Teaching+Cases

//1. Jaques and Alex//
//Narrative:// Jacques was a senior in my 4th period chemistry course. He kept up with his work and was doing a pretty good job in class. On the weekend that fell 2 months before graduation, Jacques had the misfortune of getting into a fight and ended up being beaten so badly that he was hospitalized for 3 weeks time. He was in critical condition and was placed on a respirator. Needless to say, the least of Jacques worries was chemistry. As it turns out, one of the students who beat Jacques was a student named Alex in my period 4 Chemistry class. The same class! When Jacques returned to school to meet with me and to get "missing work", charges were filed against Alex and as a result, a restraining order was placed on Alex. I was ordered by our building police officer not to allow Alex in the chemistry room for the rest of the year. And, I was ordered by Jacques doctor to allow him to miss the remainder of the year because he would be undergoing reconstructive maxilofacial surgery. Both of these students have the right to receive an education even though they can not physically be in my chemistry classroom. That means they are held to the same standards, yet the conditions for their learning are much different than "typical".

//Question:// How would you deal with this situation? What technologies, methods and strategies could you employ to address this situation? //Answer:// The teaching case involving Jaques and Alex is a complicated one. Both students need to be given the same opportunities to learn the chemistry material and prove their understanding through assignments, labs, and exams, but neither is able to physically be present in the classroom to accomplish those things. Because of Alex's reconstructive surgery and Jaques' restraining order, the teacher must create a specialized means of communicating the course material and evaluating the students understanding of that material. One possible solution to Alex's education outside of the classroom would be to provide him with an online chemistry course with a simulated lab to carry out the experiments in. The teacher could upload lectures to the website that he/she had recorded while teaching the regular classroom, giving Alex the opportunity to hear the material presented in the same way as his fellow students. Also, the teacher could set up a web-cam on the lecture podium and Alex could join the class via a communication system like Skype. The teacher could design an online lab room so that Alex could participate in the lab experiments with the other students from the comfort of his own home. Test and other assessments could be administered by proxy by his mother or father and then sent in for the teacher to grade. Jaques could be given the same opportunities as Alex to learn via the internet classroom. A web cam could broadcast the lesson to both students. Also, Jacques could have his tests and other assessments administered in a local learning center like Sylvan learning and he could also get many questions he may come across answered there as well. Some links that may help provide information to teachers who encounter a teaching case similar to the case of Jacques and Alex are listed below. www.chem1.com/chemed/genchem.html chemmovies.unl.edu In conclusion, a teacher would be able to overcome the challenge of having two students enrolled in a chemistry class they are unable to attend by utilizing the online resources and services available to them.
 * highschool**ace.com

//2. Andrew//
//Narrative:// On the first day of my 6th period chemistry class one of our school counselors //Bruce// entered my class with //Andrew// (student) his advocate //Jeff// and his mom //Sally//. I said //"hello"// to Andrew and noticed right away glazed-over eyes. Andrew couldn't hear me. He was listening to music from his ipod. Bruce began explaining //"Andrew has Schizophrenia and is taking psychosomatic "meds" for treatment.//" His mom chimed in //"As you might have noticed, he is under medication as we speak".// I held out my hand to Andrew and said //"welcome to chemistry"//. Andrew kind of smiled and looked down. Bruce then spoke //"Here is Andrew's IEP (individualized educaion plan)." "There will need to be major modifications made so that Andrew can be successful."// Sally said "Andrew might miss you class for weeks or months at a time. It all depends on his meds." //"One thing that helps him cope is his music.//" Bruce and Sally left the room and Jeff commented //"I'll come by after school to discuss further".// Andrew went over to a desk in the back of the room, sat down, looked blankly at the front of the room. He turned his music up - I could hear it from the front of the room. Shortly thereafter, Andrew had his head on his desk with his eyes closed, a hoodie pulled over his head. He stayed that way until the end of class. The next day of class, Andrew's mom called and explained that Andrew would not be in class for at least the next two weeks and requested that I provide the next two weeks of lessons that he would miss.

//Question:// How would you deal with this situation? What technologies, methods and strategies could you employ to address this situation? //Answer//: Andrew has a unique problem that a teacher would need to deal with in a creative and sensitive way. Because of his schizophrenia and need to be on psychosomatic drugs, Andrew may not be able to gain as much from a lecture format lesson as the average student would. Also, Andrew's numberous and unplanned absences from school would make it difficult for him to succeed in the classroom without additional support and means of education from the teacher. One way a teacher might deal with this unique situation would be to provide Andrew and his mother with a typed out or powerpoint version of the lecture the teacher will be giving everyday. Also, the teacher could record either on tape or on video camera the day's lecture so that Andrew and his mother could review it after school if Andrew could not recall waht was taught in class on a given day. Also, on days that Andrew will be absent from class, the teacher could utilize the internet as a means of relaying information. The teacher could upload the lessons being taught in addition to uploading a recording of the lecture given. The teacher could also create an online lab simulation that would allow Andrew to participate in lab experiements with no fear that he would be a danger to himself or to others. Also, with an individualized IEP plan, Andrew will probably have different requirements he will need to meet as opposed to the rest of the class. This change in requirements can be addressed in the printed out lessons plans that the teacher could send home to Andrew's mother. Also, and assessment that needs to take place could be tenatively scheduled and then shifted as Andrew's needs and condition changes. Andrew's mother could also administer the tests to him in the home if he was unable to attend school on an exam day. Some websites that might be helpful to a teacher who encouters this situation are listed below. About**Schizophrenia**.com www.**schizophrenia**.com psychservices.psychiatryonline.org/cgi/content/full/55/8/863 www.chem1.com/chemed/genchem.html In conclusion, Andrew presents a challenging situation to the teacher, but one that could be overcome by utilizing online technologies and printed materials as well as parent support to give Andrew the tools he needs to succeed in the chemistry classroom.

