Chin,+Nathan+Community+Building

INCLUSION STRATEGIES - MAT 2YR  **This is the first WIKI site I have built. At this point, I am in the first year of the two year MAT program. This is my second time at SOU after graduating in 2003 with a Math-Business degree and completing my master's degree in 2005 in Social Science with emphasis in Physical Education, Health, and Education. I have been a college football coach for the past 11 years and Health and Physical Education instructor for the past 6 years. I married my wife, Lindsey in December of 2007 and we have two wonderful boys, Braden (3) and Jaret (18 months).**

**Most of my free time is spent with family and friends. My family and I just recently moved back to Southern Oregon from North Dakota where we have been for the past 5 years. I was coaching and teaching at Mayville State University which was a great place to be and gave myself and my wife great experiences and friends. Having two kids we moved back to the area to be closer to family and I received an opportunity to coach again at SOU.**

**Currently I am the wide receiver's coach and special teams coordinator here at Southern Oregon University. Coach Howard, the new head coach who was hired about a year ago has brought some excitement back to the program which was much needed. Along with the coaching responsibilities I also am the academic coordinator for the football program as well as the athletic department. This also leaves me some time to teach as an adjunct instructor in the HPEL department at SOU as well. This quarter I am teaching kinesiology, analysis of stress, and first aid.**

**My passion has always been gear around education in either the coaching world or in the classroom. I absolutely enjoy what I do and look forward coming to work every single day. When I first began to coach, my mentors created time for me to speak in front of a position group and team. Every time I spoke and listened to my mentors speak I continued to learn how to speak and teach. Being an effective communicator is an important factor when it comes to teaching as well as understanding your students and their needs. Understanding and knowing the subject matter is extremely important but to be an effective teacher we must be able to communicate the information so that people are able to understand and apply the knowledge.**

**As I was going through college I decided to major in mathematics to pursue the education program. As I started to take upper level courses I began to struggle in an area that I have always done well. This was extremely frustrating and I questioned my direction in school as well as my future in the education field. Eventually after a couple of failures I decided it was time to find a new path so I then pursued a math/business degree. Now after being in the profession I am in now, the degree I received has helped me as an administrator with budgeting, organization, marketing, and all around business principles.**

**Going through the struggles I have had in school and teaching in the classroom I do feel I can help students that may need extra help. Using the correct strategies to help students understand the material can be extremely powerful when done correctly. Having taught a lower level adaptive physical education class at the college level, I feel that I had a base knowledge of the subject. Now going through the class I understand much more about students with disabilities and teaching strategies to help them as well as all students. Gaining the base knowledge of students with disabilities, especially learning disabilities, will be extremely helpful because of the number of students that do have a learning disability.**

//Football is like life - it requires perseverance, self-denial, hard work, sacrifice, dedication and respect for authority.// //Vince Lombardi// **__** **Classroom Community Building** Community building in the classroom is extremely important to create a safe and engaging place for students to enjoy and want to learn. Students have a place they feel comfortable to express themselves such as home or relative's house and having a classroom that also creates that comfort will promote creativity and a safe place to learn. Creating a classroom that students want to be a part of and enjoy being with each other is an ongoing process to keep the students engaged. As teachers we get a variety of students with varying abilities so creating a community classroom will help students feel comfortable in their environment which will promote learning. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 18px; text-align: left;"> <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">**TOP 5 THINGS LEARNED** <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">1. Using Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs for our students can help us understand the true need students are looking for in their lives. Being able to satisfy the needs such as food, water, safety, belongingness, and self esteem. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">2. Creating an environment that is inviting to everybody also helps to create a community classroom. The classroom is inviting, warm, and a place to the students feel safe. The trust that builds between teacher and student, student and teacher. Start the decoration of the classroom as well as seating arrangements, then let the students help with decoration to feel ownership of the classroom. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">3. Cooperative classroom that fosters friendships also creates a classroom that students enjoy being. When students like coming to the classroom because of it's cooperative and friendly nature, students want to be there and are excited to learn. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">4. Teach respect to one another and each person in the classroom have their responsibilities. This goes along with cooperation in the classroom that as a class we can work together and everybody is doing their part to make the classroom better. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">5. POSITIVE - The classroom has to be surrounded with positive talk and reinforcement.
 * <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 18px; text-align: left;">TOP Resource **

