class reactions part II

So David was gone today...we still had class. Proposals are done today, but class itself wasn't as productive as it could have been. No one really knew what to discuss regarding presentations - we've all done presentations since 5th grade Science Fair, some of us have had Comm Arts classes, others had AP Speech classes. Presentations aren't new material for the most part, so it wasn't like anyone really had questions. Mostly, my group just said what our project was and what we thought we were going to include.

The only thing we wish we had a rubric - what we'll be graded on and how much. Without a rubric, it feels like grades are subjective. Ah well, I guess the other way to look at it, is since I don't know what's most important, I'll just work really hard on everything. Meh.

1518 Words!

The proposal if officially done - 1518 words! I was pysched when I saw that; it's right around the suggested amount. More importantly, I actually hauled my butt through the snow today to go to class, and it really paid off. We did more peer reviews, which presented a few issues that myself and my previous reviewer hadn't caught. Primarily, what I'm studying, my claim, was extremely unclear in the original proposal. I sat down with David afterward and sorted some of my thoughts out, as well as reordered a few of the paragraphs. I think it made a real difference. The proposal flows better, and I now explicitly state the claim that I'm studying... woo hoo! Let's hope it goes over as well as I think it should! :D

Now, onto the presentation. I'm thinking powerpoint, pictures of clients included (of course). I'll include a brief (emphasis on brief!), structured background section (because I tend to ramble on when discussing this topic...that will prove my greatest challenge), followed the the claim, followed by methods, followed by my hope for the study.

I. Intro slide
II. Background: What is hippotherapy
III. Background 2:
a. Environmental factors: school
-confined space and distractions
-peer group limitations
-language limitations as a result
-a quick mention of inclusive theory - why it doesn't necessarily help the peer group issue
b. Environmental factors: hippotherapy
-open space
-peer group opportunities
-language advancements
IV: The Claim: (explicitly stated - it's own slide)
V: How to study
-observations at both schools and Avalon with journaling and tape recording
-interviews (with who)
-supplemental research (on the claim itself as while as inclusive educational theory)
VI: Conclusion
-hopes for the study
-Any questions?
VII: Closing slide (for posting while questions are asked)
-pictures of clients and locations - COLLAGE

In response to the following comment:

Good to hear what others are doing and to switch 3rd & 1st person when you need to. However, can you reflect more on either the writing process itself or on the content of your project? I'd like to hear more in here about how your thinking develops and changes as things happen in your project since it is so interesting!

Fair enough, I realize that that is the purpose of the blog. The thing is, writing 3 times a week about the writing process? What do I write about? It's not like I edit my paper 3 times a week, or conduct new and exciting resesarch 3 times a week, or write 3 different drafts a week. I dont feel like my writing process is changing or developing. Maybe I'm failing the point of the project - but I just can't see myself developing.

Well, here goes nothing...a reflection of my writing process.

Today I edited my draft again - I changed some phrases and put in the citations where necessary. Overall, I'm very pleased with how the proposal is turning out. It feels strong and pretty clear (at least insofar as I'm clear about my intentions on this project). I think I followed the guidelines and it feels pretty successful (although I'll see when grades come out I guess).

The project itself is becoming muddled in my head. Considering it more, I feel as though authoritative language is different also, which means that I should include that in my reflections (instead of depending soley on peer interactions). In addition, all of the research I've found seems to indicate that the difference isn't attributed to language so much as environment (clinical and classroom versus riding arena). While in my head, I think I attribute the educational differences to environment more so than language, I concede that language may have a very powerful affect. Maybe the research just hasn't been conducted yet? I guess scientifically, it's not fair to make priliminary assumptions - I'll have to wait until spring break when I do my observations.

Either way, I'm out

one to go

Proposal workshop today - pretty helpful. It was more interesting to hear what the other projects were, more so than the editing....Nonetheless, I feel like I'm heading more or less in the right direction, so woo hoo!

