Class

Alice,

I really enjoyed class this semester. I really loved the way we got to learn in different ways. I also enjoyed the different guest that got to come. I hope everyone has a great Christmas break.

*Get Your Break On*

Hey people. I hope everyone had a not-too-stressful finals week. (haha, I know, right?) But no worries, because it's all over now. You can all go home or wherever it is you go and relax! It's been wonderful sharing in this blog with you all (as well as in class) and I wish you all a wonderful Holiday Break! Get rested, eat great food, make snow angels, drink hot cocoa, and just chill a while. It's Christmas people. But whatever you do, be safe and have a fabulous time!

*Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and Happy New Year!!!*

Teaching

I just wanted to say that Mrs. White I had a great time during this semester in your class. I really liked how it wasn't lecture all the time every night. I really liked the interactions we made with our classmates b/c i feel as if I learned more through self exploration. Thanks for all the knowledge I have gained through your class on developing language and the passion for teaching. I will alwasy remember the first night of class when you said the average teachers are on this side of the room and the teachers who excell are over here and that you wanted us to all be on the excelling side.

Merry Christmas

Hello, well the semester is over finally tonight for me! I just wanted to say that the final wasn't as bad as I thought it would be! Hope everyone has a happy holiday season and save travel back home. Good luck on other finals!

I just wanted to say good luck to everyone on their finals. I also hope no one had as much trouble with blackboard as I did. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

happy holidays

Well i just took the final it wasn't so bad!!! the questions were very opinion!! so i hope everyone does good!! have a good safe break!!! HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!

Passion for Teaching

Mrs. White,
I don't believe I have ever had an instructor who was so passionate about teaching. I am not speaking of when you nearly teared up when talking about personal experiences. I am referring to the way you insist that we teach children for the RIGHT reasons. For the children. I have not seen this kind of caring for students. I was in awe of how you really care about the children and how you get to the essentials of teaching.

I enjoyed class tonight!! it was sad that it was our last!!! and so few people came!!! but other than that good luck to all on all of ur finals!!!! hope to seee u all next semester!!!

Final is Posted!

Ok, folks. Your final is posted online. You can take it whenever you would like. It MUST be completed by Friday.

It is VERY important that you read the instructions on the test. There will be some questions that you are required to answer. There will be other questions where you will have a choice which ones you want to answer.

If you do not answer ENOUGH your grade will not come out correctly. Be certain to also answer the FINAL question which is marked BONUS. It is what will make your grade show accurately although you did not answer all questions.

IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS...WHAT SHOULD YOU DO??? 859-338-4822 Don't hesitate to do so. It is too important to NOT do it correctly.

See some of you tonight.
Mrs. White

PS You honor and humble me with your comments here. I plan to respond to each one personally. However, I have to get your projects graded first. No time for me to play on the blog ;).

FINALS WEEK!!

I just wanted to wish everyone good luck with their finals!! Hope everyone does great and have a wonderful Christmas Break!!!

Assistive Devices

I was really excited to actually get to play around with the assistive devices. I had read about them and saw pictures of them in other classes but never got to try them out. I think that was a great experience and it will helpful in my future work!! :)

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

I wanted to wish every one a MERRY CHRISTMAS, Happy Holidays, or what ever you celebrate enjoy your Holiday Season!!!

I hope you each get some REST over Break and get to enjoy some time with Family, Friends, and the ones you love most!!!

Merry Christmas!!!


Holly Harrison

Few Thoughts...

WOW!!! This has been a really CRAZY class for me!!! I was sick for several week and had to miss out on class do to surgery!!! Working 2 Jobs and being a single Mom is not always easy. But, life is not always easy. Things make us STRONGER!!!

I just want to post a few things about Mrs White...

She is a WONDERFUL teacher!!! She has truly taught me so much, and I will agree with others comments, She is VERY strong. She has helped me keep going. She did not keep up on me, and had faith that I could keep going in this Class. She has be SO willing to go the extra mile and Help me when I was sick. This is a TRUE teachers heart!!! Caring for your students, even when life is crazy, or having ill family members, or son's having surgery, you still find time to care about your Students. This is what I strive for!!! Thank you Mrs. White for teaching us so many things, but most importantly to CARE, and to have Heart, and to Keep Going!!!

I hope you and your family have a Merry Christmas!!! you will stay in my prayers!!! and I look forward to maybe having another class with you in the future!!! See you on Monday!!!

Holly H.

The end is near!

I know if you are all like me it is helpful to just hear it...so...here goes...the end is near!! It is actually in sight. we just have one week left. Hang in there!

Mrs. White

This has been the most difficult semester of my college career. With the passing of my aunt, my cousin, the breakup with my boyfriend of 4 yrs, and getting mono...this class has been one of few to not make things more difficult for me. I can just openly send my gratitude to Mrs. White and the rest of the class for this. I took away more from this class than I did any of my others.
Mrs. White, You have shared your heart, your passion, all of you this semester...we have cried..we have laughed...we have gotten through this semester together...I thank you so much for all that you do..and all that you have taught me.

Mrs . White

THANKS FOR BEING A GREAT TEACHER!! I hope that you have a wonderful holiday season :) I also hope the in the coming weeks that you all have some good weeks!
Thanks for your dedication because you could have easily said that you did not need to class but you didn't I really appericate it. I really wish that I could be in class on MOnday for the review and such but some things have happend so i'm going to stay at home in Louisville except the days when I have in class finals!
Thanks,
Rebecca

End of the Semester Notes

I don't know the rest of you, but this has been my favorite class this semester. With all sincerity. Having a teacher like Mrs. White has been truly inspiring to me not only as a teacher but as a human being. She has shown us that it's okay to be human in the classroom. It's okay to laugh and joke, it's okay to preach sometimes, and it's okay to share a tear if the situation arises. That's the real-life teacher I want to be someday. Passing on knowledge to little minds while being human enough to connect with kids in a way they might not connect with other teachers.

Mrs. White's enthusiasm and dedication make me so anxious to get the technical stuff over with and get out there and start teaching!! I know that's not possible, because of course, they go hand in hand. But nevertheless it makes me want to do it right and do it well. And I just can't wait to see what kind of educator I blossom into in the near future.

It has been wonderful sharing this class with you and using this blog to get to know some of you. This has been an incredible experience and I'm sad to see it end so soon. I wish everyone the best in teaching and finding their own way. To all, Have a wonderful holiday break!!

*Alisa*

End of Class

Professor White,
First off i want to say how amazing you are! You are such a wonderful person on the inside as well as the out! I have enjoyed your class and have learned so much, more than what i had expected too. Your a great teacher and just wonderful. I hope you have a wonderful Christmas as well as a Happy New Year, and i hope everything goes well with your husband. You and him are in my thoughts and prayers! I will miss you tons! :)

To Mrs. White

As I watched you on Monday, I could tell you were trying to fight back tears and remain postive for us. That is the kind of dedication that makes a wonderful teacher, one that sets the kind of example that makes me realize that this is my calling. Since I have started my college experience (more than five years ago, lol) I have had all kinds of professors, the kinds who could care less about me or my situation, the ones who became my friends, and ones (like you) who view their students as future collegues. I will admit that at first I was a little afraid of your blunt style of teaching, but I have learned so much in your class that I quickly realized that you did not view us as merely your students, and that you expected us to learn to our fullest potential. I just wanted to say that I got a lot out of your class, and that I am praying for you and your family. I hope you have a wonderful Christmas, it was a pleasure being in your class.

Erica Jones =)

Learning Styles

I was just curious if anyone else took the time to take the learning styles quiz and what was your results. My result was auditory 45% and visual 35%. I would say that the quiz is accurate. The more times I hear or see something the better I learn. Everyone learns in different ways. As teachers are job is conduct our classes so that we meet all different learning styles for student learning.

You shouldnta orta done that!

Mrs. White,
You are so generous. I guess with this extra bonus, none of us will even have to take the final, right? I wish I could post anonymously but you would have known this author anyway. This has been a fun class and I will miss it.

I did learn alot from this class. I did not realize language was broken down into so many small parts. I guess we get user friendly and just communicate without analyzing how and why we communicate. Some other things I learned from this class was knowing how important it is to have each person in a group participate and be asked to input their ideas into group discussions. In our first group, someone insisted on doing the whole activity themselves. I am so glad this happened because it gave everyone in our group time to talk about it and realize that we never wanted anyone to feel left out or unimportant. I did not want that to become a sermon, but I just felt it had a profound effect on how I will work in groups from now on. Each person should be addressed and asked what they think. Some of us do not communicate as freely as others. Pull these people into the group.

Thank you, Mrs. White, for your help and special talks about what is essential to becoming a good teacher. I think you have the experience to see what we need to focus on to be able to effectively teach. I will remember your advice.

