Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Chelsea Corntassel
SPED 510-01
Fall 2017
Diversity Project
Introduction
I was placed at Carl Junction, Missouri in their Primary 2-3 school for this
project. It’s a relatively small town right on the edge of the Kansas and Missouri
state line. The town may seem small but the school district is large considering each
class size is well over 200 students. Inside the school, as well as outside, they have
daily reminder. It’s clear to see it has an effect on the students as well as the staff. As
for my supervising teacher, Mrs. Farley, she is one of the best in my opinion. She
teaches the Adapted P.E. class for those students who require special services. She
is actually the reason they have an adapted class. She saw a need in the school
In the Primary 2-3 school of Carl Junction, the majority of students are white
and have a higher socioeconomic status. In fact, the sample size was too small for
the other ethnicities that I was not able to find a percentage on those that were
enrolled under anything but Caucasian. However, I was able to find data about the
reading assessment level for Hispanic, Multiracial and White students. In all three
2
race categories, only a small percentage were below average. The same can be said
for the students with free/reduced lunch and those with disabilities. Under the math
assessment data, there is still only a small percentage of students that performed at
a below average level. This includes students with free/reduced lunch, students
The majority of students fall within the proficient range of both assessments.
Since there is only a small number of students who fell below average in any sub
were not highly effected by their situation. It could be said that their test scores
reflect on the teachers or even the school environment. I think that their
this building according to their data. I think that shows just how effective teachers
Student A: This student is a young, white male in the 4th grade. He is diagnosed with
autism. He doesn’t interact with his peers much and he doesn’t ever make eye
Student B: This student is in the 4th grade as well but female and she is diagnosed
with Down syndrome. She is lower functioning but loves to talk. She is outgoing and
likes to complete tasks and show everyone that she did it.
Student C: This student is a young white male in the 7th grade. He has Down
syndrome. He is quiet and hardly socializes with his peers. He is observant though,
3
he watches what others do and tries to imitate. Other times he is distant and in his
own world.
Student D: This student is a young white female in the 7th grade too. She is outgoing
and likes to socialize, especially with new people. She is higher functioning than the
other students in her class. She picks up on things quickly and seems to process
better.
Student E: This student is a young white male in the 4th grade and is diagnosed with
wants to be. He can also be defiant. He likes to have power and control and when he
likes to keep to himself. On his good days, he will talk more and shows off.
Time Log
9/21/17 11:00-11:45
9/28/17 11:00-11:45
10/19/17 12:30-1:30
11/9/17 10:45-12:45
11/16/17 9:45-11:30
11/30/17 12:30-2:30
12/07/17 12:30-2:30
Daily Entries
Today was my first visit with the Adapted P.E. class. There are only two
students in the class at the moment. Mrs. Farley informed me beforehand that there
are usually three but that student has been ill lately. When I walked into the class,
Mrs. Farley introduced me to her students. There is one boy (Student A) and one girl
(Student B); both of them have obvious disabilities. I was quite nervous going in
because I didn’t know that to expect or if they would have me working with them
They were working on flexibility and running today. It was mainly teaching
them how to control their body movements. They each had spots on the floor and a
specific line to run to that meant to slow down before they stopped on the spot. I
noticed it took Student B a few seconds to process what she was doing. I’m assuming
she has Down syndrome just by recognizing some noticeable physical features. She
listens well and perform the movements to an extent but it does take a few seconds
to process. She is more high functioning than the boy and doesn’t need as much
reinforcement or instruction.
However, Student A has trouble focusing and tends to pick at his skin. It looks
like maybe a nervous reaction or a way to cope, possibly. One of the Para’s ended up
putting gloves on him, roughly I might add, so he could stop and pay attention.
While they were doing their activity, I noticed that the Para has to constantly stay on
him and remind him what they’re doing. He can focus in for a few seconds but then
5
likes to wander off and do his own thing. It can be difficult to communicate with
Student A because it takes longer for him to process information and he hardly
speaks. When he does it’s hard to understand. Therefore, the Para is harsh with him.