Editing

I did some editing today. The first essay I wrote was completely in the 3rd person, so when I went through and edited, I switched some of it to first person. Mostly, the proposal still sounds very third person...I dunno. We'll see in class tomorrow

3 a week right? Well, this is number one

Busy weekend for this project:

*Contacted Avalon about recording sessions. Sarah (instructor) said it won't be a problem (clients sign publicity releases when they sign up for lessons). I just have to let her know when I'm coming.
*Planned classroom observations:
-Sherman Beye's 9th hour PE class (an interesting sidenote to examine the possibility that it's the physical activity that improves education)
-Middle school special ed (same as the PE class) or Mr. Middleton's elementary (k-3) Special Ed. class

*Wrote proposal draft: it's only 4 pages long (barely, at that), and I didn't have a rubric so I just kind of "winged it" (is that the right verb tense???) Proposal workshops will show something I imagine. More importantly, I think I'm going to email David and see if I can schedule another meeting to go over this (after workshop). We'll see - I'm just glad I got it out of the way before midterm craziness starts tomorrow. *whew*

Research update

I began research today between classes, and I think I got a pretty good start. I'm using this blog to organize my links and describe the general idea behind each article. Notes will be taken by hand at a later date - this is more of a reference page for myself.

Articles Regarding Education in the Classroom:

1. Education:
A) Teachers rate inclusiveness on the success of education for special Ed. and "normal" students
-Avalon and therapeutic riding define inclusiveness - handicapped students work hand in hand with "normal" volunteers?
B) Reasons given for why inclusiveness is good, as well as research as to why, in practice, students with disabilities aren't included. Article includes explanations as to why a lack of inclusiveness has a detrimental affect on education.
-Practical classroom research; why the separation of students makes learning more difficult and why the separation of students is a very real occurrence
C) Comparative study of a traditional math education approach (link unavailable) (one teacher lectures in front of a classroom) with a small peer group educational approach (teacher lectures are combined with peer interactions) in Special Education Settings
-In classrooms: will I observe a more lecture setting as compared to the peer education setting at Avalon?


2. Therapeutic Riding
A) General explanation of Hippo therapy
B) Distinction/Definition of Learning Disabilities as well as the role of horses as the "Great Equalizers" - comparison of peer interactions (where students in the classroom are ostracized and horses are non-judging peers)
C) Therapeutic Riding as an Educational Tool: research from a parent's perspective about the effectiveness and possible reasons for effectiveness of therapeutic riding
D) Study of effectiveness of hippo therapy on language when compared to traditional therapy
-Excellent article, with charts, comparing therapies

I plan to use the education articles to review how Special Education is taught both traditionally (segregated classrooms) and inclusively (an innovative new approach). The articles seem to show that inclusive education is much more effective; it encourages interactions between special education students and their "normal" peers, raising self-confidence and leading to a quicker, more thorough learning experience. Because I feel (and research shows) that hippo therapy represents the ultimate in inclusive education, these articles back up the idea that peer-peer interactions on horseback are partly responsible for the ease of education as compared on horseback to the classroom. The language used when peer-peer interactions include those of "normal" ability has a tendency to increase self confidence, thus increasing learning ability. All the articles seem to tie self confidence very tightly into learning, so I'll have to include this in my proposal and final project.

My proposal, again, (to remind myself) is that by instrumenting peer-peer interactions with normal and Special Education students, the language is such that acceptance is felt, and self confidence is increased. This, in turn, improves learning capabilities and the general attitude toward learning. My research, then, will show that therapeutic riding represents an inclusive environment where these peer-peer interactions can take place. It will also show, comparatively within the classroom, how inclusive learning matches up with traditional education. I'm hoping that this will show that the interactions in traditional education (Special ed students only interact with Special Ed. students and their teachers - a clear cut authority figure) lead to a language, that, while one of acceptance, is only acceptance within the segregated classroom. Acceptance is not felt within the overall community; this does not improve self confidence, and thus harms learning. The language of the interactions in the inclusive and traditional settings play a very concrete role in the self confidence felt by the student, and therefore, in the learning experienced by the student.