Dead Week?

So.... it's supposed to be "dead week" right? Then why is it that I have somekind of a test or huge project due this week in nearly every one of my classes. I feel like I haven't slept at all this week because I have been having to stay up and study for this weeks tests and assignments.
I haven't had the chance to even think about studying for my upcoming finals. I was just wondering is anyone else has had this problem.

I Hope...

...the future master educators of this class will email me when you are in your first year teaching and let me come read to your students or just come watch you with your students. You all have a FIRE, a FUN and a FORCE about you that can truly impact kids' lives.

...those of you who choose to do something other than k12 education will realize that your FIRE, FUN and FORCE translates into bravery and demonstrates what courageous people you are for having the integrity it takes to do the right thing for kids and choosing a profession that matches your true interests, skills and passions.

Thanks to all of you for putting CHILDREN and STUDENT LEARNING first!

Did I tell you that you got one bonus point for every sermon I preached this semester? Who counted? How many were there? Can you name them?

The end

ok, so the time has come, and it is the end of the semester. Yay! I can't say that I am not overly excited for chirstams break, but I have to say that this class was something else. I have had more laughs in this class, and got to know some pretty great girls along the way. You guys made coming to class and sitting there for almost three hours worth while. You ladies know who you are, and I hope that each of you have a wonderful break and that things go the way you plan. Who knows maybe one day we'll all end up in the same school, or maybe district lol and we'll show them how its done. To all of the girls in the back of the classroom Thank you! And to everyone else I hope that y'all have a wonderful holiday break.

wow!!! its the end of semester time has flew by!! we watch Mrs. White cry alot, had her preach a little, gives some knowledge, and shared a couple laughs along the way!!! (don't worry im not going to talk about the author of our text) i enjoyed class this semester!! i really enjoyed meeting all the new people esp the girls in the back!!!! well i guess that all i can say other than thanks Mrs. White for everything you have helped me alot this semester!!!

End of the Semester

I wanted to let Mrs. White know that I too am thankful for the personal interjections and the information about your experiences within the classroom. That sort of real life experience brings more to the material than any dry, text focused lecture. I wil not only remeber more from this class than others I have had before; I believe I will be more aware of the way I interact with and try to teach others because of the real life knowledge tidbits given to us by you, Mrs. White.
I am definately more aware of the parts and use of language.

Thank You Mrs. White.

Kristi Sinkhorn

Semester Ending

I just wanted to take this time as we wrap up the end of the semester to thank Mrs. White for the experience I have had in this class. I began the semester thinking this class would be another SED class going more in depth in material I have already learned. I finished it learning more about effects I will make on my future students and how much my teaching will impact the rest of their lives. I appreciate the personal experiences you told in class and how you related the material to real situations. You helped me develop a better understanding of how important communication is in special education. And even though I thought it impossible, you made me feel this field is even more perfect for me. I got the tools and strategies I will need to become an "exceptional educator" from this class, which is exactly what I was looking for. Thank you and I wish everyone has a wonderful Christmas and good luck next semester, as we start all over.

December Blogs

Mrs. White,

I was just wondering what the last day was that we can post our blogs for December? I'm assuming that it is the day that our final is due but i just wanted to be sure.

Thanks!

Maggie Sporing

End of the semester

I don’t know about all of you but I am extremely excited to turn in our language analysis tonight. This is my last actual in class undergrad project ever!! YAY!! This class is also my one and only final I have left. The only other thing I have to do is present my e-portfolio to my methods advisors. I am super pumped about student teaching in January.

Quiz

I took the quiz Are you a Yankee or a Rebel and it told me that I was 68% Dixie,Well under the Mason-Dixon Line. I thought this quiz was hilarious. Many of the choices didn't quit match how I would say it but I picked the closest choice. Also there were a couple that I didn't even have an answer for so I just picked one such as what do you call a liquor store drive thru, I only call them a drive thru. I like these type of quizes they make me laugh when I need a break from homework.

Learning style

I took the learning style quiz and it said that I was an auditory/tactile learning and that I learn best by listening and doing. I am 40% Auditory, 20% visual, and 40% tactile. I always thought I was mostly a tactile learner but not that I think about it I can see that I do like to hear directions first but then I have to be able to do something or start on something to fully understand it. I really liked the tips that it gave you at the end of the quiz to help you study and to stay on task in class. I am going to try these in the future.

New quiz

I took the learning style quiz and came out 45% visual, 45% auditory and 10% tactile learner. This gave some good tips on studying and is very worthwhile. Thanks to all the well-wishers who commented on me not feeling well. I am much better! I hope everyone else is. Tonight is our last class? Hope everyone shows up.

Jenna and her mom's different point of views

I thought that it was really neat to be able to hear Jenna's story about growing up with her hearing disability and then being able to hear her mom's side about raising Jenna. It was funny to see how they would argue about events that happened such as when Jenna did not comprehend the joking conversation with the teacher about having to take a class again. They argued that it was a different teacher and a different grade. This reminded me very much of my mom's and mine relationship because we never agree about events that happened in my life. It was also funny to hear the embarrassing stories about Jenna that Jenna would not have told the class herself. I liked how confident Jenna's mother was about her, she kept talking about how smart her daughter was and how she pushed to teachers to make sure that she succeeded to the best of her abilities.

QUIZES

Ok so i got score of 53% Dixie on the interactive quizzes. I felt it a little difficult because I wasn't able to chose the option that best fit what I say. I am from KY, but I live very close to cincy. I am still not a northern person but i am not a a southern person either. I like to think of my self in between... anyone else. : ) but the score says what it says

Interactive Quizzes

I am 83% Dixie. But I wish the quiz was extended so that you could put in answers that weren't offered as choices.

I also took the "do you speak American" quiz. When I looked at the answers on the map of which American is perferred, I was suprised to see only one region score above an 8. So no one speaks the perfect sounding "American" in North America. Huh?

HAs anyone noticed that some of the newer ATM machines have an "English" voice. Usually a pleasant woman who sounds as though she and MAry Poppins have High tea every Friday. If I am 83% Dixie then I suppose you won't hear my voice on any ATM in the near future ( according to the pleasant American voice survey).

Kristi

Language Analysis Projects

I hope everyone is doing well with their language analysis projects.

Collecting the language sample was fun.I really enjoyed the interaction with the child.

But the analysis itself is a little more tedious. And a little stressful. I hope I'm doing it correctly.

Anyone else go slowly through the process of breaking down the sample?

Kristi

Good Morning America

I was getting ready for work yesterday morning and watching Good Morning America. They had a story on a girl who was just voted off of the Tyra Banks show, America's Next Top Model.
The interesting part about the story was that the girl (who made it into the top 5) had asperger's syndrome.
Good Morning America interviewed her regarding her autistic spectrum disorder and I thought that it was really insightful for people to see how that asperger's affected the model in her social and professional situations.
I can't remember the name of the model, but I'm anxious to see how her career goes and I think it's great to see a person with asperger's syndrome pursuing their ambitions and not being afraid of the spotlight.

Being Sneaky

I work at a veterinary hosptial in Danville and we have volunteers from KSD or Kentucky School for the Deaf come to see exactly what we do and to get experience working. When Jenna's mom spoke the other night she mentioned that deaf students are very sneaky. The other day we had a student at our work who was working outside with our Doggie Daycare dogs with no coat on. We knew she had to be cold and when we asked if she had a coat she said no. We found that she did have a sweatshirt but she didn't want to wear so they are sneaky!!

66% Dixie.Well under the Mason-Dixon Line

I am 66% dixie. Never would have thought that. Its funny when you see how you say things vs. how other people say them.

Quiz thing

i took the quiz that you guess where the people were from, I found it very hard to tell where the people were from. They all sound a like to me. i only got maybe half of them right.

57% Dixie

I guess my 12 years spent near Ft. Wayne Indiana is showing through. It was alot of fun. More games that help us identify parts of ourselves are fun. Does anyone know where more are?

Dialect Quiz

I took the dialect quiz and I am 58% Dixie, barely Dixie........I really don't know what this means, so I guess I am okay with it. It's a pretty cute little quiz!! :)

Jenna's mom

I really enjoyed getting to meet Susan Monday night. It was nice to see how a parent reacted to the situation and what she felt was a vitial part of her daughters education. Meeting this guest has realled brought the class to a personal level.

Hope nobody got sick!

I have a terrible cold! I just finished taking the ACT Residual here on campus...like two hours ago and then took a huge Astronomy test and I am looking for someone I can hire to give me a ride home. Just kidding! I don't know if our class attendance was off due to illness, but if I had felt like this, this morning, I would not have taken either test. But good luck to all, keep your hands off rails and doorknobs, use hand sanitizer, and for goodness sake, wash your hands!

