Environmental Systems

My Micro-system : I am 20 I have 2 parents who have been married for 21 years, a younger brother who is 18,  a son who is 2 and a husband who is 23. I live in Sylvan Lake and attend Red Deer College in the education program. I am minoring in Early Childhood development.
Mesosystem : My brother, Jesse has a learning disability. He suffers from Scotopic sensitivity syndrome also called Irlen's Syndrome.  My mother pulled Jesse out of school when he was in early elementary school because he was not receiving the help  he needed to be successful. My mom home schooling my brother had an effect on why I chose to become a teacher. Jesse struggling with a disability has taught me patience and compassion for all children and people in general.
Exosystem : seeing different settings of education (homeschooling, public/catholic schooling, and college schooling) has made me see different teaching strategies. It showed me how to be a good teacher and what kind of teacher I will choose to be.
Macro-system : Belief : no one gets left behind

Inclusion

October 26, 2011 in Educational Psychology we had a discussion about inclusion in the classroom. I have mixed feelings about this ongoing debate as to whether or not this is a good idea or not. On one hand, it can have wonderful experiences for both sides on the spectrum (the kids who are considered 'normal' and the kids who are considered to be 'challenged').  Children who are 'normal' I think become more accepting if they are exposed to children who have a disability more frequently. And children who have a disability who interact with children who are 'normal' perhaps helps them become more educated on what ways to act 'accepted' by society. Now on the other hand, if the child who has a disability is being disruptive to other children, would inclusion still be fair to everyone? I believe everyone has a right to learn and no one should have limitations to their abilities. But the question is how do you education everyone so they could reach ultimate success. The education system that is place now is failing some children and letting some 'fall between the cracks.' The discussion we had in class on how we are transitioning to where we (teachers) are no longer going to have E.A's in the classroom and will have a Learning Coach in the school instead concerns me great deal. It is our (teachers) job to teach everyone, but is that possible and still being fair to everyone? In this future system I see a lot more children 'being left behind' and 'falling through the cracks.' I think this system would work better if the teachers assistance stayed in the classroom. It is very controversial, in the respect to the paraprofessional career and its possible elimination from the school systems. Is Red Deer College and other colleges being honest with its students entries into this career choice? Do school systems honestly understand the impact of the removal of paraprofessionals on students who are challenged and their counterparts. Do school boards and schools understand the challenges put on teachers what are already overwhelmed by large classroom sizes? How can inclusion really be inclusion when "every" students needs are possibly being sacrificed? Is the future of our kid's education being stripped away and limited inability because the students needs and freedoms are not being met? Which child should be sacrificed? Mine, whom may be a doctor with a cure or yours whom may be the next Bach? Does money decide their fate? Inclusion cannot work unless "every" student is included this cannot happen without extra support within the classroom for teachers that are already over burdened by the classroom size alone.



"It is important to remember that the term "disability" does NOT mean or imply inability." -Educational Psychology book.  

Sir Ken Robinson Reflection

Oct. 7, 2011 we watched a video called "Schools kill creativity" by Sir Ken Robinson. This video became my new inspiration to achieve and strive for greatness. I 100% agree that schools are educating children out of creativity. One time while I was volunteering in a kindergarten classroom last spring the teacher told the children to cut out the circles on the page she had given to them. Most children cut around the circle however there was this one boy who cut out the circles but cut them out in squares rather then cutting around them. Now this was not wrong since the teacher did not say how to cut them out. She just assumed that all children would understand to cut the circles out in a circle. She seem frustrated with the little boy and made him stay behind and do the activity "correctly." This boy just had a different way of thinking. And I don't believe he should felt bad about doing it differently. This video made me think of that experience and made me realize that perhaps something in the school system should be changed and being different(creative) should be encouraged and not frowned upon. I have plenty of friends that don't even know what their talent is or even what they are interested in. This astonishes me!  And after this video I may understand why some people have such a hard time figuring out what the want to do in their life, want they want to accomplish. Now I am not saying it is all the schools fault, but I do believe it is one of the primarily reasons. Schools as Sir Ken Robinson  says gears us to "Mathematics and languages then humanities at the bottom the arts." This is ironic in the sense that I believe, if you are not doing what you love to do, you will not be successful and/or happy. But in school we are taught that this is acceptable, as long as we are "making the money." A lot of people I see loosing their way, and not being happy and content with their life and I think a bit part of that reason is because they were not giving the chance to learn what they love to do. School is like another home for children, and I believe they should get to experience everything. Teachers are like another parent for children and we should be helping them reach and achieve their goals, now matter what that should be. We all have the ability to achieve greatness that makes us truly happy.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"If you are not prepard to be wrong, you will never be original" -Sir Ken Robinson