In the field of education, August and September are months that offer anticipation, excitement, and often anxiety as the new school calendar year begins. Teachers look ahead to the quarters, trimesters, months, weeks, days, and hours of hard work that await and start the countdown to the May or June of the following year to celebrate successes and unroll the beach blanket. In preparation for my upcoming professional development sessions in the 24-25 year, I reorganized my office and found a paper with a metaphor a participant wrote during a PD activity. It reminds us that perceptions matter as WE learn and grow.
New school year, different weather, clothes, pencils, crayons, books, policies, and more. More includes attitudes. We teach all kids, the ones who know more and less, care more or less, have more or less, and need more or less. We teach the kids who sit and listen, kids who squirm, kids who understand half of what is said, but won’t tell you which half, quiet kids, noisy kids, kids who love pictures more than words, kids who prefer to draw, rather than do the math, kids who look you in the eye, kids who look up at you while seated in a wheelchair, kids who talk with their hands, and kids who grow up with more or less love from others and for themselves.
As you begin the 2024-25 school year, I invite you to define disABILITY in yourself and others through a positive lens. Students, families, admin., teachers, related staff, and communities have experiences that range from good to better to let’s delete.Levels of competencies exist and vary for students, families, and the professionals. Teachers are entrusted with the best job in the world- molding minds. As an inclusion coach, I invite you to view ABILITY first. Can do, will do, and plan to do, then growth will occur. Anything is possible if you plan a course of action that says, I can and WE will. I invite you to figuratively and literally believe in ABILITY, yours and theirs. Write you own similes and metaphors as you propagate ABILITIES. Together we learn, together we grow. Have an EXCELLENT start to the upcoming year!
Characters: USA Customs Border Patrol Agents (CBPs) and Toby J. Karten
Plot: Airport Tension
Resolution: Stay positive, despite the absurdities of realities created by others.
While returning to the United States from speaking at the Inclusion Alberta Family Conference, for a keynote, Designing Instruction in Inclusive Classrooms, a series of events unfolded that I never expected, requested, understood, nor welcomed. I was delighted to collaborate with my neighbors to the north to spread the word that “Inclusion, is not a policy, nor a program, but a way of life.” However, I was far from delighted to receive special attention upon my return to the states.
Before I share more details, I will begin with conference affirmations and some of the take aways. This list mirrors the 3-columned chart labeled, Activity, Rationale, and Application from the professional development.
a. To quote philosopher and educator, John Dewey, “We learn by experiences.”
b. Positivity prevails. That oozed from the coordinators, families, students, and professionals, I met throughout the events I attended and facilitated.
c. Inspired attendees, like Roy, soaked up the knowledge with queries, applications, smiles, and collaborations with other educators, families, and coordinators.
d. Together, we defined how exceptionality never caps potential.
e. Students with intellectual differences, learn but not the same way. Therefore, we acknowledge challenges with solutions.
f. As professionals and families, we collaboratively spin the challenges, negativity, and misunderstandings into positive actions.
g. Hence, we set goals on how to reach and teach as educators and families as we adapt, collaborate, plan, prepare, and “front-load” to ensure that each student, family member, professional, and community partner reflects on how to collaboratively reach his, her, or their destinations with the supports he, she, or they need, despite barriers presented by others.
Okay, back to the setting of this blog, Edmonton International Airport. New Jersey was my destination and supports to get there were elusive and befuddling. At 5 am that Sunday morning, I was exhausted, exhilarated, and anxious. To give the situation additional context, there were airstrikes from Iran in Israel less than 24 hours prior to my flight, so airport scrutiny was heightened.
The plot thickened when a barrier was presented, I was selected for a special search and body frisk. Seems that sleeved positive affirmation chips in my carry on that I shared with attendees in a session, “Take Care of That Person in the Mirror: Take Five to Achieve Ten” set off additional scrutiny. Sidebar, laminated guides, Mindfulness in the Inclusive Classroom, arrived at the conference three days after I arrived back home. They spent unplanned time with customs, too. I thought my computer connections and a few wires triggered the additional search, but the Customs Agent in Canada, shared, “Nope. Here’s the reason. It’s these chips.” Seriously? I think that defines irony.