Hope everyone had a safe holiday and I will see everyone next week!!

The test said I was Yankee?

I took the quiz on the blog and my score was a33% and it said I was definitely a Yankee. I find this very funny because most people think I am a hick. If you here my accent it is not hard to tell where I am from. It was a neat quiz everyone should take it. It is neat to see how different words are used to explain the same thing all over the US.

Language Analysis interview

I really enjoyed the interview with the child I chose. Well I wouldn't even call it an interview. It was more of a play date. It took forever writing the transcript though, and I would like to thank Mrs. White for letting us know that this part would be more time-consuming than most of us would have expected. I learned alot from listening to my chosen child's language. I look forward to teaching these children and am praying not to lose my rose-colored glasses.

Dialects

If you haven't tried the dialect quizzes in the right hand corner of the blog I would suggest that you take the time and try it. I was just curious to see what it was and found that the activity was interesting. I was actually surprised at my results.

I work at Don Pablo's and the other day a woman and a little boy came in with autism and i recognize this right away as i was sitting them he begin to get a little upset not wanting to be around all the other people. well i was like you show me where you want to go. he was non commutative and walked me to a corner booth. his mother was so happy she said she had never been anywhere before that someone actually understood and knew how to handle it and he was so happy!! it made my day. so just wanted to share my experience with everyone and to let everyone know all the work we are all doing is really worth it.

Thanksgiving

I just wanted to say that I had a great thanksgiving. I ate way too much of course, but that's thanksgiving and its okay! I do have to say though that I didnt' eat as much as I usually do, I think its because I had three dinners to attend and I was just rushed and ate a little at each place. I do have to say that I got up at 3:30 to go shopping which is the earliest I have gotten up in a long time!! Hope everyone had a good thanksgiving!

Kelsey

It's Christmas...

Thanksgiving is over and my sister says when Thanksgiving in over, Christmas is here! At any rate, I hope everyone had a fabulous break and got to spend some quality time with family/friends and eat lots of wonderful food while being thankful. :)

I don't know about you all, but I'm going to dread waking up for my 8 o'clock class tomorrow. I shouldn't have let myself sleep in so much =X

But anywho, that's how it goes.

*Alisa*

THANKSGIVING BREAK!!!

I hope everyone had a Happy and Safe Thanksgiving!!!

Did everyone eat too MUCH and Spend to MUCH money the day after... I know we did!!! I hope is was a GREAT holiday for everyone!!! I am sure we ALL have a lot to be thankful for!!!

Remember our Observation Sample Project is due MODAY Night 11-26...

Have a great weekend!!!

Holly H.

Online FINAL

I am an AVID fan of technology. I love the convenience that it provides. I believe it enables all of us to be more effective as well as efficient. I use it in many, many ways both personally and professionally.

When many people were OPPOSED to online testing (and still are in k-12) I have ALWAYS been a supporter of it. Regardless of the problems we have all experienced and the ways it can be misused I believe the BENEFITS far outweigh the negatives.

One of the most convenient aspects of typing or word processing is copying and pasting. I have ENCOURAGED you to type your answers in Word and then copy and paste them into Blackboard.

However, I want to CAUTION you as we move toward our ONLINE FINAL. Copying information from anywhere into your answers will not be of benefit to you. YOUR mind, YOUR ideas and how YOU synthesize material will earn you the most points. I am not looking for fancy wording in answers. I am not looking for textbook perfect material (If I were I'd go to Kuder and read him again). I am interested in what YOU have LEARNED and your perspective on the question and how you will answer it. You are bright students. Trust yourself and your mind.

I know I said much of this in class on Monday. Grading the remainder of the tests I felt I needed to say it again along with these few TIPS FOR THE FINAL:

• Be sure to read the entire question
• Answer all parts of the question
• Answer the question as it is written - do not just write information about the topic of the question - ANSWER THE QUESTION
• Less is better - do not type exhaustive lists
• Paraphrase or Summarize and put information in your own words - - do not type anything word for word or copy and paste

So, YES, the final will be ONLINE. Yes, it will be open book, open notes. No answer that is copied from another source will be accepted. NO points will be given for those answers. All answers must be your own words.

You can post questions in the blog to create an online study guide as well. This would then be available to you as a reference during the Final.

You may posts questions about the Final in the comments section for this post.

Mrs. White

Thank you!

I just wanted to say THANK YOU to Mrs. White for letting us choose how we wanted to take the final. I haven't had any other professor to let us do this.

How about a compromise?

I just had a thought. It would be great to have a reference to our previous chapters on the comprehensive test. I spent several hours on the last test and still did poorly. I cannot imagine having to search the entire book and power points for the referenced materials. Here is a tip. Print the power points before taking the tests so you won't get knocked off the test by trying to get to them while taking the test.

Class Project

The last class was great. I got so much from the run-through on the different approaches to the project, I cannot decide which one I want to do. I will have to decide soon though as the deadline nears. Either way, it will be much more simple to understand.

Hello!!! its THANKSGIVING DAY!!! i wanted to tell everyone Happy Turkey DAy!!! enjot your time off and hope all is well where ever you end up today!!!

Autism & Language

I would like to invite everyone to watch Youtube and view In My Language. Then go to cnn.com click on health and in the Dr. Sanjay Gupta's blog scroll down to the highlighted Anderson Cooper 360 prompt. On Anderson Cooper 360 there is a box with more info. about Amanda Baggs and why she made this youtube video.

This is fascinating to me; the description of an autistic first language. I think you will learn from watching Amanda's video and from her interview.

Class

Alice

Class was fun today, and it really help me with the language sample project. Now I know for sure what we are suppose to do. I am really glad that we when over the language sample project today in class.

And the FINAL survey says...

...the Final will be online.

A few people noted they would also be interested or willing to do it orally. If anyone prefers to do this they may email me to discuss the format of an oral exam.

1. Some students felt the final should only cover material we covered after test 3.
2. Some students felt the final should only cover Syntax, Semantics and Pragmatics.
3. Some students felt the final should be comprehensive (This is what is stated on the Course schedule).
4. Some students wanted specific areas of exceptionality covered on the test.
5. Some students wanted questions that relate to the real world - the classroom, what teachers actually do
6. Some students wanted definitions on the test
7. Some students wanted questions that related to recent in class activities

Therefore:

1. I will include at least 2 questions from chapter 15 and 2 questions from chapter 16.
2. I will provide more questions on the test than you have to answer and will give you the opportunity to CHOOSE which questions you want to answer. Obviously there will be a total number you will have to answer.
3. There will be questions related to areas of exceptionality and YOU will choose WHICH area of exceptionality you wish to use to answer that specific question. This will allow you to choose the population or group of students with whom you have had the most experience or plan to work in the future.

Most of the questions will require you to SYNTHESIZE information and demonstrate how you would APPLY it. They will require higher order thinking and require you to answer with your own ideas and in detail. No answers will be accepted that appear to come directly from Wikipedia, the text, the power point slides, etc. You will have to demonstrate that you understand that information, those facts and know how to use it in a classroom setting.

Feel free to comment here with questions you may have.

Clarity

I just wanted to thank Ms. White for the class tonight putting my mind at ease about the language analysis. I was a little worried about exactly what to do, but now I see it clearly.

Thanksgiving

With the Thanksgiving holiday approaching I really like to look at my life and give thanks to all that I have been blessed with. This class really makes me appreciate that I do not have to face many of the hurdles we discuss in class. I just wanted to hear what others are thankful for and get in the spirit of Thanksgiving. I hope everyone has a wonderful break and are able to spend time with the ones they love.

Thank you to all who posted about the visitor last week. I was unable to be in class and your insight was very beneficial. I read many posts about an activity you did in class and I was just wondering about what it was. Everyone had really good comments about it and I am sorry I could not be there. If anyone is willing to let me in it would be greatly appreciated. I look forward to class tomorrow.
erin wolf

Monday night class with Jenna

I thought Jenna gave some really good positive information about the implant. In most of my classes dealing with deaf culture, all the opinions given from the deaf community were very negative. It was usually always hearing parents who were promoting the cochlear implant. I'm glad I finally got to receive a different side to the story.

Final

I was just curious. If we have a comprehensive final in class, can we please have a study guide? I would not even know where to begin to start studying without one.

Class monday night

I wanted to say that after class monday I really began to understand the difference between syntax, semantics, and pragmatics. The activity was great. I mentioned to Ms. White after class that the activity would have helped if we would have done it earlier in the class. Does anyone else agree/disagree?

Final!!!

OK so this semester to me is going by so fast I can't even believe it. Here it is and there is only a few weeks left of the semester and finals are coming faster than I can keep everything straight. So about finals... I am now a LOT MORE concerned with our final in this class. I didn't know that our test was going to be in class, and that now is worrying because it only gives you two hours to take the test, and I normally take 2 or more, and I like having the resources at my disposal. So now realizing this I AM FREAKING OUT!!! someone please tell me that isn't just me!!!

