When lawmakers signed the No Child Left Behind Act, the new standards- driven approach required teachers to change their opinion about disinterested students. In the past, a remark such as “You can lead a horse to the water, but you can’t force it to drink” would suffice to describe a student’s personality and ability from one teacher to another. Now, school faculty must cultivate new approaches to encourage and challenge those disinterested students to perform on the same levels as their erudite peers. Communities, politicians and administrators beckon for the school’s transformation. Yet, the schools lack the bridge to connect idealism to practicality. In order for schools to transform disinterested students into dedicated learners, the school must promote and sustain the development of self-determination skills in the classroom.
Schools in the most diverse environments are the least likely to support the development of self-determination skills. Research by Zhang and Benz(2006) concluded, “1) Parents with college degrees gave their children more opportunities to express their interests, make daily decisions having important impacts on their life, and set personal goals 2) Parents of higher-income families were more likely to engage in practices that fostered their children’s self determination skills 3) Parents of students with disabilities were less likely to engage in these practices”. The research implies that students living in family conditions of cultural diversity, low-income and/or low educational status do not receive the opportunities to establish self-determination. Parents must not only present ideas, but also allow students to act upon opportunities to establish self-determination. Both parents and teachers mus...
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...access to the general education curriculum. The Journal of Special Education, 42(91), 91-106.
Wehmeyer, M.L., & Kelchner, K. (1996). Perceptions of classroom environment, locus of control and academic attributions of adolescents with and without cognitive disabilities. Career Development for Exceptional Individuals, 19(15), 15-30.
Wehmeyer, M.L., & Schalock, R.L. (2001). Self-determination and quality of life: implications for special education services and supports. Focus On Exceptional Children, 33(8), 01-16.
Young, M.R. (2005). The motivational effects of the classroom environment in facilitating self-regulated learning. Journal of Marketing Education, 27(25), 25-40.
Zhang, D., & Benz, M.R. (2006). Enhancing self-determination of culturally diverse students with disabilities: current status and future directions. Focus on Exceptional Children, 38(9), 01-12.
One of the main issues in the educational system is the mindset of students, especially those in poverty. Students in poverty since the, “...beginning of the Progressive Era...” have had a tendency to not put forth effort in the classroom (Hood). Cultural trends throughout twentieth and twenty-first century America has developed different philosophies on how education should be treated. The overarching theme from all time periods in America is that students in poverty tend to be less happy, less excited about school, and less invested in the future that lies ahead for them because they have no hope and optimism. According to the International Journal for Behavioral Medicine, students who have a low “...socioeconomic status [view] the future as containing more negative [experiences] than positive [experiences]”. These students are considered the trouble makers o...
Hehir, T. (2009). New directions in special education: Eliminating ableism in policy and practice. Cambridge, MA: Harvard Education Press.
There are many individuals who contribute to the education of the student with special needs. Their roles and responsibilities are varied, and each play an important part in the education of the student with disabilities. In the early years of special education, individuals with disabilities were not educated in the traditional classroom. Many of the students were left at home to be taught by their parents, or, sent away to institutions if the families were unable to care for them. In addition, some were education in private schools at the cost of the families. It was not until the 1970’s that special education became acceptable in the public schools. The passing of legislation made it possible for all students to have a right to a free and public education, regardless of their disabilities. The individual with disabilities education act (IDEA) opened the door to education for all students and therefore a change in special education.
Incorporating the culture of the disabled into the culturally responsive classroom and curriculum will help these students feel accepted and welcomed into the class. This in turn will help them become successful academically. Teachers can do so by learning about the history of their students’ culture and creating instructional strategies that meet their diverse needs and abilities; demonstrating values and using techniques that include rather than exclude disabled students; and maintaining high but appropriate expectations. Teachers can create culturally responsive curriculum by using materials that are free of bias and stereotypes as well as finding ways to include different cultures and learning styles into every lesson possible. An effective teacher is one who can master the skill of culturally responsive
Education is the foundation of American society. It empowers the youth of America to become the successful leaders this country needs for the future. Education has been one of America’s top priorities since 1965, when the Elementary and Secondary Education Act was passed. Now, education is controlled by the No Child Left Behind Act, which was launched in January 8, 2002. This act was passed with intentions from the government to provide Americans with a more superior education system. However, The No Child Left Behind Act carried many flaws which were left unseen to a vast majority of the public. This act limited American students by not allowing them to demonstrate their full academic potentials while proceeding in school. While the act was still fairly fresh, there was already evidence to prove that it had already gotten off to a bad beginning. For the crucial math and science courses, statistics showed minimal improvements which had begun around the time period in which the No Child Left Behind Act was passed. The act was also supported by a number of educators who voiced themselves by testifying against having the right to teach at their own free will. Teachers across America claimed that because of this new act, they felt a constant heaviness upon their shoulders from the state government to “Teach the test.”
