Lisa Dorsett

The Lighthouse
September 19, 2014
7-8pm
This program is on a Friday night and is available for children ages 3-18. The children are in
separate groups and are taught according to their age. The two rooms that are occupied by the
children under 12 are in the front of the building as you enter the facility. The carpeted room is
used for teaching and games. The uncarpeted room is used for eating. There are 2 adults in
this section and 10 children: 6 girls and 4 boys. During the dinner/snack time there was no
technology used at all. There is an Autistic child in the group and he is separating his food into
groups. There is no assistive technology being used during this hour. The children have free
play and snacks. The teacher is assisting the Autistic child by carrying his food to a table and
kneeling when she speaks to him to ask him questions about what he needs. He sits at a table
that is a little lower than the other tables so that he can pay closer attention to his food when he
eats and his crayons when he draws. Drawing takes him longer than other children because he
separates the colors, which is interesting because he doesnt know his colors. He just
understands that some colors are closer in color than other colors.
STANDARD 1. PROMOTING CHILD DEVELOPMENT AND LEARNING
1b: Knowing and understanding the multiple influences on early development and learning

Watching the staff with this child was interesting. They changed the environment based on his
needs and he did better with each adjustment. It was later explained that he is placed at tables
with other children and then moved to a smaller table when needed. Some days are good and
he can be with the group. Other days, he needs to sit alone, at a lower table, away from too
much stimulus.

Lisa Dorsett
The Lighthouse
September 19, 2014
8-9pm
During the craft time, the children were shown the cellphones and electronic notebooks
to get a better example on how to do a craft. The facility has an overhead projector, but it was
not used this day. There is an autistic boy in the class and he was only interested in group
activities when the teacher showed videos. Other times he sat down and separated things into
piles. When he would tire of that, he would climb on the table and the teacher would have to
then show him something that would interest him. The technology doesnt work as well in this
case because he really wanted to touch things. He would become frustrated when he watched
the video on the IPAD but could not get the items off of the screen. The teacher had to give him
colored beads and let him separate the beads. After that, he would listen to stories being read
but he wanted to hold a book as the teacher read. He followed the words as if he was reading
along, but they were different books. When reflecting on Piagets stages of cognitive
development, this child is defiantly in the preoperational stage. When he plays, it is as if no one
else is there. Due to his disability, he does not speak very well, but with the help of his teacher
he does a great job expressing what he wants and does not want. Once you comply, he goes
back to his zone as if no one is around. This site has the technology, but the staff doesnt know
how to best use the equipment so that this child can get the best use out of each piece of
equipment. I did speak with one teacher and suggested different tools that were available on
Microsoft Word that the young boy may find helpful.
STANDARD 1. PROMOTING CHILD DEVELOPMENT AND LEARNING
1a: Knowing and understanding young childrens characteristics and needs, from birth through
age 8

Observing this child was a life changing experience. I have heard things about Autistic children
and read books but I had not sat with and observed an Autistic child. I see that it is not only
necessary to have the knowledge on disabilities, but it is essential to interact with children that
have special needs so that you can see what is needed in groups but also what is needed on
individual levels as well. I question if I find the resources necessary can I return and help to
improve the life of this child. I am wondering what I can do to make an even larger impact on the
community of children with special needs.

Lisa Dorsett
The Lighthouse
September 26, 2014
7-8pm
At the time of my arrival, there were five adults present, two women and three men. There were
16 children, twelve boys and four girls. The boys were overly excited and ready to play
basketball. To the children, today was a great day for outside activities. The temperature was in
the 70s so the children were all very excited to play outside. They wanted to stay outside until
the sun went down, and even then they wanted to play in the dusk. The girls seemed ok with
chit chatting and watching the boys play. Some of the women instructors tried to get the girls
involved in other activities; maybe the weather was too spring-like, because the young ladies
were definitely more interested in the boys today.
The technology that was used today was music. There were songs playing as the
children played. The music isnt too loud, just loud enough so that you have to raise your voice a
bit to be heard. Everyone seems to be in such a joyful mood. They have snacks for sale and ten
more children are arrived as well as 4 more adults. Some of the parents stay and volunteer with
the activities.
There is a young man that is mildly retarded and he seems to be enjoying the music the
most. When his mother dropped him off we could hear music coming from her car. Even in the
car he was swaying. He ran right to the basketball game so that he could play. The other boys
let him join in without seeming to skip a beat. The only time that he seemed frustrated was when
the music stopped and it was his turn to sit out from the basketball game. They did not use the
projectors or laptops today during play time.
This activity time could have been improved for the special needs child if he would have
had someone sit with him when it was not his turn to play and explain things to him that he will
have a turn, but they also do a great job keeping him involved.

