Excellente Pedagogue

DIAGNOSING AND ASSESSING LEARNERS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS INVOLVES A COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH:

1. Identification:
- Recognize early signs or indicators of special needs.
- Collaborate with teachers, parents, and specialists to gather information.

2. Screening:
- Conduct screening assessments to identify potential areas of concern.
- Use standardized tools to evaluate basic skills and developmental milestones.

3. Observation:
- Observe the learner in various settings to understand their behavior, interactions, and learning style.
- Document specific challenges and strengths.

4. Formal Assessments:
- Administer formal assessments tailored to the learner's needs.
- Include cognitive, academic, and functional assessments.

a . Cognitive Assessment:
- Purpose: Evaluate intellectual functioning and cognitive abilities.
- Tools: IQ tests (e.g., WISC, Stanford-Binet), cognitive processing assessments.
- Focus Areas: Memory, attention, problem-solving, reasoning, and language skills.
- Use: Helps understand overall cognitive strengths and weaknesses.

b. Academic Assessment:
- Purpose: Evaluate a learner's academic performance and skills.
- Tools: Standardized achievement tests, curriculum-based assessments.
- Focus Areas: Reading, writing, mathematics, and other subject-specific skills.
- Use: Identifies academic strengths and areas requiring intervention or accommodations.

c. Functional Assessment:
- Purpose: Assess daily living skills and adaptive behavior.
- Tools: Observations, interviews, behavior checklists.
- Focus Areas: Communication, social skills, self-care, motor skills.
- Use: Informs intervention strategies, especially for individuals with developmental or behavioral challenges.

Each assessment type contributes to a comprehensive understanding of a learner's abilities and challenges, guiding the development of tailored interventions and support plans. Integrating findings from cognitive, academic, and functional assessments allows for a more holistic approach to addressing the needs of individuals with diverse learning profiles

5. Collaboration:
- Work closely with special education professionals, psychologists, and other specialists.
- Involve parents to provide insights into the learner's behavior and abilities.

6. Individualized Education Plan (IEP):
- Develop an IEP based on assessment results.
- Set specific, measurable goals and determine appropriate accommodations.

7. Continuous Monitoring:
- Regularly assess progress and adjust interventions accordingly.
- Maintain open communication with all stakeholders.

8. Adaptations:
- Implement teaching strategies and materials that cater to the learner's needs.
- Modify assessments to ensure fair evaluation.

9. Behavioral Analysis:
- If applicable, conduct behavioral assessments to understand and address challenging behaviors.
- Implement behavior intervention plans as needed.

10. Review and Refinement:
- Periodically review assessments and make necessary adjustments to support the learner's evolving needs.
- Collaborate with the interdisciplinary team for ongoing improvements.

Remember, each learner is unique, and a holistic approach considering academic, social, emotional, and behavioral aspects is crucial for effective diagnosis and support.

*Caring vs Wicked Teacher*

Back in the days of my secondary school, I had a personal experience that I never forget till date. I marveled recently, when the teacher involved was mentioned on our old boys/girls WhatsApp platform to have asked about us through one of our classmates. The reaction was horrible and a lot of people said horrible things about the lady teacher. Note that all of us are adults and many of us are now parents and understood why most teachers and our parents did certain things the way they did.

But for this teacher, after about 23 years plus, no one is willing to forgive her atrocities or even overlooked what she did to us.

She wasn't the worst in punishing students in the school and doesn't even occupy the 3rd position but her method of punishment made her the worst.

For instance, I and most of my mates missed English and literature class for 2years SS2-SS3. We studied exclusively on our own to pass our SSCE English and literature and it was a miracle and most who weren't smart and intelligent couldn't make it. The mass failure in her subjects was the worst recorded as at that time. We are more than 100 students in the class A and B but each time she is in the class you will usually see between 8 to 10 students and any day there is miracle, you will see about 20 student. Those students are even in the class not because they want to be in the class but because the teacher belongs to certain religious order and those student are just there because of that religious affiliation.

Some of my classmates mentioned on the platform that the teacher destroyed them and their dreams in life and that is not a good review and shouldn't be given to any teacher. I personally have forgiven her and will treat her goof anywhere I see her despite all but so many still hold things against her.

Someone maybe wondering what type of punishments she was giving that made students hate her so much even as adults and I will just mention about three of her punitive measures out of the many for the sake of time and space.

1. She sends students out of her class at the slightest issues even when such students are not at fault. In fact she looks for a way to send you out of the class and students have missed a lot of lessons that made most of the students voluntarily dropped out from attending her classes.

2. She insults student's parents and gives students emotional trauma over issues that doesn't warrant that and never listen or give any student the opportunity to explain his/herself on any issue in the class.