She often handles him so he can do the activity correctly. It’s supposed to help but it
This was a great learning experience to see what goes on during this type of
class. Everything is modified for the students so they can excel. I mainly observed
today but hope to work with them hands on soon. My only concern is with Student A
and how he is handled during the class. I think there are better ways to get him to do
an activity or exercise. It may require more time and attention but that may be what
When I walked in today, they had already started playing a game called
“What time is it Mr. Fox?” It’s a cognitive and psychomotor type of game where
there is a “tagger” standing at half court and the rest of the players are behind
him/her on the baseline. The players ask what time it is and whatever the “fox” says
are how many steps the players have to take. When he/she says midnight, the fox
turns around and chases the players to try and tag them. Whoever is tagged has to
help the “fox” and the games starts over. They asked me to join in and help. We
played for a while and I was observing Student B as she was taking her steps. She
could count them but couldn’t do it at the same time she was taking them so she got
off a few times. I also noticed that Student A was having trouble just following
They were having a hard time keeping control of him. It’s like he just got lost along
the way and couldn’t remember what to do so he did whatever he felt like. I didn’t
know what to think right there and how I would’ve been able to handle this.
After we finished this game up, Mrs. Farley had another motor skill game set
up with cones, beanbags and a nerf ball. The object was to throw the ball at the
cones to knock them over. If they had a beanbag underneath it, the students would
grab the beanbag and take it back over to their spot. Whoever had the most bean
bags, “won.” I tried to hone in on Student A during this because he was having the
most trouble. I did notice that he didn’t need his gloves, though, so something must
have been better today. It was hard to just stand by and watch because you could
see he was trying to make connections with what he was doing but his body just
wasn’t cooperating. I ended up going over to him and tried to help just by talking to
him and giving him more instruction. I also didn’t want the Para to be rough with
him again. There were moments it helped but then it was lost in translation again.
For instance, he would throw the ball and I would tell him to go pick it up and he
would and then the next time he would throw it and just stare at it. I was having to
coerce him to play. Eventually he got it and the game was over. Now, it was time to
count the beanbags. I went over to him as he was picking them up and helped him
count. He never said anything out loud but as I was counting he would move a
beanbag from one hand to the next. So I knew he could understand what was going
on. As he gathered all the beanbags up to go put them away, he reached out to me
with his hand. It might have been a reflex but I prefer to think this was him showing
At the end of class, they sat down to stretch and do various reflex and
body just wasn’t connecting with his brain well. When it comes to fine motor skills
he has little control. The Para wound up making him do the exercises because he
As the students were leaving, Student A was saying bye to us and trying to
say our names. He actually got the words out “bye Miss Chelsea.” Words can’t
express how that made me feel. Ultimately it melted my heart. I wasn’t expecting to
be excited about coming to an adapted P.E. class but it’s starting to become a
favorite. I’m learning a lot more about myself than I realized by being around
students with disabilities. I’m not as nervous as I used to be and I already feel more
Today I went to the Junior High with Mrs. Farley for their Adapted P.E. class.
They had five students but I mainly worked with two of them. One male, Student C,
and one female, Student D. Since this was my first time being with them, Mrs. Farley
introduce me and all of the students were welcoming by saying hello and waiving.
We began with their warm ups which involved moving from one spot to
another spot on the field working on various motor skills. I joined in with them,
motivating and trying to help them along. Student C was having difficulties so I
partnered up with him for a while to help him get through the warm up. I kept
encouraging and showing him how to do the movements. There were moments
were he would do them perfectly and the other times he struggled or just did
8
whatever he felt like. He didn’t talk hardly at all but he was able to understand what
I was saying because he would listen and watch what I did then mimic me. After
they warmed up, it was time for some indoor soccer. The teams were divided and
both students were on my team. I was trying to observe and play at the same time. I
noticed Student C looked lost during the game. I kept trying to convince him to play
and show him what to do but he seemed reluctant. A few times he would participate
but only for a brief second. Student D, however, picked up on it and was doing great.