Ormsbee, C. (2001). "Ending Discrimination in Special Education/Achieving Educational Equity (Book Review)." Intervention in School & Clinic; Sep2001, Vol. 37 Issue 1, p48.
Most recent theories on motivation conclude that people will start certain behaviors under the belief that this behavior will accomplish desired goals or outcomes. With Lewin (1936) and Tolman (1932) leading the charge, the goal-oriented behavior led researchers to want to understand more on the psychological value people attribute to goals, people’s expectations on reaching these goals, and the structures which keep people striving to achieve these goals. After some recent findings on goal-oriented behavior, researchers were able to differentiate different types of goals, whereas before researchers assumed that goals that were valued the same, with the same expectations of achievement, would need the same amount
“Motivation is a complex part of human psychology and behavior that influences how individuals choose to invest their time, how much energy they exert in any given task, how they think and feel about the task, and how long they persist at the task” (Urdan & Schoenfelder, 2006). The biggest question educators face in today’s classroom is what motivates a student to do something and why? Virtually all students are motivated in one way or another. Research of student motivation suggests a theory that emphasizes a social-cognitive perspective. The cognition of students regarding academic work are influenced by social factors, such as messages from the teacher about the difficulty of the task, the perceived abilities of classmates, and the information about the importance of learning the material (Urdan & Schoenfelder, 2006). In this paper the focus will primarily be on those elements within the classroom that influence student motivation and engagement.
being in children and adolescents: an application of the self-determination theory. Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, 24(2), 280-292.
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) has established procedures for the placement of students with disabilities within a school setting. Members of the child study team develop individualized education programs (IEP) ,which are designed place students in the least restrictive environment based on their needs (Jones & Hensley, 2012). Research conducted by Jones and Hensley (2012), indicates that students with disabilities in self-contained classrooms exhibit lower levels of self-determination than students in resource classrooms. The research study consisted of 51 middle and high school students and 12 special education teachers. Their objective was to examine the impact of classroom placement on student outcomes and relationships (Jones & Hensley, 2012). In this study, self-contained classrooms focused on life skills such as, cooking, jobs, interacting in the community, and so forth. Resource classrooms were considered "pull-out classes”, which maintained an academic core curriculum, but utilized a small group learning environment (Jones & Hensley, 2012). Students in the resource classrooms were well integrated into the general school population. Th...
In conclusion, the initial intentions of the No Child Left Behind Act (2001) were to close the achievement gap between low achieving students and schools and their counterparts; but have fallen short in many important aspects along the way. Teachers have become de-sensitized to the reasons they initially desired to be educators and have lost their vision of how to implement instruction due to standards of NCLB and the consequences for not meeting those mandated goals. Likewise, students must perform, many times, above their level in order to be labeled “adequate” by the federal government and their schools. In some cases, there is a disproportionate burden placed on schools, teachers, and students, all for the sake of what is federally deemed as average achievement.
...her ups, and then once their ideas of education update, so can school systems, then teachers themselves. Maiers “Keys to Student Engagement” shows the raw potential that school systems already have. It also shows that students need the drive and ambition to succeed. Tristan’s article on edutopia provides ideas that are already in motion. His ideas and tips have already started to work in public high school in his community. With the guidance and vision of these three authors public school issues could cease to exist. Even though there’s a lot involved getting administrators (and some teachers) on board, it is possible, and in the near future, a reality.
Browser B.A. (2001) With fewer expectations, children with disabilities have not yet achieved commensurately with their peers in regular classes. Likewise, students with learning disabilities have not been able to accomplish the level of low achieving of children that are not disabled. In the manual, Assessing Special Education Students (ASES) Van De Zande.
Education is meant to be the key to a successful life. It is supposed to inspire great ideas, and prepare each and every generation for their future. However, school for today 's generation fails to meet those requirements. Every student knows education is important, but when school is not engaging or in some cases, even relevant, it makes learning difficult. Improving the school system is something educators attempt to accomplish every year. Despite their best efforts, there are numerous flaws students see, but adults overlook. There is a lack of diversity for students to learn, an overabundance of testing, and students’ voices are being ignored on how to create a more productive learning experience.
Pintrich, P. R. (2004). A conceptual framework for assessing motivation and self-regulated learning in college students. Educational Psychology Review, 16(4), 385-407.