Repsonse to the Students in the Margins experience

6/10/2010

Please respond to one or both of the following discussion promts:

How did you feel about the barriers you experienced while completing the simulations?

How will having a better understanding of learning barriers affect your approach to instruction?

204 Comments

Shayna Gruenewald

6/23/2010 05:12:55 am

I got a headache ... migraine from trying so hard, and not being able to keep up or be successful.

So, how do we best help these kids?

Marie

6/23/2010 05:13:44 am

Frustrating. I could translate the words better than the listening or the writing

Melissa link

6/23/2010 05:14:20 am

I felt like I was being asked to to the impossible. I was being set up for failure and had no chance to demonstrate my actual knowledge.

I try to accept all learners. My daily mission is to find a way for my kids to learn and to demonstrate what they have learned.

Brooke Stidham

6/23/2010 05:14:56 am

These activities were very challenging and felt unnatural. I am assuming that my students are feeling the same types of things when we try to teach them something new, such as a new strategy, even if it is meant to help them understand. In the future I will remember how difficult it was to complete the Auditory Task, as I probably acted like that teacher many times, especially with 38 kids in my class last year.

Heather

6/23/2010 05:15:28 am

The attention simulation where the teacher was giving directions but was constantly being interrupted opened my eyes and put me in the shoes of some of my students that have attention difficulties. It was hard for me to follow the directions and perform the activity. I can see how a student with attention problems would feel lost or behind all the time in class. It kind of gave me some anxiety knowing that I was doing the activity incorrectly, and now I know how some of my students feel in my class.

Patti

6/23/2010 05:16:02 am

It was frustrating not being able to complete the task the way I expected. This is an excellent reminder that many students struggle. This has helped me to remember that I need to be aware of learning barriers while teaching.

Julie

6/23/2010 05:16:33 am

I was frustrated when trying to do the challenges. I was trying to stay super focused, but it was hard. Normally things come pretty easy for me, so it was nice to do a simulation where I was at a frustration level.

I try to understand learning barriers in my classroom, but this was an eye opening experience.

Jen

6/23/2010 05:17:04 am

This website really gave me a clear understanding about how it feels to have various learning disabilities. They made me feel uncomfortable so I know my students must feel the same if they struggle with this. I will share this website with my school at a staff meeting when we go back in the fall.

Ashara

6/23/2010 05:17:35 am

A very humbling experience and an eyeopener. I will remember this when I just assume a student is goofing off or just not concentrating hard enough. Every teacher needs to experience this website. Look forward to finding technologies to help these kids.

Marsha

6/23/2010 05:18:12 am

The barriers become real when you experience them yourself. I am more inclined to find solutions with that experience.

Jamey

6/23/2010 05:18:44 am

Demonstrates how children learn in different ways. Key point was the boy who looked at Pokemon cards instead of paying attention. But consider he was "reading" the information on the card and "adding" or "subtracting" the numbers on the card.

mary

6/23/2010 05:19:30 am

I found it to be very frustrating. But easier to be more empathetic.

Deana

6/23/2010 05:20:10 am

I feel like I did better in some simulations than others. I feel like I did better with memory and comprehension, which are my strengths as a learner and I did poorly in math, my weakness as a learner. I feel like this puts things into perspective for me as a teacher to many LD students.

Donna link

6/23/2010 05:20:54 am

This was an eye opening experience. I know that children/people have these disabilities, and they can be severe. I really liked the ADHD activity. It really puts a real-life perspective to what they are feeling.

What can I (or other teachers) really do to help any of these children?

Alice

6/23/2010 05:22:08 am

I was especially struck by the auditory interference--- as soon as the additional voices overlaid the teacher's voice, I was lost. It was very similiar to the feeling after I suffered a MTBI a year ago.

paula

6/23/2010 05:26:16 am

it is a great reminder of how directions need to be given clearly and slowly and repeated in many different ways. I was struck that in a K-2 setting we expect kids to not read yet and have a hard time sitting still and have difficulty writing....but I guess in the upper grades this expectation really changes. I wanted to scream during the auditory simulation. I was trying SO hard to pay attention and do the right thing...but i just gave up.

