Learn&Serve: Week 7

Week 7

Today was another relitivly easy day. Patrick* is still not back, I don't think I'll ever see him again actually but I'm not that sure. We didn't do current events with Joe* today, rather he had a health lesson instead. The heath lessons are one on one with the Health/Gym teacher and it's basically reading from the textbook and discussion. I'm not sure about tests or actual work or anything.

A lot of the 10th graders are being placed back into the high school next week so they all came in rather excited and happy to be going back. You can tell who is and who isn't going back just by looking at the smiles on their faces. I guess maybe this place really does shape them up and show them that they don't actually want to be here they want to be back in the high school with their friends and be a normal tenth grader.

I really got the kids going today. One of them asked for help and Mr. C said, "Why don't you ask Jerilyn for help?" and the student was so taken back by my name, which a lot of people are it's a weird one. He asked if that was my real name and I joked around with him asking if he was making fun of my name. he was taken back by my comment not sure if I was being sarcastic or serious and it was fun joking around with him. Then we did some work on different religions. These kids are smart and it's real upsetting that they aren't guided better and it breaks my heart that they just don't want to do the work to have a better life then their parents have.

Joe* is also moving up to the 9th grade next week. I'm not sure how that works but I told him good for him because I think he's about 15 or so. When I was in 9th grade I was 13 so it's really interesting and sad to see this. My learn and serve last semester had a 12 year old 5th grader. He was a smart kid he just didn't like doing his work. It really breaks my heart.

It's interesting that it hasn't been that long since some behavioral issues have caused impact in schools. It's even more interesting that in some students behavioral issues go unnoticed as long as until they are in college. Last semester in Human Development our professor brought in a former student of his he wasn't classified with ADHD until he was in college.

The text says, "As we become aware of the power of ecological and social factors to influence children's development, treatment also included changing and improving their social and educational environment." (Page: 184) Niagara Falls Alternative is an example of changing the educational environment but not so much as the social aspect I think. Since they are in a classroom with students that have the same behavioral issues as them they tend to butt heads and lash out more. I'm not sure how there attitudes are improving if they continue to lash out and don't learn how to act appropriately in the classroom.

Being at Niagara Falls Allternitive makes me want to teach here. I feel like I can make a difference in these kids lives, but I also feel like I could become extremely discoraged because there are kids that just don't like to do the work and just don't care.

Hours Completed: 2

Kirk S. , Gallagher J.J. , Coleman M.R. , & Anastasiow N. (2009).Educating Exceptional Children (12th ed.). Boston, NY: Houghton Mifflin Company.

Learn&Serve: Dig Photos

Learn and Serve Day 3

Dig Photos

Learn&Serve: Week 5&6

Week 5 & 6

I'm combining Week 5 and 6 together because not a lot of students showed up either day and both days were relatively similar.

Patrick* was suspended and it wasn't for the newspaper incident it was something completely different. Mr. Castiglione left it at that and I felt as if it wasn't my place to inquire more, but he was gone both Day 5 and Day 6. In the "Current Events" class that consists of only Patrick* and Joe* on a regular day we did not do any type of current events. On Day 5 Joe* went to the gym to play basket ball and on Day 6 he watched television because he didn't feel like doing any work. Personally, that bothered me. I do not think that letting them do whatever they want for a period is helping them. I know for a fact that they do not have this class everyday either. So what are they supposed to do when they go back into the mainstream school? They don't have the option of doing whatever they feel like that day. Then in Joe's* actual global class all he had to do was a few definitions again. I don't feel like this is helping them. Mr. Castiglione says that it is hard with one student to have a traditional class and I understand that but I still feel as if there is something more that can be done.

On both Day 5 and Day 6 there were only 4 10th graders. Again, people were susspended. They worked on a power point where they had to follow along with what was going on and fill in answers on a worksheet. Some students fell asleep while others with a lot of pushing sorta answered the question. They were bribed with candy which I guess works but again what is going to happen when they get back into the mainstream district. These students do go back and then I feel like they just turn right around and come back to the Alterative school. Maybe I don't see it but I don't feel like they're being taught how to act in a classroom. It seems like the teachers just let majority of there bad behavior go. And when it comes to academics I wonder if the students will develop Learned Helplessness. Learned Helplessness is the belief that nothing they can do can stop bad things from happening. (Gallagher & Anastasiow: Pg. 199) These students could think when they are back in the mainstream school district and do poorly on something there is nothing to do to fix it. They could think they are "dumb," or "stupid" and act out there anger. When really it could be possible that because they aren't pushed especially in the Alternative School, or taught methods on how to aid to their needs they'll get further and further discouraged.

Hours Completed : 4

Kirk S. , Gallagher J.J. , Coleman M.R. , & Anastasiow N. (2009).Educating Exceptional Children (12th ed.). Boston, NY: Houghton Mifflin Company.