School

Yay for blog revival!

Ok, this can only take about 10 minutes. I have class soon. For some reason I have had the urge lately to fill everyone in on my classes. This may not be that interesting for anyone, but on the bright side as I said before, it can only take me ten minutes to write, so it should only take you two or three to read (and yes I pulled that ratio out of nowhere).

Class #1: Legal and Ethical Issues in Child Advocacy
I love the professor that teaches this class. I took her class on the effects of trauma last semester. Basically I'm interested in the issues around abuse and parental fitness. I think think there are all sorts of reasons for teachers and other educators involved with children/families to have some understanding of legal issues as they relate to children.

Class #2: Social Inequality and Schools
Very small discussion group (10 people) mainly about sociological theory and the role of schools and the ways they increase and decrease social inequality.

Class #3: The Problems Kids Have
Great class taught by a child psychiatrist about psychological problems and child development. His intent is to sort teach about these problems and treatment to non-clinicians because really there aren't enough mental health professionals to go around anymore so mental/adjustment problems are increasingly being dealt with at school and other community settings.

Class #4: Universal Design for Learning
Universal design means designing things so that everyone can use it. So a building that have stairs and elevators would be an example of universal design. Universal design in education means that the media is accessible for all learners both in that they can access the information and that they are able to learn from in. We get to learn about the neurological basis for learning problems (ie dyslexia) and about the strengths and weaknesses so that we can learn to use media in ways so that different types of learners can understand what we're trying to teach.

So that's my semester. Off to Class #2.....