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CM . . .
. Volume VIII Number 18 . . . . May 10, 2002
I found this
book very useful for all practicing classroom teachers (K - 12). One of
the most important aspects of this book is the framework that has been
developed for how to help students at risk. This framework includes: a)
observing; b) formulating goals; c) developing strategies; and d) implementing
and reviewing the action plan. One of the most important things that we
can do as teachers is to get to know our students, their strengths, weaknesses,
and interests. Much of the advice that is given is appropriate for experienced
or novice teachers. For example, the teacher should read the child's file
for information about previous grades, speak to the previous teacher,
to the student and to the parents, and track the child's performance in
daily work and on tests and assignments for a few weeks. One of the statements
that is repeated often calls for the teacher to observe over a period
of 4-6 months to ensure that the observations are valid. It is definitely
important to observe the student throughout the year, but I feel that,
after observing and collecting data for 4-6 weeks at the beginning of
school, it is important to get the process of individualizing the program
underway as quickly as possible so that success could be shown that year.
Useful suggestions and actual comments for dealing with parents are outlined,
and they would be very helpful for beginning teachers as well as act as
reminders for the more experienced teachers.
The book includes the background of working
with students with learning disabilities, behavioural disorders, visual
impairment, hearing impairment, giftedness, developmental disabilities,
and low-incidence disabilities. Understandable definitions of those
exceptionalities (such as giftedness, autism, Asperger's Disorder, and
Tourette Syndrome) are given, and excellent suggestions and samples
of ideas of how to deal with children with those disorders are included.
One chart that I found to be extremely useful and that I would have
laminated and placed on my desk is entitled: "25 Ways to Minimize Behaviour
Problems in Class." This is a list of ideas that would help develop
a positive and trusting relationship in the classroom. The list includes
modelling respectful behaviour, understanding the strengths and weaknesses
that trigger certain behaviour, and establishing classroom rules, including
consequences for misbehaviour.
So often authors state that they are
going to give ideas for helping students at risk, but on reading, nothing
specific is ever stated. However, Duquette gives detailed and extremely
useful suggestions for how to accommodate students at risk. I would
not call it a recipe book to be followed step-by-step, but it does have
relevant, practical ideas that help to achieve the most success with
all the students in our classrooms, not only with the at-risk students.
In our present-day classrooms, there
is a very good chance that all teachers will be dealing with students
who need some accommodations to the curriculum/ program that has been
set out by the provincial ministries of education. Samples of charts/checklists
that you could use immediately in your classroom to help identify these
students include: Screening Checklist; Working with a student whose
exceptionalities have not yet been identified; What to look for in students
in all grades suspected of having a learning disability; Some behaviours
of students who are excessively shy and withdrawn; What to look for
in students suspected in having ADHD; Symptoms of hearing loss; Characteristics
of Gifted students; How to identify students with mild developmental
disability; and Recognizing a child with FAS/E.
As an experienced teacher, I would recommend
this book for the charts and checklists and detailed accounts of dealing
with exceptionalities. As a retired teacher, I wish that I had had this
book while I was teaching. The ideas are clear, concise and ready to
use. As a university instructor of Social Studies to teachers-in-training,
I would recommend this book as a "must read" because it contains so
many worthwhile ideas that took me years to accumulate and place in
my program. Case studies are discussed in the beginning of this book
that would be useful for student teachers to relate to their own personal
experiences in the classroom. Student teachers would be able to compare
these strategies with those that were observed and used in their practicum
classrooms so that they could then build a repertoire of their own.
A basic premise in the book is the fact
that caring, committed teachers have a willingness to act on their observations
made about their students. The two key principles that are detailed
in the book are: 1) that teachers need to work with others, such as
the special education teacher, the resource teacher, the principal,
the consultant and the parents; and 2) that caring, observant teachers
can make a difference to the success of their students. These two principles
guide attitudes and actions regarding all students and, in particular,
those who require accommodations in class. Teachers have to understand
their students' disabilities, and they have to be able to have some
observational, assessment and program strategies to help all students
to feel that they truly belong in class. This is one book that helps
us to try to achieve that goal.
Highly recommended. Gary
Evans, a retired teacher, is now an instructor of Social Studies at
both the University of Manitoba and the University of Winnipeg.
To comment on this
title or this review, send mail to cm@umanitoba.ca.
Copyright © the Manitoba Library Association. Reproduction for personal
use is permitted only if this copyright notice is maintained. Any other
reproduction is prohibited without permission.
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