Perceptions, perspectives, and positivity prevails.
Okay, to quote a Gloria Gaynor song title, I thought, “I Will Survive.” I rearranged the items in my carry on that were scattered in pale gray bins. The nice Canadian agent offered to help, but I knew what system of scattered items worked best for me. After a three hour night’s ‘s sleep, I desperately wanted to sink into a seat by the gate and either doze until the plane boarded for my connection in Denver to return to my home in New Jersey or perhaps capitalize on my adrenaline level and tweak the online presentation I had scheduled two days later,
The next step was US Customs in Canada. “No problemo,” is what I thought. Empowered with my Global Entry card, I happily stood on the “shorter line” to ease through CA-US customs. I even offered help to another sleepy passenger who stood on the wrong line. Then I heard, “You to Line 8.” Well, that’s not Global Entry. Staying positive, I thought, maybe they are assisting folks on the Global Entry line to help them move quicker. Not the case.
The US Customs Border Patrol agent at Line 8 queried:
“State the purpose of your visit.”
“I was here for a conference, sir,” I replied.
When did you get here?”
“Wednesday,” I replied.
“Where did you stay?”
“Fantasyland Hotel.”
The CBP agent searched my bag again, confiscated my global entry, passport, and boarding pass and led me through closed doors, away from the departure gates that like the name of the hotel where I stayed in Canada, quickly became a mirage. I then sat on a hard plastic chair in a barrenly decorated room with thirty other sleepy looking folks who had bewildered looks in their eyes that screamed, “Oh, Auntie, Em!” As a visual learner, I gazed at the signs posted. They were not ones that generated a warm or fuzzy feeling.
“No cell phones allowed.”
“No one beyond this point.”
“Stay seated, until you are called.”
What could I do, but wait and of course try to sneak a text to my husband, just in case I was detained in a customs holding cell. Maybe it was the early hour or my naiveté, but I could not define nor understand what the heck was happening. “This is Canada,” I said to myself. “I am a US citizen.” Well, to shorten this blog, one hour later, after questioning that inquired if I was really Toby, a university professor, and if I was traveling with others ( a gentleman walked up to the counter bc he thought his name was called), I boarded my plane.
Take aways:
a. Step-by-step we get to where we need to go.
b. Sometimes we encounter the unexpected, but with resiliency, perseverance, and positivity, we arrive at planned destinations.
c. I loved meeting everyone at Inclusion Alberta. Enjoy the PD applications.
d. Positive affirmations prevail.
e Namaste.
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Randie Leibowitz. Her infectious smile. Her joie de vivre. Randie brightened each room she entered, especially the San Pedro, Southern California Easter Seals Zoom meets.
Who was Randie? She was a daughter. She was a sister. She was a friend. She was someone who created beautiful needlepoints, crewel embroidery, beaded fruit, played Mahjong, and loved cookies, people, and Rock n’ Roll, not in that order. To quote my husband, Marc as he shared in his condolences to her sister Sandi, “I’m heartbroken to hear about Randie. She was one incredible lady. Her accomplishments in life were nothing short of amazing. You can be assured she’s comfortable in your mom’s arms again, now resting in peace.”
Who was Randie? Randie was my cousin. She was three and a half years my senior. When we were kids, maybe 10 and 7 years old, we played cards, ate too much ice cream and potato chips, built sand castles and rode the waves at the seashore together. We hung out in places like the Rockaways, Canarsie, Buddies, Flatbush Avenue, and other must-do Brooklyn digs our moms dragged us.I saw Randie perform on stage in Damn Yankees and learnt to see the world through her eyes, Randie was my cousin, but she was foremost my friend. As adults, we watched newly released movies before they appeared on screen, thanks to her Hollywood agent, sister and my cousin, Sandi Love. The three of us shared meals on two coasts with forks, chopsticks, and fingers as we devoured plates filled with pasta, hibachi cooked lobster and steak, or maybe brisket and chocolate covered matzah as we recited the four questions.
