Comments on: Classrooms or brain friendly learning spaces? http://usefulwiki.com/displays/2007-07-04/classrooms-or-brain-friendly-learning-spaces/ Classroom Displays and Bulletin Boards Tue, 06 Jan 2009 06:14:47 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7 hourly 1 By: EveT http://usefulwiki.com/displays/2007-07-04/classrooms-or-brain-friendly-learning-spaces/comment-page-1/#comment-106 EveT Fri, 13 Jul 2007 19:43:11 +0000 http://usefulwiki.com/displays/2007-07-04/classrooms-or-brain-friendly-learning-spaces/#comment-106 "However I’ve also had teachers who’ve said that the learning needs of the rest of the class should take precedence, simply because they are the majority. Not always comfortable thing for a parent of such a child to hear." And actually a blatant case of disability discrimination!!! :-O Should the teacher judge that the learning needs of the majority take precedence over the minority? I'm sure the human rights brigade would have something to say on the issue :-) I'm attending an interesting (I hope!) talk in September - I may come back to this issue then! Just Act ‘Normal’ The impact of forced conformity on identification, alienation and chronic stress. <i>When is it humane to teach those with sensory perceptual or language processing disorders to behave as though they don’t have these issues simply to conform or appear to achieve? What happens to information processing capacity when someone puts all their energy into conforming regardless? What happens if an information processing challenge is continually treated as though it’s a problem ‘learning’ the ‘right’ responses.</i> http://www.shu.ac.uk/theautismcentre/events.html “However I’ve also had teachers who’ve said that the learning needs of the rest of the class should take precedence, simply because they are the majority. Not always comfortable thing for a parent of such a child to hear.”

And actually a blatant case of disability discrimination!!! :-O

Should the teacher judge that the learning needs of the majority take precedence over the minority? I’m sure the human rights brigade would have something to say on the issue :-)

I’m attending an interesting (I hope!) talk in September - I may come back to this issue then!

Just Act ‘Normal’
The impact of forced conformity on identification, alienation and chronic stress.

When is it humane to teach those with sensory perceptual or language processing disorders to behave as though they don’t have these issues simply to conform or appear to achieve? What happens to information processing capacity when someone puts all their energy into conforming regardless? What happens if an information processing challenge is continually treated as though it’s a problem ‘learning’ the ‘right’ responses.

http://www.shu.ac.uk/theautismcentre/events.html

]]> By: Linda http://usefulwiki.com/displays/2007-07-04/classrooms-or-brain-friendly-learning-spaces/comment-page-1/#comment-105 Linda Fri, 13 Jul 2007 19:26:36 +0000 http://usefulwiki.com/displays/2007-07-04/classrooms-or-brain-friendly-learning-spaces/#comment-105 I understand what you mean Eve. If you view the Flickr set this photo is taken from you'll see that there's hardly any space in this classroom that's doesn't have some sort of stimulus. I think it's hard to balance the differing needs of the children sometimes. Personalisation may have to also extend to the learning environment. It's not just children with ASD who might find this an overwhelming rather than an exciting place to learn. However I've also had teachers who've said that the learning needs of the rest of the class should take precedence, simply because they are the majority. Not always comfortable thing for a parent of such a child to hear. How do we find a balance? A visually quiet area is one way. I've also used screens round a table. This works well because it can give the child the feeling of being within a smaller, safer, enclosed space. Does anyone have any other suggestions? I understand what you mean Eve. If you view the Flickr set this photo is taken from you’ll see that there’s hardly any space in this classroom that’s doesn’t have some sort of stimulus. I think it’s hard to balance the differing needs of the children sometimes. Personalisation may have to also extend to the learning environment. It’s not just children with ASD who might find this an overwhelming rather than an exciting place to learn. However I’ve also had teachers who’ve said that the learning needs of the rest of the class should take precedence, simply because they are the majority. Not always comfortable thing for a parent of such a child to hear.
How do we find a balance?
A visually quiet area is one way. I’ve also used screens round a table. This works well because it can give the child the feeling of being within a smaller, safer, enclosed space. Does anyone have any other suggestions?

]]> By: EveT http://usefulwiki.com/displays/2007-07-04/classrooms-or-brain-friendly-learning-spaces/comment-page-1/#comment-104 EveT Fri, 13 Jul 2007 17:34:00 +0000 http://usefulwiki.com/displays/2007-07-04/classrooms-or-brain-friendly-learning-spaces/#comment-104 Hmmm ... guess you know what's coming! How does such a vibrant classroom affect the sensort difficulties often associated with ASD's? Sensory overload most probably :-( There needs to also be an area relatively free of vibrancy for those whose disability causes them to struggle in this type of environment ... Hmmm … guess you know what’s coming! How does such a vibrant classroom affect the sensort difficulties often associated with ASD’s? Sensory overload most probably :-(

There needs to also be an area relatively free of vibrancy for those whose disability causes them to struggle in this type of environment …

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