Osborne-Koch,+Bethany,+Attention+and+Memory

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 * __Personal Introduction:__**

__//Who I Am and What Brings Me Joy://__ Hello, my name is Bethany Osborne-Koch and I moved to Ashland from Portland this last summer to pursue my Masters in Environmental Education. I love Oregon, I was born and raised here, and yet there is so much of it I have yet to explore. I love to travel and experience new people and cultures and while in college studied abroad in London and Costa Rica. I find myself most joyful when I am outdoors. I love to garden and grow food, kayak, hike, backpack, and be in the rain. I really love the rain.

//__My Education and Career Goals:__// In working for a residential environmental education program I came to realize that I had found a outlet for innovation and creativity that constantly challenged me and made me a better leader. I am not sure if in my future I will find myself in a classroom, but if I do, I am confident that I will encounter similar challenges and joys. Ideally, I would like to work with a non-profit that connects with classroom teachers to provide outdoor environmental education programs to urban students regularly.

__//My Greatest Fear of Being a Teacher://__ I think that, among others, one of my greatest fears of being a teacher is being able to work within a system of strict standards for testing and still have the time and resources to provide individualized instruction consistently without getting bogged down by logistics. __//A Time When Learning Was Difficult for Me://__ School was always something that I really enjoyed growing up and it was not until college that I truly found myself struggling to grasp content and skills. For my degree I needed to take the general physics sequence and I managed to put it off until my senior year at UO. I struggled through that year more than ever and managed to pass the class without ever feeling like I had any idea what was going on. I remember feeling completely overwhelmed and eventually kind of giving up and trying to just get by. I think that it is common when we feel like that to decide not to put our full effort into something and that our role as teachers is to help to identify students experiencing difficulty and continue to motivate them through it. __//What I Hope to Gain From This Class://__ In this class I am really interested in learning more about best practices in inclusion and what resources are available to teachers in and out of the classroom.

Inclusion Strategies for Attention and Memory **__Introduction:__** Attention and memory difficulties are faced by everyone at some time or moment in their lives. If attention and memory are consistent ares of issue in your life however it can significantly influence your ability to find success and participate fully in the classroom setting. Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder may be what most people think of first when describing symptoms of an attention and memory disability. With the relatively recent influx in diagnosed cases and their role in media this is a common reaction. Most teachers will probably encounter students with some form, on a spectrum, of attention or memory disabilities in their careers and for that reason it is essential that we have tools and strategies for inclusion. Often times, students with attention or memory disabilities will be in the general education classroom and many students without attention and memory disabilities exhibit similar symptoms for a variety of reasons. It is also crucial to keep in mind that students with other disabilities (than ADHD) may also exhibit symptoms of attention and memory disorders and can find success with the same or similar strategies.

**__Top 5 Things I Learned:__**

1.Attention control systems can be broken down into three categories. These are, mental energy- broken down to, alertness, sleep and arousal balance, mental effort and performance consistency; Processing, which includes, processing, saliency determination, depth and detail of processing, cognitive activation, focal maintenance and satisfaction control; and Production, which includes, production, previewing, facilitation and inhibition, pacing, self-monitoring, and reinforceability.

2. Attention disorders do not necessarily indicate a lack of attention, but rather an increased distractibility. Attention disorders are often described as being constantly overstimulated, even the smallest white noise to others would draw the attention of a student with an attention disorder. Though, we all probably find ourselves in this situation from time to time, students with attention difficulties are consitently bombarded with stimuli and information that they cannot focus their attention on.

3. Attention disorders are a causal influence on working and long- term memory. A common symptom of attention disorders is forgetfulness. When student's attention is drawn to multiple tasks simultaneously their ability to hold information in working memory decreases. Because of this it can be extremely useful to explicitly teach these students strategies for organization and studying so that they can better prepare themselves for focusing on a single task.

4.Short phyiscal and mental breaks for students, especially when they are self advocating are particularly useful in regaining attention and memory processing when starting new tasks or continuing lessons that are drawn out. Giving students outlets for their energy, distractions, or just moments to recharge are highly effective. Having built in opportunities in you schedule or classroom for students will help to manage these times and providing students with scaffolding to be self advocating will be a long term skill for them.

5. Memory and attention are closely linked when it comes to processing skills. By devising and scaffolding memory skills and strategies students will gain processing skills as well as increased attention and focus. Maintaining an open dialogue with students about their strenghts and goals will also help to strive for a focused outcome as well as provide opportunities to scaffold self advocating skills.