STANDARD 2. BUILDING FAMILY AND COMMUNITY RELATIONSHIPS

2b: Supporting and engaging families and communities through respectful, reciprocal
relationships

The instructors ask family members to volunteer. This helps parents and guardians get to know
the staff better and it helps the staff better understand the needs of the children. Through parent
conversations some of the staff and other parents learned about different activities in the
community for children and teens. This was helpful because it brings families and the
community together for the common good of the children. I couldnt help but wonder if there is a
better way to communicate all events for children of special needs so that things are not heard
by word of mouth but a one stop location for resources.

Lisa Dorsett
The Lighthouse
September 26, 2014
8-9pm
At 8 pm the lesson began. The students were asked to sit with girls on one side of the
aisle and boys on the other side of the aisle. At this time, there are 40 children and 10 adults in
the room. Only 3 of them are trained staff the rest are volunteers and parents. The room is a
large space with 2 projector screens that runs from a computer.
A man with dreadlocks began to teach the lesson. The children listened as he spoke.
The child who has a disability of mild mental retardation was not really paying attention, but
when the projector began to play a Youtube video, he sat up in his seat and began to watch the
video. When the video was over, the child slouched in his seat again, but when the man began
to ask questions the child perked up and wanted to answer. The answers that he gave came out
very slow. Some children began to chuckle, but the parents in the room quickly quieted the
children and the boy felt comfortable enough to continue speaking. The man then asked parents
to come and say a few words on the topic. The children were leaning into the conversation.
They had questions for the parents and volunteers in the room.
STANDARD 2. BUILDING FAMILY AND COMMUNITY RELATIONSHIPS
2b: Supporting and engaging families and communities through respectful, reciprocal
relationships

I learned the importance of having the community as a part of the activities. Having outside
adults around helped the children see that the adults in their lives and their community care
what happens to them. When the children began to tease they could see that all of the adults
were in disagreement with the bad behavior. I learned that seeing this unity caused the children
to exhibit better behavior. My question is how can we get more people to see the importance of
being active in their communities.

Lisa Dorsett
The Lighthouse
October 3, 2014
7-8pm
When the children arrived, they were happy to see me which was a nice feeling. After all
of the children arrived there were 12 children and 4 adults in the younger group. The children
sat and began to eat and then they played. The teacher wanted the children to play a group
game instead of individual play. There is a boy that doesnt talk very much and he was chosen
as a team captain. He had to choose children to be on his team. When he began to call the first
childs name he started to stutter. Another boy went to him and said that he would help him. So
the child with the speech impairment would say some names, but if he got stuck the other child
would help. The assistive help wasnt technology. It was the help of a person. The teacher
seemed a bit uneasy with the other boy helping but she didnt say anything. She later explained
to me that while she was very happy that they worked as a team to avoid any problems, she
does like for the child that stutters to complete his own sentences. This activity was cooperative
learning even though they were only playing a game. The teacher explained to me that she likes
for the children to play group games so that she can see their strengths and weaknesses. Every
activity that they do is an assessment of some type.
STANDARD 4. USING DEVELOPMENTALLY EFFECTIVE APPROACHES
4a: Understanding positive relationships and supportive interactions as the foundation of their
work with young children

I learned that assessment can take place even when children arent taking a test. Finding
creative ways to assess children is important because a standard test may not be able to give
me the answers for in which I am searching. I also learned that the activities that are character
and relationship builders, made the class better as a whole, not just the child with special needs.
What are other team builders and how can I find more to use to ensure a strong group?