When she did seem confused, I talked her through on what to do or where to go and
All I did was encourage, praise and instruct when it was needed. The
students acted like they had fun. I know I did. I’ve become more aware that I’m not
as nervous anymore. I feel more excited to work with them than I used too. I may be
more comfortable but I do know I can still improve. When it comes to disciplining or
being strict on rules, it’s hard for me to do. That does have a lot do with it not being
my class and not knowing the teachers expectations for them. But I know I can still
work on it.
Today was different. I haven’t been able to meet with Mrs. Farley recently
because of class field trips, conferences, etc. So today I went to observe in an actual
was introduced to Mrs. Plumley and took a seat at an empty desk. There were
them as they were working. Some were high incidence but quite a few were low
incidence students.
Today they were all working on the same project. They were drawing and
coloring a soldier since Veterans Day was the following day. I happened to sit across
from a student that was chatty and inquisitive. I kept having to get him to focus back
on the project they were doing because of that. He eventually got it done, it took him
I mainly just observed today, besides helping the student out for a while,
since I was new to the classroom. I noticed that most of the students stayed in that
classroom all day. They each had their own desk and cubbies for their things.
Besides Mrs. Plumley, there are a couple of Para’s in the class. They do group work
but I noticed a lot of one-on-one time with the students. It wasn’t just class work
either. One student was doing some physical therapy in there as well. He has a
service dog, too, to help him. I learned that it takes a lot of energy to keep the
students on task as well as repetition. The teacher had to repeat things constantly
whether it was directions or just proper classroom etiquette like raising their hand
or not interrupting someone. Everyday I learn something new and come home
I still haven’t been able to meet with Mrs. Farley lately because of scheduling
conflicts but I have been able to go to their resource room. Today I was introduced
to another teacher, Mrs. Nease. She has a few students in her class that stay there all
day but most of them are in and out to work on things they have trouble with. For
10
most of the time I was there, I observed the students and spoke with the teacher.
She explained to me their home life situations and some of the troubles they have at
school. She also spoke with me about their referral process and diagnosis, which in
There was a boy in the class, Student E, that I noticed was taking an extra
long time to do the assignment that was given. Since it was close to Thanksgiving
Break, Mrs. Nease had the students write a formal invitation to a classmate inviting
them to their Thanksgiving dinner they were having on Monday. Mrs. Nease also
explained they were working on etiquette at the table and place settings. It sounded
like she was trying to work on their social skills for the most part since none of them
experience that at home. Anyway, I decided to walk over there and try to help him
with this invitation. It was written on the board in front what he was supposed to
include in it but everything distracted him from doing so. So I talked with him and
asked him if he could tell me what the next line was to write down. He began to
write more and then he would stop so I asked again and then he would. That process
just repeated. It was obvious he could do it and I heard him sound out the words and
spell them. It was just a matter of trying to have him focus on it, not to mention
towards the end he was just being defiant. If he didn’t want to write, then he wasn’t
going to. I was trying hard not to push him too much because the teacher informed
me that he was kind of a loose cannon. I just tried to be as kind and encouraging as I
could without going overboard. Well he finally finished it and I’m not sure what
happened but it was like a flip was switched. He was suddenly showing me his
11
dinosaur hat, talking with me more and started dancing. I think he was just showing
off but it could have just been a good day for him.
I later learned that Student E was diagnosed with EMH, emotionally mentally
handicap. Therefore, he supposedly had a lower IQ. But when I talked to him, yes he
was a little behind his classmates, but he was a bright kid. I saw him working on a
color sheet with math problems and he was doing just fine with the math and
coloring between the lines with the right colors. Even when he was writing that
invitation, he knew what the words were, how to pronounce them and copy them
down on the paper. I’m not with him everyday in the classroom, obviously, but there
is potential there.
