Johann Heinrich Pestalozzi

The educational philosopher I found myself able to relate to is Johann Heinrich Pestalozzi. In the late 1700's, Johann Heinrich Pestalozzi was a Swiss educational reformer. Instead of dealing with words, he argued that children should learn through activity. He believed that they should be free to pursue their own interests and draw their own conclusions. He placed a special emphasis on spontaneity and self-activity. He believed that children should not be given ready-made answers but should arrive at answers themselves. In order to do this, he felt their own powers of seeing, judging and reasoning should be cultivated, their self-activity encouraged.


Holding that children should study the objects in their natural environment, Pestalozzi developed a so-called "object lesson" that involved exercises in learning form, number, and language. Pupils determined and traced an object's form, counted objects, and named them. Students progressed from these lessons to exercises in drawing, writing, adding, subtracting, multiplying, dividing, and reading. Pestalozzi employed the following principles in teaching (viewed as correct even today): (1) begin with the concrete object before introducing abstract concepts; (2) begin with the immediate environment before dealing with what is distant and remote; (3) begin with easy exercises before introducing complex ones; and (4) always proceed gradually, cumulatively, and slowly.

I strongly agree with this theory that children should learn from activity and drawing their own conclusions. I have taken classes where it had been dictated to me what the correct answer is or what the correct way to do an assignment is. I found that I did not learn a lot from these types of assignments, I left wondering “how did they get that answer?”, or “why is that the correct way to do this assignment?” In a couple of my classes growing up my teachers relied on activities to help us gather our own conclusions and we would look examine our conclusions and look at how were drawn. This made class more interesting and gave me a better sense of accomplishment. It can be frustrating at times when you figure something out on your own, but I found those were the classes were I learned the most.  I believe that this should not be the case for every lesson, but I think it is a good idea to do once in a while.

“I wish to wrest education from the outworn order of doddering old teaching hacks as

well as from the new-fangled order of cheap, artificial teaching tricks, and entrust it to the

eternal powers of nature herself, to the light which God has kindled and kept alive in the

hearts of fathers and mothers, to the interests of parents who desire their children grow

up in favour with God and with men.” (Pestalozzi quoted in Silber 1965: 134)

Adaptive Physical Education

I chose to cover the topic of adaptive physical education. I have broken it down into different questions I had in mind and the answer to each question. I feel that so many people look ad think about students with disability in the classroom setting. I thought it would be important to take a look at another atmosphere that the child would be placed in the school that could create a difficult situation and how it would/could be handled. I hope you like it :)

What is meant by the terms "adaptive physical education" and "specially designed physical education"?


The term "adapted" means the process of modifying a program or service delivery to meet the needs of the student. As in other areas of the regular education program, adaptations can be made in the regular physical education program to allow a student to access the general curriculum and to meet academic standards. These adaptations do not require special education and can be provided to any student with or without a disability. Physical education means the development of physical and motor skills. Specially designed instruction means adapting, as appropriate to the needs of an eligible child under this part, the content, methodology, or delivery of instruction.



When is physical education considered to be special education?

The IEP team may decide the child needs specially designed physical education to address theunique needs of the child that result from the child’s disability. For some children, specially designed physical education may be the only special education service included on the IEP. For other children, specially designed physical education may be included on the child’s IEP in addition to other special education services. The IEP team also considers whether the child needs any other services such as related services or supplementary aids and services.

Must physical education be made available to all children with disabilities?

Yes, if children without disabilities in the same grade receive physical education. Federal regulations implementing the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) state:

1.) Physical education services, specially designed if necessary, must be made available to every child with a disability receiving a free appropriate public education, unless the public agency enrolls children without disabilities and does not provide physical education to children without disabilities in the same grades.

2.) Each child with a disability must be afforded the opportunity to participate in the regular physical education program available to nondisabled children unless the child is enrolled full time in a separate facility or if the child needs specially designed physical education as prescribed in the child’s IEP

3.) If specially designed physical education is prescribed in a child's IEP, the public agency is responsible for the education of that child must provide the services directly or make arrangements for those services to be provided through other public or private programs.

4.) The public agency responsible for the education of a child with a disability who is enrolled in a separate facility must ensure that the child receives appropriate physical education services in compliance with this section.

Are there any circumstances in which a child with a disability may be exempted or excused from physical education participation?

The school should follow the same process it would use to excuse a student who is not disabled from physical education participation.  Exempts from required school attendance any child who is excused by the school board because the child is temporarily not in proper physical or mental condition to attend a school program but who can be expected to return to a school program upon termination or abatement of the illness or condition. The school may request the parent or guardian of the child to obtain a written statement from a licensed physician, dentist, chiropractor, optometrist or psychologist. The school board’s excuse shall be in writing and shall state the time period for which it is valid, not to exceed 30 days.

Must the child with a disability receive the same amount of physical education instruction as the student without a disability?

Yes. The child with a disability should receive the same amount of physical education instruction as a child without a disability, unless it is determined by the IEP team that this is not appropriate for the child and this determination is specified in the IEP. A determination to provide a different amount of physical education instruction must be based on a child’s unique needs, not availability of services.

What qualifications must a teacher possess in order to provide specially designed physical education?

Any licensed physical education teacher may legally teach children with disabilities in regular physical education programs, including adapted and specially designed physical education programs. However, licensure in adaptive physical education is required for physical education teachers whose salaries are funded with state or federal special education dollars.

When physical therapy is provided to a child, could this be used to fulfill the physical education program requirement?