I think I need to ask Dave about that paragraph before I go ahead and tackle a proposal. This seems like a different direction, and I don't feel concrete about my ideas anymore. Ick.

being a good student...

I'm being a dutiful little student and getting my 3 blogs/week deal in...one more to go. Today's topic? Scheduling my time:

Monday Feb. 12th: confrence
Friday Feb 16th: Botany exam, begin researching
Saturday 17th-Sunday 18th: Home for Mom's birthday
Monday 19th: Stats exam
Wendesday 21st: Chem exam (EEK!!), proposal workshop II (have draft ready????? yikes)
Friday 23rd: Edit draft
Monday 26th: Proposal due

I wish we weren't required to have a draft done by next Wendesday. It's my mom's 50th this weekend, as well as midterm Hell...and I just don't know how I'm going to have time to spit out a whole draft as well as get good research done. I might just sacrifice participation points that day in the interest of camping out from Thursday the 22nd until Sunday the 25th and writing, rewriting, and editing like mad. Not the best writing process, but...since I'm taking economics....

Maximizing output is not a good idea. Maximizing output by sacrificing other classes (or, the opportunity cost of maximizing outputs...) will not help me out overall.

Yeah, I have an econ midterm too, but I dont remember when that is...that class is coming along nicely. Anyway, we'll see how this next week goes. *Fingers crossed*

Finally - a Project!

Today was my confrence, and I feel 1000 times better about this whole thing. I came into my confrence with the same idea I had for the peer review, but no idea how to relate it to language, or place, or really any concrete plans whatsover. But, while talking about the project, David asked some really good questions and all of a sudden, lightbulb!, project... So, here goes:

Place: Avalon Therapuetic Equestrian Center and Special Education Classrooms
Project: I plan to compare the language used with Special Ed. kids in both settings. While I feel like the authority figures use approximately the same language in both settings, the peer language is different. I plan to study the language aspect of both settings to help discover why hippotherapy is so helpful.

-Having worked in both Special Ed. classrooms and instructed lessons at Avalon (sometimes with the same kids!), I've seen a pattern established. Kids in the classroom have to be poked and prodded into recieting the alphabet, for example. Kids on horseback at Avalon will recite the alphabet, as well as name 3 words starting with a letter, giggling and smiling the whole time. The attitude toward learning on horseback is substancially improved. What causes this difference?

-I believe the difference is a result of several factors:
*Empowerment - kids who were formally in wheelchairs, or were coddled by authority figures as a result of their disablility, on horseback are in charge. They control where they go (steering), and are required to do things for themselves.

*Height - as simple as this is, kids who are used to looking up at the world from their chairs are now looking down at the people helping them.

*Peer/Authority Associations - In the classroom, special education students are kept separated from those deemed "normal" by society. They spend all day in a room with kids of varying ability, and often those who are mildly disabled are caught up in the pace of a classroom too slow for them. While they learn what they need to learn, their peers aren't at their level, and the language used to communicate is often far more elementary than necessary. At a hippotherapy session, each client is surrounded by 2 to 3 volunteers, and an instructor. Their "peer group" here are all "normal" young adults, who communicate with the client as though they were in fact normal. Volunteers work consistantly with the same clients and form bonds; they discuss everyday things like boyfriends, parent troubles, and school. This can make all the difference in forming an attitude ready to learn. In addition, when this attitude is formed, the authority figure (at Avalon, the instructor), can instruct without fighting with the student, becoming frustrated or offering ultimatums, (as is often seen in the classroom.) In this way, even the authority figure uses a different language. Of course, this language change on the authority's behalf is a direct result of an attitude change in the clients.