Randie was my why. Randie fueled my passion to become a teacher of exceptional children.
Randie taught me that the word, exceptional, defined services, but never capped a person’s potential. Randie taught me about equity and inclusion before the legislation spelled it out. Randie taught me patience. Randie taught me that life is a process, never a race, or a competition with pecking orders on who owns the answers. Randie taught me about perspectives as I experienced the world through her eyes. Here are a few short clips from a 2018 online post accessed here, with my response to the question,
Who has had the biggest influence on your teaching and why?
The person who had the greatest influence on my teaching is my cousin, Randie. She taught me that a person is not defined by a difference. Randie, delivered by forceps at birth, back in the early 1950’s, is a few years older than me. As an eight year old I knew that my cousin sometimes required help. When we played cards or a board game, she needed things explained in a step-by-step way. Randie also knew how to do things I could not do; she created beautiful framed needlepoints and pretty bouquets of beaded flowers and fruit. I learned at an early age that Randie is much smarter than the people who stare at her because she has what is labeled intellectual disability. We spent many fun hours as kids, and now we enjoy each other’s company as adults. We went to the beach, watched the same movies, and listened to the same music. Today, we still do those same things. Randie is a productive sixty-five year old adult because of the academic and emotional support received. Since I grew up with Randie, I realize that everyone learns, but just not the same way. My cousin taught me more than any journal article I read. As an educator, inclusion coach, and author, it is important for me to continually communicate that special does not translate to less. We all have exceptionalities, and like my cousin, we all can shine. Labels never define a life. Thank you Randie.
Her mom, my Aunt Ann, loved and protected her with a ferocity as did her stepdad, Joe, and her father Danny. Her sister, Sandi, ensured that the intensity of care and love Randie received continued after their mom passed in 2016. That’s when Randie moved from New Jersey to California. She thrived on the west coast under her sister’s tutelage and the incredible support of San Pedro Easter Seals. The online classes were the highlight of her days, as she participated in her home in California, when she traveled across the country with Sandi, or during the tougher times when she was in the hospital receiving treatments.
Randie connected with people. She listened, asked questions when she needed to understand more, and like a sponge soaked up the knowledge and skills and flourished as a beautiful flower in the garden of life. While I walked my dog, Maggie Mae, by the Hudson River, this morning, a fellow dog mom and a neighbor who lived in my building asked me if everything was okay. She communicated that the bounce in my walk was off. I explained that my cousin Randie passed last week. I thanked my neighbor for her kind words of condolence offered and then knew that whatever and whenever I thought, wrote, or spoke about Randie, I
would insert a bounce. I glanced toward the river, thought about Randie and smiled as the early sun reflected on the water. Randie smiled back from a glass shelf in my heart.
If you’d like to make a donation to Southern California Easter Seals in Randie Leibowitz’s memory, please access the Memorial page at this link or QR code.
Rest in peace, Randie, a beautiful daughter, sister, cousin, friend, and now a smiling angel.
Love your cousin, Toby
☆
You are invited to look at this star and breathe in at each vertex as you think about something Randie did or said that gave you an extra bounce or smile.
As I painted the sunflowers on the cedar planked walls of our A-shaped Vermont cabin, I smiled at the field that emerged. Broad and fine brushstrokes gave birth to each root, stem, leaf, and flower. Together they grew as I dug into the walls and feverishly painted. Some sunflowers overlapped and intertwined, some stood apart, some were taller, some were smaller, some had deeper hues and shades of ochre, cadmium yellow, and brown. Each sunflower, although different than the next, stood tall, immersed in a field of green.
