Saturday brunch with some of my students

The things we do for some fun! Saturday was a perfect example of the weird things we do for our loved ones! Since my sister is still visiting me from Ecuador, I decided to take some of my students on a Saturday Thai lunch special in the UWS. This was their first time in this area and their very first time eating Thai food! In the beginning, this event was created to help my sister connect with other kids her age that would still speak her language or that she would understand a bit, but it turned into something very special for me and for their bonding time.

The kids were very respectful and loved loved loved the food! Since I was very comfortable with them, I decided to take them to Central Park and let them have some kid fun! 

Within this time, I saw two things happening. First, my sister was not feeling shy or left out because because she was surrounded by others her age. Second, the kids learned about other cultures and were also inspired to try to seek the lifestyle they saw in the UWS! 

With this in mind, I had the coolest Saturday with my students and sister!! :)

What does ICT mean for a Special Educator? Positives and Negatives

This is my fourth year teaching in in NYC, second year teaching in the Bronx and the more I learn about my profession, the more I fall in love with it, but it also becomes more challenging! 

This is also my second year teaching in an ICT (Integrated Co-teaching) environment but this time, all my classes have an ICT setting.  Although this is my second year teaching in such setting, I have put together some personal positives and negatives about being a Special education teacher working along with a general education teacher. 

Positives:
- Co-planning can be great when both personalities respect and show each other a level of professionalism. 
- If material is given to the special educator before the actual lesson, then it is easier to modify it. 
- Students have double the help when it understanding the content becomes a problem.
- There are multiple ways of gathering data in which the responsibility is shared.
- Students and teachers feel comfortable and enjoy the class.
- Projects can be directed differently depending on the students' needs and preferences.

Although all of these points seem logical, sometimes it does not work that way leading to the following negative points:

- When teachers don't communicate, students can see it and may take advantage of it.
- Lessons are not planned carefully.
- Mediation between the two parties is needed.
- Everyone becomes miserable. 
- Students show negative behaviors. 
- Personalities may clash and it will not create a good professional environment. 

The reason I am only labeling these four negative points of ICT is because these are the points I can see causes direct effect on our students and our teaching methods. 

ICT is supposed to help the students and it works wonderfully when the two teachers have great ways of working together and treating each other equally.  My experience so far has been both positive and negative. 


Note: I will write another blog in the middle of the year to see if something has changed or not. Thank you for reading.