No. Physical therapy is a related service whereas physical education is a component of the educational program that is required for all children.

Must a child need specially designed physical education in order to receive occupational therapy or physical therapy?

No. A child may receive occupational therapy or physical therapy when it is required to assist the child to benefit from any special education described in the child's IEP.

Here are some examples of how adaptive physical education can work and what is needed:

Equipment - Larger/lighter bat, Use of Velcro, Larger goal/target, Mark positions on playing field, Lower goal/target, Scoops for catching, Vary balls (size, weight, color, texture)

Time - Vary the tempo, Slow the activity pace, Lengthen the time, Shorten the time, Provide frequent rest periods

Rules and Cues - Demonstrate/model activity, Partner assisted, Disregard time limits, Oral prompt, More space between students, Eliminate outs/strike-outs, Allow ball to remain stationary, Allow batter to sit in chair, Place student with disability near teacher

Actions - Change locomotion patterns, Modify grasps, Modify body positions, Reduce number of actions, Use different body parts

Importance of Communication

The importance of communication in the classroom is a key part of keeping the class together. The way that a teacher communicates with their students could make or break how the students interact in the classroom. When a teacher communicates effectively with their students many different things can happen: learning can become easier, the class goals are more likely to be made, the teacher and students tend to have a better connection and it creates a positive atmosphere. To create a classroom environment where communication issues are openly recognized and managed in a way that promotes learning.


There are many different strategies that a teacher can use to effectively communicate to their classroom. The first one is to assess and develop your own communication skills and knowledge. By doing this teacher set the tone for the year and students become adapted to the way the school year will be run. Another strategy is to learn more about each student’s communication before the course begins. This way the class runs more smoothly and it deepens the connection the students have with their teacher. Adjust the classroom environment as needed and Establish communication rules and guidelines. These two strategies are key when communicating with a class. Some days the students attention span is not what it normally is and you need to be able to look at the situation and figure out a way to make the class calm down and listen.

Classroom Communication Checklist


Know your students
Don't let silence unnerve you
Be clear
Avoid jargon
Listen carefully
Be sensitive to student behaviour
Create equity in your classroom or laboratory
Use humour appropriately

There are many different components to classroom communication. There is non-verbal communication, lecturing, interaction and the way you deliver yourself and lessons to the classroom. There are a few major things to remember when using non-verbal communication in a class. You need to remember to make eye-contact, have facial expressions, look relaxed and use certain gestures and body movements. When you are lecturing to a class you need to make sure that you are thorough with instructions. You need to make sure that you also remember to summarize what you have just talked about. This will make sure the students are all on the same page, it will also leave room for any questions they may have. When you are interacting with the class you need to make sure that you spread yourself throughout the class. Some teachers spend too much time with one student and not enough with the other. When speaking to the class you need to make sure that you use appropriate volume and speed. You need to make sure that you also emphasize and pronunciation your words correctly.

One thing a teacher said to me was to “talk to the students, don’t talk down to them”. This really made me think. It is very true that if you talk down to students, they are less likely to respect you. After hearing this I looked back at my previous classroom experiences and took note of what teachers I liked and which I didn’t. I noticed that all the teachers I liked talked to us with respect and kindness. I am very grateful for that teacher because he really opened my eyes to a topic I would not have thought about when I become a teacher.

Teen Pregnany

Do you know that one in three teen girls in the United States is estimated to get pregnant at least once before age 20? Teen pregnancy is one of the most difficult experiences a young girl can face. It completely changed their entire lives. There are many things teens stress about when finding out they are pregnant. How am I going to finish school? What will my classmates think? How am I going to tell my family? After doing some research I have learned that there are many different resources out there to help pregnant teens. The tools to successfully prevent pregnancy are all there, but many adolescents do not utilize these tools.

In my high school alone there were 32 girls in my grade that had either had a baby or were pregnant by the time I graduated. 10 out of those 32 girls actually graduated. Even though sex education is offered through school, there are still many teens getting pregnant. There are a few choices that teen mothers have to make:



1.) Some teen mothers decide to continue their pregnancy and then choose adoption for their baby. Adoption may be the best choice for the baby and the teen parents. There are many adoption agencies and types of adoption. Some teens are able to meet the parents who wish to adopt the baby.

2.) Many teens decide to keep their babies. Some marry the baby’s father and raise their baby together. Sometimes the baby's grandparents or other family members help raise it so that the teen mother can stay in school and work. But it requires a lot of additional hard work for a teen parent to finish school and get a good job. Children of teen mothers face greater risk of poverty, behavioral problems, poor academic performance, incarceration, and teen pregnancy, so good parenting skills are very important.

3.) Some teen pregnancies end in abortion. Abortions can have complications. There may be emotional consequences, as well: some women say that they feel sad and some use more alcohol or drugs than before. Some states require teens to have their parent's permission to get an abortion. To understand the scope of this situation, consider these numbers: In 2002, there were over 750,000 teen pregnancies in the United States, including over 215,000 teen abortions.

Some teen girls see things in magazines or movies and think that they want what those girls have. Take a look at the movie “Juno” and then all the girls in Glouster, Ma that decided to all get pregnant. There was also Jaime Lynn Spears who had a baby last year. Many girls looked at her and said she is so young “If she can do it, why can’t I”. I feel that there is not much that school can do to help prevent teen pregnancy. I feel that it is more the parents role to explain the consequences of sex than the schools. Students (most) do not take sex education seriously. I think that it should be more than parents responsibility than the schools.