Tyler Homeschool

This article is a brief review of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act Video. To read the Act or see the video please go to: 

idea.ed.gov

Individuals with Disabilities Education Act

by Melody Eisenbach

Summary of the IDEA video:

This video explained the new laws about special education. Special Education students can be included in the public education system and the school should provide for the educational needs for the student by law. A student can be assessed by the social worker at the school if the teacher or parent requests an assessment to determine if the student has an emotional, social, behavioral, or mental disability. The student can remain in the same school and have services provided to him or her. The special needs student is required to learn the general subject of what is being taught to the other students but may not be required to learn all of the information provided. The video used the word “inclusion” multiple times. Special Needs students can be included now and no longer forced out of the public schools.

Three things I learned from this video:

I learned that it is good for the average student to have special needs students in the classroom because it will teach and prepare the average student for life outside of school. I also learned from the video that it was the parents that taught their special needs children when they were rejected from the public school. From this video I learned about the “Individuals with Disabilities Education Act” and it inspired me to go look at their website: idea.ed.gov

What surprised me about this video?

I am surprised that teachers now are expected to teach every range of special needs students with a class full of average and excelling students. I think it would be hard to keep everyone’s attention in the classroom when there is a student humming or rocking back and forth. I am surprised that this can even work. If you look that the TEA website you can bring up the old TAKS test and compare the special needs tests with the regular TAKS tests and the only difference seems to be that the font is larger and fewer choices (2wrong answers instead of 3 wrong answers) on the special needs test. So this means that the special needs students are required to learn the same material as all the other students.

Reaction Statement:

I think that the public education system and teachers are challenging the special needs students too much and may not be challenging the gifted students enough. Gifted students become bored when the teacher has to always slow down for the disabled students. It’s like the teacher has to teach 2 separate classes. I think special needs students need a different teacher that can focus more on them or just a few students at a time as the disabled students need more attention. On the other hand there are some students that have just a mild disability that could keep up with the average student with a little assistance. I hope that I’m wrong and that “inclusion” does work out for centuries to come. I think that disabled students are such a joy and very lovable and that other students and the teacher can learn a lot from them. But how can a teacher manage a classroom with both disabled and excelling students?

I recently studied the Math TAKS tests. The public school teachers have to stick to teaching for the TAKS. I do not recommend giving your homeschool child the TAKS test unless just for an evaluation to see if your child can transfer to a certain grade in public school. It is good to know for yourself, as a homeschool mom, what the public school is teaching. Here is a project paper I wrote about the TAKS test.

Math 1351: TAKS Project Paper

Fall 2008

Terminology

Ideas for teaching the mathematical terms that students must know and understand:

1. One term that is taught is “statistics”. It is good for the students to understand statistics so that they can reason through situations in life and hopefully make good decisions. (i.e.- If  I do not wear a helmet and I ride a motorcycle more than 70 mph, odds are I have a better chance of being killed than if I rode in a car.-If I bought all the possibilities of  “Pick 3” for $1each and I get $500 if I win then I will end up losing $500 for there are 1,000 possibilities.)
2. Another term that is taught is “Quantitative reasoning” which teaches students to calculate, simplify, convert, etc. different numbers or decimals. This will help a student think about prices of materials which will help him as a wise consumer or a retailer. Knowing how to use numbers helps a person at any occupation. A person needs to know how to use quantitative reasoning in order to thrive in today’s society. One example of quantitative reasoning: If I get paid every 2 weeks and I save $100 of each check to buy a house, I can afford a $10,000 down payment in 4 years.
3. Another term that is taught is “measurement”. Measurement includes perimeters, lengths, widths, areas, volumes, and circumferences. Measurements help us in everyday life whether consciously or subconsciously. When I am driving towards a stop sign I subconsciously know when to start applying the break. When I am cooking I consciously know how much sugar to put in a batch of cookie dough. Measurements are fun to teach students because you can apply it to anything (like sports).

Five resources that are good for understanding the terminology in the TAKS objectives:

1. 1.     The Texas Education Agency website:  www.tea.state.tx.us is a good resource of course because you can download the TAKS tests and read the objectives in detail of what is expected of each student. There is also assessments for the students that a teacher can download.
2. This is another good website for understanding the terminology in the TAKS objectives: http://www.thetakstutor.com/productgallery.htm because this website has tutoring information about the TAKS and how teaching a student to read better will help him on the TAKS test.
3. Another good website for understanding the terminology on the TAKS test is: http://quizlet.com/set/213720/ where a teacher can create flashcards for the students and play different computer games to familiarize the students with the terms.
4. A website that includes several practice TAKS tests is: http://www.mysatori.com/TAKS/TAKSmath.php Having students take a practice test will lessen his fear of the final test and prepare him more for it.
5. Another good website for flashcards for the TAKS test is: http://www.flashcardsecrets.com/taks/ which breaks down difficult questions to easier parts.

