The Expanded Core Curriculum: Finding the Time

1. The ExpandedCore Curriculum:Finding the Time Kathleen M. Huebner, Ph. D. Pennsylvania College of Optometry KMH/PCO CORE CURRUCULUM

2. A Quick Review of What is Included in the Expanded Core Curriculum • Compensatory Skills (Braille; listening skills; handwriting skills; abacus) • O&M • Social Skills • Independent Living Skills • Recreation and Leisure Skills • Career Education • Assistive Technology • Visual Efficiency Skills (NA-1995) KMH/PCO CORE CURRUCULUM

3. What Itinerant Teachers Report as Most Time Spent on Expanded Core (CO) • Braille Reading and Writing (listed on survey) • Nemeth Instruction • Braille Preparation • Independent Living Skills • O&M • Vision Utilization (not listed on survey) • Technology Training • Materials Adaptation • Large Print Production(Suvak 1999) KMH/PCO CORE CURRUCULUM

4. What Itinerant Teachers Report as Most Time Spent Teaching NON-Expanded Core (CO) • Math • Language Arts(Suvak 1999) KMH/PCO CORE CURRUCULUM

5. Additional Responsibilities and Time Consuming Activities • Communication-Teachers-Parents-Administrators • Travel • Report preparation/paperwork • Assessment • Reinforce students’ other needs--MH • Other Expanded Core areas-social skills, career education, recreation/leisure • Materials ordering • Professional development KMH/PCO CORE CURRUCULUM

6. Current Concerns of 70 Experienced Teachers (TX) • Keeping up with required paperwork • Arranging a balanced schedule • Keeping up on morale and confidence KMH/PCO CORE CURRUCULUM

7. Another Suspected but Unreported Time Eater TUTORING ! KMH/PCO CORE CURRUCULUM

8. How to Make theBestof the Time We Have KMH/PCO CORE CURRUCULUM

9. Strategies to Make Best Use of Limited Time • Teach Only ExpandedCore • Do Not Tutor • Examine Your Strengths and Weaknesses • Develop Appropriate and Shared Responsibilities-- Other Teachers/ Aides/Parents • Increase Team Effectiveness KMH/PCO CORE CURRUCULUM

10. Teach Only Expanded Core • Be convinced • Be determined • Be resourceful--in other words YOU have to make it happen • Be firm KMH/PCO CORE CURRUCULUM

11. Avoid Tutoring • Ask the question-- Does student need help because the visual impairment is impeding learning? • If yes--teach • If no--defer to other teacher, personnel, peer tutor, parents KMH/PCO CORE CURRUCULUM

12. Examine Your Strengths and Weaknesses • Be honest with yourself--Identify your weaknesses--its between you and yourself--not the world • Weaknesses result in lack of confidence, slowness to accomplish tasks, and defensiveness • Weaknesses result in inefficiency and ineffectiveness KMH/PCO CORE CURRUCULUM

13. Change Weaknesses into Strengths • Develop strategies and a plan to change weaknesses into strengths • Seek out constructive ways to strengthen your skills and professionalism • Work independently and seek out support where needed KMH/PCO CORE CURRUCULUM

14. Weaknesses Changed into Strengths • Recognize your improvements • Note that tasks now take less time • Note that you now have more confidence in your decisions and the quality of your work • Note that you no longer procrastinate or resist doing what used to be weaknesses KMH/PCO CORE CURRUCULUM

15. ADD OTHERS TO YOUR TEAMReauthorization of IDEA (1997) • Parents as members of the team • Participation of regular educator KMH/PCO CORE CURRUCULUM

16. Develop Appropriate and Shared Responsibilities-- Other Teachers/ Aides/Parents • Model--teach in the regular classroom • Provide positive reinforcement • Observe students in their regular classes…even snippets of time can tell you a lot • Provide formal and informal training • Teach your students to direct others for meaningful information-self advocate KMH/PCO CORE CURRUCULUM

17. Appreciate Other’s Diversity • Culture • Education • Socio/Economic Status • Response to having a child with a disability • Confidence • Trust • Lifestyle • Responsibilities KMH/PCO CORE CURRUCULUM

18. Keep an OPEN MIND and HEART • Don’t bring old baggage into the relationship • Approach each new relationship with parents with a positive approach • Find out parents’ perspectives, beliefs, strengths, realities of lifestyles • Have high--yet realistic--expectations for not only your students but their families as well KMH/PCO CORE CURRUCULUM

19. Facilitate ParentParticipation • Keep an OPEN MIND and HEART • Consider parents’ individuality/diversity • See parents as child’s mentors/teachers • Consider parent’s perspective • Give information to the parents through various means and modes KMH/PCO CORE CURRUCULUM

20. Parents as Teachers/Mentors • “When my son was born blind, I didn’t get enlightened as to how to teach him everything, but he is my fourth child, I know some things about raising children. Respect me but help me.” KMH/PCO CORE CURRUCULUM

21. Parent’s Perspective • “Teachers are not always hearing what I’m saying. I see my child at home and I know what he can do and can’t do. Why don’t the teachers believe me when I tell them I see things they don’t?” KMH/PCO CORE CURRUCULUM

22. Give Parent’s Information • “Don’t just tell me to do it, explain how.” • “Taking classes made me feel better, like I know something.” • “Parents need resources too!” • “You have no idea how good it made me feel when you asked me to help teach the mom of the new VI child at the school.” KMH/PCO CORE CURRUCULUM

23. Increase Team Effectiveness • Build & maintain positive relationships • Maintain close contact • Communicate a sense of teamwork • Don’t complain • Be a good listener • Neither intimidate nor be intimidated • See others’ perspectives • Ask questions KMH/PCO CORE CURRUCULUM

24. Team Goals • Group move toward common goal • Each member needs a clear purpose • Team members directed toward a goal that may not be clear to others KMH/PCO CORE CURRUCULUM

25. Support Comes From Many • Within yourself (UP TO YOU) • Family and friends (90%) • Students (80%) • Special education teachers (61%) • Other Vision Teachers (53%) • Parents (52%) • Administrators (46%) • Regular Classroom teachers (40%) • Community (26%) (Seitz, 1999) KMH/PCO CORE CURRUCULUM

26. TAKE PRIDE IN YOUR CONTRIBUTIONSAND ENJOY YOUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS KMH/PCO CORE CURRUCULUM