Professional Documents
Culture Documents
The
world
of
education
is
changing
rapidly.
So
quickly,
in
fact,
that
most
of
us
are
wondering
how
we
will
ever
keep
up.
First,
technology
is
shifting
in
such
a
swift
manner
that
todays
advances
seem
obsolete
almost
as
quickly
as
they
are
introduced.
We
are
becoming
a
digitally
minded
society
whether
or
not
we
have
the
desire
to
keep
up.
Secondly,
our
country
is
becoming
more
diverse.
According
to
the
2010
census,
the
United
States
has
seen
immense
growth
in
Hispanic
and
Asian
immigration
since
1990.
(USAToday.com,
2011)
The
US
has
traditionally
been
known
for
its
opportunity,
especially
in
the
areas
of
business
and
education.
In
addition,
America
has
the
largest
refugee
resettlement
program
of
all
other
countries
with
resettlement
programs
combined.
(MPI,
2004)
A
third,
and
perhaps
most
evident
change
in
education
is
the
increase
in
medical
diagnoses
in
mental
illness
and
disorders
that
affect
learning.
Teachers
nation-wide
are
questioning
how
to
reach
and
teach
children
with
special
needs.
This
project
will
take
into
account
the
ways
in
which
education
is
changing
globally,
whittle
it
down
to
a
fine
point
to
present
a
picture
of
schools
in
one
city,
then
even
finer
to
my
very
own
classroom.
A
Snapshot
of
Huntington
Elementary
Huntington
Elementary
is
an
urban
school
located
at
2900
No.
46th
Street
in
Lincoln,
Nebraska.
It
is
one
of
38
elementary
schools
in
the
Lincoln
Public
Schools
district.
Enrollment
at
Huntington
is
491
students,
with
21%
mobility.
The
socioeconomic
status
represented
is
lower
to
middle
income.
The
following
tables
show
Huntingtons
diversity
in
terms
of
race,
gender
and
students
with
exceptionalities.
Ethnic/Gender
Distribution
Exceptionality
Distribution
White
62%
Hispanic
15%
Free
a
nd
R
educed
Lunch
75%
Two
or
More
12%
Special
Education
18%
Black/African
American
10%
English
Language
Learners
5%
American
Indian
1%
Gifted
2%
Males
49%
Females
51%
Huntington
is
a
Positive
Behavior
Intervention
School
(PBiS)
that
employs
the
Behavior
Intervention
Support
Team
(BIST)
program
to
set
common
school
expectations
for
learning
and
behavior.
Our
positive
behavior
system
uses
tickets
that
are
given
to
students
when
they
are
exhibiting
appropriate
learning
and
behavior
in
school.
At
the
end
of
each
week
tickets
are
selected
for
special
activities
with
a
teacher,
such
as
baking
cookies
for
your
class,
a
treat
with
the
principal
or
fun
projects.
At
the
end
of
each
quarter
there
is
an
assembly
and
tickets
are
drawn
for
larger
prizes
that
promote
family
togetherness
or
literacy
(i.e.,
games,
gift
certificates
or
book
bags
plus
other
items).
According
to
the
2011-12
School
Improvement
profile,
Huntington
is
viewed
as
a
community
school
that
is
committed
to
offering
the
best
educational
opportunities
in
addition
to
being
a
neighborhood
support
for
the
community.
(lps.org,
2011)
Huntington
is
a
Community
Learning
Center
site
offering
before
and
after
school
care.
Many
children
at
Huntington
attend
on
a
daily
basis.
Huntington
CLC
also
offers
academic
and
enrichment
after
school
clubs
led
by
Huntington
teachers
and
community
members.
Current
Research
on
Relevant
Educational
Topics
As
part
of
this
diversity
project,
I
researched
several
current
articles
or
sources
of
information
depicting
educational
diversity
that
interested
me
for
use
in
my
development
as
a
master
teacher.
I
chose
the
topics
of
positive
behavior
support,
educating
spirited
children,
Neurodiversity
and
gifted
programs
for
low-income
students.
