Reflection: Final Project

I spoke with a teaching assistant (TA or known as a para) in one of the behavioral classrooms at my school. I asked her to read the article and share her thoughts as she went along. She immediately connected the reading to her experience, saying, “I work with a lot of students in these categories.” She also noted, “I find myself really interested in my students who are neurodivergent, as they have a different approach to learning in the classroom.” She provided several examples from her classroom. One student on the autism spectrum makes strong connections between letters and colors. He often uses these associations to complete his work. For example, he has said, “Number eight is green, and green means I am mad.” “Ms. Veronica, you are 29, and that means you like the color yellow and red.” Another student is unable to sit still and complete work unless he is holding a stuffed animal of his choice. This support helps him remain focused. A third student, who has more severe ADHD, benefits from using a timer during tasks. If he does not finish before the timer goes off, he is given a short “brain break.” This routine is used daily and works well for him. While reading, she also reflected on a student who displays symptoms of dyspraxia. “I never knew dyspraxia was a thing. I noticed a student in my classroom having difficulty with things like dropping all of his belongings in the morning. Every morning, without fail, everything is on the ground because he has dropped it. We thought this was behavioral.” After this discussion we did bring up our concerns at his next meeting-sharing this article with her helped us connect some dots! We discussed strategies to support this student, especially since he benefits from routine. One idea was to maintain his morning routine while providing assistance with unpacking his backpack to reduce frustration. One statement she shared stood out to me, “Everybody has strengths, and everybody has things that they’re working on.”This reminded me of a student who had previously struggled in a general education classroom, where he frequently exhibited challenging behaviors such as yelling and refusing to follow directions. After being placed in a specialized classroom, his behavior improved significantly. Although some challenges remain, the one-on-one support he now receives has greatly reduced his outbursts. The second TA I interviewed works in a general education classroom. She described her current class as particularly challenging due to the number of students displaying ADHD-like behaviors. “I find myself redirecting and helping one student, then moving to the one next to her, then the next—and before I know it, the whole table is off task again.” Although she noted that this may sound like a “typical classroom,” she emphasized that this group has been the most difficult she has worked with. Challenges shown in her classroom were difficulty staying on task, frequent need for redirection, loud outbursts, sensory processing issues, and executive functioning difficulties. She identified the biggest issue as a lack of sufficient support to meet all students’ needs. We also discussed the idea of “fixing vs. recognizing” students. I shared a template from my slides that addressed this concept, which she found interesting and useful. Her biggest takeaway was the idea that one size does not fit all. She felt this strongly applied to her classroom. While the teacher already uses differentiated instruction, she noted that the article Shifting the Paradigm further emphasized the importance of strength-based learning. She shared an example of this approach. If a student is struggling with a worksheet, they are given alternative ways to demonstrate understanding, such as explaining their thinking to the teacher or working with a partner. When discussing the article, which focuses on the deficit versus asset model, she felt that her classroom already reflects an asset-based approach. Students are encouraged to build on their strengths—for example, incorporating learning into play for students who thrive in play-based environments. This project helped me learn that it is super helpful to share ideas, concerns, and reflect with coworkers. This may be something that seems like common sense, but sometimes we may get too caught up in our responsibilities and forget to reflect. I find at my job I am constantly moving and doing things so it was really nice just to sit down with two coworkers and just talk. Not only did we teach each other things, but it was nice to laugh and get to know one another at a deeper level. Overall I really enjoyed this class. As I stated in last weeks “moo in” public speaking is not my thing. I would go as far as to say that I very much dislike it. At the start of this class I was very nervous as I am very reserved/shy and I felt as the weeks went on I got more and more comfortable. Presenting my teach out project felt satisfying and that was the first presentation where I felt confident. I think a big help was allowing us to sit and feel comfortable. I also really enjoyed that the project related directly to our jobs. Most of the classes I have taken at RIC thus far for the teaching certification program I have felt a bit out of place. The vast majority of the students are teachers and sometimes the content just does not apply to my scope of practice. This course I felt very much applied to what I do and I plan to use everything I have learned to better myself as a school nurse. One major takeaway for me is taking the time to explore behaviors. I feel I was good at this before this class, but now I can dive deeper. The frequent flyer coming into my office daily is someone I need to pay close attention to, the common response may be to just send the student back to class. After taking in the skills and knowledge I learned in this class, I need to ask myself why. Taking into consideration that a lot of my students carry more on their plates than adults. Something I notice too is how students are approached about absenteeism. As an elementary student, it is not their fault they are not at school everyday. I have heard teachers say “You are never here and that is causing you to fall behind”. Placing the blame on the student. Instead of blaming and shaming, we need to work with that student. Nowadays schools are very hyperfixated on perfect attendance and for many, that is a struggle they cannot control.

Neurodiversity

 

Talking Points:

1. “Instead of thinking of people with autism or ADHD as needing to be ‘fixed,’ we put a spotlight on things that they’re good at and help with things that they’re working on.” This quote really stood out to me because it is very important we focus on understanding our students vs “fixing” them. When we take the chance to understand our students and focus on their strengths, we create a more inclusive learning environment. When our students see we believe in them and see what they are good at, they are able to achieve their own goals. Goals they set for themselves, not goals we set for them. Something I do frequently in the clinic that is similar to having students set their own goals is letting them have control in their care. I have multiple students who are on the Autism spectrum and frequently come to the clinic. I have one student in particular who comes in frequently to “check in”. If he does something as simple as bumping his elbow on the table, he comes to me to have a full assessment. For him, this is about reassurance and routine. Sometimes he even walks himself through the assessment and realizes he is okay-this promotes independence for him. 