3. She doesn't flog. She beats or hits. In fact, you will notice that she just want to kill or disfigure you. It still traumatizes me till date any time I remember the stick she landed on my head on one occasion. Infact I though that my head has dispersed and stars were flying out from my eyes and darkness beclouded me for close to two minutes. That was the worst head impact I have hard and the closes to it was when a soldier hit my head with 2by2 wood when I went for Airforce zonal recruitment exercise at Enugu State 😂🤣😂🤣

I will not be fair if I don't point out that some wicked teachers are not aware that they are being wicked. Some of them actually thought that they are helping or trying to instill discipline. This articles serves as a mirror and guide for each teacher to assess his/herself and judge his/her actions and inactions.

There are two completely opposite approaches to education between a caring and wicked teacher. Here are the key differences between the two:

1. *Attitude and Intention:*
A caring teacher genuinely wants to help students learn, grow, and succeed. They have a positive attitude, empathy, and a nurturing approach towards their students while a wicked teacher has negative intentions and aims to harm or belittle the learners. They may derive pleasure from causing distress, humiliation, or discouragement.

2. *Relationship with Students:*
A caring teacher builds a positive and supportive relationship with their students. They create a safe and inclusive learning environment, where students feel comfortable expressing themselves and seeking help while a wicked teacher creates a hostile and intimidating environment. They may use fear, humiliation, or mockery as a means to control students. The relationship is characterized by disrespect and mistrust.

3. *Teaching Methods:*
A caring teacher uses various teaching strategies to engage students and accommodate their diverse learning needs. They provide constructive feedback, encouragement, and individualized support to help students reach their full potential while a wicked teacher may use ineffective or punitive teaching methods. They may intentionally confuse or mislead students, withhold information, or deliberately discourage their efforts to learn.

4. *Impact on Learners:*
A caring teacher positively impacts learners' academic, emotional, and social development. They inspire students, boost their confidence, and foster a love for learning. Students feel valued and motivated to succeed while wicked teacher negatively affects learners' well-being and academic progress. They erode students' self-esteem, create a hostile learning environment, and hinder their intellectual growth. Students may develop a dislike for the subject or even lose interest in education altogether.

In summary, there are some other acts that makes a teacher wicked like: stopping or denying a child from eating or drinking water as punishment, denying the child access to lessons as punishment, insulting the parents of the child directly or indirectly in the class before others or alone with the child, telling the child only negative things all the time and proving to the learner how bad he/she is without helping the child overcome his shortfalls. A caring teacher seeks to support build and uplift the learners and all his/her actions gears towards that, whereas a wicked teacher aims to undermine destroy and harm the learners. The impact of a caring teacher is positive, while that of a wicked teacher is detrimental to the learners' well-being and educational journey.

Are you a caring or wicked teacher?

*Nwachukwu Ugochukwu Godscrown (EPSEC)*
The Intentional Coach.

Enrol your child, pupils and students for this English Language completion taking place in Owerri the capital city of Imo State on 18th November 2023. It is a competition like no other. For enquiries, send WhatsApp message to 08030963745

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT!

https://chat.whatsapp.com/Da47nMqSnWf3nrgnZ8T53Y
A reputable international Academic firm, *GLOBAL ACADEMIC COMPETITION LTD* (GLOBAC) is organising Spelling Bee/Verbal Reasoning and Mathematics/quantitative Reasoning competitions in Owerri Imo State on November 2023 and has openings for teachers/educators who will like to work at different categories during the preparation stage and the day of the competition.

Participation will be in two categories:

1. Get pupils/students register for the competition with *a unique code* that will be issued to you and get N500 for each registration.

2. Get pupils/students registered and be work for the organization during preparation and on the day of the competition and get both N500 per registrant through your unique code and also get paid for your servicese. (This offer is limited and will be on the bases of first come first serve)

At the end of the competition, the winning students, pupils, teachers that coach them and the schools they are from will be given prizes

Interested persons should click this link above and join for further instructions

This offer is open to all teachers anywhere in Imo State.

GLOBAC IMO WhatsApp Group Invite

VACANCY FOR IMMEDIATE EMPLOYMENT

Word Shepherd Voice International School located at Westside Rumuobiaorlu Port Harcourt off psychiatric Hospital Road Rumuigbo Porthacourt Rivers State has the following vacancies for immediate employment.

Mathematics, Physics, B/Tech and Chemistry teachers for secondary, primary 5 teacher and a part time French Teacher.

Qualification:- Minimum of NCE or its Equivalent.

Interested applicant should forward their CV to 0 803 538 1336 on WhatsApp or contact the number for further action.