Jenna

Monday night I enjoyed class alot. With Jenna coming I thought that she was hilarious and she was very open with all of her answers. I felt that her being there gave an outlook that I hadn't really thought about.

Keith Wann - very funny coda (hearing but has deaf parents)

Keith Wann came to Eastern to give a presentation. It was two semesters ago I think. He was so funny. I thought you all might enjoy previewing some of his work as an ASL comedian. Here is the link to a few of my favorite videos, but there are more on you tube you can check out and I'm sure there are more somewhere else online. Anyway, since we've been talking about deafness and all, I thought this would be the appropriate time to share; however be advised there are some MINOR inappropriate words for children in some of his videos. I promise it isn't anything major though.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJF3BmFNVz0 Farts
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I2nX41KvnNY Ice Ice Baby
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VXDnJ8suNTI Deaf Drivers
ENJOY!

Final :(

So I know everyone else is as worried about this upcoming final as I am. I was not aware, first of all, that it would be in class. That scares me more than the comprehensive part, because I am used to being able to use resources available to me, and I am used to the format and environment of taking the test online. I wanted to see, Dr. White, if we could possibly come to a compromise. Could we possibly still take it online if we don't complain that it is comprehensive? I don't know about everyone else, but when taking a test in class, I tend to get overly stressed and forget a lot...or not be able to find the words, no matter how much I study. Please consider this?

Jenna

I really enjoyed having Jenna in class. It was interesting to hear her perspective. She was funny, and easy to listen to. I was impressed by her language abilities, and her positive outlook on everything. She had a lot of new perspectives to offer us on the implant, especially what she says to people who express negativity about the implant. I'm glad she could come.

monday nights weather

I know that this is a little late, but i noticed that a lot of people were late or not in class on Monday. I just wanted to post to say I hope that everyone had better luck than I did with the weather. On Monday on my way back to school I fell in my garage and landed straight on my back. Pretty painful, but I'm fine I walked away with just a sore body, bruises, and a horrible headache which is why i left class early. If anyone would like to fill me in on what happened after the break that would be great. I hope everyone else had better luck then I did... See y'all next week.

Monday NIght Class

I thoroughly enjoyed Mondays night class. It was really interesting to me to learn about the cochlear implant. I also enjoyed the video and also how much i learned from the video. If you missed Monday, it was an excellent class!

My friends mother who is a teacher called me today and asked me if i had learned any new information or teaching methods for children with apraxia that i could pass on to her. She has taught children with apraxia before, but was just wondering if there was any new information out. I told her that i have not learned any new information, but i would ask around to find out if my teachers or classmates have read any new articles or heard any new information. If any one has any helpful information, or knows a good place to look for new teaching methods please let me know so i can pass it one! Thanks!

Class on Monday

Hey my name is Alice and i was sick and had a real bad headache Monday and couldn't go to class. I was just wondering if anyone can please tell me what we did in class? Thank you

Deaf Visitor in Class

Tonight in class I mentioned a former student of mine, Jena, who has a cochlear implant. She is currently a student at RIT/NTID in Rochester, New York but is home this quarter. She is the person who paged me tonight during class. I met her after class tonight for a bite to eat and mentioned our class discussion. She has agreed to come to class next week and share with you some of her experiences with the cochlear implant as well as general experiences with how language issues have impacted her learning experiences throughout her education. I will conduct an interview as well as give you a time to do Q & A with her. I am excited to have her come to class. See you next week!

Missed class

I missed class tonight due to the weather and my long commute to class. I was curious if anyone could fill me in on what I missed tonight and if they had any notes from class that I could look at to get caught back up?

Tyler Fox - UPDATE

Hey everyone,

First off, thanks to those of you who have kept my little cousin in your prayers. Prayer is the one thing that has got him through this!

Tyler is doing AWESOME considering the circumstances. The doctor's told us this weekend that there is a possibility that he will get to come home this upcoming weekend! Last week we were told that Tyler has made a 3-5 week progress within only 7 days! God is working!

Just keep praying that Tyler gets to come home soon!

Thanks again

Out of the Hospital

Thanks to the many of you who have been so supportive and enouraging through your class participation, positive comments and emails this week while my husband has been in the hospital with pneumonia. I know how full your plates are as students many of you with jobs and several of you with families. I appreciate your kind words and encouragement to me this week. He was discharged last night and is home doing well.

Have a great weekend!

Class

I enjoyed class Monday, getting to read the question that people had asked and see if we could come up with what they might have answered was fun. I also enjoyed getting to see the actually responses from the visitors. I also learned something new getting to read the articles that she gave us.

ABC Nightline and Autism

I was watching nightline abc last night and they had an interesting story about autism. It talked about that there is talk about autism screening being universal for children at 18 and 24 months. They also showed how a parent of a child with autism found that surfing was an interest that they him and his son shared together. He is now organized a program for parents of children with autism to bring their kids to the beach and have them enjoy a day of surfing. Does anyone agree with the universal screening?

Deafness Video Clips

Mrs. White,

Thanks for the video clips they made me laugh out loud. I think I woke up everyone in my house. Thanks I needed a good laugh. I want to share some of these clips with friends in my ASL class.

Interesting Article

I htought this article i found was interesting, it is about how the autism screening is urged for toddlers by age 2! http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/21515865/

Why Special Ed?

I am a regular Ed major, with an emphasis in Kindergarten. This special Ed class is one of the electives for my emphasis. Out of curiosity, if you are a special Ed major, what led you to go into special Ed specifically?

My grandson has Asperger's

I am really looking forward to the class to learn more about this syndrome. My grandson was diagnosed at the end of the spring semester. He lives in northern Indiana and I get to spend little time with him. I did see him last weekend and he was great. We went to Applebee's for dinner. We went to the restroom and I waited on him. When he came out I asked to feel his hand because I did not hear the water run. His hands were dry. I asked if he had washed them and he said yes. I told him why I didnt think he washed them but he said he only turned the water on a tiny bit. I sent him back in and told him i was going to check so he probably just wet them for my approval. I wish I had time to work with him.

Cerebal Palsy

Has anyone watched the youtube videos to the right of our blog comments. They are very interesting. I was interested in the child with Cerebal Palsy and how they learn to write since it can affect fine motor skills. This was not discussed in the videos but it prompted me to find more info...

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Just wanted to wish everyone a Happy Halloween. I know that alot of parties probably took place on Saturday but I just wanted to say that my husband and I went to party and had a great time! We were Betty and Barney Rubble from the Flinstones!! It was a great, well have a happy halloween and be safe!

Successful Sugery

Thank you so much for the blog posts and all of the emails sending well wishes or letting me know you are praying. God certainly answers are prayers and cares for us in so many ways. Sekoe's surgery was successful. The doctor put a titanium plate and two screws under his eye socket to hold his eye in place. The fractured eye socket will heal on its own. The plate is to ensure the eye stays in place. We are hoping his vision will return to normal (very important for a profoundly deaf person). He came through surgery well and was feeling ok when we left the hospital tonight. His dad and I plan to stay in D.C. most of the week.

I appreciate your prayers for Sekoe, his father's health as we travel as well as safety. See you on Monday.

Mrs. White

??? Visitor

Well... I hope our class visitor can come Oct. 29th. I have never worked with a child with Aspergers, but I do work with children daily with Autism.

As a parent h0w was it for you when you child was diagnosed with Aspergers?

How did being diagnosed effect him(Elijah)?

How do others respond to your child in public? ( I know when I have been out with my students with Autism people like to stop, talk, and stare)

How old was your son Elijah when you fist notice there was something going on?

We are really excited to have you in our class room!

Holly H.

How are things!!!

Mrs. White,

I hope you son is doing well!!! I will say a prayer for him & your family tom. Be safe as you travel back home!!! See you next Monday!!!

Holly H.

hope all goes well!

i really hate to hear that about your son. i hope everything gets better and you a a safe trip back home!!! p.s i just posted my test i hope i did it right i saved my answers on another document just incase. see you next monday!

How is your stepson?

I was just wondering how your son was?? My Dad just had eye surgery (or three) last week so I know how it is! I hope that everything goes great and that he is back to himself soon. Let me know if I can do anything.
Kayla

Question for visitor

I was wondering what accommodations need to be made for Elijah in his classroom?

I dont really have any questions for the vistor yet. Im just really egar to listen and find out anything new that i could use in my future im sure I will have questions in class or after class!!! im reall excitied!!