For my project, I plan to analyze this third aspect in particular. I plan to sit in on both Special Education classrooms and volunteer and journal my observations. If possible, I also would like to possibly record a session or two at Avalon and a session or two in the classroom for comparison. In addition, I plan to conduct interviews with:
-A Special Education instructor, particularly one who has had students who've done hippotherapy (Mr. Middleton)
-Jenny Stamm, Sandie Petersen, or Sarah (both instructors at Avalon. I'd prefer to interview Sandie Petersen, former instructor currently opening her own facility in North Carolina)
-A client or two. Specifically, I'd like to interview high school senior Anna Z, and 6th grader Diane E. (Names changed to protect privacy)

Research done in the library will include:
-Educational theroy (focus on Special Ed perhaps?)
-Hippotherapy (defining, describing, theories on why it works)

Structurally, my paper will begin with a general discussion of what therapy is. I'll then move into define hippotherapy, and what makes it different. I'll discuss the benefits and theory behind it. During this discussion, it should become implicitly clear that we do need more knowledge regarding the differences between education in the classroom and education on horseback. This is the area that I plan to discover.

There are obviously a lot of holes in this, particularly in how I'll put my proposal together. I just dont understand that, but I'm sure I'll figure it out.
*Karen*

Getting my 3 a week in. Today I missed English because I feel awful - no good. I think David said we were going to talk about the peer review on Wednesday, in which case hopefully I'll be able to just read blogs to get a good idea about class and such. We'll see.

In other news, I'm hoping, if I feel well enough this weekend, to get to a library and get some preliminary research about animal therapy for confrences on Monday. Keep your fingers crossed I suppose...

And otherwise, this the NARHA (North American Riding for the Handicapped Association) website. Avalon is NARHA certified. I also feel that NARHA will be a great place for me to start research - an organization that is pro-animal therapy is bound to have some information, or cited sources somwhere to back up their purpose. I hope so anyway.

Proposal Workshop

The workshop today was pretty helpful. I got some good tips - my group seemed on board with my ideas, so I think I'm going to continue to pursue the vein I'm in. I dont think I'm going to pick a particular "place" yet, but leave it generalized until confrences on Monday. I didn't get all that much time for workshop, but what I got was constructive. I recieved some good notes to put down:
-combine research and personal stories/interviews?
-places: Avalon TEC, animals as rehibilitators (going TO the animal)

Anyway, productive day. Plus, I'm going home this weekend to volunteer, so all in all pretty exciting!

class reactions

Class today - and it was cold... We talked about a lot of stuff that "Everything" talked about, but we also discussed what exactly this project is about. I feel the tinest bit better, but I really do need a model before I'm going to understand this. I guess I'm withholding full-fledged panic until Workshop on Wednesday. Hopefully that'll help.

Getting in my 3 posts/week - pictures this time!

Put some pictures up of clients today - just a few from the selection. Avalon serves 70+ riders for each 8 week session. You can click on the photos to see them full-sized.

I'd like to illustrate just a few of them.
*Hannah, Sally and Angela are all part of a family. There are 4 girls (3/4 of which are severly disabled, Hannah is the only one who isn't.) Sally was born with her disablity, and Angela and Toni were twins who suffered from complications from the pregnancy. The mother lost her leg and went into a coma during the birth. They are by far the most inspiring family I've ever met though: always positive, upbeat and trying. We actually built them a house this summer, complete with beds for everyone and handicap ramp access.
*Ken has been riding forever - and rides with no assistance. (Volunteers are around pretty much just to keep him company.) Angela is the same way - she actually canters on her own now.
*CJ has made great progress in her riding, as has Brandon.


kare15 (Hannah helping put away tack)


kare15 (Angela riding Renny)


kare15 (CJ on Fritz at Christmas)


kare15 (Ken on Renny with his volunteers)


kare15 (Sally giving Sassy her treat after lessons)


kare15 (Brandon getting a lesson from his instructor)


Otherwise, go to this link to see pictures of some of the horses.