Lisa A. Bloom

The General Educator Applying Constructivism to Inclusive Classrooms

Many teachers are frightened by the idea of inclusion of children with special needs, especially when those children have very difficult behavior problems. Traditional approaches can be labor intensive and can further isolate children. A constructivist perspective offers an alternative to the traditional behavioral approach by capitalizing on the social context and social activity in a classroom to teach children how to manage their own behavior and be responsible members of a community. The authors explore— from this unique perspective—strategies for managing classroom behavior.

Using Portfolios for Individual Learning and Assessment.

Portfolio assessment is a method of teacher evaluation that is consistent with a professional rather than a technical view of teaching and is particularly suited for graduate programs in behavior disorders. Portfolios can help graduate students document their skills in a wide range of areas and allow for individuality and creativity. At Western Carolina University, a portfolio model of evaluation is being used to evaluate teachers in a graduate program in behavior disorders. In this paper, we summarize the process for developing a portfolio model of evaluation, describe portfolio procedures, and discuss their advantages and disadvantages.

Portfolio Assessment: Opportunities and Challenges.

Describes portfolio assessment use in special education, provides recommendations, and discusses future directions

Guidelines for Special Educators Achieving Socially Valid Outcomes

As teachers make decisions regarding which practices to implement in their classrooms, the academic gains those practices produce frequently become the primary concern. The authors assert that outcomes contributing to quality of life are equally important. They suggest quality indicators for special education practices, with a focus on practices that result in socially valid outcomes such as high self-esteem, self-determination, individual empowerment, and joy. Social validity, criteria for determining socially valid outcomes, and practices that promote those outcomes are discussed.

Beyond the Herring Sandwich Phenomenon A Holistic Constructivist Approach to Teacher Education

This article explains how key principles of holistic constructivism were used to revise a graduate teacher education program and develop a portfolio model of evaluation. The program is built around individualized portfolios, applied projects, collaborative work, student evaluation, and professional presentation of student work. Three students in the program discuss how the principles of the revised program and the portfolio process affected their education and their teaching. The authors present strategies for helping teacher education students create innovative educational programs in their schools.

Who Uses Math? Primary Children's Perceptions of the Uses of Mathematics

Abstract The purpose of this study was to ascertain childrens perceptions of the value and usefulness of mathematics. The subjects in the study were 79 children in kindergarten to third-grade classrooms. Children were interviewed with open-ended and structured questions about the uses of mathematics. Findings indicated that the children at these grade levels are positive about mathematics and their abilities to do mathematics. Children primarily defined mathematics in terms of numbers and/or mathematical operations. Their awareness of the real-life uses adults make of mathematics was limited. Implications of this study for practice include the need for parents and teachers to explain the use of mathematics in the context of everyday life.

The Effects of a Student-Operated Business Curriculum on the On-Task Behavior of Students with Behavioral Disorders.

This study examined the effects of a student-operated business curriculum on the on-task behavior of three students with behavioral disorders in a self-contained middle school class. An ABAB design was employed to determine the effects of the intervention. Data were collected using a one-minute time-sampling procedure. Results indicated a functional relationship between the student-operated business curriculum and time on task in mathematics.

Mindfulness in the middle school classroom: Strategies to target social and emotional well-being of gifted students

Instructors of a middle school gifted language arts class implemented a 30-day unit of study on mindfulness in order to help students learn techniques to alleviate stress, perfectionistic tendencies, and anxiety. Practicing mindfulness techniques, such as meditation, provides individuals with tools to understand the mind and body and encourages individuals to not dwell on past events or fixate on future events, appreciating the here and now and living in the moment. Some gifted students struggle with social and emotional issues such as perfectionism and anxiety, and these conditions can create a cycle of stress rooted in nervousness, agitation, and compulsive thoughts. Instructors explained the components of mindfulness, provided daily guided meditations, and encouraged students to apply the techniques in their everyday lives. Results varied for each student with some able to use the mindfulness exercises to combat problems, while others struggled with understanding the purpose or potential benefits of mindfulness.

Engaged Learning: Impact of PBL and PjBL with Elementary and Middle Grade Students

This study used structured online interviews with teachers to examine the impact that inquiry-based teaching methods had on their students. The research question was the following: What are the effects on student learning and motivation as a result of teachers using problem-based and project-based learning? Interviews were conducted with 36 teachers, followed up by telephone interviews with four teachers. Participants had taken a hybrid course consisting of four weeks online followed by a one-week intensive field experience facilitating problem-based and project-based learning with children in grades 1–9. Student-related themes that resulted from the data analysis are grouped under the main categories of learning attitudes, learning behaviors, and learning preferences.