Elementary Classroom Special Needs - Term Paper Example

room Management Plan Introduction All over the world it is seen that education has become a primary necessity for every individual. Today the class or race does not matter much but rather the education one achieves has a greater importance. Special students have also been given preference when it comes to studies. Classroom Management Plans are designed to help students to achieve a better grade and better environment to study. This essay would further discuss the classroom management plan in relation to the children who are handicapped and require special attention (Aragon et al 2004; Khalsa 2007). Body The classroom management plan outlines several physical arrangement plans for the classroom because of which students can learn in a different way. The desks are arranged in a manner that students can learn in a cooperative manner. The classroom environment through this type of arrangement is made collaborative which would help students to learn together by discussing things and clearing out things even more. During the course of different assignments the students would be asked to make groups and meet at specific points like the conference table and carpet area. It is in these areas that students would be able to interact and learn in an interactive manner. The desk of the teacher is arranged at the back of the classroom so that he can guide the students. Bookcases would be kept in an area which would have many books and would allow students to read and even borrow books. The centers would be composed of a cluster of desks on which the students would rotate so that the floor space is not taken up. The arrangement of the room is done eloquently in such a manner that the students are able to access books and assignments altogether. The floor space is also conserved and the students are able to access different resources because of such a room arrangement. Handicapped Students should be provided with exceptional resources which would help them to learn in a comfortable manner. A specific space should be kept for them where they can sit in a comfortable manner. Students on wheel chairs should be allotted space in the classroom management plan where they can sit and study (Chopra 2009; Watts & McCord 2006). People use creative visualization in resolving most of their disputes and issues. However, the name given to this concept and the theory behind it is not known to them. Creative visualization lets the person visualize themselves or other objects in a way that facilitates their thoughts. The thoughts of children are vivid and creative visualization is quite natural for them. Their thoughts are more based on imaginations than on actuality of the issues. This pattern of visualization helps some children in developing rapidly while it disrupts the developing pace of the others. The reason is the use of visualization in an efficient or appropriate manner. Children who visualize their failure, fights, disorders in the society and negative elements are more likely to lose courage and self-esteem. This lowered self-esteem and confidence then blocks their ways to successes and achievements. Hence, creative visualization is used as a tool to improve the psychological disruptions of children. Moreover, this concept helps children in learning the positive use of their thoughts and visualization that helps them throughout their lives. Meditation and creative visualization helps children in getting rid of the stress and anxiousness with easy mind relaxing psychological exercises. Teel (2005) classified creative imagination in two boarder concepts. The first one explains the storytelling process or still scene imagination of children, whereas, the other one is related to children’s own thoughts and dream minds. In the first process the narrator or therapist tells children a story. He explains them the whole situation, structure and movements in the scene. The child acts as an artist who gives meaning to those scenes in his imagination. This way, the therapist moves the disrupting thoughts towards soothing and relaxing feelings using metaphors, pictures, symbols and extreme description of the scene. However, in the other category the visualization is used to employ children’s own perceptions and feelings. They are given guidance to use their own imaginations in a fruitful way. Teel suggests that the best time to perform creative imagination exercises is the ‘twilight time’. Teel further describes this time as the moments when a person is between the two states of being awake and asleep. The conscious mind of a person is relaxed in these moments; hence, it becomes easier to divert the thoughts of mind in a way the therapist or the individual wants. The mind is in the theta state when brain waves operate at a slower rate than it does in the normal awakened state. The creative visualization calls to focus on the positive thoughts and affirmations rather than focusing on the denial of negative elements. For instance, the focus should be on winning the race rather than on not losing it (Teel, 2005 pp 32-34). In order to use creative visualization with children, it is important to keep short sessions so the concentration of the child does not distract from the therapist’s words. Children should not be forced to close eyes during this therapy in fact, they should be given full freedom on sitting or lying down in the position they feel more relaxed. The children should be reminded often that they are moving towards the state of relaxation. The creative visualization techniques works with children greatly if the technique used is of their interest. Children’s imaginations are vivid and based on unrealistic figures. The therapists may, hence, use the rays of sunlight as energetic and colourful energy waves which fill up