Jill

8/3/2010 03:52:13 am

It gave me a deeper level of understanding and compassion for my students with certain challenges.

Beth

8/3/2010 03:52:58 am

Some of them were fairly easy, but others were more difficult. Not only were there distractions in the activities there were other distractions in the room as well.

gregory

8/3/2010 03:53:44 am

This is very enlightening for students who don't have a learning disability.

jessi

8/3/2010 03:54:34 am

I think that this would be a very helpful and interesting tool for a professional development for our building. We have a high LD population and I will be recommending that our staff visits this site!

Erin

8/3/2010 03:55:20 am

I thought the attention activity with the shapes was an eye opener. When I first started the activity I had flashbacks to an elementary classroom, trying to get everyone to focus after a transition. It took all my will power to concentrate on listening just to the teacher. Then, after a while, it seemed like the teacher's voice blended in with other voices and I couldn't distinguish who was saying what.

Jamie

8/3/2010 03:56:07 am

Just shoot me. Why even try? How many "lazy" kids were actually lazy versus putting up a front so they don't have to deal with it.

Shelly

8/3/2010 03:56:52 am

Seeing I don't experience those have those disabilites, it was quite the eye opener on how a student experiences these situations. I was very surprised at how difficult this is for students....I actually felt bad if I create this hardhip and don't do anything about it.

Torie

8/3/2010 03:57:38 am

These activites were frustrating and I really had to think about what it was that I was trying to do. I can't imagine what learning is like for some students who have a disablity. One of the math activities had instructions that made me give up instantly.

annp

8/3/2010 03:58:27 am

I think it would be good for students to do the activity with the shapes/following directions so they could hear how their talking can disrupt others.

DJ link

8/3/2010 03:59:16 am

I love how the vignettes gave a great sense of reality...Every teacher needs to watch these..

Steve

8/3/2010 03:59:59 am

If this all is true, then shouldn't our most aggressive interventions be taking place K-2? Why do we wait until upper elem or M.S. in so many instances? We should have our kids "figured out" before they enter third grade or the poor things will be playing catch-up forever. How do we change the way things are done?

Lori

8/3/2010 04:00:01 am

Although it was frustrating trying to complete the tasks, it was a reminder for me of what some students in my classroom experience as I am reading, giving instruction or making my expectations "clear!"

Julie

8/3/2010 04:01:14 am

Some were frustrating. It seemed like I had to go back more often than usual or necessary to complete tasks that seemed like they should be simple. A kid with disabilities can't going to go back that many times for EVERY task they complete each day.

Shannon

8/3/2010 04:01:58 am

I felt very frustrated when I tried the attention simulations. I think it is good for all teachers to participate in these activities so that we can empathize with these students.

Riley link

8/3/2010 04:03:49 am

So really how do we reach these kids? With all the pressures of test scores, how can you really teach these kids? I failed the reading and math on the site.

Kal

8/3/2010 04:04:34 am

Simply understanding that these barriers are out there seems to be fundamental to helping overcome them. If the teacher can not understand why a student is not reading, following directions, ect. It is hard to provide help in these situations. However, if the teacher can withhold blaming the student for not listening and instead create an environment which makes listening possible for the student both teacher and student will become more successful.

connie k

8/3/2010 04:09:36 am

I felt like I was being asked to complete something that was nearly impossible, yet I should be able to easily complete the task. It was a very humbling experience.

Although not asked to respond to some of the articles read, I did find some very lengthy and thorough article on RtI and what our schools SHOULD be doing for all students.

Erin C

8/3/2010 04:11:02 am

The attention activity really opened my eyes. The distractions from the classroom were something that I did not anticipate. These types of distractions happen in the classroom everyday and I never realized what an impact they may have on a student with a learning disability.

Matt

8/3/2010 04:48:21 am

Some of the activities were extremely difficult and I can see where out students can struggle.

Michelle

8/3/2010 04:54:07 am

Doing the activities really makes you think about your students who might be having difficulties. This would be great for teachers to do every once in awhile from the beginning of the year until the end to just remind us of what many of our students are facing in the classroom. If anything, teachers can be more aware and willing to help all students find the ways in which they learn best.