Help! Test

Dr. White,
I e-mailed you about this test. I am unsure of what to do and really need to finish it asap. I didn't know which you would check first so I figured I'd post here too. Please let me know what my options are as soon as you can. Thanks! Sami

uestion for the visitor

I do not know if our guests will be able to come to the next class since we are not meeting tomorrow but I do have a question.
Some people do not think children with disabilities should be held to high standards. I just wanted to know from a parents stand point what are your goals for your child's education? As a teacher I want my students to have the same opportunities as other students without the obstacles. I want them to go to college and become successful adults. Where do you see your son being in 20 years and do you think his teachers are doing all they can to insure he will achieve those goals?

Best Wishes

Ms. White, I am so sorry to hear about your son. I hope everything goes well and he gets to feeling better soon. I will keep him in my prayers.

questions for visitors

I have very little interaction with children with autism, but I am always wanting to learn everything that I can about children, because I feel you can never know everything about children because everything is always changing... but a question that I would like to ask is what advice do you give to anyone who is working with a child with autism?

For Elijah and Russell

I know that Aspergers is a milder version of Autism. I just wanted to know a few things, if that would be alright. Does Elijah have any interests that he gets stuck on? And what subjects in school does he do very well with? I am very intrigued by how intelligent children with Aspergers and autism seem to always be.

For the Visitor

I wasn't diagnosed with dyslexia until 6th grade, and I was wondering how old Elijah was when he was diagnosed and (if he was old enough to understand) what it must have felt like to learn that he had this disorder? And for Russell, what kinds of things float thru your mind as a parent when you learned about Elijah's diagnosis? Was it hard to stay positive about his future at that point?

-Alisa-

Visitor with Aspergers

We will be having a visitor in class Monday night who has Aspergers Syndrome. He is a fifth grader. His father will accompany him. What questions would you have for him about his life inside of school or outside? What do we as educators and future educators need to know so that we can best understand what they experience and help them have successful school experiences? Please share your questions here so that I can email them to his father. This will give them time to prepare some before class.

Test?

Hey guys,

I had to miss class Monday because my dad was hospitalized, can anyone tell me when the test is due? I can't seem to find a due date on Blackboard. Any info would be appreciated.

Erica Jones

A Vision of Students Today

As I watched this video I immediately reflected on our Monday night classes...what students are actually doing during class...what they are LEARNING...what students do throughout their day/week...how I am ENGAGING students in the learning process.

Thoughts on the implications for teaching...learning...your teaching in the future???????

Please Pray

Hey all,

I am posting this to see if you all can pray for my 9 year old cousin Tyler. On Wednesday the 10th, Tyler was hit by a car while riding his bicycle. The car was speeding and on the wrong side of the road. The police are doing an investigation due to the possibility that the driver could be under the influence of drugs. Anyway, Tyler was airlifted immediately to UT on Wednesday. The Jeep has literally crushed my cousin's body. His chest is caved in due to the Jeep speeding over him. He also has a broken leg and arm. 80% of his flesh is missing from his face, chest, and neck. But right now the main concern is his brain. He has severe brain damage and it's suffering from swelling. He has already had four major brain surgeries in the past three days to try to reduce the swelling. Right now he is stable with the life support, but the doctor's are honest with my family and said that he needs a miracle right now. It's a game of waiting.

If any of you could, please pray for my cousin and his parents. My parents and I are staying with them @ UT throughout the weekend...so if there's any change I will give the class an update Monday night. Your prayers are appreciated...thanks everyone and God bless!

Whitney Fox

Is fall break over already???

I was reading the post and wondered if anyone else out there thought that fall break was tooooo short?
I had so many activities to attend it feels like we never had a break.
Shouldn't fall break be for the whole week???

I meant 'What Women Want' But anyway

I wonder if anyone's grade has turned up for the Reading Response?

I like how we have been reviewing the informatin from the previous class. I have found this to be very helpful, because I learn best through repetition. I was just wondering if these review sessions were helping anyone else?

Missed Monday night, and the week before!

Hey guys! Its Megan here. I hate to bother everyone, but i was wondering if i could copy someones notes from the past two classes i have missed. I had family medical emergencies, so i wasnt able to attend. If there is anyone willing to share there notes, please let me know ASAP! Thanks for your time!

Just getting to know you....

So I always see these goofy little surveys on myspace. And I thought that it would be neat if maybe we could all do one together. That way we might get to know something about each other we normally wouldn't have. So.....heres some questions for you guys to answer for me.

Favorite ice cream:
Favorite Mel Gibson movie:
Favorite color:
Favorite place to be:
One thing that always makes you happy:
Your favorite aspect of yourself [looks or personality]:
Favorite bird:
Your major and why you picked it:

I will answer these as soon as some of you do! =D

A Little About ME!!!

Hey!!! This is me playing catch up!!!

My name is Holly Harrison! I am a single mom to my wonderful Son who is six years old! He is the absolute Love of my life! I work at Model Lab as an Assistant Special Ed. Teacher!!! I love it!!! I have worked with children for 8 years!!! I taught pre-K and Kindergarten a year of each when I lived in ALT, Ga. I moved to Richmond In Feb. 2007. My degree is in Child Development, and I am currently taking class to obtain my Spec. Ed Degree (LBD and Science Certification)! You definitely have to have a heart for Teaching and Children (NO MATTER WHAT AGE THEY ARE) Students are with you more than there Families most of the time, and we have a GREAT impact on their lives!!!

Well, to say the least, I am very BUSY!!! Mom, Teacher, Student, and Much More!!! But, If you put your mind to ANYTHING and WORK HARD ALL things are possible!!!

Everyone have a Wonderful week!!! Good luck in your classes!!!

Thanks for your time!!! I'll stop now... Or I would keep going on and on!!!

Holly H.

A note from Holly!!!

Hello... To all!!! I was so good to be back in Class Last Night!!! I was out for medical reasons!!! Does any one have some notes that I could copy next class period, If so thank you!!! Just let me know! I missed 4 weeks of class and I'm trying to play catch up!!! Everyone have a GREAT week and enjoy FALL BREAK!!!

Holly H.

"Dyslexia is not a disease to have and to be cured of, but a way of thinking and learning. Often it's a gifted mind waiting to be found and taught. "

Since I began attending EKU, I haven’t talked about being dyslexic, not because I’m embarrassed of it, but because of the negative connotations associated with it. One would think that being in the education field, especially in special education, that people would understand that a disability only ‘disables’ people who let it. However, I noticed that others who speak freely about their problems in school are sometimes ‘labeled’ even if people (professors, administration, other students, etc…) don’t do so consciously, so when I began attending EKU I wanted a fresh start.

I have learned over the years that dyslexia has truly been a gift for me; it helps to value my intelligence and to be proud of how far I have come. I think a lot of people take for granted just how difficult it is to be a successful college student (or a successful student in any grade), and that sometimes it is very tricky to ‘look outside the box’ at other people’s situations and comprehend them as something you can relate too.

I have never felt bad about being dyslexic; in fact, some of the greatest minds in history (and today) were and have been diagnosed as dyslexic. Innovators such as: Thomas Edison, Leonardo Di Vinci, and Albert Einstein were thought to have been dyslexic. Even famous actos/actresses such as: Tom Cruise, Whoppi Goldberg, and Jay Leno (to name a few) have been diagnosed with dyslexia, and look at the success they have created out of their lives!

I just wanted everyone to know from personal experience that having a ‘learning disability’ does not make someone less intelligent. As Dr. White said in class, it just means that a person ‘learns differently.’ I think that many teachers think that this means that these are students who deviate from the ‘norm’ (which is a term that I hate with a passion). However, I have come to learn through observation that children with dyslexia as well as other learning disabilities need to be taught towards their strengths, and that by doing so their real abilities can be discovered.

Erica Jones…sorry this is so long.

Have to miss Monday Class

I will not be in class tonight due to I am still looking for employment due to my job undergoing buisness difficulties that caused their doors to be closed last Tuesday. I work at a child care facility in Winchester KY. If you all could respond to this and update me on what I am missing tonight, I would highly appreciate it. It is very time consumming filling applications out online and submitting resumes online. My children are also out for fall break this week so today has not been productive. Well, do say prays if you would like, my family will be greatful and could use them.

Commuting from Lexington!!

I commute from Lexington and just found that my car won't start....and no one is able to get me to class....

I was wondering if anyone commutes from Lexington...who I could possibly ride with?!

I realize that its late..but I thought just by chance someone would check this and could help!

Thanks,
Valerie Keating

my number is (859)539-0579

reading response!!

i just submitted my reading response, i hope i did it right. i have never submitted homework of BB so im kind of scared. i did like the article gives you hope that it is has easy as counting to five just like there is five steps in it.

Paying Attention

SInce we started SED 260 in August has anyone else noticed yourself paying more attention to language and/or communication skills. I ask because at work Sunday I caught myself paying very close attention to a young man who has serious stuttering speech because of an accident he had as a young boy. I was assissting him in the store where I work and I was interested in the adaptibilty skills he used to communicate his needs to me. Is anyone else becoming more in-tune to language and/or communication?

