Service Learning Project!

       It was not easy completing our service learning project! As a group, we made endless phone calls and sent endless emails to only to find that all of the local events benefitting Autism had already passed.  We asked several organizations if we could volunteer, and they didn't seem too enthused about volunteers who were not making a permanent volunteering schedule. We decided that it is important to spread the word about Autism, and its mysterious aspects, around our very own college campus. We made 25 posters at staples, that include Autism statistics, facts, and information about how to help and support the cause. It is time that Salem State University is fully aware of this disorder! This project has affected each one of us in many different ways. I never realized that Autism is so mysterious and unknown, it makes me want to figure out why, and find answers in any way that I can.  For the spring semester, I am trying to plan my classes around a time frame where I can commit to an organization that benefits children with Autism so I can truly make a difference.  Parents and children who have autism deserve answers, and I want to start working in anyway I can to make this happen.  The next few paragraphs will be the reflections of our project by other group members.  Thanks for reading! -Courtney




       Autism speaks in more ways then one. Throughout this service learning project, I've learned so much about Autism and the overwhelming effects it has had on the world. 1 in 110 children are effected by this disorder, yet the causes are still a mystery. Awareness is slowly making a presence in our society, but so much more can be done. Research needs to pave the way; we need to know what is causing this devastating disorder. So many children and adults lead successful lives living with Autism, but what about the ones who aren't so lucky? The spectrum is so wide and there are so many symptoms it seems hard to believe that this can all be chunked into one category, but the fact of the matter is, Autism is now a prevalent part of our society and we need to raise awareness. Even if you are not personally touched by this disorder, you can help the vast amount of families that are. I feel strongly about raising the awareness of Autism, and I hope that this world will join me. So much can be done; anything from a donation to volunteer work can make a world of difference in someone's life. I can only hope that people will help to piece this puzzle together. Autism speaks and its voice is only getting louder, so listen up!! 
-Samantha

Assignment 7A

Assignment 7A

 What is critical attributes strategy?

 This teaching strategy focuses on the prevention of students miscommunication procedural knowledge taught to them. It is important that students take away important elements to a lesson without any form of misconception.  “Every issue or topic has critical, as opposed to noncritical attributes”(42).  Using this strategy will lead to the most beneficial and accurate knowledge and concept skills when it comes to decision making. 

 Develop a critical attributes list of the concepts in your current event topic.  List content, definitions, examples

Topic: Solving the Autism Puzzle

1.) What causes autism is still unknown. 

- There is a big misconception about the causes of Autism, there have been some studies, and new ideas but the truth is, we still don’t know. 

2.) There is no cure for autism.

3.) There is a very wide “Autism spectrum”.

-The spectrum ranges from High Functioning to low functioning, with a few other diseases along the spectrum such as aspbergers syndrome. 

4.) Some people with Autism function as any other person, and some people are completely dysfunctional.

Alot of people don’t understand the depth to Autism.  There are so many loopholes that it involves. Would you ever be able to guess that there is someone in our class with autism? Probably not, but most people, would be surprised to find this out. 

Critical Attributes	Non-Critical Attributes
We still don’t know for sure what causes Autism.
The sooner the better.  Children show signs of Autism as early as 18 months old.	Most people think that their children can’t be diagnosed until the age of three.
The Spectrum is diverse, wide, and can range quite drastically.	All people with Autism are severely mentally disabled.
Autistic Children are the smartest children.  They just have trouble socially.

 What is your level of passion in this topic and/or your detached objectivity?

As a future teacher, statistics show that there will be several times throughout my career where I will have a student who has been placed on the spectrum. It is important to me to fully understand the disease, and how to help fight for a cure.  When I am faced with a student who is Autistic, I want to be able to fully understand what he or she is going through, and to be more understanding when they have trouble. 

 Do you think a level of passion gets you more fired up to want to learn it?  HOw can this be tempered and harnessed at the same time? (Duplass pg.41 and reference to topic 3 on social emotional learning) explain.

Being passionate certainly makes you more fired up about a certain topic. Until I was enrolled in teaching courses, every other extra course was so boring and miserable for me.  now that I'm studying something I have passion for, I love it. Creating a classroom that is both passionate and tempered could be tricky.  According to Duplass, being thoughtful, and to stimulate passion by getting your students to inquire about a topic and to act on their inquiry. 

