Welcoming Challenges in the Classroom

Hello Friends!

I want to address a topic close to my heart.  Students with challenges.  As a classroom teacher who has a special education endorsement and a mother of a child with autism, you can see why this topic really pulls at my heart strings.  It has been my experience, that we as a society learn more from those we see as being radically different then those we often term a nuero-typical. 

Have you ever noticed how we have learned more about learning by trying to understand those who do need atypical methodologies?  Then it dawns on researchers and educators if that works well with a particular population then most likely it will enhance the learning of all.    Personally, I have learned more about teaching from students who have given me challenges and have cultivated a better instructor.  I think our students have much to learn from each other and it's up to us to create a culture of safeness within in our classrooms.

http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/en/ami_klin_a_new_way_to_diagnose_autism.html


While on Ted Talks, I recently viewed two interesting videos.  One was on identifying, children as early as 6 months and how to intervene.  There is no cure, but they are beginning to find ways to lessen the impact.  Everyone lives have now been touched by autism in one fashion or another. 

The other Ted talk explored how to help students with autism using videos.  Salman Kahn suggests that watching a video on how to do math could be the homework assignment.  He has created a free website for students and teachers called the Kahn Academy.  Much of this website is focused on math and science objectives.  Students can practice skills they need to know in these areas and teachers can monitor their progress.  It is definitely worth checking out.
http://www.khanacademy.org/