Whenever speaking about specific persons with a disability, avoid using words that are meant to describe common shared characterics of groups. Real persons disabled for whatever reason deserve to be identified by their unique individual qualities.
Yes, what I am suggesting does take more time. However, extra time will allow recognition and appreciation of a special person with unique qualities that can never be adequately represented through shorthand verbage or generalizations.
Bert J. Wainwright
Saturday, February 21, 2009
Monday, February 16, 2009
Universal Pre-School, Yes But...!
If universal Pre-School means child development, e.g. childcare opportunities for all children regardless of social or economic status, then, we all should rise and applaud vigorously.
However, an important caveat is worth mentioning: All child development programs must be organized to insure the availability of flexible developmetal appropriate services. For example, hours and days of the week attendance, and generic or targeted program activities must be readily available, and goals must be easily understood.
The worth of any child care services is whether it provides optimal services to individual children. Optimal services supports physical, social, emotional and cognitive growth without child stress or anxiety. Parent work related goals, professinal bias, experimental trends and community priorties are secondary to the needs of individual children.
While child care in or out the home can offer significant child development benefits, the home should always be considered the primary anchor for supporting the child's health and well being.
Parents are not only a child's first teacher, but they are in a unique position to more fully understand and appreciated their child's uniques. From day one, parents must accept, vigorisly defend and maintain a lead role in nuturing their child.
Bert J. Wainwright
However, an important caveat is worth mentioning: All child development programs must be organized to insure the availability of flexible developmetal appropriate services. For example, hours and days of the week attendance, and generic or targeted program activities must be readily available, and goals must be easily understood.
The worth of any child care services is whether it provides optimal services to individual children. Optimal services supports physical, social, emotional and cognitive growth without child stress or anxiety. Parent work related goals, professinal bias, experimental trends and community priorties are secondary to the needs of individual children.
While child care in or out the home can offer significant child development benefits, the home should always be considered the primary anchor for supporting the child's health and well being.
Parents are not only a child's first teacher, but they are in a unique position to more fully understand and appreciated their child's uniques. From day one, parents must accept, vigorisly defend and maintain a lead role in nuturing their child.
Bert J. Wainwright
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Kindergarten Lights
Half past twelve
night is coming,
feet dangling from the bedside
wish bed could be defied.
Click goes the switch
my thoughts run round,
bring down the night
and, shrouding my sight.
A light glimmers
bringing back hope,
my thoughts run round
and hopeful thoughts resound.
night is coming,
feet dangling from the bedside
wish bed could be defied.
Click goes the switch
my thoughts run round,
bring down the night
and, shrouding my sight.
A light glimmers
bringing back hope,
my thoughts run round
and hopeful thoughts resound.
Saturday, February 7, 2009
Effective Teachers My Eye!
This post is in response to recent commentary concerning "effective teachers" written by Andrew J. Rotherham in eduwonk blog. My purpose is a thoughtful critique of ideas not people.
I suggest the usefulness of the expression "effective teachers" will fade and die along with "credentialed teacher" and "experienced teacher". The reason is simple. All of these expressions fail to factor in past, present and future context. Basically, context like change shows no mercy to ideas and concepts that lack the capacity or fail to evolve and adapt over time. One might say, these expresions emerge and are buried in the same original ground seperated from all others.
An alternative focus ought to identify "effective learners". An "effective learner" is any individual that can at least read, write, speak and count at or above the fifth grade according to standards acceptable to academia, politicians and consumers of education. These competencies are minimal skills required to pursue advanced technical training or higher education. Without these skills success in life can be difficult and limited.
Once we identify "effective learners", we must identify personal and environmental circumstances with an eye for discovering emerging and current individual learning paradigmes. An accurate paradigm should help predict future success in learning. Failed predictions will hopefully stimulate the researcher to discover faulty assumptions and analysis, and try again.
Successful predictions, invite further exploration of paradigm patterns shared by other "effective learners". Possibly, a valid and realiable theory of learning might emerge from current chaos in education today.
Always, the tree of education has roots leading to the individual learner. Useful education ideas and concepts must be firmly anchored to living and dynamic persons who are in constant search for adaptive strategies that supports their continued success as "effective learners".
Their are no effective schools or systems of education. Even teachers succumb to the grinding cog of the system. What is enduring in education today? Well, at any given arbitrary end point of the day, a steady gaze through the fog of time reveals failed learners and "effective learners". They are survivors and have endured the folly and fortune called education.