Lisa Dorsett
The Lighthouse
October 3, 2014
8-9pm
When the children went into the classroom, there were 13 children and 4 adults. Instead
of the children sitting on the blue carpet, as they normally do, they sat in chairs facing the front
of the room. The teacher began to teach a lesson and wanted to again place the children into
groups. The child with the speech impairment would be in a group, but she didnt ask him to
speak. She asked each group to have a speaker, someone who could write information, and
someone else would be the idea person. The children smiled and began to look around the
room. They moved their chairs so that they formed their groups. They had to make a short story
about positive character traits. They could use animals or people to make their points. The room
was immediately alive with conversation. I did hear the boy with the speech disability jumping in
on the conversation. He did not stutter as much. The problem for him may have been standing
in front of everyone and having to speak. When it was time to tell the story, the children had
looks of pride as their stories were read. After the children did their stories, they watched a
video of a fable. The video held everyones interest. It was in cartoon form and the words were
at the bottom in closed caption. Also there was a narrator. The teacher wanted the children to
expand on their stories so she showed them an example. This type of video is very helpful
because studies have shown that using visual and linguistic forms increases a childs ability to
achieve.
STANDARD 4. USING DEVELOPMENTALLY EFFECTIVE APPROACHES
4c: Using a broad repertoire of developmentally appropriate teaching /learning approaches

I learned that teaching isnt just a teacher standing in front of a class talking about the lesson.
Sometimes the children can teach each other and its guided by the teacher. I learned that once
the teacher sets the objectives for the class, there are many ways to accomplish the goals. I am

pondering how I would be able to find creative ideas that would help children to learn and retain
information.

Lisa Dorsett
The Lighthouse
October 10, 2014
7-8pm
I arrived before most of the children and a boy who has ADHD was dropped off by his
mother. The boys mother explained that he had not taken his medicine in a while because he
was at his grandmothers house and he left the medication there. One of the other parents (who
was also dropping her children off) stated, He doesnt need medication. What he needs is a
whooping with a belt. The teacher didnt say a word to the outspoken parent. She just
escorted the child inside of the facility. The teacher said to me that she hears this kind of
misinformation often from people who dont understand ADHD. She showed me a pamphlet
where the National Institute of Mental Health explained that ADHD symptoms include difficulty
staying focused and paying attention, difficulty controlling behavior, and hyperactivity (overactivity). She said that the child has these symptoms and that they are working with the mother
to get her to have the child use the medication on a more consistent basis. Because it was
snack time, there was no assistive technology used to calm or focus the boy. He was able to
play with the children, which he enjoyed. He stated a few times that he couldnt wait to go into
the classroom so that he could help the teacher.
STANDARD 6. BECOMING A PROFESSIONAL
6a: Identifying and involving oneself with the early childhood field

I learned that being a professional is not just having knowledge of my field but also the way that
I carry myself and maintaining confidentiality. When a child has a disability, it is important to
know as much information as I can, so that I can assist the child, but to also be discreet with the
childs information. I also learned that it is important to protect the child from people that are not
knowledgeable about their disability. One question that I have is how can I inform more of the
public about disabilities, sensitivity, and the needs of children.

Lisa Dorsett
The Lighthouse
October 10, 2014
8-9pm
It was time for the children to move into the classroom to be taught a lesson where they
sat on the blue rug. The child with ADHD, asked how could he help. The teacher used him to
help with a lot of activities. There were 4 adults, two teachers, two volunteers, and 15 children in
the room, and he wanted to talk to and play with everyone. Helping the teacher was a way to
distract him from doing the wrong thing. The teacher then had him pull up the list of songs that
she was using on the Ipad. While he searched, she told a story. Amazingly he was listening to
her tell the story while he searched for the song. He was able to answer questions that she
asked from the story that she read. After the story, the children were told they would act out the
story. Almost everyone wanted to participate. The children sang, wrote a small play, did a little
acting, and watched a video. The teacher didnt have a problem out of the children. All of the
different types of intelligences were being used. The video was a huge hit. The video showed
the words to the songs so they could read as they sang. The teacher explained to me that she
read that some children with ADHD are often great with multi-tasking. So she chooses activities
where there is a lot to do so that if he tires of one thing; there is another activity or task ready. It
is important to assess the situation and act accordingly.
STANDARD 6. GROWING AS A PROFESSIONAL
6d: Integrating knowledgeable, reflective, and critical perspectives on early education based upon
mastery of relevant theory and research

