Special Education - Religious Education Department of the Greek ...

14 downloads 140 Views 2MB Size Report
administrative focus points and teaching strategies for church schools to develop their programs to include children wit
Special Education

FOR ORTHODOX CHURCH SCHOOL

“T RAIN

UP A CHILD IN THE WAY HE SHOULD GO ;

AND WHEN HE IS OLD HE WILL NOT DEPART FROM IT .”

P RO

OL

IS

OF

CHIC

AGO DEPAR TM

EN

T

OF

RE IO

DO X

G

M

T

LI

E

P ROVERBS 22:6

....

....

.....

.......

.......

. . . . . . . GRE EK

TION UC A

ORT

ED

HO

US

GREEK ORTHODOX METROPOLIS OF CHICAGO

DEPARTMENT OF RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

I

G

N

T

E

AN

YA R

D

PL N

T

H

E

SE

ED

S OF

F AIT H

HE IN T

LO

RD

’S

V

I

2017

introduction “For the body is not one member, but many. If the foot shall say, because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?” (1 Corithians 12:14-15). As all members of the Church have a place in the body of the Church, our church schools must embrace the unique gifts each learner brings to the classroom. This document is intended to guide directors and teachers toward the inclusion of students with disabilities in church school. Inclusion is a principle in education that caters to all students’ needs and is free of discrimination of differences. The application of this principal in church school ensures that students with disabilities have opportunities to learn alongside their peers as valued members of our community. An inclusion church school promotes a positive social and emotional environment for students and their families, sending a message that we want all the children to emotionally develop and grow within the Church from baptism to adulthood to the fullest of each of their abilities. For church school purposes, a disability is a physical or cognitive impairment that significantly limits some major life activities. Some students with disabilities have Individualized Education Plans in public schools that highlight differences in learning capacities and styles that can be summarized by parents as relationships with church school leaders are built upon confidence and trust. As church schools welcome all their children to learn about their life in Christ, this document offers some administrative focus points and teaching strategies for church schools to develop their programs to include children with special needs successfully. An effective church school of inclusion does not happen ovenight. It calls upon leaders to continuously collaborate, reflect, and dedicate their efforts year after year to the inclusion of all children who each exist as members of the Church, no matter their difference.

church school administration GETTING STARTED REGISTRATION

Church school registration allows time for program directors to plan classroom space, resource allocation, and volunteer teacher positions for incoming students. The line item, “Does your child have an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) in school?” should be included on the registration form so that program directors can have ample time to prepare to meet the special needs of students. When registration forms have been gathered and sorted by grade level, the program director can review each form to identify children with IEPs. Then, he/she can make a phone call to the parent to inquire about the nature of the child’s disability and the accommodations that might be needed in class: “Hello. Upon reviewing our Church School registration forms, I noticed that [Child’s Name] has an IEP in school. Because I highly value his/her learning about our faith and participation in Church School, I am calling to ask for your feedback about how I can best accommodate him/her in the classroom." Personal phone calls made by the director to the families of students with special needs welcome a partnership between the families and the Church. The director should take note of the particular needs of each IEP student to plan a successful Church School experience for the days ahead. PAGE

1

PLANNING FOR CHURCH SCHOOL PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT Children with physical disabilities need opportunities to do things for themselves within the limits of their abilities. When planning for classrooms, be sure to provide a space that is easily accessible for children to get to with wheelchairs, forearm crutches, etc. At the same time, the space within the classroom should be set up for special needs students in a manner that builds self-confidence and independence as they optimize their spiritual learning in Church School. Following are some specific ways directors could plan their facilities to support children with physical disabilities: • Tape down or remove rugs that can be tripped over. • Arrange furniture in the classroom with wide aisles so children could move around more freely. • Use heavy, stable furniture that cannot be knocked over easily. • Plan for a place that a student can sit comfortably with any assistive equipment.

z z z z

Students with disabilities have varying needs. It is always a good idea to work with parents to ensure your plans are agreed upon and desirable.