Scope and Sequence

In doing this TAKS project I realized how one test is preparing for the next and that those students that maybe never had a TAKS test might not be able to pass the 7^th grade TAKS even though they make good grades in 7^th grade. One idea that I saw develop through the TAKS was quantitative reasoning. In third grade students are expected to know the place values, add, subtract, and multiply one digit numbers and count money. In Fifth grade students are expected to know how to add, subtract, multiply, divide, round decimals, identify prime factors, and use models to show ratios.  In seventh grade students are expected to know how to convert between fractions, decimals, and percents, know ratios, multiply and divide decimals and fractions, and represent square roots using models. A second idea that I saw develop through the TAKS tests was algebraic thinking. In third grade a student must use patterns to solve problems and use charts to express patterns and relationships. In fifth grade a student must use models, pictures, charts, or diagrams to find patterns and make generalizations.  In seventh grade a student must solve problems involving proportional relationships and use equations to solve problems. A third idea that I saw develop was geometry and spatial reasoning where in third grade a student recognizes congruency and symmetry and points on a line. A fifth grader must know how to sketch the results of a translation and recognize the connection between ordered pairs of numbers and locations of points on a plane. In seventh grade a student uses coordinate geometry to describe location on a plane and sketch a solid when given the top, side, and front views.

I definitely thought that this project was worthwhile as I did not know much about TAKS tests because I was in a private school. I learned that public school teachers seem to be forced to teach this or that with not much wiggle room. But that in a public school it is probably a pretty smooth transition from one grade to the next because it is the same type of ideas just at a higher level.

Education is “The bringing up, as of a child; instruction; formation of manners.”

Ephesians 6:4 “Fathers do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.”

“Education comprehends all that series of instruction and discipline which is intended to enlighten the understanding, correct the temper, and form the manners and habits of youth, and fit them for usefulness in their future stations.”

Ephesians 1:18 “I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you…”

“To give children a good education in manners, arts, and science is important; to give them a religious education is indispensable; and an immense responsibility rests on parents and guardians who neglect these duties.”

Deuteronomy 4:9 “Only be careful and watch yourselves closely so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them slip from your heart as long as you live. Teach them to your children and to their children after them.”

“The Principle Approach is America’s Historic Christian Method of Biblical reasoning which makes the truths of God’s Word the basis of every subject in the school curriculum.” –Teaching and Learning America’s Christian History p. 88

The Seven Principles

I. God’s Principle of Individuality

A. There is diversity in mankind both internally and externally.

1. Internally-Each individual has his own personality, spiritual gifts, etc.

2. Externally-Each individual is unique and different. There are no two people who look alike. (Except identical twins, but even they have differences)

B. God created mankind in His own image and likeness because He wanted to have a relationship with us. We are His children who have been created in His likeness with:

1. A mind

2. Will

3. Emotions

C. Biblical Basis- The end purpose of the principle of individuality is to show God’s infinity, diversity, and His infinite individuality.

D. Applied Educationally- The educational applications of the principle of individuality is that every subject should reflect the Bible and is distinct. The subject can be expanded but not evolved into something else.

E. Revealed Historically- It is revealed historically through the chain of Christianity. (Links on this chain may be defined as a life, event, or a nation in Christ, His Story, that reveal God’s plan and purpose of bringing people to Him. The Chain begins in Asia, the continent of origins, with the Law and the Gospel. The chain later moves to Europe, the continent of development, when Paul obeyed the “Macedonian Call”. The chain moved to America when the Pilgrims settled in 1620.

“The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.” –Psalm 19:1

II. The Christian Principle of Self-Government

Self-Government is the government of oneself. Government is direction, regulation, control, and restraint.

“Better a patient man than a warrior, a man who controls his temper than one who takes a city.” (Proverbs 16:32)

A. “When a teacher and a class of students discuss the government of the classroom it is easy to fall into the socialistic concept of good government. Under a man-based form of government, such as socialism, each individual is but a part of the state- and the state is made up of the parts. In a Christian Republic, because the individual Christian accepts Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior- whole and complete- each individual is whole and complete in Christ.” (Teaching and Learning America’s Christian History p. 187) In order to have a governed classroom there must be governed students. The focus must be on the individual self-government.

