Using Prompt One

I am working with VIPS in a middle school in Providence (of course) in a classroom that has sixth through eight grade students who are special education students. I have completed six hours in the classroom so far. The students run on a middle school schedule with a six period day and change classrooms with the change of each period. There can be as many as 12 students in one period or as few as six. The primary teacher in the room is supported by two other full time teachers assistants. The necessity for special education represented within the room is extremely varied and ranges from behavioral issues to documented severe mental and cognitive issues.

The classroom I am working in is in a separate "wing" of the school which houses the classrooms which are special education. This wing appears newer than the other areas of the school and is painted with lighter colors making it more bright and alive and less dank than the rest of the building. The specific classroom I am working in is fairly large, and has bigger tabletop desks for the students. Each teacher has a desk, and there are working computers along one large wall. A small amount of student work is displayed. There is a locked cabinet filled with treats which the students can earn by earning points, generally given for acts of kindness to others or helpful behaviors (sometimes for completing an assignment).

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I heard the reference "these are the throw away kids." Truth be told that's how it feels when I walk in to that school. There is no sense of urgency behind these kids education, no push, no effort in the appearance of the building it's more like...well we have to educate them so lets do what we can with these kids..emphasis on "these."

Now, I am speaking to the overall tone of the school, appearance and tone I can gather. It feels like "they" expect no return on what effort they could put in, and so there is none put in at all. I didn't go to a school like that, my kids don't go to a school like that. The difference is focus. Focus on future goals, and taking active steps daily to reach and get return on those goals. "Don't get into fights, show up"...These are goals? What the kids know is what these teachers are showing them they have the ability to reach. They are not being shown enough, and throwing them in a dank building with no care taken to spruce it up with the kids work doesn't help. The children's' work is free and great hallway decoration. Decorating the hallways with the students' work would really change the look of the school at a great price and is a nice way to say " Take pride in what you do, we are proud of it."

The classroom itself is much more pleasant. If I was in that school I might choose to be special ed. by acting up just to get over there. There are smaller classes that have more teachers who are great with encouragement (or at east the one I have the pleasure of working with). The teacher I work with holds the students to a good standard and teaches social skills while teaching the necessary daily lesson. The kids really like her, and respond to her as such. It is obvious that each student is personally important to this teacher and she is not willing to let anyone slip by. She seems to know what each one of the students is lacking at home and outside school and she comes emotionally equipped to give it all. Some people are meant to teach, the teacher I am working with is clearly one of those people.

Assesment Techniques: Accomodating Sociocultural Differences

"The culturally competent teacher should be able to use a variety of assessment techniques appropriate to diverse learners and accommodate sociocultural differences that affect learning. A teacher must be responsive to the linguistic, ethnic, and sociocultural characteristics of the students in their assessment practices."(Odile Mattiauda)
In today's schools, with the representation in each classroom of many different sociocultural characteristics within approximately twenty-six students, this can be a full time job in itself. Proper assessment of the students is necessary in order to monitor learning and skill development. If accommodations are not made to sociocultural differences a teacher will not be able to properly gaige the students progress either as a whole or individually.Within the elementary grades assessments are made through teacher observation, student work, as well as through guided practice resulting in graded evaluations. These assessments must be diversified in conjunction with both the learner and assessment type.



Teacher observations should be utilized with a direct understanding of the students personal sociocultural background and personal progress. These observations should not allow for student to student comparison based on the diversity of the student sociocultural base. However, they should be individually goal oriented with preparation to accommodate a student in order to advance the understanding of the necessary skill, task, or assessment to increase the students aptitude on such skill, task, or assessment to what is their proper level.



Student work should provide a range in base of sociocultural characteristics which are known to be present within the class. Linguistic, ethnic, and cultural differences should be considered and utilized when selecting the work to be done. Linguistic, ethnic, cultural and other sociocultural differences should be plainly represented in the students daily work.



Guided practice leading to graded evaluations should be accommodated by both a teacher's individual observation of the student as well as student work that is plainly representative of sociocultural differences. Guided practice can involve multiple languages as well as cultural aspects for assimilation purposes. This will lead to a more effective graded evaluation.

Getting our introductions out of the way!

In lieu of a name name tag (or sign): My name is Kelly Colicchio. I am not an education major but am pursuing a degree with a major in philosophy, as well as a minor in communications. I am also being advised and directed in accordance with pre-law contingencies so that I can continue on to law school. This semester I am very busy with a full class load, my three children, and my own personal daily schedule, but I enjoy the hustle. I am looking forward to the progression of this class and any application I can utilize in my children's lives and schooling as well as the opportunity to participate in the "Service Learning Project!"