STAFFING FOR CLASSROOMS

PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT

When possible, it is important to place the more qualified and knowledgeable volunteers in classrooms consisting of students with special needs. The program director should research and provide training to Church School teachers regarding ways that each student with special needs could be accommodated in the classroom (see classroom management strategies for details). Following are some ways directors could allocate staff to accommodate students in Church School: • Pair a Church School volunteer with a special need student to support his/her classroom activities and aide the teacher. • Reach out to a student in the class to partner with a special needs student and act as a helper. Rotate this peer-to-peer responsibility throughout the year. • Choose a volunteer to travel from class to class to provide support to each special needs student for a portion of time

Although it is preferred that children with disabilities be educated in the Church alongside their peers, sometimes they cannot be satisfactorily supported in a typical classroom, even with accommodations in place. Directors can review their Church School program to develop additional ways that special needs children can be active within the community. Here are a couple of ways that a director can develop the Church School program to further include participation of children with special needs:

• Many high schools require community service hours for graduation. Directors can design programs for high school students to fulfill these hours to support the contributions special needs students.

z

z z

z

As the program director gathers information from parents about what is suitable for each special needs child registered for Church School, he/she can offer any of the options above to seek consensus about the most appropriate staffing methods available. The ultimate goal is to support learning in an environment where the student is able to develop healthy relationships with peers and the Church community as he/she grows within the faith.

z

z

• Designate a volunteer teacher who can create lessons tailored to a multi-grade special needs group that have similar learning needs.

• Design a program that centers around a theme of charitable works in the name of the Lord as students set up for coffee hour, collect donations from classrooms, handing out bulletins, holding the door for others, etc..

When designing ‘out-of-the-box’ programs that families feel are appropriate for special needs students, it is important that the work is connected to a message that teaches the Gospel.

PAGE

2

DURING THE CHURCH SCHOOL YEAR To maintain positive relationships with church school families of children with special needs, it is important to check in throughout the year to ensure that the supports put in place are appropriate for the child’s development. The director should frequently reach out to teachers for feedback about how the supports are working and should be willing to make necessary adjustments. The Director should also update the family about the child’s progress and inquire about whether there are any further concerns or suggestions for the child’s learning in church school. Based upon the feedback received from the teacher and the family, the director can make the best decisions according to his/her abilities.

CLOSING THE CHURCH SCHOOL YEAR The end of the church school year is a time of celebration and reflection. As parishes celebrate the accomplishments of all students, directors should design honorable mentions and acknowledgements that include special needs students as well. Attendance, most valuable volunteer, and other participation awards are ways that directors can provide opportunities for special needs students to be celebrated alongside their peers. At the same time, directors gather feedback from teachers and families about the school year to determine whether there is room for improving the church school program for special needs students. Finally, a director can host a meeting at the close of the school year for teachers to share lesson plans and instructional strategies that were successful in the inclusion classroom.

church school teachers GETTING STARTED STUDENTS Church school teachers should make every effort possible to get to know their students before the first day of class. To prepare for a successful school year, it is important to work with the director to review the needs of students who will attend class. As much as possible, teachers should determine the individual needs of special students in order to plan for effective classroom management. Too often, church school teachers wait for the first day of school to learn about students and this inevitably makes classroom management more difficult. Following are some questions you could ask to prepare for a successful school year: • Are there any medical alerts of which I should be aware? • What modifications and accommodations should I plan to make during lessons? • Is there a specific disability that I can learn about in advance? • Will I need a volunteer aide to help me manage?

z z z z

By becoming knowledgeable of the special needs of students in class, teachers can quickly gain respect of students and parents during interactions. It is natural for the inexperienced to feel nervous or anxious about teaching special needs students. Teachers should be honest about their feelings with parents to establish authentic relationships within the community.

PAGE

3

Structuring the classroom in a manner that is conducive to the inclusion of special needs students allows all students to maximize their learning in Christ. Here are some ways a church school teacher can support an effective learning community of inclusion: • Provide a brief list of clear expectations to students and communicate what the consequences will be when students do not meet the expectations. Post the rules on the wall or on desks and revisit them often throughout the year to praise students for or remind students of the appropriate behaviors listed. • Design a seating plan that allows room for students with physical disabilities to sit comfortably among their peers. • Maintain a consistent classroom routine. • Use signals to get student attention, to start working, or clean up materials. • Speak to students privately about behavioral concerns. • Designate a room or an area that is quiet for students to calm down after being upset or overstimulated.