As advocates, professionals use broad and fine brush strokes to propagate seeds that reach and teach learners to grow in that “field” called life. Each student is an individual learner in a collective classroom. My website, Inclusion Workshops, offers sunflowers, along with inclusion principles, strategies, and tools that assist professionals, students, and their families to know and grow. For inclusion to be appropriately implemented, it requires: a. structure; b. awareness; c. compassion; d. collaboration, and; e. reflection. The next 18 inclusion principles are applicable for all inclusion partners. As a consummate learner, you are invited to click on any of the 18 hyperlinks to find out more on how to propagate your “sunflowers.” And last, but not least, honor butterflies. They grow in stages and pollinate “other sunflowers.” Just remember, that like sunflowers and butterflies, school professionals, families, and students evolve as we embrace the sunshine together.
Fact: Inequities in special education exist for students of color, students from low socio-economic levels, and students with disabilities.
These disparities occur because certain racial and ethic groups are inaccurately identified and placed in more restrictive settings. Inappropriate IDEA assessment then leads to less rigorous academics and harsher discipline measures in more restrictive environments. Fast forward, a widening disparity of outcomes for students with disabilities and students of color results in less rigorous educational opportunities and fewer postsecondary options. We need to value and embrace diversity within inclusion environments in school, at home, and in communities.
Perspectives
As per suffragist, Mary T. Lathrap, we better understand another person if we walk a mile in his or her moccasins. Student diversity is rapidly increasing, yet teacher diversity is not. Diversity exists. Diversity is not adversity. Professionals can spin negative and skewed viewpoints into positive perspectives. This means we increase awareness of what to do, what not to do, and what to do better. This rings true for administrators, general and special educators, related service providers, families, and students. Yes, they can, and yes we will learn and do more to address disproportionality in special education!
Evidence-Based Practices
We prepare, plan, and pace; we never force or coerce.
Universal design for learning (UDL), positive behavioral interventions and support(PBIS), multi-tier systems of support (MTSS) and culturally responsive teaching (CRT) are just a few of the EBP. In my professional development seminars, I often share, “It’s okay not to know, but it’s not okay to stay that way!” Here are a few links that I invite you to click to learn more about the evidence-based practices.
Time, fidelity, and realistic specific feedback moves everyone forward! No group or individual can, nor should marginalize and/or limit any student’s future potential based on his or her disability label, culture, race, socioeconomic status, gender identity, sexual preference, or place of birth. Equity is not the same as equality. When educational professionals embrace difference, then disproportionality in schools is erased. Together we learn; together we grow. Tomorrow belongs to everyone.
While delivering an online professional development co-teaching session via a Zoom platform, I received one of favorite private messages in the chat. It was from a participant who was seated six feet away from two of her colleagues in an Alaskan classroom. Since they were all wearing masks and muted, their reactions were somewhat hidden. The participant shared:
“You can’t hear us, but are cracking up at your subtle sense of humor. TY; we needed that!”
Here I was in New Jersey and there they were in Alaska. Even though we were distance learning, and the masks hid some reactions, the connections continued!
Bottom line: The pandemic changed platforms and protocols, but it has not deterred administrators, educators, students and their families from creatively turning the page. We communicate and learn in classrooms and online. Each day presents challenges, but if positivity and resiliency prevail, challenges are morphed into opportunities. A pandemic cannot mask learning. A pandemic cannot mask smiles! Learning may be different, but learning and connections continue. Onward, please!
Co-Teaching: Transitions from Online Learning Back into Classrooms
Stability and security are essential despite where and how students are learning. Whether the teaching and learning occurs in person or at home, co-teachers collaboratively ensure productivity. Some co-teachers are walking into a teacher’s room together or now grabbing a cup of coffee from their own kitchens, or the local coffee shop. Both students and co-teachers are also transitioning back and forth from kitchens to classrooms. The “school norms” include “home norms” for a combination of co-taught environments. Sometimes co-teachers are in a room with students seated at their desks as they socially distance next to their peers, while some co-teachers and students are trying to quiet their dogs while learning or co-teaching with devices in break out rooms during online parallel lessons. An IEP that states a student needs increased proximity is being redefined in remote learning! Students are often sharing a computer with a sibling as they are “in class” at home alongside a parent for part of the week and in school learning for other days. Some co-teachers are also juggling how to support their own children who are learning remotely from home. Some parents or caregivers and spouses are also commuting to a job during the school hours.