//3. Dianna//
//Narrative:// Diana from Brazil not speak English. She entered my chemistry class 2 weeks after it started. She was a very successful student in Brazil, and her parents have met with me regarding their expectations that she do well in chemistry. The text used in chemistry is in english, as are all of my resources.

//Question:// How would you deal with this situation? What technologies, methods and strategies could you employ to address this situation? //Answer:// Diana presents a challenging situation to the chemistry teacher. Chemistry is a subject that needs to be described well in order for the students to understand the subject matter and be able to apply it to the problems they will encounter during assessments. An inability to understand the language in which the chemistry lesson is being taught would be an incredible drawback for a student, making it almost impossible to succeed. Also, in addition to the lecture being given in English, the text book as well would be printed in English thus negating Diana's chance to teach the material to herself. The fact that she was a very successful student in Brazil could both help and harm Diana. She would be used to being a successful student so her initial failures in trying to comprehend the material and the foreign language would no doubt be very frustrating for her, but she would also have the good habits built in that are acquired by studying hard and being a good student. One way the teacher could try to overcome the language barrier and help Diana succeed in the chemistry class would be to write all the lessons down and give Diana a printed handout of all the material that will be covered in the lecture, highlighting some words that may be more difficult to understand. Oftentimes, it is easier for English language learned to comprehend some that is written rather than something that is spoken. Also, a lecture in a written format would enable Diana to review the material again at home where she has more time and resources at her disposal. Also, suggesting that Diana bring a tape/digital recorder to class may be helpful so that Diana can review the lecture again in a slower manner so she can understand it in its entirety. The high school may even be able to supply Diana a recording device to help enable her to succeed. Also, the teacher could find software online that may help translate parts or all of the lecture into Diana's native language so that she could understand the whole lesson. Ideally, as the year progresses and Diana learns more and more English, these special accomidations will become less and less necessary. Some websites that a teacher may find helpful in this teaching case are listen below. www.**online**-**translator**.com [|www.freedict.com/onldict/por.html] "Teaching Science to Language Minority Students" by Judith Rosenthal (book)

//4. Gabriel// //Narrative:// Gabriel was a student of mine who was taking one of my online AP Physics courses from the University of California College Prep. (UCCP), Santa Cruz. As per the accreditation for online science courses, it was mandated that the laboratory component be "physical", whereby students manipulated "real" equipment to study physics-related concepts. The students that I would have in the online AP Physics courses would be from all over the country and, in some cases, international. In fact, one of the reasons some of these learners were form all over the country and international was that many had exceptional talents above and beyond the AP Physics courseroom. For example, one learner was training to compete in the winter Olympics as a figure skater, while another was a world renowned pianist. Some students attended schools that did not offer an AP Physics course. And ever since a 1999 [|class-action equal access suit filed] against the state of California, students are to be guaranteed the right to access college-prep or AP courses, even if their school does not offer such courses. If their school does not provide such programs, it is the district's and/or state's responsibility to provide such opportnunities. Hence, online AP Physics. Now keep in mind the earlier statement that the labs for these courses were to be "physical". This meant that the school that the students attended was to have a mentor to ovversee the proper use, set-up, and safety of the physics lab equipment. Even if the school did not have the equipment, the mentor was expected to get creative and utilize similar supplies such that the lab could be performed. And get creative we did!

OK, so Gabriel attended a school that lacked "common" science lab equipment (e.g., voltmeters, ring stands, circuit kits, and so forth). And, he was to complete the AP Physics "physical" labs prescribed for the course. I received a call from Gabe's mentor regarding how the labs were to be completed without the necessary equipment. In essence the majority of the labs could not be completed because the host school did not have the requisite equipment. Technically, Gabe's hosting school (someone other than the Mentor) signed that they had access to all of the necessary equipment, so Gabe was enrolled with UCCP. And, Gabe enrolled 2 weeks after the course began.

//Question:// How would you deal with this situation? What technologies, methods and strategies could you employ to address this situation? What should I tell the mentor? //Answer:// Gabe's situation is a difficult one indeed. An AP physics course requiring a physical lab would be a difficult course to take as a high school student in any event, but it would be nearly impossible to learn all the needed material if access to a science lab with all the necessary equipment was denied. Reading about an experiment can only go so far before the student needs to experience the lab assignment for himself in order to get the "big picture". With Gabriel's circumstances being what they are, namely no access to a proper physics lab, a teacher could make an online simulation lab available. I realize that this may not be the ideal solution seeing as a "physical" lab is required, but short of the state ordering the school to buy the equipment to furnish a new lab, it seems like one of the only courses of action available to Gabe. An well made online simulation lab would allow Gabe to conduct the experiements that accompany the physics lessons within the comfort of his own home. He would be able to experience the same experiements other students would and in a realistic simulation would ideally gain the same knowledge and conclusions as his classmates. Another option might be for the school to provide transportation for Gabe to get to the nearest fully equipped physical lab. However, if Gabe is traveling like the athlete and the pianist given as examples above, this may not be a reasonable option. Below are some websites a teacher might find helpful if they encountered a situation such as Gabe's lack of available physics lab. www.frontiernet.net/~jlkeefer/phys_**labs**.html dev.**physicslab**.org ap**physics**b.homestead.com/**labs**. html In conclusion, Gabe's AP physics course would greatly benefit from the availability of a well equipped physical lab, however, since this ideal situation is not available, an online accurate similation of a physics lab would offer many of the same benefits and could be made available to anyone in the country.