Sally+Hanrahan

I am in my 34th year of teaching in Early Childhood Education, the last 26 also teaching preschoolers with disabilities. As well as teaching in integrated (special ed. and regular ed.) classrooms, I have also served as my districts preschool itinerant teacher, working in a wide variety of community settings. I also serve on the preschool evaluation team, evaluating children referred for a variety of concerns.

I want to learn what others are doing to support children with disabilities in community settings. I want to learn how to more easily and effectively encourage teachers in community settings to make changes to accomodate children with special needs. I would love to learn how to encourage the teachers I work with to play with all of their children.

I can share my experiences from being in community settings as an itinerant teacher. I can share my successes in using play with children to affect change.

Why do so few preschool teachers actually play with their students?

assignment 1 - chapter review I read the book Inclusion Strategies for Young Children by Lorraine O. Moore It would be difficult for me to review just one chapter, because each chapter is a list of inclusion strategies, by domain (ie. motor, language, etc.) This book is low on talk of philos, and high on practical ideas.

assignment 3 - Using Cara's Kit I think the adaptions for "participating in group activities' on page 3 is very good. I have used all of these activities at one time or another, and would recommend them as effective. They are actually good ideas for all preschoolers, not just those with disabilities.

I also really like the "adaption curriculum' on page 4. This is something I definitely plan to share with my preschool sites where I do itinerant services as a special education teacher. To be honest, many times my sites view my intervention as the opposite of this "adaption curriculum"; that is they are wanting my to come in and provide assistance one on one, and are not thinking of perhaps adapting their environment, practices or expectations.

On page 8 were listed adaptions for children having difficulty sitting still and listening to stories. While I thought the suggestions were fine, it made me think of Toni Linder's Storybook curriculum, which emphasizes (among many other great ideas,) repetitive readings of a story, which definitely brings in children who are struggling with literacy.

My final comment is about the "small group play" suggestions on page 11. Once again these are fine. But I think in general in preschools these days, teachers are forgetting the power of joining in play with young children. While we all want children to develop independence, and to learn to negotiate their way with peers independently, adults teaching throught play with young children is very powerful and effective. This is one area that should be a little more weighted to "assistance" side of the adaption curriculum. By joining in play with children, teachers model social language, inclusion, problem solving, kindness, and creativity.