Ooops! I just found the feedback

Well the feedback was only one click away. I found it when I clicked my grade.

Still haven't found the feedback

Does anyone know where the area for the feedback is? I would love to see the answers and compare and make notes on the ones I missed.

Thank You

When I wrote my comment I was not expecting any response but I wanted to say thank you to all of you who wrote something. I really appreciate them and the advice and encouragement. Again, thank you.

Project

I was wondering if the child you observe for the project have to have a learning or speech disability. I have a three year old niece that I want to use for the project, but I didn't know if this was okay? I didn't know if we could observe a family member?

Clubs

I would love to join at least one club related to my major. I am already in a sorority and I also attend meeting for one of the Christian groups on campus. However, I know that becoming involved in a group relating to my future profession would help me to make professional connections as well as insight into my career. I have been really busy the first part of the semester with my sorority. Things are slowing down now and I'm wondering if it's too late to join a special education group or a regular ed group? If not, are there any that you guys would recommend over others?

Article Response

I just wanted to comment on the article that was given out in the last class. I believe that this was very relevant to what we have discussed thus far in class. The article makes language development in the classroom seem so easy with a simple process. We all know that this is much easier said than done. However, I think that sometimes we try to make tasks rather in the classroom or in society more difficult than they seem to be. When we actually break the task down into smaller parts or do one thing at a time it always seems to get done quicker. The article describe a process that with all parts put into action would work in any classroom. I'm sure that children want us as teachers to sometime simplify or do more things step-by-step. Does anyone else feel the same or different?

Observation

I did my observation the other day and it was wonderful! This was my first technical observation in a 'real classroom'. I really loved it and ended up staying longer than I really needed to. I this experience reaffirmed my desire to become a teacher!!!! I hope all of you guys have the same great experience that I did!!!!

Stages Of Language

I was wondering could the stages of language be used as a tool to evaluate special education children? Parents usually want to know how much their child has progressed.....so do you guys think it would help to show the parents. To say, 'Look how far they have come, the child was here but now he/she is here."

Monday Night Eye Opener

Monday night really opened my eyes when Ms. White said if you are not going into teaching for student learning then that person needs to get out and do something else (this might have been last class-I can't remember, but it was said nonetheless). I have already been questioning whether I really want to teach; if that is really what I love to do and want to do and I believe it is not. However, the knowledge I have gained from this class has been so enriching.

I would have rather been at class Monday

Hello,
I missed class Monday, can anyone give me some insight of what happened in class?
My son was hospitalized, Friday the 21st and not released until Tuesday night, although, he had a short relapse Wednesday. The relapse caused another painful visit to the ER. My son had RSV and the croup. So in short of the crazy week I had, I would like to get caught up on class. Any thought would be wonderful,
Thanks again, Melanie

Irony....

I have a funny story for all of you guys.

Have you ever just had one of those days where EVERYTHING went wrong? I had one today.
I woke up late. I needed to print off something for class and my printer didnt work! So I go downstairs and Dupree's printer doesnt work. So I have to go and wake my friend up at 9 to print my hw!

So tonight, I was working on some more stuff and I realized that I couldn't get access to my W drive. I go downstairs and guess what? I cant on Duprees printer either. So....I go to the SSB and finally get everything saved,printed and worked out!

I seriously hope that you guys can find the humor I have in this.

But for the moment, I think I hate technology!

Missed Monday's Class

So, I missed Monday's class due to a death in the family.
I heard it was a good class and was wondering if some of you could share something that you took away from it. Thanks!

The class was the best one yet!

I enjoyed Monday night's class. I think I learned more than any night so far. I would like to thank Ms. White for telling us about the Jena 6. It has been on every TV I have seen since she told us about it. I would like to work more on the language analysis project.

Test Grade

I got the other email about the tests being graded but I cant find mine. Do I check it in the "my grades?"
I found the page with the previous grade but for my test grade it has an exclamation mark where the grade should be. Does anyone have any sugestions??

Class

I enjoyed class Monday and getting to watch that video. I can't wait to start on my language sample, because, I love working with kids and listening to them talk. I have a nephew who is just learning to talk and I love just sitting down with him and hearing what he has to say. I was just wondering if I could do the language sample with my nephew. He is 2 and like I said before he is just learning to talk. So I was just wondering if that would be alright?

Which is better?

Here's a question for you guys.

Do you think that its enough if a teacher has extreme love for their students? Have you ever experienced a teacher that maybe wasn't the best at things but they still impacted you greatly? And which would you rather have, a teacher that was uber smart or a teacher that was trying their hardest and cared about their students?

I was just curious if anyone has yet been able to check on their test feed back.. I know that some times I have A LOT of computer problems so I didnt know if it was just me... Thanks

OK, So after class on Monday I had some things to think about... I had not been watching the news lately come to find out some pretty sad things have been going on. I have never been one to judge someone because of the race, religion, sexuality, or financial status, but to see that the world is still behind is depressing to me. Why any one person thinks that they are better than another just blows my mind. While sitting here typing this I just wanted to say some thing so that it stays in others minds that the world doesn't do what's fair and as future teachers we have to make it as fair as we can for the students we are helping...

One small change could make all the difference...

After class tonight I started thinking about judgement. I mean, have you ever really thought about it? What causes us to look at others differently or in a negative way? Is the way we were raised? Was it a terrible experience we had? And I guess the real question is " Are any of the fears that we have a reason to look negatively on or disrespect another person?". I have to say no. Just because one was raised a certain way does not mean that they DO NOT have the priority and ability to change it. I believe that its time that each of us lay one prejudice we have aside and take a step foward. Try something simple at first, like befriending someone you wouldn't before. Can you imagine what would happen if every person did one thing to change the outlook? Maybe by just giving one good example things could change slowly. Thats what hope is about, am I not correct?

"Hope begins in the dark, the stubborn hope that if you just show up and try to do the right thing, the dawn will come. You wait and watch and work: You don't give up."-- Anne Lamott

"Even the lost find their way home when you leave the light on." -Amy Marie Walz,

buddy walk

The buddy walk is at keeneland race tract sept 29!!! you can find more infomation online at
www.dsack.org

it should be alot of fun even if you dont want to register come and stop by!!!

Confused

For the project are we suppose to pick only one form of analysis or are we suppose to do all of them? Are we allowed to do the project on a child who we know or who is our relative? Sorry if Mrs. White said it in class and I did not hear it.

Tonight's class

Hey there everyone. I am sick today and was hoping that someone would be kind enough to scan or send me the particulars of the book response we are doing in tonight's class. I have already e-mailed Prof. White, and she said she would try but I just want to be sure that I get it.
I would love it if someone could help me out.

Thanks!

Erica Jones

My e-mail is erica_jones67@eku.edu if you want to e-mail me, thanks again!

Class tonight

Hey, did everyone survive our first test? I know I needed to be more prepared! What are we going to discuss in class tonight? The syllabus just says test. I missed last week so I feel lost.

Test

This question is for Mrs. White or anyone else who knows the answer,

I have never taken an online test before so i am really not sure how this works, but will we be able to get any feedback on the test? I would like to know what answers were not right or why points were taken off so that i can learn from anything i did wrong.

Thanks!

Maggie Sporing

Test difficulties

I was working on my test with just 2 hours to go and I was kicked off my internet server. Sadly, I was not able to get back on the test. Did anyone else have the same problem?
I have not been able to get a hold of Dr. White through email and hopefully she will contact me soon with instructions.

Test difficulties

observation

How long is our observation supposed to be? Does it have to be more than 1 hour or 2? I get the observation requirements for my classes confused.

Monday the 17th night class

I was unable to come to class this past Monday. My daughter was sick with strep throat and upper respiratory infection. We have been through fever, aches, nausea and the whole shebang! Sound like class was very interesting by your blogs. Sounds like you had long discussion on how babies begin to develop their language and at what stages. Did you talk about Grammatical Morphemes? Are they like when a child will say walked or jumped? Is their anything in particular that you learned Monday night that might be helpful on the test? I would appreciate your input.

Thanks!!!

Class this past week.. Structural Analysis

The in class activity we did Monday with morphemes and utterances, what was the exact purpose of the structure analysis? Was it simply just to determine whether or not the child had any type of language or communication problems?

relating Mondays class

I am the proud mother of a 2 and a half year old boy and the topics we covered in class Monday night were so helpful for me. I consider him to be soooo smart and great at everything, because I am his mother, of course. But I thought it was very cool to learn how speech is produced at the same time as him becoming a jabber box. He is really ahead for his age in his speaking. I am around many 3 and 4 year olds who do not talk as clear and have the size of vocabulary as he does. One thing I believe really helps a child grow in speech is being talked to as a grown up. Baby talk is sometimes a hindrance to a child when they always hear it.

