Sunday, October 16, 2016

Week 8 - Reflection


Self-directed Learning using Feedly


 


Mental Health Problems Students Face


I read an article written by Amanda Green posted in The Edudemic blog this month about mental health problems students face. The title attracted me a lot because I have seen some cases as an educator so I decide to know more about it. The article talks about the important role the teachers have to identify some signs and symptoms to pay attention to. As educators we spend so much time with students, particularly observing them in social and educational situations, so we can provide invaluable help in identifying possible mental health issues, so we can work with parents to help students get the help they need.

According with the author mental health issues can start in very young students or emerge later with teenagers. We have to be alert because sometimes it is difficult to detect that there is a health problem at first, so we think that everything is normal, but in other cases we notice something like the child suddenly starts yelling at you or you find yourself stunned and shocked when the child begins saying upsetting things you would not expect from a child their age. Maybe the child grades has suddenly dropped, and the child just does not seem interested in doing anything about it. In other cases the child has started skipping school. Children might be having dramatic mood swings from one moment to the next, or  maybe they are starting doing things that they haven’t done in a long time.

Parents and teachers know when the children are not acting like themselves and may be they are going to need help. The article establish other important signs and symptoms to pay attention to:

  • Appearing withdrawn or wanting to be alone all the time.
  • Appearing overly anxious and worried. Or just having a lot of fear.
  • Losing sleep or having nightmares.
  • Losing or gaining a lot of weight.
  • Appearing depressed, sad, or irritable a lot.
  • Appearing aggressive or violent. Or breaking rules more than usual.
  • Self-harming behaviors like cutting, scratching, head banging, or otherwise hurting themselves.
  • Thoughts of death, wanting to die, or talking about suicide.

The article establish that as many as 15 million children in the U.S. could be diagnosed with mental health disorders. However, only as few as  7 percent of these young people actually receive the care they need.

At the end, the article list the Most Common Mental Health Issues For Children, according with the APA (The American Psychological Association) :

1.     ADHD, (Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder)

2.     Anxiety

3.     Depression

4.     Autism Spectrum Disorders

5.     PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder)

6.     OCD (Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

7.     Tourette

8.     ODD (Oppositional Defiant Disorder)

9.     CD (Conduct Disorder)

10.                        Eating Disorders (Anorexia/Bulimia)








The Pros and Cons of Technology in the Classroom




I read an article written by Amanda Ronan posted in The Edudemic blog last April about the pros and cons of Technology in the Classroom. The article talks about how in the last decades, technology has taken the front seat in Education and society is becoming quite dependent on the technology. It is the technology which helps in enhancing the skills and preparing children for the future.

Technology could provide a high end environment and an interactive learning experience. There are numerous means in which teachers could use technology in their classroom. Technology in education is playing a crucial role in enhancing the skills and knowledge of the people across the Globe.

It is known that the using technology in the classroom, has been a controversial debate for the last couple of decades. Parents, teachers, policy makers, and students alike have weighed and argued the potential benefits versus the risks and consequences of classroom technology, not only referring to the devices many students personally own, but also when referring to the integration of tools into the everyday education experience.

The Ronan's article establish the next pros and cons about using technology in the classroom:

Pros of Technology in the Classroom

1.     Data and analytic reporting

2.     Just in time information

3.     Differentiated instruction

4.     Different learning modalities

5.     Assistive tech for special needs

Cons of Technology in the Classroom

1.     Replacing teachers

2.     Distracting

3.     Easier to access others’ work

4.     Disparity of access outside of class

5.     Privacy





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