and have noticed that my weakest subject is the hardest class that I am taking. From this experience, I know that the more challenging classes I take, the tougher it is for me to do well in those. I am struggling in World History AP, comparatively to my other subjects, since I have never experienced a college-level course. Now that I have experienced and identified my strengths and difficulties, I have found a way to make myself a more successful person. With each of my classes, I have definitely been able to understand and grasp the concepts and standards learned, but applying them to tests is an issue that I face for a few. Being able to learn new test-taking skills will be a useful tool and my future goal for achieving this brand new semester. Test-taking skills is a real broad and general tool, but I can use it to help me better myself in taking the PSAT, SAT, and subject tests, my other up and coming future goals. I just need to find a way and a method for channeling all of the knowledge I know into a stamp of approval, hence a test.

Not only does this new year give me a chance to brighten up myself academically, but through some more personal goals. As some of you may know, I am a dancer and have been dancing for the past 10 years. I truly love dancing, as the art form connects me to my South Indian, Classical roots. I have really been working hard in dancing, practicing whenever I have the chance to and EVERY SINGLE DAY. No matter whether I am sick, or tired, or busy, even just 5 minutes in that one day makes a huge difference. Just last week on Sunday, my dance teacher inspired me with her beautiful words of wisdom. "Dance is not just a sport. Dance is not just an art. Dance is your life. Dance is your best friend." I quickly shed a tear just listening to this. With my deep love for dance, nothing comes to compare to it or even come close to expressing myself and my personality and character. I have a future goal next year in the summer. I am planning on performing a 2 hour  graduation recital, or Arangetram. I have been waiting to perform this Bharatnatyam recital my whole entire life. But as many of you know, things like this do not come easy! Everyday, I have been practicing and improving and making sure that I enjoy the whole process every step of the way. There is no way that I can get this whole experience back. I can just picture myself standing on the stage after I finished me recital, thanking everyone, crying, and hugging my parents. With my friends and family, I know that I can accomplish anything with their support. 

Outside of dance, I have decided to stick with no New Year's Resolutions, but rather have one resolution every single day, whether it be dance for an extra 5 minutes, or try to write your essays faster. This way, I can control myself, without slamming too much pressure. When I am hoping to accomplish anything and achieve my goals once set, I think to myself. "Setting goals might be a hard thing, but actually reaching them is a whole different dynamic!"