**__My Top Resource(s):__** http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/misunderstoodminds/attentionstrats.html Rating= 5/5 This website at pbs.org I found had the most complete set of information in a really accessible format for both parents and teachers. For that reason I think it is one of my top resources. This website gave extensive background information on the causes and responses for attention and memory difficulties as well as having links to videos on what it feels like to have different types of constant distraction in your life. Beyond the information on attention and memory presented this website also had strategies associated with different subject areas and could be a valuable resource for multiple uses. The information for parents was also particularly useful and could be identified for parents of students with attention difficulties.
 * 1. Misunderstood Minds**

Rating= 5/5 This video shares one teacher's tips for working with students with ADHD, a relatively common attention and memory disability. I liked that this teacher gave clear and usable examples of what worked in his classroom and how he worked with individual students to provide what they needed to be successful. Many of the tips and strategies he describes are simple and common sense and I think it is nice to get those kinds of ideas reinforced as being useful and worthwhile.
 * 2. Teacher Tips for Classroom Management and Inclusion for ADHD**

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__**Other Resources:**__

Rating= 4/5 This video lecture is given to provide resources, background information and strategies for working with students with attention and memory processing difficulties. It focuses on ADHD, but I think that it gives some thoughtful and thorough explanation of the disability and ways to successfully help students to achieve in school. media type="youtube" key="qEbMtgQSBqE" height="315" width="420"
 * 1. Attention Lecture Video**

Rating= 4/5 This podcast from NPR interviews the mother of an adolescent girl with ADD. It is heartening to hear how this student found success incorporating attention and memory building strategies into her life to gain a higher achievement level as she entered college. This is a great example of how teaching strategies to students for organization and preparing their environment can make a huge difference. media type="custom" key="13260146"
 * 2. Experiencing ADD**

Rating= 4/5 This article from the journal, Focus on Exceptional Children, gives an in depth discussion of the causes for attention and memory difficulties based on the science of brain research. This article is also written for a teacher audience and gives multiple strategies for enhancing memory with students. This could be a great resource for teachers wanting a thorough understanding of where attention and memory difficulties stem from in the brain.
 * 3.Strategies to Enhance Memory Based on Brain Research**

Banikowski, Alison K.//Strategies to Enhance Memory Based on Brain Research//, Focus on Exceptional Children, 0015511X, Oct99, Vol. 32, Issue 2

http://cirrie.buffalo.edu/encyclopedia/en/article/276/ Rating=4/5 This website gives concise overviews of how attention and memory can be difficulties faced by students with different or multiple disabilities. ADHD is a common disability that includes attention and memory processing problems, however many disabilities include these same signs of distraction and memory issues. This website looks at a variety of other disabilities and the role attention and memory play in a person's experience with that disability.
 * 4. Memory Interventions for Children with Memory Deficits**

Rating=3/5 Many of us are familiar with the Brain Rules research and videos on how are brain works and processes information. This video looks at research the Brain Rules scientists did to determine the effect of memory on students in school. This video really only highlights one technique for increasing retention and memory with students, which is the 90 min rule. This is a great tip and I think it is important to keep in mind when structuring lessons for all students. media type="youtube" key="lahaS6CzNgc" height="315" width="420"
 * 5. Brain Rules in the Classroom**

media2.teachertube.com/files/articles/2990.ppt Rating=4/5 This powerpoint presentation from TeacherTube is a great resource if you are looking for facts and suggestions in a timely manner. Because it is a powerpoint that likely went along with a lecture there is some information that may be difficult to interpret fully, however the relevance and strategies are worth taking a look at.
 * 6. Improving Attention and Memory**

http://www.mindtools.com/memory.html Rating=3/5 This website gives basic helpful ideas on ways to anyone to improve memory. This highlights things like mnemonics and acronyms as ways to remember information better. I think that tools like these could be great things to teach students explicitly who have difficulties with attention and memory.
 * 7. Memory Techniques**

**Attention Deficit Disorders, or Special Needs**
by Stephen Strichart and Charles Mangrum 2001 Allyn and Bacon Publishing Rating= 4/5 This book is a good addition to a teacher library or toolbox. It is designed to provide strategies and ideas for teacher of middle and high school students who work with special needs students. I have found through this research that teaching students strategies for learning and organization can be crucial to their success and this book focuses in on those ideas specifically for attention disabilities.

**Community Based Learning Project- SPED Class Observation and Interview**
Observation and Interview Notes:

I observed a SPED classroom at Bellvue Elementary School and spent time interviewing the classroom teacher post-observation.