I learned that observation never stops. Each group of children needs to be observed and
assessed so that plans to correct behavior can be made. I learned that I need to stay on top of
treatments for children in the classrooms. All children will not receive medication. I am

wondering if there is a newsletter that I can receive that would keep me informed of problem
solving techniques in the classrooms.

Lisa Dorsett
The Lighthouse
October 17, 2014
7-8pm
Today they decided to play a game like baseball, but not with a real baseball. There were 11
children and 3 adults. The teacher gave the instructions and one of the students became very
upset. One of the adults took the child out of the class to speak with him. He kept saying that he
didnt want to play. The teacher asked what was going on because he rarely wants to play. He
said it was because he was stupid and began to cry. The teacher thought it was best to call his
mother. His mother stated that he was tested at school and it was discovered that he does have
a learning disability. She said that the school is coming up with an IEP and they are beginning
to work with him. The teacher explained that the director of the program needs to be informed of
the plan so that we can all stay on the same page. The teacher later said to me that she thought
that the boy had a learning disability but that she didnt want to ask the mother and offend her.
This could have been handled in a professional way with the director talking with the mother and
perhaps the child could have been assessed sooner.
STANDARD 3. OBSERVING, DOCUMENTING, AND ASSESSING TO SUPPORT YOUNG
CHILDREN AND FAMILIES
3c: Understanding and practicing responsible assessment to promote positive outcomes for each
child, including the use of assistive technology for children with disabilities

I learned what not to do from this observation. The staff did not do a good job observing
and assessing this child. While they were observing, nothing was done to support the child or
the childs family. I learned that when I see an issue arise, I should understand that I am a
professional and speak with the manager or director to see if the family is aware and then to find
out how we can be a support. I question if I will have the courage to speak up about such a
sensitive issue.

Lisa Dorsett
The Lighthouse
October 17, 2014
8-9pm
During the second hour, the child with the learning disability was still noticeably upset. The
second teacher did try to comfort the child. She gave him a sticker, but it didnt help. The first
teacher continued teaching her lesson, but no changes were made. I know that the teacher just
found out that he had a problem, but they also know how to deal with special needs. When a
child first learns that they have a learning disability, it can be an emotional day. Inside they
already know that they are different, but it is still a secret. The boy told the teacher that now
everyone knows that he is stupid. I thought that they should have taken him out of the class and
let him talk about what was going on with him at this time. The way that the class is set up
nothing about the teaching style would need to change that day. The teacher always uses
pictures, videos, songs, and games. The difference would be the emotional side of what the
child was going through. The staff and volunteers are all willing to deal with at risk children and
children with special needs, but they are not all trained. Six people are trained the others are
volunteers that have no training. They are there to keep the community involved. The problem
with training is that it costs money. Also, the site does not have the funding to purchase a van
for a child in a wheelchair. They dont have a staff person that would be able to communicate
with a deaf child. So they cannot serve a complete community with all of the communitys
needs.

STANDARD 3. OBSERVING, DOCUMENTING, AND ASSESSING TO SUPPORT YOUNG

CHILDREN AND FAMILIES
3a: Understanding the goals, benefits, and uses of assessment including its use in development
of appropriate goals, curriculum, and teaching strategies for young children

I learned that in order to set goals and make curriculum, it is vital that the teachers and staff
know the needs of all of the children. Teaching strategies that work with one group may not
work with a different group. I also learned the importance of finding ways to fund a program. In
order to be your absolute best, it costs money. The question I would ask myself is how can I find
available funding without knowing all of the needs that the children will have?