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 18px; text-align: left;">Laura Chandler Teaching Resources
<span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">This website has multiple resources for teachers to create a community classroom and more. The information is provided in forms of articles, lesson plans, and resources that teachers can print and use in the classroom. The website was developed and maintained by former teachers with multiple years of experience. This website has resources for multiple areas of study that all teachers can gain information. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">**<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #1155cc; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;">Link - [] **
 * <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 18px; text-align: left;">Additional Resources **

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 18px;">Development Studies Center
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Ranking - 4 <span style="background-color: #ffffff; display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;">Developmental Studies Center (DSC) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to children‘s academic, ethical, and social development. They believe that all children, regardless of gender, race, ethnicity, or economic status, should be able to grow to their fullest potential—academically, ethically, socially, and emotionally. The caring school community provides additional resources to implement the program into the school or classroom to help teachers develop a caring community classroom. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">media type="youtube" key="zgno2uBOF4U" height="315" width="420"
 * <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 15px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;">Link - ****<span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline;">[] **

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 18px;">Classroom Teaching Resources
Ranking - 4Another website developed by teachers that provides teachers links and access to multiple resources. The resources provide are not just for a community classroom but also resources for teachers to add tools to their teaching tool belt. This would be a great website for new teachers to gain tools an experienced teacher may already have to manage a classroom. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 18px;"> ** [] **

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 18px;">Classroom Management in Inclusive Settings
Ranking - 4  This article on the CBS business library website answers questions on how teachers can create a sense of community with students of varying abilities and behaviors, how to form a safe and responsive learning environment, and considerations that need to be made at a building and district level to ensure there are explicit and fair expectations for all students. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> ** [] **

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 18px;">Inclusive Teaching Guide
Ranking - 4  This paper discusses ways to prepare for teaching an inclusive environment. The majority of the paper is surrounded by collaboration, accommodations, and parent involvement. In section 7 the paper discusses how to create a community classroom for an inclusive environment. This section is based on three principles to create a community classroom that include planning opportunities for social interaction, nurturing friendship and supportive behavior, and providing a positive role model. The section ends with some ideas that have been used in a classroom. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> ** [] **

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 18px;">Building the Community Classroom
Ranking - 4  Excerpts out of the book Building a Primary Classroom. The book is a great resource for an educator to add information about building a classroom the assist students. The book provides a framework and strategies for teachers to build a classroom condusive for teaching and learning. **<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> [] **

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 18px;">Building Community in the Classroom
Ranking - 4  Article in the Teacher - Where Teachers Come First website about building a community classroom. The article discusses building a classroom from identity, familiarity, warmth, beauty, trust, predictability, and family involvement. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> ** [] ** **<span style="font-family: Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small; text-align: -webkit-center;">Ten Ways To Build Community in Your Classroom ** Ranking - 4  Provides 10 ways to build a community in your classroom. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;">** [] **

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 18px;">Building Effective Classroom Ranking - 3 This is a PDF file developed in the Toronto School District that provides ideas, resources for beginning teachers, and mentors to gain information to building an effective classroom. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">** [] **

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 18px;">Teacher - Where Teachers Come First
Ranking - 3 This website also provides additional tools, articles, lesson plans, and unit plans to teach community in the classroom. The website is branded by Scholastic which promotes reading in the schools. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">** [] **

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 18px;">Paula Kluth Website
Ranking - 2 Another teacher provided website with information and also a blog to get information from other teachers. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">** [] **

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-align: left;"> <span style="background-color: #ffffff; display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; text-align: left;"><span style="display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;">** Community Based Learning Project ** <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 18px;"> I chose to observe a family that has been close friends for over a decade. The child is about 3 years old and has had infant seizures since she was born. Even though the medicine she is taking now helps to decrease the frequency of the seizures, but she now has experienced some brain damage and slowed development because of the seizures. Since she was born I have seen them once every few months and I have seen development but even more importantly is how he parents and older sister interact. The challenges that they continue to face has not affected them in any way and I feel they are some of the strongest people I know.