Lisa Miller

8/3/2010 05:16:26 am

What a great resource for teachers to really get a feel for what some students go through. I didn't even try to answer many of the questions because I just knew that I didn't have the info to answer. It was frustrating because before each one I said, "Okay, I can do this..." and I couldn't :-(

Jeremy

8/3/2010 05:27:37 am

Wow...that really stunk! It gives me more understanding for what some students have to go through. It is a reminder that they all can't "do" things the same way.

Justin

8/3/2010 05:38:31 am

I already have a hard time reading and focusing so this experience brought me back to why I hated being rushed so much. It is very motivating to adapt and create a lesson that truly is universal.

Marty

8/4/2010 05:10:38 am

It's basically like being uprooted to a another country without being able to understand that language.

Heidi

8/4/2010 05:11:25 am

I can see how students with a learning disability can shut down. I was able to distinguish that the the audio/visual examples were not of norm. Many students do not know that is not normal. So, I was able to look past the distractions. Many students can't and don't know how. It is so important to catch these disabilities early to help them deal/learn with how to handle it.

Mike

8/4/2010 05:15:37 am

The simulations really did give me a good introspective about how students feel when they struggle with various subjects. That would be incredibly frustrating.

I think understanding how different learning disabilities affect students reminds me to focus on choice and student-driven work. By using these methods in my class, students will hopefully be able to find a way that works for them. At the very least, it makes me a lot of apt to give second chances if I feel that a student is actually trying to get better.

Dave

8/4/2010 05:15:40 am

Experiencing a learning disability has opened my eyes to what the student feels. It will help me empathize more with those students who have disabilities in my classroom. This activities highlight the need for choices within the classroom.

Amy

8/4/2010 05:16:34 am

I found myself shutting down. I was very frustrated. I knew I could stop and that it did not matter how I did. I feel for the students that deal with these frustrations on a daily basis.

Andrea

8/4/2010 05:17:25 am

It was very frustrating to work on these activities. It was a good simulation of what students who have these difficulties face. I had a really hard time with the attention activity. It was so hard to concentrate on what the teacher was saying over all of the other distractions. I got lost, and she did not repeat anything.

I think all teachers realize that some of our students struggle in a particular area, but we don't really know what it is like. Now that we know what these students may be feeling, we might be able to emphazize with them and give more explicit directions in multiple modes- such as written and verbal.

Kara

8/4/2010 05:18:11 am

These simulations were really interesting. Many of us that are teachers were good students and we don't often have that perspective.

Kelly G.

8/4/2010 05:18:56 am

I was totally frustrated and unable to decipher the information that the teacher was trying to teach with all the distractions, and I am a "normal" learner. I can see the how and why my kids cope (by appropriate and sometimes not inappropriate behaviors) when this happens to them. I need to be aware and try to provide accomadations for all learners.

Dana

8/4/2010 05:19:49 am

I found the activities very hard to complete. An eyeopening experience.

Anne

8/4/2010 05:21:30 am

I think it's good for us to experience what some kids go through so that we may structure lessons differently in order to teach to their learning styles.

Matt C Wettstein

8/5/2010 04:37:25 am

I cannot believe the hurdles these learners have to deal with. When it came to the auditory exercise I was concentrating so hard to follow what the techer was saying but there was no way I could.

Elizabeth

8/5/2010 04:37:27 am

What a great way to show just what it's like for some of the kids in our classes who struggle on a daily basis! Since I was fortunate enough to have ability to read, write, and do math fairly easily, it's sometimes hard to imagine what it is like for our kids. This was a great tool - I will definitely be sharing it with my colleagues and with parents!

Lisa

8/5/2010 04:39:42 am

This was a powerful tool where we were able to experience what our learners experience-frustrations and all. Every teacher should have the opportunity to participate in this activity...we need to feel how our own students feel when encountering the various situations described in the different scenarios...especially the one where you are trying to put the shapes in the correct locations while trying to deal with the different noises and conversations.

Cortnie

8/5/2010 04:45:33 am

I agree Lisa, sometimes teachers become harsh when it seems like some students aren't paying attention. I felt this was a great way to show teachers the frustrations some students face daily. It is extremely important to remain patient and understanding of all student needs.