Certainly, good people, informative books and fine buildings can play an important role in education. But, at the end of the day, individuals press go or no go when it comes to learning. I implore those who care about education to focus first on individual learners. While we can expect to meander and fall prey to false promises in our search for education insights, please end the day celebrating people who often succeed, sometimes fail, but always rise each morning and engage life's challenges and opportunities.
Bert John Wainwright
I suggest the usefulness of the expression "effective teachers" will fade and die along with "credentialed teacher" and "experienced teacher". The reason is simple. All of these expressions fail to factor in past, present and future context. Basically, context like change shows no mercy to ideas and concepts that lack the capacity or fail to evolve and adapt over time. One might say, these expresions emerge and are buried in the same original ground seperated from all others.
An alternative focus ought to identify "effective learners". An "effective learner" is any individual that can at least read, write, speak and count at or above the fifth grade according to standards acceptable to academia, politicians and consumers of education. These competencies are minimal skills required to pursue advanced technical training or higher education. Without these skills success in life can be difficult and limited.
Once we identify "effective learners", we must identify personal and environmental circumstances with an eye for discovering emerging and current individual learning paradigmes. An accurate paradigm should help predict future success in learning. Failed predictions will hopefully stimulate the researcher to discover faulty assumptions and analysis, and try again.
Successful predictions, invite further exploration of paradigm patterns shared by other "effective learners". Possibly, a valid and realiable theory of learning might emerge from current chaos in education today.
Always, the tree of education has roots leading to the individual learner. Useful education ideas and concepts must be firmly anchored to living and dynamic persons who are in constant search for adaptive strategies that supports their continued success as "effective learners".
Their are no effective schools or systems of education. Even teachers succumb to the grinding cog of the system. What is enduring in education today? Well, at any given arbitrary end point of the day, a steady gaze through the fog of time reveals failed learners and "effective learners". They are survivors and have endured the folly and fortune called education.
Certainly, good people, informative books and fine buildings can play an important role in education. But, at the end of the day, individuals press go or no go when it comes to learning. I implore those who care about education to focus first on individual learners. While we can expect to meander and fall prey to false promises in our search for education insights, please end the day celebrating people who often succeed, sometimes fail, but always rise each morning and engage life's challenges and opportunities.
Bert John Wainwright
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Did You Say Digital?
I am astounded by our preoccupation with the so called digital learning age.
Rather, should we not concern ourselves more with what, where and when we communicate?
By the way, digital is no more or less than a new way to electronically package information. At best digital allows a faster, visually and auditory satisfying way of communicating. Really, some of us are so spoiled'
What a disaster so far, when we digest a dismally poor record of no significantly improving reading and math test scores for at risk students . What we need is insight, forethought, relevance and overall a better sense of timing. Perhaps, we should return to using flags or maybe smoke. Most of all, we need to get the message right.
Now, digital can't give us insight or prudence. Don't you agree?
Rather, should we not concern ourselves more with what, where and when we communicate?
By the way, digital is no more or less than a new way to electronically package information. At best digital allows a faster, visually and auditory satisfying way of communicating. Really, some of us are so spoiled'
What a disaster so far, when we digest a dismally poor record of no significantly improving reading and math test scores for at risk students . What we need is insight, forethought, relevance and overall a better sense of timing. Perhaps, we should return to using flags or maybe smoke. Most of all, we need to get the message right.
Now, digital can't give us insight or prudence. Don't you agree?
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Someone, Say Something!
Today CNN rolled out the "Autism Partnership" intervention model for persons labeled "Autistic.
What was left out is the connection of "Autism Partnership" program with ABA (Applied Behavioral Analysis) philosophy and approach to helping autistic persons.
My complaint is simple...CNN should have clearly spelled out the limitations of ABA methods.
Further, If families were fully informed of ABA limitations they might seek alternative programs.
Come on CNN, tell the whole story or nothing at all! Truly help people help themselves with accurate and complete information.
An Autistic Survivor
What was left out is the connection of "Autism Partnership" program with ABA (Applied Behavioral Analysis) philosophy and approach to helping autistic persons.
My complaint is simple...CNN should have clearly spelled out the limitations of ABA methods.
Further, If families were fully informed of ABA limitations they might seek alternative programs.
Come on CNN, tell the whole story or nothing at all! Truly help people help themselves with accurate and complete information.
An Autistic Survivor
Sunday, February 1, 2009
Education Oversight
Recently, ninety residents of Lake Charles LA. responded to a survey question exploring issues that could impact quality of life: Among other things, all wanted quality teachers in each classroom.
I wish to raise the stake. First, I believe we need quality parents in every home!
Bert John
I wish to raise the stake. First, I believe we need quality parents in every home!
Bert John
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