the bodies of children with energy as they strike their body. Similarly they may use unrealistic tools to relax them from the worries or fears they have like, a misery pool which washes away all the bad feelings. The use of rainbows and other colourful objects may help children visualize the power of colours. Therapists may define a specific trait of each colour. This way the therapist may enlighten the concepts which he wants to develop in the children’s mind. For instance, therapists may associate the colour white with peace, green with cleansing, yellow with friendship, pink with love and so on. Hence these colours may divert the attention of aggressive children towards friendship, love and peace (Warren, 2004 pp 187-189). Children have different negative thoughts which block their way to develop efficiently. These negative thoughts stop them from making the right choices, speaking in public, developing in academics, taking part in extracurricular activities and limit their social circle. For proper physical, mental and social development of a child, it becomes necessary to resolve the psychological and mental issues they face. The visualization techniques help children in getting rid of such negative thoughts and make them free from the depression and anxiousness that prevailed due to those thoughts. The visualization technique is not limited to any particular visualization scenario but may take different forms. The children may be guided to visualize themselves combating the bad thoughts like their favourite media character or a giant hand chopping the negative thoughts (Selekman, 2010 p 152). Moreover, creative visualization is the creative use of the individual’s visualization abilities. In order to cope up with depression and negative thoughts, children may also be asked to use their other senses like visualizing themselves as smelling the fragrance of their favourite cologne bringing peace to their mind or by asking them to visualize themselves listening to their favourite melody or musical piece. Another way to tackle the issues with children and improving their skills, both academic and others, is the use of movie of success visualization. Every child has some achievements to share with others or are efficient in one field or the other. The idea here is to make them visualize their success story either in the classroom scenario or in the playground scoring the best in their favourite game and let them apply the rules of the class or game in their daily routine. A children having behavioural problems, aggression or ignorant behaviour may be tackled this way as described by Matthew D. Selekman (2010). There are many similarities between meditation and creative visualization. A narrator with soothing voice uses visionary words to develop an image or a scene in the mind of the listener. Dreams at times portray the reality of our lives and creative visualization may also be used to see the reality from different perspectives if used in a proper manner. Creative visualization can be classified as a meditation having a purpose to achieve. It helps a person see the change in reality using visualization and live that change as if it has occurred or is currently occurring. An example of its practical use is the imagination and visualization of athletes who create such thoughts so as to motivate themselves on reaching their goals (Grant & Littlejohn, 2005 pp 214-216). Students with special needs should be given special things through which they can study. People who have visual or hearing difficulties would be given a front desk where they can see and hear as per their abilities. Similarly a headphone set would also be kept for students who have grave difficulties in hearing so that when I speak they can hear me even more clearly. Children with visual disturbances would be given special consideration when it comes to taking notes in the class. Conclusion Children with special needs should be given a specific environment through which they can visualize and use their skills. It is important that a classroom management includes the features of physical arrangement for the impaired students along with the normal students. Visually impaired students should be provided with a seat that is right in front of the board so that they can see it. Teachers should be trained professionally so that they are able to help these type of students. Moreover special settings should be allotted in a classroom management plan for the physically impaired students too. The facility of wheel chairs is also important for the physically impaired students. A paraprofessional can help the teacher to set up different things in the classroom and can assist him in carrying out certain tasks. References Chopra, R. V. (September 01, 2009). What Do Parents Need to Know about Paraeducators?. Exceptional Parent,39, 9, 22-23. Top of Form Watts, E. H., & McCord, K. (March 01, 2006). Collaboration and Access for Our Children: Music Educators and Special Educators Together. When Music Educators and Special Educators Work Together, All Students Are Likely to Benefit. Music Educators Journal, 92, 4, 26. Top of Form Sandoval-Lucero, E., Aragon, L., Bernal, C., Balderas, H. B., Carroll, D., & Chopra, R. V. (January 01, 2004). CONNECTING SCHOOLS AND COMMUNITIES: THE VITAL ROLE OF PARAEDUCATORS - The Paraprofessional Role of Connector. Remedial and Special Education : Rase, 25, 4, 219. WARREN, M. (2005). Trauma: Treatment and Transformation. New York: Universe, Print. GRANT, T., & LITTLEJOHN, G. (2005). Teaching green: the elementary years : hands-on learning in grades K-5. Gabriola, B.C., New Society Publishers. SELEKMAN, M. D. (2010). Collaborative brief therapy with children. New York, Guilford Press. TEEL, P. (2005). The floppy sleep game book. New York, Perigee Books. Bottom of Form Read More