"Momma Owie"

I was checking my yahoo e-mail today and saw an interesting video of a 2-year old girl that called 911 and saved her mother by simply saying "Momma Owie" I thought that this pertained to what we have been talking about in class discussions. I thought I would post to tell you guys about it. To see the video go to yahoo.com it is under features for today. Just click play video.

Exam Deadline?

I found last nights class to be of great benefit. Reviewing the topics last night was very helpful, its making more sense. And for some reason I was able to get more of a grasp on the info at hand last night, seems like the atmosphere in class was different. I hated that I had to leave early, can someone please tell me when the exam deadline is?

Special Olympics

I work with the Madison Co. Special Olympics. We are always looking and needing volunteers. If anyone is interested, I can give the contact info. There is a big Halloween/Fall Festival the last sat of Oct. It is a huge fundraiser for the Special Olympics.

Great Ballgame!

I am not too much of a sports kinda gal- well football unless it is high school but I actually watched the UK and UL football game on Saturday night and my goodness!

I found myself really engaged in the game. I guess since it was close one and a nail bitter helped!!! Wow!! I wasn't pulling for either team I graduated with Jacob Tamme and so I kinda hoped UK would win just b/c I cheered for him in high school and we were friends and some of my old allstar girls now cheer for uk. Although, UL is always so good. Oh well it was just a great game!!

Kelsey Kendall

Hello everyone!!! I recently got together with the lady i babysit for and she is also the head of downs syndrome association in central KY. I began helping her with the Buddy Walk that is this month Sept 29!!! so i was wondering if anyone was interested i have all the info and will bring it to class!!! It will be very fun and a good experience!!! I thought everyone would should have the chance to go!!

Hey guys!

I was looking at the Course Schedule and it says there is a reading response due tonight. I think I must have missed something either in class or email, but I have idea what reading response this is!! Can someone help me out? Haha, enlighten me, please! :)

I look forward to class tonight. See you all there!

Help!

This is a question for Ms. White or anyone else who has figured it out. Is there an easier way to see the blogs YOU have posted? I like to read people comments but it gets really hard to remember where I posted and when. Is there some way you can see all your personal posts together??

The Biology of . . .Baby Talk | Early Language | DISCOVER Magazine

Found very interesting article after Monday class. Please click on this underlined Title. The Biology of . . .Baby Talk Early Language DISCOVER Magazine

Review of Monday - Speech Production

In response to those who missed Monday - and to help EVERYONE continue to think about the objectives from Monday. I want to post some questions relative to the OBJECTIVES from Monday. None of you want a professor to LECTURE and TELL you information so let's see if by using our resources, blog discussion and in class dicussion we can deepen our understanding of the important concepts in this class. Let's start this discussion considering the path AIR takes to produce speech. What happens to air or what does the air do in each of the four processes. Try to use vocabulary a anyone would understand if they did not know the terms (respiration, phonation, resonation and articulation).

Review of Monday - Acquire Language

Think about HOW babies ACQUIRE language. When BABIES in the videos are talking - - when is it IMITATION, when is it to communicate personal MEANING, when is it more about the INTERACTION? How does this relate to the models discussed in the book and summarized in Blackboard? You can view more video clips of children at various stages of language at http://stuff2view.blogspot.com/ .

Cognition vs Language

Think about do babies THINK and have COGNITION first or do they start producing speech/language first. Consider all of the video clips we watched. You can view those and more at http://stuff2view.blogspot.com/ . Are babies thinking and developing cognition and meaning prior to being able to produce speech and language? Or do babies have the ability to produce speech and language before they are aware of meaning? You may wish to look at the chapter for this week, chapter 5 and consider the difference between vocalization and speech (or review the resources on Blackboard for Week 1).

catching up too

I am in the same boat. I have had a pulled muscle and thought I was fine until about 3 o'clock Monday. So I as well would like a little insight on class that night if no one minds. I would really appreciate it. I find missing a class like this one puts you in a position to be behind all semester because we have very in depth and helpful conversations.
If anyone, as well, wants to post any questions pertaining to that class to get my head flowing that would be nice.
I hope everyone has a great week and I will see you all Monday.

Can anyone help me catch up on Monday?

I had to miss class Monday night due to a bad virus. I went to meet my carpool ride for the class, but while I waited, I kept feeling dizzy and just plain awful. I called Melanie about five minutes before she got to our meeting place and told her I was going home and going to bed. You all should thank me as this virus appears to be very contagious. Most people I came into contact with this weekend turned up ill.

I would appreciate any help catching up on what we did. I hate to miss class. Especially a once a week class. Too much information is lost.

So I will appreciate any communication and feedback on what happened in class.
Sheila Neal

Between families and words.....

Hello guys, its Erin Ray again.

I was thinking tonight about communication, especially how families communicate with each other. Have you ever thought about this? Sometimes the people that love you the most are the hardest to talk to. Even if you have no form of a communication disability, your family can make you feel like you do. Sometimes we try so hard to show those we love who we are, we end up being disappointed when things fall short.

I was faced with this when my dad came to visit this weekend. He met my new boyfriend for the first time. And actually, he really liked him. But as I sat and watched them interact, I wondered. Is it sad that my new boyfriend knows me more than my own dad? And it is. It makes me sad to think about it.

I guess in the end each of us have our own battles to fight. In the end, maybe we all just have to go that extra mile to show the ones we love who we are.

I know that I am going to try to, no matter what it takes.

September 11

I was just sitting here watching news clips from September 11, and it really took me back to that what I was doing when it happened. I remember i was a freshman in high school and i was in algebra class and our teacher told us what happened and turned on the Tv. I didn't get it I didn't even know what the world trade centers were so it took me a while to understand how big of a deal it was! I was just wondering if other people remember what they were doing, and how they felt as that tragedy happened.

Class last night.

I really enjoy the discussion sections we have together as a class. By getting different opinions on certain subjects helps me to understanding the chapters/information a little easier. You realize its o.k. to have different opinions as long as you grasp the big picture. I thank the teacher for giving us the opportunity to express our self, even though I am very quite person I enjoy listening.

See ya next Monday!

Beth Ann

Why Teach?

I wanted to be a teacher all my life, I feel like I was born to be a teacher, though I denied it. As a child I was going to be a Surgeon, have 8 kids and travel the world, how different life is today. I have half the 8, lol. I loved science as a kid, still do and the thought of cutting open a person fascinated me, and I had something to prove. Yet, every personality test I took in High School, teacher was number 1, but I still said medicine was for me. The main reason I think was I felt I had to prove something to myself, family and to all those people in my life who always told me "You Cant Do That". I have a great family, but when it comes to me they tend to doubt my abilities, a lot of people do, until they get to know me.
After being a stay-at-home for 14 years, I became a single mom of 4, full time employee and a full time college student, in pursuit of a Medical Degree. My goal was to go to Vanderbilt, even with my sister telling me "You need to set your sights and go to Med school where ever they are willing to accept you". I pressed on, still denying the inner voice that said "what am I doing in this field" but I have 4 children to put through college and on a teachers salary, that ain't happening. After 2 years a lot of self realization, it all became clear, you cant deny your passion or your destiny.
At the end of the day its not about monetary value, its how you feel inside, what you have accomplished and the contribution I have made, big or small, to this world. Who wants to work at a job, day end and day out, and the only satisfaction is a huge salary. I am not saying the medical field is not a a great field to be in, its just not for me. I worked in a hospital, on and off over the years and I never had enough time to spend with the patients, so last September I quit my job (found a new one), changed my major and never looked back. The best time I have had are with my kids, coaching softball teams, talking with their friends and in the schools reading to the class and helping them. One thing I am very proud of is the relationship I have with my own kids and how their friends respect me and are comfortable enough to confide in me. I feel like I am a great motivator and I have a lot to offer students and am able to interact with kids of all ages.
I want to make a difference, a positive one. I never want to hear someone tell a child or anyone 'they can't do something". We may have to go a different route but all things are possible. If we set our goals high and fall short, its not a failure, as long as you've tried and given it your best. There is nothing more fulfilling than seeing the look on a child's face when they understand what you are talking about. I am a creative person and education will allow me to be that, if one way of learning doesn't work than I can find a different way.
Whether I am in Special Ed or not I just want to teach, its hard to describe why other than I feel the need, that I have to, its definitely a desire that cannot be denied. I believe that everyone has a place in this world, has something to offer and deserves to be happy. I am going to share with you my vision for education. One area I see myself in, is politics, there are changes in policy that need to be made for all children to receive the education that they deserve.