Article
#1:
Research
Says/For
Positive
Behavior,
Involve
Peers
Summary
This
article
describes
the
role
of
the
administrator,
teacher
and
student
in
managing
student
behavior.
The
authors
have
suggested
that,
like
a
Colorado
K-6
elementary
school,
the
principal,
teachers
and
students
are
all
expected
to
model
and
encourage
appropriate
behavior.
According
to
the
article,
schools
that
beat-the-oddsmeaning
high-
performing/low-incomehad
high
expectations
for
learning
and
behavior.
(Goodwin,
2009)
Principals
can
create
consistent
school-wide
expectations
to
reduce
behavior
problems
and
increase
student
achievement.
The
Teachers
role
is
to
form
positive
relationships
with
students,
ensure
consistency
in
classroom
behavior
expectations,
provide
appropriate
consequences
for
wrong
behavior
and
reinforce
students
who
are
doing
things
right.
Finally,
students
have
a
responsibility
to
provide
peer
support
to
positively
influence
appropriate
behavior.
This
can
be
done
with
a
token
system
(for
prizes
or
earned
privileges)
or
cross-age
peer
mentoring
where
high
school
students
mentor
elementary
or
middle
school
students.
This
school
in
Colorado
demonstrated
its
ability
to
create
and
sustain
a
culture
of
high
student
achievement
and
appropriate
school
behavior
by
allowing
the
entire
school
to
work
together.
Reflection
As
student
behaviors
that
disrupt
learning
become
chronic,
we
often
struggle
with
what
can
be
done
to
remedy
the
problem.
Many
times
we
find
ourselves
playing
the
blaming
game.
It
seems
easy
to
blame
the
parents
for
lack
of
consistency
in
discipline
at
home
or
the
administrator
for
lack
of
assistance
in
times
of
behavioral
crisis.
Administrators
and
parents
may
point
the
finger
at
teachers
for
lack
of
consistent
classroom
expectations,
lack
of
experience
or
ineffective
classroom
management
techniques.
Either
way,
it
can
feel
nearly
impossible
to
bring
the
focus
for
appropriate
student
behavior
back
to
the
team
approach.
At
Huntington,
we
have
a
clear
definition
of
appropriate
behavior
expectations
amongst
the
staff
and
administration
but
possibly
have
not
done
a
good
job
working
with
students
and
families
for
help.
If
students
could
clearly
state
behavior
and
learning
expectations,
they
might
be
able
to
better
articulate
learning
and
behavior
goals
to
their
families
and
assist
in
holding
each
other
accountable.
Article
#2:
Educating
our
Spirited
Children
Summary
This
article,
written
by
Teresa
Gallagher,
an
environmental
scientist
and
a
mother
of
a
child
exhibiting
symptoms
of
Attention
Deficit
Disorder
(ADD)
and
giftedness,
shines
a
different
light
on
children
that
often
are
characterized
as
high
energy,
low
focus
students.
She
uses
the
term
spirited
to
describe
her
son
and
other
children
that
display
these
characteristics.
The
article
asks
teachers
to
reflect
upon
whether
or
not
they
like
spirited
children
or
understand
what
it
means
to
be
gifted.
She
states,
Teachers
who
are
successful
with
spirited
kids
are
enthusiastic
about
teaching
them.
(Gallagher,
2001)
The
challenge
to
teachers
is
addressed
with
many
suggestions
for
classroom
management
and
instructional
approaches,
plus
a
link
to
a
website
titled
Born
To
Explore
(www.borntoexplore.org)
offering
even
more
suggestions
to
working
with
spirited
children.
Reflection
Although
this
article
was
written
in
2001,
I
found
it
refreshing
and
a
good
reminder
of
what
I
am
already
doing
right
in
my
classroom
in
terms
of
adapting
my
schedule
and
lessons
to
reach
children
that
I
would
consider
spirited.
It
also
has
brought
to
light
some
things
that
I
would
like
to
try
in
my
classroom,
as
inevitably,
I
will
have
some
spirited
students
on
my
roster!
An
idea
that
I
found
particularly
interesting
is
to
accommodate
the
mover
in
the
classroom
with
as
many
brain
breaks
and
movement
activities
as
possible.