2. “Recognizing neurodiverse people as having differences, rather than deficits, is important. This approach helps kids fulfill their potential and thrive”. I find this to be very important, especially as a nurse. Just last week I had one of my students say “Miss Veronica I hate being like this, I don't like coming here at lunch everyday because no one else has to”. This made my heart hurt for this student, he can recognize he is different but he needs to realize that does not make him any less of a person than anyone else. He is only 8 years old, so it was hard to get through to him. I found once I started explaining that we all have something we may not like or wish we didn't have-I went to the point of even sharing that when I was a kid, I wished I didn't have psoriasis. That I was super embarrassed and always wore things that covered my arms. It is important (like we talked about in last week's class) that we connect with students and show them we are more than just the nurse or the teacher. He did leave my clinic in much better spirits after which made me feel like I did something right~we are all different and that is okay! 

3. “When kids are very rigid or react with outbursts or meltdowns that seem out of proportion to the circumstances, parents often feel frustrated and confused. They start looking for an explanation. “We have parents who say, ‘Well, my child must be neurodivergent in the way they’re processing information because how could this response be anything else?’” she adds. This often leads them to seek an autism evaluation. However, other factors can also contribute to extreme moods”. 

Argument Statement:

We need to advocate for strength based approaches to really help and advocate for our students who are neurodivergent. As educators we should not be focusing on “fixing what is wrong”. 

Reflections/Connections:

Overall I really enjoyed reading this article. Having a lot of students with ADHD and Autism, I was able to relate to a lot and learn a lot. I have a friend who I went to high school with who has ADHD and really struggles. It took her until college to get on medication and truly learn about her diagnosis. When I was reading Ashley’s post, she mentioned the ADDitude website. I took the time and looked through it, it had a lot of useful information that I can use as a school nurse.  

Rethinking Schools

 

Talking Points:

1. The first article I read about was Kicking ICE Out of Our Schools and Communities. Something that stood out to me was educators have truly been on the frontline of this matter because as an educator, we care about the wellbeing of our students. We do not want them to feel scared or feel like they are going to be ripped out of their school. Our students need to feel safe. From the classroom to the street, we need to defend our students and together learn the most effective ways to kick ICE out of our schools and communities”.  We need to stay inclusive and informed for the safety of our students. It is important we know about policies in place/what we can say, and how we can support these families (access to food or maybe even legal aid). This can be a very emotional and stressful time for students especially if it is affecting them (family members missing). Providing a supporting environment for them and letting them talk about how they are feeling. They may not be getting sleep at home or a meal because that support system has been taken away. Although I have not seen this in my school, I know that I want to be there to support my students during such a difficult time. 

2. LA Educators vs. ICE was the next article. A quote that stood out to me was “In California, about one in five K–12 students come from mixed status families, meaning at least one parent is undocumented. Every school day, these students face the possibility of coming home to find a close family member missing”. This does not only cause emotional distress but  food insecurities and other economic hardships. The educators in this neighborhood did things like raising money for food for these students and trainings have been created for staff members to get involved and take a stand. The more that come together to help, the better support we are able to provide. As I said before, although this has not happened in the community I work in yet, that does not mean we should not be prepared and educated about it. It is important for staff members at my school to know what to do if an immigration officer were to come. Our district did recently send out a memo on “what to do” if this happens which I did read and find helpful. Even though it is not directly happening in our district yet, we should not ignore what is going on around us.

 

3. In it for The Long Haul was the last article I decided to talk about. The author said “Those things that we need in a restructured society are foundational to our personal and community safety. Within that context, it’s not that you are taking abolition and putting it into an educational context; instead, it’s a process. It’s a practice, a way of being, and a way of acting in the world that provides you with an opportunity to reach the restructured world we are trying to build”. If we want a better world, we have to practice the good/correct values. Instead of just punishing students, we need to teach them about why their behavior is happening and what can be done better. Fostering trust with them can help build a better relationship for better outcomes. If we are consistent with values like fairness, we can change our society for the better. This I can do with the students I see in my clinic. I have a lot of frequent flyers and I have learned that if you solely focus on the fact that they come too much and send them back to class, they frequently return. If you focus on what is truly bothering them and setting standards (example: you can come see me, but it’s a 5 minute rest and then back to class)-not focusing on the negative which is that they come too much-I find they will realize on their own they are coming too much (if that makes sense). These students want to feel heard and sometimes listening to them and allowing them to open up is all you need to do to foster a better environment. 

Argument Statement:

To create a safe space for our students we need to continue to stay inclusive and respect each other. A space where students can learn without being in fear because their educators are advocating for their rights/needs.

Connections/Reflections:

Although I cannot directly connect ICE to my work at this moment, I would like to take a moment to discuss one of my favorite shows. The show The Pitt recently came out with a new season and had an episode that showed how ICE affected their emergency room. A patient came in needing medical attention who was in custody with ICE. She was being told by the agents she could not contact family and that she was just there to get checked out. They were making their presence so known in the ER to the point that patients were leaving. A staff member got involved when attempting to help the patient when he was then arrested. The head doctor of the ER is seen telling the agents that they need to get out of the waiting area in the ER because they are inflicting fear on not only patients, but staff. As a nurse and someone who once worked in a hospital for quite some time, it was hard to watch. I felt so bad for the woman. Everyone has the right and access to healthcare when they are need. The agents in this case were creating a barrier when all the hospital staff wanted to do was help.