Honestly, today was rough and emotional. Not with working with the
students because I enjoy that a lot. But when I was talking with Mrs. Nease she
experience in their lifetime. She also told me that some students don’t even want to
be in school so they know “key words” to get them out and hospitalized. It blew me
away. I may be more confident in working with these kids than I was but I was in no
would never have guessed by looking at them or even talking with them. It’s hard to
think about it without wanting to cry. I’m glad Mrs. Nease shared this information
with me though, because it gave me a new perspective on these students and what
challenges they are facing. Honestly, it gave me a new outlook on any student that I
come in contact with. In my future classes, I will be sure to look out for these
12
students and keep an open mind if they disrupt class or act out because you never
I was finally able to go back to the Adapted P.E. class today with Mrs. Farley. I
was able to observe two classes this time, middle school students and high school
students. Since there were several students in each class, I wasn’t able to work a lot
one-on-one with them but I did interact and observe most of them.
In the first class, which was middle school students, I have worked with them
once before. This is the class that has Student C and Student D in it. When they came
in, they did their usual warm up. They have place markers set up that they perform
certain motor skills to like high knees, skipping, galloping, etc. I always warm up
with them anyway but this time another student in the class, who has autism and is
also mute, pointed at me and then to the marker beside him. He wanted me to warm
up with them. As we were doing these skills, I watched and it’s interesting because
you can tell they know what to do and how to do it but it doesn’t always come out
that way. For instance, when they do high knees sometimes only one knee makes it
up through the drill. So when that happens, I usually try to be in front of them and
visually and verbally remind them to lift both knees. Sometimes it works and
sometimes it doesn’t because I think they’re more focused on me that what I’m
explaining.
Once we finished the warm up, it was time for the game of the day. They
played game that involved motor and strategy skills. There were 3 teams with 4 pins
around them and the point was to stay within their pins and knock over the other
13
teams pins with the foam balls but defend their own. Student D was the only one
that could accurately play. The other students somewhat understood the game but
were not able to hit any of the pins and would wonder off. It took a lot of focus and
repetition of the rules to help the students. It’s hard to be frustrated with them
when they look so happy to just be out playing. Sometimes I think they’re not
getting anything out of it and maybe they aren’t right now but at least they’re
working on it. Eventually, I think they’ll get better at processing and motor skills.
With the other class, the high school students, this was the first time I’ve
been able to join them. There are also 5 students in this class. There is a range of
disabilities and some are more high functioning than others. One suffers from
shaken baby syndrome, another has Down syndrome and I never figured out the
other student’s disabilities. Even though they have these disabilities, they don’t let it
effect them. They like to come out and play and try their best. They are sociable and
have an incredible memory. Within the first 2 minutes of class they came up and
Mrs. Farley worked with this class a little differently. She didn’t have them
warm up like her other class and during the game she had a few general ed. students
join in. They were more integrated than all the other classes I’ve observed. I think
this was great and effective because when I was in school, students with disabilities
were never integrated with general ed. students let alone have their own P.E. class.
Their warm up was a line tag game that I also participated in. I noticed that
they like to chase after the new person. I also noticed that a couple of the students
didn’t grasp the concept that they had to stay on a line during the game, so that just
14
made it even more fun and interesting. After their “warm up,” Mrs. Farley invited the
general education students in to play the game, which is the same game that the
previous class played. It made the game go a lot better because there were more
people and the students with disabilities had a blast playing with their classmates.
The students in the class were a little more high functioning than the last class
because they were able to be more involved and could process the rules better.
Their motor skills were a little more refined as well. I also noticed that Mrs. Farley
and her aids don’t just stand by and watch, they play too. I like that they are
involved. I think it motivates the students more and initiates an actual relationship
with them; which, in turn, can help their progress. I think that’s what they need
more than anything is someone acknowledging them and treating them like anyone
else. That’s why I also think that involving a few of the general ed. students in this
I had my last observation today. It was with Mrs. Farley’s middle and high
school class again. I’ve enjoyed working with these students the few times I’ve been
there. It’s always interesting to see how they’re going to behave and what they
might say.
During the first class, which is the middle school students, they warmed-up
like they usually do. Student C and Student D are in this class and I noticed that
Student C was doing well today during the warm up. He was performing the motions
correctly, even though sometimes he would get distracted. I didn’t have to say much
to him and he would pick right back up where he left off. Student D doesn’t need
15
much guidance. After the warm up, they divided up and stood across from each
other in a single file line. Each team had two, foam pool noodles and they had to
balance a balloon on them then walk to the other team and hand it off. They weren’t
allowed to touch the balloon with anything but the noodles. It worked on balancing
and some fine motor skills like squeezing their arms together to hold the balloon. It
seems like a simple task but it was difficult for several of them. They had to
concentrate on walking and all the aspects of holding the balloon so it didn’t fall.
