M.Ed Partnership Cohort III Reflections

Spring 1999 Glenn Tracey Reflecting on the past nine months is a process that first requires time to sort through the mountains of paper that have accumulated during this participation in the Masters of Education Cohort III program. The amount of knowledge contained on the papers made for a difficult decision in choosing the most influential aspects of these learning experiences. Eventually a desire to organize led to several themes that were addressed throughout the Cohort III program: understanding the needs of disadvantaged or at-risk learners, incorporating technology in classroom instruction, and accessing resources to provide better education for all students. These themes were addressed through the Cohort III program workshops, readings, and classroom discussions that offered challenge to educators bringing many opportunities to gain expert knowledge on issues facing all students. The "Toxic Child" workshop series, Examining the Roots: Understanding Students' Physical, Mental, Emotional and Academic Challenges, was a constant source of information detailing the obstacles to student success that are found in today's society. Topics dealt with drug and alcohol abuse, gangs and violence, sexuality issues, grief, media influence, brain development, and numerous other challenges. The interaction with health professionals, law enforcement staff, parents, and others who work with children and their families helped bring into focus the disadvantages many students face. Personal experiences with brain trauma, the needs and issues of children from high-risk families, and medication management of ADHD, anxiety, and depression in our schools, made these sessions favorites. Brain Development, Brain Neuroplasticity, and Plasticity after Trauma, (Nov. 18, 1998) presenters Richard Kanoff, M.D. and Edgardo Crisostomo, M.D. discussed rehabilitation and recovery of function after brain insult, trauma, tumors, extraction surgery, or seizures. The knowledge shared was technical, but sparked interest in research that dealt with how information is processed in the brain. Understanding the functions of the brain, especially the ability to recover, creates opportunities to develop learning experiences responding to the many needs addressed in Toxic Child sessions. Kelly Ravenfeather, M. S. Ed., focused Family Systems: Specific Needs and Clinical Issues of Children from High-Risk Families, (Nov. 4, 1998) on the behavior choices these children learn to make to get their needs met. Family problems are one of the many factors that can cause stress and confusion in children resulting in obvious behavior issues displayed in schools. Effective interventions were discussed and participants were encouraged to make schools a resource for meeting student needs in a positive manner Elizabeth Reeve M.D. presented Medication Management of Psychiatric Disorders in the School Setting: Emphasis on ADHD, Anxiety, and Depression (Feb 10, 1999) on the "psychopharmacology" that has become a reality for many students, educators, parents, and health professionals, all are involved in medication management. In the discussion following this workshop teachers shared experiences related to medication management showing a need for cooperation to insure the proper learning benefits are resulting. It is this cooperation between the many different assets found in our communities in order to best meet student needs, especially those of disadvantaged or at-risk learners, that was made evident in the Toxic Child series. Technology in the Cohort III has been a learning experience from the very beginning, providing unique challenges that continue to the present. Requiring reliable access to e-mail, Internet, and discussion sites made the decision to purchase a new computer inescapable. The resulting ability to feel competent using technology is the first step in bringing it into classroom instruction. This was a very effective method of developing skills that can be used to enable thesis research, as well as provide learning opportunities in the classroom. Facilitating the February 17 session with Richard Lyle gave the added incentive to research the electronic databases available through UMD Library and Martha Eberhart Galinsky. Scott Fitzsimmons was a valuable resource for the Cohort in the many technology lessons he gave. PowerPoint, FirstSearch, ERIC, all are tools for promoting the sharing of information. These and many other technology applications becoming available provide more access to resources for students. That recurring theme of accessing resources for students has been a major influence throughout the Cohort learning activities that have been related. This ability of the community to work together in providing access to meet the needs of students is one that has been further explored in UTNE Reader articles reviewed and posted for discussion. Forums with local superintendents also offered a chance to share views on issues facing our schools and their resource problems. The result of these experiences has been a thesis research proposal focused on meeting the needs of middle level students at-risk through participation in a summer alternative program. Prior experience in this area created an interest in the effectiveness of current programs. The increased exposure to professionals dealing with problems associated with youth helped to identify the need for this research. In conclusion, the themes that were addressed throughout the Cohort III program: understanding the needs of disadvantaged or at-risk learners, incorporating technology in classroom instruction, and accessing resources to provide better education for all students, offer a challenge that will lead to the proposed research. Hopefully results will prove current methods effective and provide insight into improving delivery of services to students at-risk.

-- Anonymous, July 15, 1999