The variables include being in a school building for part of the day or week in limited numbers, wearing masks, and following arrows on the floor that indicate which direction to walk. Some students in the same class are opening up their lockers and some students are opening up links. Different plans and settings are juggled by students and their families, school administrators, special and general education teachers and their families, and legislators who are trying to prepare for next, when some of the next pages are not yet written. Co-teachers still plan together to ensure students achieve the K-12 standards, but they also co-offer empathy and compassion for students and families who respectively have more or less on their plates-literally and figuratively than missing the due date for an online or in person assignment. Administrators are also collaborative players who need to provide guidelines and set protocols. This is often easier to do on paper, than in real or virtual times in co-taught platforms. The next chart offers an overview of how co-teachers and school staff can transition back to classrooms as partners with each other and as advocates for their students. Today, no matter what your age, if you are a “creature of habit” who feels more comfortable doing the same thing, you require adaptability skills. Students with special needs can succeed during tough times, but not without the preparation, encouragement, models, and expectations outlined. Co-teachers need to partner with each other, administrators, related staff, and their shared students and families. Today, we all have special needs, but individually and collaboratively we also have many strengths!
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Often when you ask students to write something, the first question they ask is “How many words?” This PPT offers an organized way for students to house vocabulary across the curriculum with A-Z listing. You are invited to apply this strategy to your curriculum and learners! The attached powerpoint offers more explanation and curriculum application.
It’s easy to complain, shake heads in disbelief, and be sad when presented with the unknown. Been there, done that! As I watch the daily news briefings and venture outside wearing a mask and Latex gloves to walk the dog, I could easily be consumed by frustration, sadness, anxiety, and uncertainty. However, when I notice the geese hanging out in the river and the kids who scoot by on the walkway riding their bikes, I am reminded that we live in a beautiful world. Although we don’t always choose personal and professional events, let’s collectively see beyond the pitfalls and uncertainties and find the time to “celebrate the successes.”
Find Silver Linings
Before COVID-19, one of my husband’s friends joked about my ridiculous work schedule by asking “Where’s Waldo Karten off to this week?” Now, that I’m home more, I’m not lost in that crowd that surrounded Waldo. Good thing, because ‘Waldo’ is the antithesis of the six feet apart mantra that the medical experts recommend. So, by traveling less for professional development, I can be introspective, creative, nostalgic, and hone my social distancing skills. The silver lining is that I have more time to read, write, paint, cook, explore a new tech tool, watch a new Netflix series, and soak up some memorabilia. I host a video book club, conduct online PD for families and teachers, write books, and attend WW Zoom meetings. The best thing happened when my husband brought home a suitcase, he found in our storage unit that was filled with old pictures and love letters that my mom and dad wrote to each other in the 1940s, while he was a sergeant in the U.S. Army. Since I no longer have my brothers and parents beside me today, I viewed this suitcase filled with photos, letters, and school albums as their way of saying, “Hi, we’re thinking of you.” Under different times, we never would have reconnected.
Students with Exceptionalities
The silver lining also connects to online instruction for students with exceptionalities. Distractions from other students are lessened, students on the spectrum who were upset by fire drills are no longer faced with that trigger, learners have flexibility on time requirements to complete work, and bullies have no one to bother in the hallway or at lunch. General and special educators who co-teach can still plan together to instruct the whole class by splitting the screen as hosts, or work with video chats and online platforms with cooperative groups and individual students for practice, remediation, and enrichment. Teletherapy is offered for speech and OT, and emotional check-ins are valued. Some students are even thriving. Yes, some learners will regress and lose skills, and some families are overwhelmed. However, the silver lining is that some children will gain other skills, such as how to do yard work, make a bed, and tutor a sibling in math. Families are spending time together playing games, telling jokes, and getting to know each other again.
Onward
Success includes an accomplishment of a desired aim. We have successfully forged ahead, without a “pandemic playbook.” I am certain that prosperity will follow. The rain here in New Jersey literally has finally stopped, just as I complete this post. Looking forward to a beautiful night. Onward.