Because
I
teach
kindergarten,
I
already
have
many
movement
breaks
scheduled
throughout
the
day,
but
I
like
the
idea
of
finding
new
ideas
to
meet
this
need.
I
also
appreciate
the
reminder
that
many
children
that
are
labeled
ADD
or
ADHD
(Attention
Deficit
Hyperactivity
Disorder)
are
visual
learners,
possibly
with
auditory
processing
challenges.
I
intend
to
increase
the
amount
and
type
of
visual
supports
I
use
in
my
classroom
to
reach
those
students.
I
believe
all
students,
since
they
are
young,
concrete
thinkers,
will
benefit
from
these
instructional
strategies.
Reflection
As
I
was
searching
for
relevant
articles
I
found
this
introduction
to
neurodiversity
to
be
a
remarkable
match
to
what
I
have
felt
is
missing
in
how
many
teachers
(including
myself)
currently
practice
serving
students
with
special
needs.
The
key
principal
of
neurodiversity
is
to
recognize
and
act
upon
what
we
know
about
students
capabilities
and
strengths
in
contrast
to
forming
an
educational
plan
based
on
what
these
students
cant
do.
I
found
particular
relevance
in
the
examples
given
to
illustrate
the
seven
components
of
positive
niche
construction.
It
seems
so
easy
to
react
to
a
students
behavior
or
abilities
in
a
negative
way,
focusing
on
the
disability.
It
will
not
be
easy
at
first,
to
think
so
positively
about
the
neurodiverse
child
in
the
classroom,
but
all
students
and
teachers
involved
will
benefit
from
shifting
our
educational
focus
from
deficit
to
strength.
Field
Experience:
Eastridge
Elementary
School
Eastridge
Elementary
School
is
located
at
6245
L
Street
in
Lincoln,
NE.
Enrollment
is
272
students
with
a
low
mobility
rate
of
2%.
The
following
tables
show
diversity
at
Eastridge.
Ethnic/Gender
Distribution
Exceptionality
Distribution
White
80%
Free
and
Reduced
Lunch
28%
Hispanic
8%
Special
Education
23%
Two
or
More
4%
Gifted
8%
Other
2%
ELL
3%
Males
52%
Females
48%
The
socio-economic
distribution
at
Eastridge
is
mainly
middle
to
high
income
but
there
is
a
richer
blend
of
socio-economic
standard
in
recent
years.
The
percentage
of
families
qualifying
for
free
or
reduced
lunch
has
risen
significantly
in
the
last
decade.
As
recent
as
seven
to
nine
years
ago,
the
Free
and
Reduced
Lunch
Program
(FRL)
rate
was
at
about
3%.
Now,
it
is
28-30%.
The
Special
Education
rate
is
approximately
28%
(more
information
below).
The
English
Language
Learners
at
Eastridge
speak
Vietnamese
and
Spanish.
Eastridge
is
a
PBiS
school
that
also
uses
the
BIST
program
for
school-wide
learning
and
behavior
expectations.
Eastridge
has
only
used
the
BIST
program
in
the
last
five
years.
Previous
programs
did
not
create
school-wide
parameters
for
behavior
expectations.
For
PBiS,
their
positive
behavior
system
consists
of
Eastridge
tickets,
special
Friday
dining
table,
quarterly
outstanding
citizens,
and
a
weekly
Eastridge
Eagle
selected
from
classroom
drawings
that
are
announced
on
the
intercom.
Mrs.
Deb
Dabbert
has
been
the
principal
at
Eastridge
for
five
years.
She
was
most
recently
the
principal
at
Belmont
Elementary,
a
very
large
Title
I
school.
She
found
that
her
hands-on
management
style
was
not
conducive
to
a
school
with
an
enrollment
of
800
students.
When
Mrs.
Dabbert
came
to
Eastridge,
Hawthorne
Elementary
School
had
just
closed.
Many
students
from
Hawthorne
became
students
at
Eastridge
that
year.
At
first,
she
said
it
felt
like
there
was
a
difference
between
Hawthorne
families
and
Eastridge
families.
Now,
five
years
later,
the
families
identify
themselves
as
Eastridge
families.