Steve

8/5/2010 04:45:47 am

The one following instructions while trying to create the picture was extremely difficult. It made me wonder how many of my students missed parts of the instructions because of distractions around them.

Saarah White

8/5/2010 04:45:50 am

So often as teachers we were the kids who were "good" at school. We often don't understand or we forget about the challenges that face some of our students. I think these activities were a great reminder that we need to teach with these challenged students in mind. In the end it will benefit all of our students.

Tammi

8/5/2010 04:45:58 am

I was unable to view the videos or experience the activities. I felt like a student with disabilities-frustrated. :(

Tiff

8/5/2010 04:46:00 am

OMG! I became extremely frustrated due to the amount of noise. It didn't even matter how hard I tried to focus.

Tanisha

8/5/2010 04:46:26 am

This was an amazing simulation. How many times do we as educators say "I am going to say this one time and one time only"! What are we doing to our students. We need to make sure that we command attention and repeat as necessary!!! I tried the puzzle 4 times and still could not get it fully!!! Truly amazing.

Casey

8/5/2010 04:46:32 am

I found these activities incredibly difficult and cannot imagine having to go through those struggles every day. It was an interesting and informative perspective; I feel that I now understand better why some of my students struggle. This is something that I would like to share with other teachers and parents.

Deb

8/5/2010 04:46:37 am

I couldn't believe I was so dumb about answering some of the questions. Especially the math, I had to go back and forth several times. I have always known that many of my students have many distractions while learning and therefore, many choose not to learn. This gives me a better idea on how to handle this.

Angela

8/5/2010 04:46:40 am

It is so difficult and frustrating for these types of students. These videos reminded me of the struggles that my learners can face and that I must find ways to help them become successful and overcome their struggles.

Chris

8/5/2010 04:46:50 am

Sometimes we as teachers and adults need to be brought back to what it was like when we struggled or learned something for the first time. Also, these exercises are a great way to walk in someone's shoes, and see how they function or the difficulties they may have.

Laure

8/5/2010 04:46:51 am

It made me feel troubled and sad. I felt like "who cares?" and I am sure this is how the kids start to feel. It made me personally sad because my son is struggling right now with reading and I can see what he is up against.

Mike

8/5/2010 04:46:54 am

It was very interesting to attempt to follow directions with all of the distractions. It is better to repeat instructions for those that are trying to complete the exercises rather than only reading the directions once.

Susan

8/5/2010 04:47:01 am

Extremely frustrated. Easy to see why students shut down or act out.

Shanell

8/5/2010 04:47:12 am

I found the barriers extremely frustrating. The auditory activity was especially frustrating because I couldn't hear the "teacher" over the "students." I am definitely a visual learner, so auditory instructions are difficult enough for me without kids buzzing in the background. I was already thinking many of the things the other voices were, so to have those voices on top of my own "inner voice" was confusing.

I think this activity would be valuable for teachers, parents, and students alike.

Pat OConnor

8/5/2010 04:47:12 am

I've seen these many times, along with my fellow teachers but unfortunately, I see very little change, no real attempt to truly differentiate instruction so that we fit the student rather than asking them to always fit us.

Nadja

8/5/2010 04:48:18 am

The barriers were very frustrating to me. I could understand how hard and frustrating it was for the students in the videos as well.
Having a better understanding of barriers would make teachers a bit more patient with their students and help them to understand when students are not "on task" or do not finish an assignment on time.

Tiff

8/5/2010 04:48:40 am

Since I have a better understanding how children with disabilities struggle during school, I definitely realize the importance of speaking slowly, repeating directions, stopping to ask for questions, giving extended time on assignments, etc.

Andrea

8/5/2010 04:48:48 am

Frustration is the word for the moment. doing the activities under the "special" conditions opened my eyes even wider. I am already aware of these issues and use strategies to help students. These experiences help to make me sympathetic and motivated at the same time.

kevin

8/5/2010 04:49:05 am

The simulations are good for teachers to gain a better feeling of what their students experience during class. The feeling a student gets is authentic but rarely acknowledged by teachers because we believe students are telling stories.

michele

8/5/2010 04:49:50 am

I felt completely inadequate but as an adult and knowing that I am more than my brain, I was able to feel okay about myself. I have had 45 years to come to this conclusion-had this been 30 years ago???? I think I'd be cutting myself or yelling at someone.