Six students in total. When I arrived students were engaged in free time activities; two students played together with farm animal sets, one student with alphabet puzzles, two students played tag in an adjoining outdoor space with an aide supervising, another student used an ipad with an aide. The space is arranged into two classrooms with a connecting hallway, outdoor space, restroom and an office for the teacher. One classroom is set up relatively traditionally with desks, carpet space and board (smart board). The other classroom seems to be set up into learning modules with separate cubicles and desk areas. After approximately 15min we transitioned to recess with a majority of the student population. During recess aides worked with students on motor skills and fitness, also free play. Students seem to know and follow schedule and transition fluidly between many different classrooms and teachers. I accompanied students with an aide into a 3rd grade math class. Teacher and aide incorporated co-teaching where the aide assisted a sub-set of students through the activity. The aide described the difficulty in approaching some students who did not respond to his instructional assistance well at all times. Classroom is somewhat chaotic; large class size. I returned to the SPED classroom where aides and the teacher were working with individual students on math and reading. I observed Beth, the teacher, work with a student on phonics and assess their reading level. Beth used a phonics workbook and fast paced question response technique to develop word and syllable sounds. Assessment consisted of a worksheet that Beth and the student worked through followed by a practice reading out of a "leveled" book. Both Beth and an aide used fruit snacks as incentive. At the end of the day Beth used the smart board to watch a youtube video, "count by 10", students danced and sang along with the video and individually performed counting by 10, from 10-100.
 * Initial Observations:**

Bethany: It seems that students in the SPED classroom get highly individualized instruction and that adult to student ratio is high. What are your thoughts on inclusion and how does small class size factor into that?
 * Summary of the Interview:**

Beth (summary): You are right, in that in my self contained classroom, I get to know students really well and they are provided with one-on one attention that they would not necessarily receive in the general ed class. Our goal is still to prepare students for inclusion or transition students into full inclusion or general education, but the SPED classroom is sometimes a better situation for students depending on individual need. I have one student who has transitioned into full inclusion and general education but still spends his free time in my classroom because he is more comfortable here. There are less distractions and the atmosphere is more calm in this classroom. This seems particularly true for students with autism.

Bethany: Is this the typical class size you have experienced for your SPED class?

Beth (summary): This is the ideal class size. I have had classes with many more, sometimes 15-20 students.

Bethany: An aide went with students into 3rd grade math today, do you ever participate in co-teaching or collaboration with other teachers in the school?

Beth (summary): Yes, I will often accompany students into general ed classrooms, it just depends on scheduling.

Bethany: Will the students you have in class currently stay with you throughout their elementary education? Is it typical for students to transition out of SPED and when do most students get referred to your class?

Beth (summary): Most of the students I have will be in my class throughout elementary school. Like I said, our goal is to provide inclusion as much as possible and there are a few students in the building who have made progress in that way and are now using the resource room or are integrated into general ed. There is a student who is non-verbal and recently with the help of technology was able to be successful in the general ed classroom. Most students are referred to my class in 1st grade and sometimes kindergarten. There are students who are on our radar in kindergarten and 1st grade now who we will continue to assess.

Bethany: One of the most obvious and interesting assets in your classroom that I noticed was the abundance and use of technology. You have two smart boards and ipads for each student. How has this technology affected your instruction?

Beth (summary): The technology is a great teaching tool. This is all very new to me, this school is only three years old and the technology was a part of the budget when they built it. The ipads are good for individualized instruction, there are a lot of great resources for teachers out there you can use, and there is also a lot of junk.

Bethany: How is it working with parents? Do you ever encounter any difficulties, particularly with communication?

Beth (summary): Most of the time parents are great and very involved with their students. I get to know the parents well because often I will work with their students for multiple years. Every once in a while I meet parents who are so involved that it can begin to hinder the work we are doing in class and I will speak with them about how communicate and participate less intrusively.


 * Reflection:**

This was a really informative visit for me. I have worked with special needs students before but have never experienced a self contained special ed classroom. I was initially struck with how complex the schedule seemed to be for students. Two or three students would get a cue that it was time to transition and they would be off to a new classroom or recess without hesitation. They seemed to be constantly moving from activity to activity and place to place, yet they were confident in their routine. Transitions were initiated in various ways including timers, songs and simple verbal cues. The classroom seemed especially advanced in terms of technology and layout.

When I went with a few of the students into the general ed math class I found my perception of inclusion shift a bit. I was and still am of the mindset that inclusion is ideal and yet after experiencing a portion of inclusion it made me question that belief. The class size was really large, about 32 students, and though students seemed relatively on task, with so many there were numerous distractions. It was clear that the students in inclusion were behind on their work and seemed to struggle to focus in that environment. I have to imagine that inclusion would be more successful in a smaller class. I suppose smaller class sizes would benefit just about any instruction however too. A real asset of the self contained classroom for SPED was the one-on-one instruction and attention that students got from both Beth and the aides. It appeared that the majority of the students they worked with were students with autism or attention difficulties who definitely benefited from time spent in a calm and familiar space. I heard one student repeat several times that he, "liked it here," and, "could [he] stay"?

The last thing that still is making me think was the use of incentives. Consistently students were prompted or rewarded with fruit snacks during instructional time. It did seem to focus attention and provide motivation for the students and yet it seemed very much like classical conditioning. I am not sure what the best practices are in the use of this type of incentive and am still wondering what other options are out there that could perhaps get similar results? I know that this type of motivation can work, it definitely works for me. Yet, if our goal in education is to promote self-advocacy and student led learning, is this strategy in our best interest?