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 18px;"> The family has had many challenges as they raise their young girl but they always have had an extremely positive outlook on life. This past time visiting the family in their home I have noticed many advances with awareness, communication, and motor development. She seemed to be more aware of her surroundings this past time by interacting with my wife and I as well as my two young boys (3 years old and 20 months). As her parents talked to her or heard the kids playing she would respond with noises as if she was speaking. She also seemed to be able to control her arms and legs more efficiently than before. Her parents stated that she has always had better motor skills with her legs and feet than arms and hangs. The other challenges that they deal with is the ability for her to eat. They have a special formula that is given to her through a feeding machine which has helped her to maintain a healthier weight and provide her with the nutrients she needs. Prior to having the feeling machine she was having a tough time maintaining weight because she was not getting enough nutrients. Before the feeding machine she was fed through a bottle but would have difficulties consuming all of the formula, so the machine helped with the process. As we know, nourishment is extremely important for any infant and child with their physical and intellectual development. The interaction which she has not only includes her parents but also with siblings.

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 18px;"> She also has an older sister who is in kindergarten and a newborn brother. The older sister is amazing with her younger sister and seems to understand how to interact with her younger sister. A few times when she was in the hospital, the older sister even though only about 5 years old understood she was sick and would show affection and concern.

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 18px;"> Another interesting interaction was watching my youngest son interact. She was sitting in a ground level seat with a trey and toys around her. She has a blow up bobble toy they she has always used her feet to play with it. But my youngest began bringing toys over to her to play with and they put together some puzzled blocks. My youngest son is usually very shy with people he does not interact with often but after being there for about 30 minutes he gravitated towards her to play with the toys and also by communication. Watching the kids interact was amazing to see.

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 18px;"> Other tools that seem to work with her are drum and tambourine. The noise of the instruments seems to help with awareness and also working on motor development. Being able to use her limbs to create noises has help promote to use of her arms and legs. They also continue to work on strength with her by helping her stand up on her own while leaning on her parents.

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 18px;"> Because she is not to school age yet she does not have an IEP but instead her family has an IFSP which is an Individualized Family Support Program which can include a variety of members the child may need. In this example, the child has a speech therapists, occupational therapists, physical therapists, and pre-school teacher which all come out to their home 1-3 three times per month. They also take her to physical therapy a few times a month.

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 18px;"> It is amazing to see the growth even just in the recent months. The other amazing part about her growth recently was the fact he caught pneumonia about two months ago and was hospitalized for a few weeks. She is extremely strong and has a great personality. Day to day life provides many challenges for the family but it seems to me that it has now become a part of their life. Between the IFSP team that comes to the house to assist her, doctor visits, and physical therapy sessions at the physical therapy office, nothing seems to faze them. The courage and strength that the family and child have is amazing.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 32px;">**Additional Information Found on** <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 32px;">**Local Community Support**


 * =====<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">** FAMILIES FOR COMMUNITY ** ===== ||  ||
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">**Emilie Sampson**

<span style="color: #646464; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;"> Program Director, Families For Community ||  || <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">[] <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">We are a parent driven group, working toward building a community where ALL children are given the choice to be included, and afforded every opportunity afforded to their non-disabled peers. We exist to create community among families who have children who experience disabilities of all kinds, through relationships and support opportunities. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">We Believe…

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">…that every family should be in community.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">…that families are an invaluable resource in crafting supports. Within that principle we believe in collaboration and partnership.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">…that families can support families in a natural way.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">…decisions that affect families, should be made by families and that families have the right to all information and support necessary to become empowered to make good choices.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">…in being a family driven organization. We rely on the support of professionals but empowered parents are the strength behind our program.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">**The Arc Jackson County**

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">**Our Mission** <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The Arc Jackson County is dedicated to enhancing the lives of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families through a variety of programs and services designed to help them achieve the quality of life they desire. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">**Our Purpose** <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">To create a community that advocates for the complete inclusion and acceptance of all people through awareness, involvement, and education of neighbors, legislators, and local decision-makers. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">**Our Vision** <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">The Arm Jackson County envisions a world where all people with intellectual and developmental disabilities have the support and opportunities they need for personal development, independence, and inclusion in the community.