Foundations of Inclusive Practice

  

 Course Evaluation

    Course subjects

    The lessons were all interesting. The lesson that I got hooked on the most was the one documenting children [who were grown men by the time it was filmed] who were victims of being incorrectly labeled as disabled to be homed into mental asylums. It wasn't just the fact they were forced to remain institutionalized for what was planned to be their whole lives, but what the adults made them do in the asylum. Things such as sexual assault, eating radioactive oatmeal as an experiment, and one even had to handle slices of brains that belonged to deceased residents of the asylum. I went into this lesson assuming that the conditions may be bare minimum, and how workers handled disabled people would be intense or immoral (given the time period), but that left me appalled. It made me wonder how many places replicate this behavior. And this was just what was uncovered... What behavior did they get away with? As unsettling as the documentary was, it is important that the stories are shared. This raises awareness to how bad the situations were for people institutionalized, and it helps mental asylums stay in the past.

    I also appreciate the lessons about what we can do present day regarding how to help individuals with disabilities. I thought the universally designed built college campus was impressive. Though it brought an important point: It is easier to build it from scratch than try to fit universally designed features in a build that is already built. It brings up questions such as "How expensive will it be?", "Should we destroy and reconstruct colleges from the ground up?", "Should colleges have to decide between better costs and better universal design?". Though, there's a clear goal that nobody should disagree with, how that path is reached is easier said than done. 

    Something that is more straightforward is how we can make lessons universally designed. The idea that students can meet the same expectations and not feel or be outcasted for having a disability, is the best-case scenario for everyone. I appreciate how we had to design a lesson made to be universally designed, since it encourages us to brainstorm in advance of Student Teaching and graduating. It allows us to know what the bar is, rather than having to make our first attempt with students. I encourage this for all students pursing Teaching.

    Classmates/Peers

    All of the students that I interacted with during our Zoom group talks were nice. Most of the time, everyone made sure to have a moment to speak. Students made sure to stay on subject when it came to group talks, or questions. It kept the class time productive. I noticed some students participated in class discussions more than others. Some even ask questions or answer questions every class. I don't believe everyone participated in discussions. If that's not right, then some barely spoke. But overall, I didn't have any negative impressions of classmates. Just positive and neutral thoughts.

    Personal Reflection

      I could've been better with attendance. I made sure to contact him as soon as possible, so I didn't leave Rob Schulze in the dark whenever I fail to show up. I don't like missing class, since it disrespects his time. I almost always attended, nevertheless. I asked questions almost daily to make sure I'm on the right page. I type notes daily, so I can look back on what I learned and what I'm assigned to do. There have been times where I get confused, and that put me behind sometimes on assignments, but I appreciate his patience and willingness to help me through any misunderstandings, rather than giving up or grading it regardless. I respect that a lot.

    I've been great with turning in work. The only time I recall being late on assignments is when I did them wrong. I made sure to fix my mistakes as soon as it is called out, until the instructor's satisfied with the results. I never avoided turning something in. I believe that my attendance and work is good enough for a passing grade, since I've rarely missed class, and I rarely turn in anything late unless it wasn't correct.

    Final thoughts

    Though, I won't be finishing this course the same way my peers have, I still appreciate that knowledge that I have gained through these lessons. The discussions were productive, and there was no time wasted going through each subject. The lessons regarding LRE, 504, and an IEP (as well as other things) are great things to know. Not just in the position of a teacher, but for a parent/guardian, a relative, or a friend of a parent/guardian. No matter what, I will have a reason to remember this information since I might come across a situation where I or someone I know need(s) to be in an IEP Meeting in the future. Thank you.