AboutKen Jensen Expertise I can answer questions related to secondary math and science. I specialize in problem based curriculum and instruction.
Experience I am a 20 year veteran Math and Science teacher. I have taught at both the middle and high school levels, and I am currently a Math Coach in the Aurora Public Schools, Aurora Colorado. As a coach, I train other math teachers in the use of research based best instructional practices. I post regularly to the National Council of Supervisors of Mathematics (NCSM) list serve as well as to my district's standards based grading website. I was honored with the Colorado Teacher of the Year award by the Colorado Council of Teachers of Mathematics three years ago and have presented at their conference in past years. I particularly enjoy working with parents who question why math is taught so much differently then when they were students.
Organizations Association Of Supervision and Curriculum and Development
National Council of Supervisors of Mathematics
Publications NCSM list serve
CoMath list serve
National Science Teachers Association: The Science Teacher.
Education/Credentials Master of Arts: K-12 interdisciplinary studies. University of Northern Colorado
Adminstrative certificate: Denver University
Awards and Honors CCTM Colorado Teacher of the Year
Past/Present Clients I currently provide professional development both directly and indirectly to 45 high school math teachers, 12 middle school math teachers, and 8 building level adminstrators.
Question What would you do to include the student in the wheelchair in as many classroom activites as possible and to encourage social interactions with her peers?
Answer Creating an inclusive classroom for all students regardless of possible mental or physical handicaps is essential to creating equity in our schools and in our society. I was at the grocery store this morning and the bagger at the end of the check out stand was obviously mentally handicapped to some degree, yet he was friendly, competent at bagging the groceries, and asked if I needed help getting my groceries out to my car. This job was well suited for him and his abilities. I would, however, be concerned if he was the clerk as this particular roll probably would not be appropriate for his abilities.
I believe that the same is true for physical handicaps. If a person is in a wheel chair due to a paraplegic situation still has full control and ability of his/her upper body then inclusion in activities requiring upper body motion is most appropriate. Math and Science labs that take place on a desk should fully include such an individual. However, if the student in a wheel chair does not have control and ability of their upper body then an accommodation must be made in their participation of manipulation of equipment in a science or math lab.
You would not ask a slow cognitive functioning individual to be a clerk in a store any more than you would ask a paraplegic to collect data by doing Jumping Jacks or a quadriplegic to light a Bunsen Burner and heat up a flask. Yet there is always something for a handicapped person to do and learn. The job of a bagger in the store, the job of a timer in a Jumping Jack activity, and the job of a reader in a chemistry lab are all jobs that would allow for the inclusion of the various levels of disability described here.
The RtI (Response to Intervention) model that is taking the place of IDEA at the federal level is requiring educational institutions to create a more inclusive model for students with disabilities. The successful implementation of the model will require teachers to not only be more creative in how to logistically include special ed students, but to also create a learning environment where handicapped students are more accepted by their peers. Understanding that everyone has something to offer regardless of their situation is a life long skill that all students need to develop in school. As a teacher you need to look for opportunities to include students with disabilities in meaningful activities and then point out to the rest of the class how we all benefit from the effort and ideas of everyone.