B. “Obedience to the internal demands of conscience brings greater freedom than mere compliance with the external law.” (Teaching and Learning America’s Christian History p. 188) If we want to live in freedom we must follow the law that is written on our hearts then the external laws would not be restraining you but protecting you from evil and giving you freedom.

“Keep my commands and you will live; guard my teachings as the apple of your eye. Bind them on your fingers; write them on the tablet of your heart.” –Proverbs 7:2-3

III. America’s Heritage of Christian Character

A. “As the whole life of the Christian, from the beginning to the end, is a conflict with the world and the powers of darkness, a conflict within and without, the kingdom of God in this world must appear as militant, and must make its way by conflict; so that often in the Holy Writ, the calling of the Christian is compared to that of the military life, and the Christian is represented as the soldier of his Lord.” (Teaching and Learning America’s Christian History p. 211) To live a life of Christian Character is a battle “not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” (Ephesians 6:12)

B. Christian Character is not something that comes mechanically or by force, but it is a choice that each individual has to follow Christ and do what is right.

C. It is highly important to have models of Christian Character for ourselves and for students. When we teach in the classroom or at home, we have many examples of people and stories of people. We should be highlighting on people in history who have had Christian character, and stories that clearly portray good as good and evil as evil.

IV. Conscience is the most sacred of all property.

A. “We find the founding fathers reminding us that ‘we have a property’ in our rights- and that the right to conscience is the most important. As we were reminded in the writings of Neander, liberty of conscience did not exist until Christianity appeared in the world. With its appearing the individual became important- and his most sacred possession was his conscience.” (Teaching and Learning America’s Christian History p. 228) We have a right to life, liberty, and property. The most sacred of all property is the conscience.

B. “Conscience: the principle within us, which decides on the lawfulness or unlawfulness of our own actions and affections, and instantly approves or condemns them.” (Teaching and Learning America’s Christian History p.229) Our conscience helps us to detect what is right and what is wrong.

C. “Conscience is first occupied in ascertaining our duty (legislative), before we proceed to action (executive), then in judging of our actions when preformed (judicial).” (Teaching and Learning America’s Christian History p. 229)

D. Be a good steward over all property that is under your care. God will reward you if you are a good steward. Luke 12:42-44 “And the Lord said, ‘Who then is that faithful and wise steward whom his master will make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of food in due season? Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when He comes. Truly, I say to you that he will make him ruler over all that he has.”

V. The Christian Form of Government

A. Internal->External

1. Internal government includes property, Christian self-government and union. We must have stewardship over our property, learn to govern ourselves and unite with others before we see external changes and have freedom from restraint.

2. External government includes: “The principle of representation, the separation of powers, and the dual form of government.” This is the structure and framework of our constitution.

B. The three branches of government:

1. Legislative- “giving or enacting laws…” (Websters 1828)

2. Executive- “having the quality of executing or performing…carries the laws into effect, or superintends the enforcement of them.” (Websters 1828)

3. Judicial- judging or giving justice.

“for the Lord is our judge, the Lord is our law giver, the Lord is our king; it is He who will save us.” Isaiah 33:22

C. Wycliffe said “Dominion belongs to grace.” Our founding fathers knew that a government must be founded on moral principles from God’s Law.

D. We cannot have civil liberty without a Christian form of Government. ‘God grant that in America true religion and civil liberty may be inseparable…” (John Witherspoon)

VI. How the Seed of Local Self-Government is Planted

A. The Seed of Local Self-Government is first planted in the heart of the individual and when it is rooted it spreads to the rest of the family and church through the influence of the individual. It then spreads to the community/neighborhoods, then to the city, then to the state, then to the nation, and then to the world.

B. In order to have a self governed nation, there must be self governed people.

VII. The Christian Principle of American Political Union

A. Union- “The act of joining two or more things into one, and thus forming a compound body or a mixture; or the junction or coalition of things thus united.” “’One kingdom, joy and union without end.’-Milton” (Websters 1828)

B. “Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one body.” –Ephesians 4:25 Though each individual is unique and different in personality, gifts and so on, we are all a part of one body. We must learn to work together, not in the fact that we should all act alike and try to be like each other for unity is not uniformity, but in the fact that we are stronger when we are united and we need each other.

C. “It was from the churches of the New Testament that the Pilgrims derived their ideas of Christian Unity.” (Teaching and Learning America’s Christian History p.267) America has a rich heritage of Christian Political Union. America is very diverse with many independent states. But yet every state pledges to each other, and to be united under God.