In
her
experience,
one
of
the
biggest
challenges
of
moving
to
Eastridge
was
the
lack
of
funding.
She
was
accustomed
to
receiving
money
from
Title
I,
a
federal
program
for
low-income
schools.
Because
Eastridge
is
not
Title
I,
they
must
rely
solely
on
their
district
budget
without
supplemental
funds
for
technology,
staff
development
or
extra
staffing.
Adequate
technology
was
not
present
when
she
arrived.
The
Parent/Teacher
organization
raised
approximately
$3,000-4,000
each
year
but
that
was
not
enough
to
meet
the
need
for
technology
in
each
classroom.
She
has
worked
with
her
PTO
and
other
fundraising
efforts
to
bring
each
classroom
up
to
a
higher
technology
standard
so
all
teachers
have
the
necessary
tools
to
deliver
the
curriculum
and
all
students
have
the
opportunity
to
learn
using
updated
and
relevant
forms
of
technology.
Another
major
challenge
Mrs.
Dabbert
faces
as
the
principal
at
Eastridge
is
the
number
of
students
identified
in
Special
Education.
The
district
rate
for
identified
students
is
13-14%.
The
estimated
rate
at
Eastridge
for
students
identified
in
special
education
at
the
end
of
last
school
year
(2012-13)
was
closer
to
30%
with
an
additional
10%
in
the
Student
Assistance
Team
(SAT)
process.
Perhaps
a
hot
button
issue
for
Mrs.
Dabbert
is
this
high
Special
Education
rate.
Currently,
Eastridge
is
between
72-85%
proficient
on
NeSA
tests
in
math
and
reading.
The
high
number
of
Special
Education
students
has
caused
this
proficiency
rating
to
drop
in
recent
years.
It
is
difficult
to
teach
and
re-teach
students
ethically
when
the
school
budget
does
not
allow
for
extra
interventionist
or
Para-educator
support
for
these
students.
Mrs.
Dabbert
has
had
to
become
creative
in
the
ways
that
she
supports
her
staff
and
students
with
special
needs,
often
times
placing
students
in
her
office
or
with
the
assistant
principal.
I
want
the
kids
to
be
learners,
she
said.
Furthermore,
20%
of
Eastridge
students
are
receiving
services
for
anxiety,
depression
or
other
mental
illness.
Eastridge
has
a
Family
Service
Therapist
for
two
full
days
and
a
Social
Worker
for
one
full
day
per
week,
an
increase
compared
to
previous
years.
Mrs.
Dabbert
stated
that
a
difference
between
Eastridge
and
Belmont
in
terms
of
mental
illness
is
that
it
is
more
open
and
discussed
in
a
Title
I
school
and
is
more
secretive
in
middle
to
upper
income
schools.
She
has
worked
diligently
to
assist
students
and
families
struggling
with
mental
illness.
There
have
been
times
when
she
has
had
to
have
hard
conversations
with
parents
in
order
to
establish
a
good
relationship
to
team
together
for
the
benefit
of
the
students.
Eastridge
has
a
high
level
of
parent
and
family
involvement.
Mrs.
Dabbert
estimated
that
there
are
two
to
three
parent
or
community
volunteers
for
each
classroom.
Volunteers
help
with
Friday
Folders
(a
school
wide
communication
folder
sent
home
on
Fridays)
or
small
group
enrichment
and
practice.
There
has
been
a
focus
shift
with
the
PTO
at
Eastridge
as
well.
There
are
still
fundraising
programs
that
are
sponsored
by
the
PTO,
but
the
parent
group
works
to
promote
family
events
such
as
movie
nights,
fun
night/game
night,
and
dine-out
nightfundraisers
at
local
restaurants.
She
was
excited
about
an
adult-only
night
with
a
silent
auction
to
raise
funds
for
Eastridge.
This
coming
year,
the
PTO
is
planning
an
edible
car
night
where
families
create
a
moving
car
out
of
healthy
snacks,
and
race
them!
Her
commitment
to
the
families
at
Eastridge
is
evident
through
this
type
of
activity.