Brian

8/5/2010 04:49:59 am

Very important to make sure directions are presented in students in more than one way and multiple times.

Karen

8/5/2010 04:50:25 am

I feel I have some of the issues that these students deal with on a daily basis. I did not do well on any of the activities. It did make me feel a little inferior however I know that I have many other strengths that I have developed over the years to compensate for these issues. So I hope as an educator I am able to help students find ways to compensate for areas they struggle with and feel accomplished by the end of a lesson rather than feel hopeless and lost.

Darlene

8/5/2010 04:51:18 am

I found the auditory activity especially enlightening. It will make me much more conscious of my students' possible difficulties.

Katie

8/5/2010 04:53:43 am

I found that I started off paying attention and really trying as things started getting confusing I gave up and didn't care

Mark

8/5/2010 05:00:43 am

I am one who needs quiet and minimum distractions to really concentrate. Classrooms were never easy for me so I can identify with the kids in these clips. Very frustrating. After a couple of tries I wanted to "go to the bathroom".

Elaine

8/5/2010 05:04:52 am

At first while doing the auditory exercise it was hard to concentrate because others in the room were talking. Just as I "tuned them out", the talking over the teacher in the video began. I wanted to tell everyone to be quiet!!! Very frustrating to not be able to complete the exercise correctly.

Shelby

8/5/2010 05:05:37 am

The shape exercise was somewhat doable, but somewhere in the middle I was completely unable to hear the teacher's instructions.

The reading activity took a tremendous amount of concentration and by the time I got to the middle of the selection I gave up.

As for the writing exercise, I simply couldn't keep the instructions in my head at all and didn't even try beyond putting two words down realizing I had already not done something correctly but couldn't remember at all what it was that I was to do.

This has been quite a revealing experience.

AngieJ

8/5/2010 05:06:24 am

By the time I got to the third task, I didn't really even try, because I pretty much assumed I wasn't going to be very successful, and the effort would therefore not be worth it.!

Wendy Zahrn link

8/5/2010 05:07:29 am

I started off well, but then couldn't hear the instructions and felt like just putting the shapes anywhere because I might get some of them correct. It was confusing and I felt "happy" when I heard the teacher give an instruction here and there. I can see why students give up.
I think this will help my approach to teaching because I have a better feel for being in the "shoes" of these students.

Becky

8/5/2010 05:08:15 am

This activity made me feel really frustrated. I started off reading but was getting mad and checked out! When it got to the writing part I couldn't even think of what to write because of all the rules, all I could do was sit there. I now understand what some of our kids are feeling like in our classrooms. This will make me concentrate more on how to reach all my students.

Melissa

8/5/2010 05:09:29 am

It was very frustrating because know matter how hard I tried in the auditory activity, the other students in the room still affected my outcome. Apparently I wasn't the only one in the room with an attention disorder if other students didn't understand either.

Marilyn

8/5/2010 05:10:20 am

I felt really frustrated and just quit trying.

Tracy

8/5/2010 05:11:24 am

Wow!! It helps to put yourself in someone else's shoes!! I can't imagine what some of these kids have gone through!

Jen

8/5/2010 05:13:43 am

What an eye-opening experience! I felt overwhelmed, exhausted, lost, terrified and anxious!

Sara

8/5/2010 05:14:37 am

Well, I found out that I haven't been very sympathetic to my students. The simulations were enlightening to me. In the future, I'll pay more attention to the accommodations I make for students with learning disabilities.

Nicole

8/5/2010 05:15:36 am

This was a very frustrating task. My head hurts after staring at the screen for so long.

julia

8/5/2010 05:16:33 am

I felt like an abject failure after the first assignment. Motivation plummeted after the second, and I admit I skipped the third entirely. Who wants to be a three-time loser?

CathyT

8/5/2010 05:17:25 am

I am very grateful they keep our classroom numbers low in SPED. You can see how much support some of our kids need to be successful and it is so important that they get a chance to show what they know. I am tired of everyone thinking they are not capable. We are under so much pressure to push everyone along quickly to keep up with the "standards"

Michelle

8/5/2010 05:21:11 am

Very difficult. I am a math teacher, so I tried the math activities and I was very frustrated. If I were a student in this situation, I most likely would not want to come to school.

