Exceptional Child
Ed. 225 Exceptional Child
This course is required of all pre-service teachers and addresses disabilities covered in
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), gifted and talented, and at-risk
students, as well as accommodations in the general education setting. Syllabus
Electronic Learning Portfolio
DURING THE SPRIING SEMESTER 2002 STUDENTS IN THIS COURSE WILL
DESIGN AN ELECTRONIC PORTFOLIO.
You are the pioneers! We will be experimenting with developing an electronic learning
portfolio containing your work in Exceptional Child. The only change from previous
semesters is that you will be placing everything on a zip disk instead of creating a
notebook of information. At the end of the semester we will evaluate this process.
Please note, nothing extra/new has been added to the class. This project is simply a
means of organizing and storing information for future use.
Your feedback along the way will be appreciated!
Introduction
I have attempted to produce an electronic learning portfolio that reflects experiences and
learning acquired in (and outside) the classroom for Ed. 225, Exceptional Child. I have
tried to be the student here instead of the professor.
On sabbatical Fall Semester 2001 I learned about the value and design of electronic
portfolios. Dr. Helen Barrett, the technology guru from the University of Alaska,
Anchorage has been my role model and helped in the design of this portfolio. Credit
must be given to her for inspiring me and sharing her knowledge with me. I want to pass
this on to my students with the hope that they will acquire more skills in the use of
technology, a vital aspect of teaching and learning!
The electronic learning portfolio will replace the hard copy of the “Collection of
Experiences” required in previous semesters. It will, however, be more a comprehensive
reflection of all students have learned from Ed. 225/226 and will demonstrate their work
on meeting the National Educational Technology Standards (NETS) for Teachers as well
as Entry Level Standards for Michigan Teachers!
I am convinced that my dear students will probably create their portfolios with much
more ease and creativity than I did!
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Exceptional Child
Choosing Teaching
Ever since I could hold chalk (and eat it) in the basement of our house on Elm Street in
Marcellus, Michigan I have wanted to be a teacher. It may have helped that my mother
and six aunts and uncle were teachers. My sister said there was one thing she did not
want to be and that was a teacher! At an early age my decision was made to teach!
Susan Mooy Cherup had
decided at an early age to
become a teacher! Yes, that
is a blackboard, not a chalk
or white board!
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Exceptional Child
Teaching Statement
I believe that every student must develop a strong self-esteem to succeed in school. As a
teacher I can help build that self-esteem through creating a community of learners and
providing learning experiences based on the academic and social needs of each student,
facilitated through the use of assistive technology, as appropriate.
I have been in the teaching profession
long enough to observe special
education students excluded from the
school setting, included in segregated
classrooms, and included full time in
general education settings. My goal as a
professor is to help pre-service teachers
understand their roles in helping all
students succeed both in and outside the
classroom! (Professor’s thoughts)
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Exceptional Child
Field Placement
Ed. 226 – Field Placement taken concurrently with Ed. 225 – Exceptional Child
The field placement is a critical component of Ed. 225, Exceptional Child and provides
opportunities for interaction with persons with sensory, emotional, physical, and
cognitive challenges, as well as gifted and talented and at-risk individuals. The field
placement allows for the application of knowledge and theory, provides opportunity for
the development of professional skills in real-life settings and guides in the selection of
teaching as a profession.
Students select their field placement settings by going to the Ed. 225 web site, choosing
“Field Placement Information” and viewing choices at the preschool, elementary, middle
school, secondary and community levels. To further help in their selections they read the
recommendations and comments from peers who have been in these placements. They
choose settings that best accommodate their interests and needs. A letter is sent to the
field placement mentors with placement expectations and autobiographical information
on the students.
Students attend the placements 2 hours per week for the semester. They contribute to
class discussions, design and deliver a PowerPoint presentation, of their experiences and
research, are evaluated by peers and professor, complete a self-evaluation and reflective
essay, and receive evaluations from their mentors.
Group Presentation
The group presentation provides an opportunity to research a topic, work in a cooperative
setting, and design and deliver a stimulating account of students’ research and
knowledge. It allows for evaluation of students and peers’ skills in a cooperative setting
and teaching experience.
Directions
PowerPoint example
Presentation handout example
Personal presentation feedback sheet
Group presentation evaluation sheet for peers
Group presentation evaluation sheet for faculty
Reflections on group presentation
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Exceptional Child
Collection of Experiences
The Collection of Experiences is a compilation of students’ past and present learning and
experiences with persons with disabilities and gifted and talented. It reflects their
knowledge, skills, and attitude in the areas studied in the Exceptional Child class. It is
unique to each student and no one will have a collection quite like another students.
Directions on Collection of Experiences
Example of Collection of Experiences
Rubric
What’s Next?
I am ready to begin courses in Level II of the Education Sequence. As I reflect on this
semester’s coursework and field experience I can say that I have learned to appreciate the
diversity in teaching all students. I never realized the extent to which students with
disabilities are just like you and me. And, I have learned that is how they want to be
treated. Just like you and me! I look forward to learning how to teach all students,
manage a classroom, integrate technology into teaching and use it for professional
productivity.
Goals for next field placement:
1. Arrive early
2. Ask lots of questions
3. Be assertive
4. Get to bed early the night before the placement
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