She
was
unable
to
plan
such
events
when
she
was
at
Belmont.
At
larger
schools,
each
grade
level
is
its
own
community,
making
it
hard
to
find
enough
space
to
host
whole-school
events.
Mrs.
Dabbert
is
very
committed
to
building
community
with
her
staff
as
well.
She
works
hard
to
get
to
know
her
staff
members
on
a
both
a
professional
and
personal
level.
She
cares
about
them
as
individuals,
so
she
can
support
them
as
individuals.
She
hosts
breakfast
at
the
beginning
of
the
year,
holiday
get-togethers
and
an
end
of
the
year
FAC
to
promote
staff
unity
and
morale.
Her
motto
is
Work
hard
and
play
hard.
Reflection
Although
there
are
differences
between
Eastridge
and
Huntington
in
terms
of
socio-
economic
and
ethnic
distribution,
there
are
many
similarities
as
well.
Mrs.
Dabbert
spoke
about
the
changing
environment
of
education.
She
embraces
the
diversity
of
Eastridges
students,
families
and
staff.
Mr.
Rik
Devney,
our
principal
at
Huntington
holds
the
same
commitment
to
diversity
in
our
schools.
The
staff
and
administrators
at
both
schools
are
able
to
create
and
reinforce
a
rich
culture
of
high
expectations
for
student
learning
and
behavior.
Mrs.
Dabbert
and
Mr.
Devney
are
respected
in
their
schools
and
although
their
leadership
styles
may
differ,
their
focus
on
best
practice
in
education
is
evident
and
understood.
Huntington
seems
to
be
more
data-driven
while
Eastridge
is
perhaps
more
hands-on,
experience
based.
However,
as
a
staff
member
at
Huntington,
I
feel
like
I
can
speak
openly
and
honestly
with
my
administrators
and
I
feel
supported
in
my
actions
as
an
educator.
After
interviewing
Mrs.
Dabbert,
I
can
see
the
same
qualities
in
her
as
an
administrator.
Each
school
plays
a
pivotal
role
in
the
neighborhood
in
which
it
is
located.
My
Action
Plan
To
incorporate
the
information
that
we
have
discussed
and
learned
in
Critical
Issues
class,
I
have
developed
an
action
plan
for
my
school.
These
goals
are
arranged
in
a
top
ten
fashion.
10.
Share
information
learned
with
administration
and
my
kindergarten
team
to
enhance
teaching
strategies
at
our
grade
level.
Possible
topics
may
include
a
book
study
on
Keeping
Black
Students
out
of
Special
Education,
by
Jawanza
Kunjufu,
and
Neurodiversity
in
the
Classroom,
by
Thomas
Armstrong.
9.
Work
with
administration
to
host
a
teacher/parent
event
to
set
goals
for
students
in
my
classroom,
a
similar
format
to
what
we
saw
in
August
to
June/Bringing
Life
to
School.
8.
Create
an
enjoyable
and
safe
environment
through
positive
behavior
management
techniques,
helping
to
establish
and
support
a
consistent
and
rich
building
culture
of
learning.
7.
Become
more
consistent
with
high
expectations
for
every
student
in
my
classroom,
grade
level
and
school.
6.
Provide
or
create
opportunities
for
student
engagement
through
movement
activities
and
cooperative
learning
for
spirited
children.
All
students
in
my
classroom
will
benefit
from
these
opportunities.
5.
Construct
a
positive
niche
for
differentiating
instruction
for
all
learners
from
diverse
abilities
and
cultures.
4.
Refer
to
diverse
learners
in
positive
terms
of
strengths
and
capabilities
in
contrast
to
deficits
and
disabilities.
Hopefully
this
positivity
will
become
infectious
throughout
all
areas
of
our
school.
3.
Commit
to
working
with
colleagues
and
administrators
to
provide
appropriate
activities
and
enrichment
for
high-ability
and
gifted
learners.
2.
Provide
to
parents
and
guardians
a
list
of
resources
for
low
or
no
cost
services
to
assist
in
the
enrichment
of
their
childs
abilities.
1.
Become
more
aware
of
my
actions
and
the
actions
of
others
(students,
families,
staff,
administration)
that
may
be
considered
hurtful
to
others.
