Yesterday I had the privilege of visiting several special education classrooms at Blue Ridge Elementary School. In the resource class, the teacher helped a new student feel welcome as she made introductions before getting to work. She explained to the group where they left off from on Friday and set the stage for expectations. She used effective questioning techniques to provide just the right amount of scaffolding during the lesson. All students were engaged every second and participated eagerly. Next, I visited the Preschool Intervention Program. The children moved from center to center based on interest. The teacher and aides fostered apppropriate socialization skills and provided a model when needed. Some children were encouraged to particpate in a small groups with an aide to work on vocabulary and colors. It was evident each child was cared for unconditionally. The next classroom I visited was a self-contained classroom for early elementary students. The teacher was highly organized and demonstrated mastery of differentiated instruction. Each student participated in an activity that was just right for their developmental level. The teacher had no less than 8 distinct areas for independent work. She worked individually with students targeting specific goals while an aide monitored the other students in their work areas. The activities were engaging and all students were interested in the activity that was planned just for them. Finally, the last classroom I visited was an upper elementary self-contained classroom. The students in this class portrayed a wide range of ability levels and the teacher demonstrated an understanding of each student's individual needs. This teacher was particularly strong in the area of effective classroom management skills and used a Smartboard to lead a whole group lesson allowing students to interact with technology and have fun while learning. I thoroughly enjoyed my visit to Blue Ridge Elementary. It is a beautiful school inhabited by folks dedicated to educating children.
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
A Visit to Blue Ridge Elementary School
Yesterday I had the privilege of visiting several special education classrooms at Blue Ridge Elementary School. In the resource class, the teacher helped a new student feel welcome as she made introductions before getting to work. She explained to the group where they left off from on Friday and set the stage for expectations. She used effective questioning techniques to provide just the right amount of scaffolding during the lesson. All students were engaged every second and participated eagerly. Next, I visited the Preschool Intervention Program. The children moved from center to center based on interest. The teacher and aides fostered apppropriate socialization skills and provided a model when needed. Some children were encouraged to particpate in a small groups with an aide to work on vocabulary and colors. It was evident each child was cared for unconditionally. The next classroom I visited was a self-contained classroom for early elementary students. The teacher was highly organized and demonstrated mastery of differentiated instruction. Each student participated in an activity that was just right for their developmental level. The teacher had no less than 8 distinct areas for independent work. She worked individually with students targeting specific goals while an aide monitored the other students in their work areas. The activities were engaging and all students were interested in the activity that was planned just for them. Finally, the last classroom I visited was an upper elementary self-contained classroom. The students in this class portrayed a wide range of ability levels and the teacher demonstrated an understanding of each student's individual needs. This teacher was particularly strong in the area of effective classroom management skills and used a Smartboard to lead a whole group lesson allowing students to interact with technology and have fun while learning. I thoroughly enjoyed my visit to Blue Ridge Elementary. It is a beautiful school inhabited by folks dedicated to educating children.
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1 comment:
Nice article as for me. It would be great to read something more concerning that theme. Thank you for posting that information.
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