My Vision for Education, May 2007, LeaderShape Institute

The value of a high standard, quality education is understood and provided for every child in the United States. The power of potential that lies within every young person is realized and utilized to the fullest.
Every school in the U.S. is equally and adequately funded providing the same learning opportunities and resources for every student.
Local school districts will overhaul budget, curriculum, hiring practices and school board structure: In order to provide resources and support networks for all schools, higher professional standards and consistency of curriculum across the state(s).
All leaders from local communities, political leaders, educators and parents need to be active participants and well informed, concerned individuals and as a collective unit to the welfare of our children and their education.
"THE FOUNDATION OF EVERY STATE IS THE EDUCATION OF ITS YOUTH."(Diogenes Laertius)

Tonights Class

So I felt that the discussion in class tonight was very intense. Did anyone else feel this way? I felt that the films were very cute but at first it was difficult to understand the task that we were suppose to do after watching the film? I felt we needed a little more direction on the definitions.

How do you best communicate?

I find it hard to communicate face to face on any level. I feel that what I might say will be taken in the wrong context. The only time I am really verbal is when it comes to children! I have always found that I can speak my mind in that department. No person will mistreat a child in front of me without me saying something! Some talk with a lot of body movements, some look at the ground when speaking, there are many ways in which we communicate.

What way do you communicate best?

What do you find hard about face to face communication?

Why teach Special ed.?

I spent most of my life wanting to be a vet. Then my senior year of high school I had the privilege of being a peer tutor. I worked in the class with students with severe disabilities. It changed my life. I realized that was my calling and I am making it happen. I also have two older sisters with a physical disability and some mental disabilities. They are my inspiration. They did not get very good educations though they were capable. I want to make a difference in children's lives and show them that they can beat the odds and become something great.

Why I want to be a special education teacher.

I have not been able to post because I have had problems getting into the blog, but I have figured it out now. I saw the prompt on 'why I wanted to get into special education' and I thought it was a good starting point for me.

I guess the main reason I wanted to be a special education teacher in the beginning was because it made me more marketable (I'm just being honest), but when I began doing observations, and watching the students and how they interacted I relaized that I enjoyed being in a resource room, or just watching a special education teacher with his/her students better than the general education classroom.

Again, I'm just being honest, which can sometimes seem pessimistic, but in every school that I have observed, particurally non-inclusion schools, I saw a pattern. I saw that these schools desperalty needed qualified teachers for special education. Most of the students with 'minor' disabilities were in general education classrooms for most of the day, which can be good, but in some circumstances, the students were in there for the simple fact that there was not enough staff to accomadate everyone but the students with the most severe disablities.

I noticed that the general education teachers had a hard time dealing with the students with disablities and although they tried to make accomadations, most of the time it was futile and whatever problem the child was displaying was handled quickly but not efficiently.

I am not saying that these teachers were under-qualified. I am simply saying that these students needed more time to be worked with, and without special education teachers, it was hard for these students to get the education they deserved. I guess I felt that it was unfair to the students in the general education classroom because I would watch them trying so hard to understand something (slamming their pencils down in frustration) because the their teachers did not have the time to help them. I realized that I wanted to work with students with disabilities because I really enjoyed working with them, and it felt very rewarding to help them to understand something that they had been so frustrated with just a few moments before, and all they needed was a little more attention. Above everything else, I would have to say that the reason I chose LBD students is because they inspire me and humble me, because they try harder to achieve something that many of us take for granted: learning with ease.

Erica Jones

Eager to read 'why'

There was a great post at the end of August that asked us to post reasons why we chose special education as our major. Sadly, the way the blog is set up, it is pushed into a general August group and isnt readily available for people to see and post to. If you just click August, it is there. I have been checking it to see why others chose special ed. Please post to it if you have the time. Thanks

Groups

I have to honestly say that i totally enjoyed doing the group activties for the class. That is a long class, and i believe that if the professor made us sit and she just lectured, i would probably fall asleep. I also think that the group activities give the students a chance to get to know one another in the class. I absolutely love the way the professor interacts with us!

Weekend

How was everyones Three Day Weekend? Did anyone do something worth sharing? Did any go to the UK/eku game? I was there performing there (and it was kind of scary.), eku fans were way out numbered by the UK fans. Well I hope everyone had a good weekend. See you in class on monday!

Groups

I like the group activity. I like doing things that are 'hands-on'. Its the way I learn. I am not a text book reader. I DO read but having activities in a group setting really bring the material into a concept that is easier to grasp. All of my classes this semester have daily group activities and projects, its different but enjoyable.
In a group setting you have to be open-minded, you cant 'hog' the entire lesson. I have a domineering personality and know this about myself and am able to sit back and listen to others. You learn more when you listen. Others think differently and bring a unique perspective to ideas. I like hearing other peoples take on lessons and group activities, you most always learn something new.
One thing I do not like in group work is when you have an assignment and people are absent and when they come to class they want to have input on ideas that were decided by the students who were present and already decided which route the group is taking.

Video's for this week

I believe I have to agree with Whitney about the animal videos by far surpassing this weeks videos. I liked this weeks videos but I liked the animals much more!

Garredd Corder

Hello everyone, i guess i need to tell you all a little bit about myself. Hmmm lets see i am a 5th year senior at EKU. I started my educational experience with plans of being a lawyer. Ever since i watched Mattlock and Law and Order as a child nothing interested me more [from and educational standpoint :) ]..... Until i walked into a classroom and wrote : MR. CORDER on the board. After subbing and coaching the high school tennis team for a semester i went and changed my major to History/secoundary education. Little did i know i would change my mind once again..... I took over a Special education Class for three months after their Teacher just walked out on them the first day back after Christmas break. She had been hired by the school after the regualar teacher had to step down with terminal cancer. The Administration at the school warned that it would be a very challenging experience and told me that the class was just *HORRIBLE*.... I wont lie the first few days were rough, but when it came time for me to leave i didnt want to at all. So to make this long story short i switched my major once again.

Now i do have to plans to go into administration one day, but i want to spend ample time in the classroom before i take that step. I get the feeling to a large percentage of administrators are too detached from the reality of what it is really like inside the classroom.

ohh well i have a sarcastic sense of humor and an avid imagination and well i tend to talk too much. Most Thursday nights i can be found at The Players Club one of my roommates plays down there and if you get the chance you should go hear him or Come down on a BAnd night when he is playing with Aftershock. Hmmm what else...... PETS I had a dog and a cat for 14 years and they both died the same week :( so i havent had any since. Ohh welll any other questions just ask me.

Keep it Real
Garredd

Groups

Share some strategies for working EFFECTIVELY in groups. List characteristics of an effective group member that contributes to maximum opportunities for participation and learning for all members of the group.

This Week's Videos

This week's videos were so cute. But I personally enjoyed the dog videos better...and I'm sure we all did since we're an animal loving class! Ha ha! I especially loved the one where the blonde girl kept saying "Oh yeah baby!" That was cute! Anyway, just thought I'd share! I hope everyone has a fun and safe holiday weekend! God bless!

Aly O'Connor

Hey Guys! My name is Alyssa O'Connor, but everyone calls me Aly. I'm a sophomore and communication disorders is my major. I'm from Union, Kentucky. Which is next to Florence, Kentucky which everyone only knows because of the water tower that says "Florence Yall" on it. I'm a very outgoing person. I'll try anything once in life. On campus I'm involved in the Delta Zeta sorority, which is my home away from home. Communication Disorders is actually my third major, I was a Special Ed for Deaf and Hard of Hearing major then I switched it to LBD and I think I'm sticking with the major that I have now. Have a great holiday weekend.

Feedback on Monday

I appreciate your feedback on Monday's class (even the comments on "the intimidating lecture on side conversations - see that comment in another dicussion). This is important to me and lets me know that the structure of the class was meaningful and helpful to you. I will continue to plan activities that have you actively engaged in constructing new meaning for YOURSELF as you did on Monday.

The upcoming class on language development THEORIES will be a bit different but we'll work through it! Stick with me and then provide this same type of feedback on HOW YOU LEARN this TYPE of INFORMATION best!!

This PROCESS OF LEARNING is what you need to be considering as you seek to become TOP KNOTCH EDUATORS. Thinking about thinking...learning about learning...communicating about communicating...reading about reading.
You with me? I know YOU ARE!

Mrs. White

who i am

Hi,
My name is Sarah Carr I am 19 years old and I am from the lovely Independence, KY most don't know where that its but its twenty minutes from Cincinnati. I am a very out going person. I love to have fun and to have a good time. My friends, family, and my boyfriend are the most important things in my life. I am an LBD major and I love learning about special education because its always changing. My two other loves are food, and the Indianapolis Colts. I am a big kid at heart, and I never want to change that. I'm excited to get to know everyone I hope that everyone else is just as excited.