 How can you avoid a discussion in your classroom becoming a debate? (bottom page 41)

You can avoid a discussion becoming a debate simply by, not disagreeing with any of your students beliefs.  No matter what they say, we should be sympathetic and appreciate their point of view. Also, the teachers job is to teach students all the different beliefs and aspects of a particular topic.  This will encourage the children to think for their own, and believe what they feel is right. 

 Take the four challenges, and develop four questions you would ask to facilitate a discussion in our class on Tuesday on your topic.

1.) I consider myself to be a  republican.  This is something I can expect most of my students will not understand.  How can I adapt to this?

2.) How can I create a democratic classroom? 

3.) How can I teach my students not to listen to what their parents say about politics, but to be their own person, do their own research, and base their opinions on that?

4.) What are undemocratic ideas that my students should learn to reject?

Resources:


Duplass, James A. "Teaching Elementary Social Studies: Strategies, Standards and Internet Resources" third Edition

Why is Autism such a Mystery?

  We could do all of the research in the world, but never actually get a solid facutal answer to this question. There have been ideas, experiments, and explanations over the years but nothing has been officially confirmed. As of August 2, 2010, CNN published an article about the most recent developments of Autism.  
    Last  February, A twelve year study that linked Measles, Mumps, and Rubella, to Autism was proven false.  Then, in March, a federal court ruled that there is no link between mercury based vaccines and Autism. So after all this research has been revoked, where does Autism stand now?
    Here's what CNN had to say, the most important update to Autism today is that it is on the rise, more and more each day children are being diagnosed with the disorder. Four years ago 1 in every 150 children were diagnosed, and today there is 1 child with autism out of every 91 children.  Not only is it more common in general, it is four times more common in boys than in girls.
    Recent studies also speculate that ean earlier idagnosis may be key.  As of right now, children can not be officially diagnosed until they are three years old.  It is obvious that the signs of Autism can be seen as young as a year old.   Forms of early intervention may be very beneficial.  Thurdly, a genome study found that there is a  variation in genes ten and nine with form nerve connections.
    As you can see, the facts about abou Autism are always changing.  Although some research has been revoked, there are new ideas on the horizon and hopefully we are getting closer to a cure.

Latest Resarch on Autism

Let us start by introducing ourselves...

Hello fellow bloggers and readers!


  Our names are, Courtney Carroll, Samantha Palczynski, and Eryn Kenney. We are enrolled in the Social Studies block section one at Salem State University. For those of you who may not know, "block" is known as our pre-practicum semester at the University in preparation of becoming Elementary school teachers. 
We have been assigned a group project that asks us to research a topic in the media today, something we feel strongly about, and research it, blog about it, and create lessons for our students about it.
  As a group, we will be digging a little bit deeper into the causes of Autism. As you may know, Autism is a developmental disorder that effects the brains ability to communicate and socialize. Autism is diagnosed based on a Spectrum, this spectrum determines whether a patient with autism is high functioning or low functioning. Along the Autism spectrum there are also two other disorders, one is called Asperger syndrome, and the other is Persuasive Developmental Disorder- not otherwise specified.
   The reason for our research is to gain a better understanding of why a diagnosis of Autism can mean so many things. There are reports and accusations that Autism can be caused by childhood vaccinations, as well as the neglect of a fetus during pregnancy.  None of these suspicions have been confirmed, and there is no explanation as to the causes of the disorder. Most people believe that Autism can not be diagnosed until the age of three.  However, this article by Sally J. Rogers would disagree, "The Retrospective studies of infant videotapes of children later diagnosed with autism have demonstrated significant differences in infants with autism by the age of 10–12 months, differences that distinguish them both from normally developing children and from children who have other kinds of developmental delays"(Rogers).   These many different suspicions of Autism make the disorder very mysterious and unknown. 
There is no known cure of the disorder, other than therapeutic techniques, as well as constant therapy.  We are hoping to find many sources that can help us begin to link the Autism puzzle together. 

Citations


Rogers, Sally. Diagnosis of Autism Before the Age of Three. International Research in Mental Retardation. Vol 23. The University of Colorado Health Sciences Center.  2000. (Print).