After they had a few rounds of that, they played a game that was a little more
stimulating. This time each person had one foam noodle and they went to their
colored poly-spot on the floor, which formed a small circle. The object was to hit the
balloon with the noodle to keep it in the air. This was a fun game to participate in
because the students had so much fun hitting this balloon. It also worked on their
eye-hand coordination. I noticed Student C would not come off the poly-spot to hit
the balloon. Even though that was allowed. He would stretch and reach to hit it with
all his might and still have one foot on the spot. It looked like it was nailed to it. We
kept telling him he could take his foot off of it and move but he couldn’t grasp that.
It’s processing skills like this that you take for granted or don’t even realize it’s
happening when for students like him, it’s a major task. The other students didn’t
In the second class, the high school students did the same thing including the
warm up this time. I think it’s interesting to see the difference between the two
classes. Some have the same diagnosis but that doesn’t mean they behave alike or
have the same capabilities. I have noticed that this class is a little more vocal than
16
the other one. They like to talk and tell stories. They joke around more, some are
even sarcastic. It’s a comfortable, fun environment because the students and
teachers get along like this. At times, when I would talk to them it was hard to tell
During their game, I think they took more from it than the other class. I could
tell one student was even taking out some frustration on the balloon. That wasn’t
exactly what the teacher had in mind for the game but it worked for him. So I
learned it may not always go as planned but if it works for the students then that’s
what matters. I’ve observed a lot in this class from the students and teachers. One
thing I’ve noticed from the teachers is that they never get discouraged or frustrated.
They continue to encourage and talk the students through things. And, they are
always involved in the activity as well as the warm-up. I find it inspiring and I try to
Final Reflection
Before I started this project and conducting observations, I was nervous and
wasn’t sure what to expect from it. I haven’t had a lot of interactions with people
with disabilities and when I have, I’ve never been sure how to interact with them.
It’s not something I grew up with the knowledge of. I also didn’t know much about
the different types of disabilities and what they entailed. Having that lack of
knowledge put me at a disadvantage all these years because I never gave them a
Since starting this project, it’s given me a new perspective on any student or
person with a disability. After my first few times in the class, I grew more
17
comfortable and confident. I began to learn more about the students I was working
with, what disability they had and even their home situations. I’m not saying it made
it easier, but it definitely had an impact. I grew to love working with them and
looked forward to the next meeting. I learned that you never know what to expect
each time you meet with them, which made it interesting. Most of the students were
happy and loved being in the P.E. class. It was the students that I saw in the resource
room that didn’t always look that way. I’m not sure if it was the environment or they
just didn’t like sitting and working. I wasn’t in that type of classroom setting enough
would like to observe them while they are in a resource room or another classroom
setting. I think it would be useful to see how other teachers interact with them and
how the students act. It could be a helpful tool for them to grow in my class as well. I
will also be involved in the class activities just like the supervising teachers were.
It’s a chance to get to know the students’ abilities better and form a relationship
with them. I also observed paraeducators in the P.E. class and I would like to have
them in my class too. However, what I noticed during this project isn’t how I would
want them to act in my class. I learned that there are better ways to get a point
across than having to manipulate them to do a movement. It looked like they were
being rough and I didn’t approve of that in my book. I believe encouragement and
repetition can work just as well even though it may take longer.
Overall, this project has been a great learning experience. I know I still have a
lot to learn and work on but it’s a starting point. I know I can work on reactions and
18
what to say to students. I’m not always prepared for what they might say or do. I can
also learn more of what works best for them in my class like picture card
descriptions of the activity. I believe all students should have the chance in a
physical education class no matter what challenges they face. It just challenges me
more as a teacher to grow from that experience and trying to make something work
for them. I do believe I have made some growth through this project and look