When planning lessons, church school teachers should consider the limitations of students with disabilities and apply strategies that make the learning goal attainable. If possible, teachers and aides should work together to plan lessons that provide accommodations for special needs students to maximize their learning. Here are some ideas to consider when including special needs students in learning activities: • Students with physical disabilities may benefit from securing paper to the desk or table so that it remains in place while students write, paint, or draw. • Add tabs to pages in a book to make it easier to turn pages.

z

CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT

LESSON PLANNING

z

IN THE CLASSROOM

z

z

• Read assigned texts aloud to the class or to a student who may have difficulty understanding or decoding the text if read silently.

z z

• Modify lessons by allowing more time to complete the activity or by shortening the task.

z

• Decide whether lesson tasks can be adapted to provide choices about how a student may respond (i.e. – draw a picture to explain, respond in writing, choose a word that is important and summarizes meaning, act it out, make a song or poem, etc.)

z z z z

z

As teachers become more deeply aware of students’ physical, social and emotional needs, they are able to recognize students as individuals, each of whom has something unique to offer a community of learners. Classroom management strategies should aim to develop positive learning experiences that develop the entire child in an environment of love.

• Identify parts of the lesson to deliver both visually and orally.

Planning lessons to include the abilities and capacities of special needs students makes the learning task more interesting and diverse for all students. Providing lear ning tasks that special needs students can accomplish is an important motivator for many.

INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES While delivering lessons, maintaining a positive atmosphere is essential. A teacher must create and maintain a classroom community that is conducive to helping all children meet church school goals. Here are some strategies that are helpful for students with disabilities as well as for general students: • Provide a partner for a special needs child to act as a reminder to stay on task. • Read directions aloud to special needs student and repeat next steps as the student completes each task. • Some students may need an explicit connection of ideas to be made by the teacher. • Paraphrase the lesson more simply to modify it to meet the child’s ability level. • Easily distractible students may benefit from a fidget toy such as a stress ball, or velcro taped underneath a desk to stay focused. • Allow a few minutes for individual think time before group discussions begin. • Let a student know in advance that he/she will be call upon to respond about a topic. • Allow for movement breaks when students appear disengaged.

z z z z z

PAGE

4

z z z

INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES ( CONTINUED ) During lessons, teachers should praise specific behaviors that contribute to a Christian atmosphere of learning. As students work independently or in a group, teachers should take note of behaviors that might be concerning and communicate these concerns with parents to discover ways to better support the student.

UNDERLYING BEST PRACTICES Teaching church school is a wonderful opportunity to share Christ’s message of love and support for all children. As teachers facilitate learning to include special needs children, it is important practice the following behaviors: • Since most children with physical, learning, or behavioral disabilities cannot help a certain extent of their contributions, have patience. • Promote self-confidence by highlighting areas of strengths among students and encourage them to assist each other with tasks with which classmates are having difficulty. • Reinforce feelings of self-worth by making eye contact and smiling at students. • Continually model appropriate speech, but accept the child’s language pattern. • Continually model the manners and caring behaviors that are fundamental to a church community. • Create a short list of behavioral expectations and post on a student’s desk and place a tally mark on the desired behaviors listed often, celebrating the quantity by the end of class. • Share enthusiasm for being together to learn about our Greek-Orthodoxy.

z

z

z z z z z

Facilitating inclusion classrooms are both challenging and rewarding. It is important to keep in mind that church school may be one of the few places that a special needs student feels confident with a sense of belonging. Including all children in the church school community sends the message that we are all God’s children and that we should find joy in our differences.

references http://www.lifeway.com/lwc/files/lwcF_crd_ss_EforE_Special-Needs-Book_pdf.pdf https://www.sagepub.com/sites/default/files/upmbinaries/27324_Chapter_1_Federal_Special_Education _Disability_Categories.pdf

Special Education

FOR ORTHODOX CHURCH SCHOOL PAGE

5