I
will
not
tolerate
or
use
words
and
activities
that
might
promote
other-ism
in
the
learning
environment.
I
will
implement
this
action
plan
first
through
positive
interactions
with
others
in
school
and
my
life.
Each
day,
I
will
plan
and
teach
lessons
with
diverse
learners
as
my
focus.
I
would
like
to
create
a
plan
book
that
has
a
section
for
writing
down
differentiated
plans
to
hold
myself
accountable.
This
will
increase
my
comfort
level
with
the
process
of
differentiation
for
all
learners
in
my
classroom.
I
will
be
more
mindful
of
high-ability
learners
and
look
for
a
potential
for
learning
in
addition
to
artifacts
and
test
scores
as
evidence
of
their
ability.
I
hope
to
gain
approval
to
count
the
time
spent
in
preparation
and
leading
book
studies
in
diversity
as
building
flex
for
the
staff
that
attends.
Finally,
as
I
strive
to
create
a
diverse
and
positive
classroom
culture,
I
will
broaden
my
interactions
with
families
to
find
out
and
include
their
ideas
of
what
constitutes
a
successful
classroom.
I
want
my
classroom
to
be
an
environment
that
integrates
the
talents
and
strengths
of
the
cultures
that
are
represented
in
it.
References
USA
Today,
2011;
Census
Tracks
20
Years
of
Sweeping
Change,
Haya
El
Nasser
and
Paul
Overburg,
www.USAToday.com,
8/10/2011.
MPI,
2004;
Migration
Policy
Institute,
The
US
Refugee
Resettlement
Program,
Eric
Patrick;
www.migrationinformation.org.
Lincoln
Public
Schools
(2012);
Annual
Statistical
Handbook,
2012-2013
Student
Section,
http://docushare.lps.org/docushare/dsweb/View/Collection-64171.
Goodwin/Miller,
2012;
Research
Says/For
Positive
Behavior,
Involve
Peers,
Students
Who
Challenge
Us,
pages
82-83,
Bryan
Goodwin
and
Kristen
Miller,
October
2012,
Volume
70,
Number
2;
http://www/ascd.org/publications/educational-leadership/oct12.
Goodwin,
B.,
2009;
Culture:
The
secret
sauce
of
school
improvement.
Changing
Schools,
60,
1-2.
Gallagher,
2001;
Educating
Our
Spirited
Children,
Teresa
Gallagher,
November
2001,
volume
5,
number
3;
http://ascd.org/publications/classroom-
leadership/nov2001.
Born
To
Explore
Website,
Teresa
Gallagher,
http://www.borntoexplore.org.
Olszewski-Kubilius/Clarenbach,
2012;
Unlocking
Emergent
Talent:
Supporting
High
Achievement
of
Low-Income,
High-Ability
Students,
Paula
Olszewski-Kubilius
Ph.D.
and
Jane
Clarenbach,
J.D.,
2012,
National
Association
for
Gifted
Children,
Washington
D.C.,
www.nagc.org
ASCD,
2012;
Neurodiversity
in
the
Classroom,
Thomas
Armstrong,
Chapter
1:
The
New
Diversity,
Alexandria,
VA,
www.ascd.org
10
Community
Resources
Services
for
low-income
families
in
Lincoln/Lancaster
County:
Center
for
People
in
Need
3901
North
27th
St.
Unit
1
Lincoln,
NE
68521
www.centerforpeopleinneed.org
402-467-4357
Dial
2-1-1,
listing
of
available
services
and
resources
for
a
variety
of
needs
www.ne211.org
Department
of
Health
and
Human
Services
402-471-7000
Community
Action
Partnership
210
O
Street
402-471-4515
One
Stop
Cooperative
Computer
Lab
Workforce
Development
1050
N
402-441-4924
Family
Service
of
Lincoln
501
S.
7th
St.
Lincoln,
NE
68508
www.familyservicelincoln.org
402-441-7949
Child
Advocacy
Center
5025
Garland
St.
Lincoln,
NE
68504
www.smvoices.org/resources
402-476-3200
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