Cindy

8/5/2010 05:22:11 am

The background noises and lights made huge differences in how much attention that I could give to the tasks. I found myself wanting to stand up to do this task in order to give it more energy!

Erica Amiel

8/5/2010 05:24:12 am

To maintain the amount of focus necessary to complete the tasks was such a struggle. You just feel like giving up.

Michele

8/10/2010 05:04:33 am

Humble. I can understand the frustration then shame people experience with these barriers.

julie

8/10/2010 05:05:26 am

this was great...I watched the attention video. The auditory activity for attention was FANTASTIC. Every teacher MUST show that and have students do this at the beginning of each year. Maybe go back to it and review that all students must be quiet during instruction and lecture to make it a LEARNING environment for ALL students. AWESOME

Michele

8/10/2010 05:06:16 am

I will have a lot more patience when I encounter a student with a barrier. Then I will try to find ways to deal with the student's difficulty so the student will find success.

dave link

8/10/2010 05:06:30 am

The auditory exercise was the most difficult for me. I am a fairly fast reader with very high retention, but I could not for the life of me get all the directions when there was all the back ground noise. It was a very accurate portrayal of my classroom, so I hope I am a bit more empathic in the future

Twanda

8/10/2010 05:07:09 am

Wow! This was quite interesting. The noise distraction can definitely be a major barrier.

She-Ra

8/10/2010 05:07:58 am

I already have some language barriers so I kinda already get it. The activities were uncomfortable.

Chris

8/10/2010 05:09:46 am

I can better understand why my students will sit silent or cry when asked to do activities. Those activities were very frustrating and could easily lead to frustration, anger and feelings of inability. I worry about how to reach the students and how to help them feel successful.

8/10/2010 05:11:09 am

I felt it was almost impossible to do. I can see why students become easily frustrated because there doesn't seem to be a way to figure anything out

B. G.

8/10/2010 05:18:49 am

My oldest son had the problem with writing that was described. It was interesting to actually try to do some writing from his perspective rather than just remembering being a frustrated mom.

Bob Wandel

8/10/2010 05:20:20 am

I've done this exercise several times. It always frustrates me that I can't get it. I usually try until I get burned out and then quit. I'm usually ticked when I'm done....

Brandon Helder

8/10/2010 05:23:31 am

In each scenario it quickly discovered that all the activties require a greater amount of attention and focus. Another cohort member sitting next to me asked a simple question during the process and I "lost" where I was and had to start the whole process all over again.

In the videos I understand that kids feel shame. By doing the activities and began to empathize with that shame.

John

8/10/2010 05:25:00 am

It helps you gain a student's perspective of difficult subject areas.

Alesha Parnacott

8/10/2010 05:25:35 am

As a special education teacher, I am so excited to be able to share these simulations with other teachers. I see the struggles that students with disabilities go through on a daily basis. I often find myself having to be an advocate for why teachers need to modify their instruction, and now I can show them. I hope that these activities will help open the eyes to the educators who do not understand students with special needs. Universal Design for Learning is an essential piece to effective instruction for all students, and I cannot wait to see the effects it will have on students when teachers begin to learn the ideas and principles behind UDL and integrate them into their lesson plans and curriculum.

Jenn H

8/10/2010 05:27:30 am

The activities were good examples of what it is like to struggle in school. I was particularly bothered by the disappearing text because I wasn't able to go back and find the answers to the questions. As a certified LD teacher who teaches in a general education class I try my best to meet all my students' needs!

Jennifer Cousins

8/10/2010 05:28:45 am

Wow! I felt no matter which activity I tried, that I needed more time. Time to think about the task and to plan how I was going to attack the task. The struggle with the attention activity probably lives in my classroom all the time for some kids. The reading activity, I was not prepared for the words to disappear. I could have been more successful had I had time to go back to reread or take some notes. The writing activity I could not even wrap my head around. I felt very frustrated. I hope that I will be more aware of the struggles that kids in my classroom face each day, and can meet them with compassion and alternative ways of demonstrating their learning. "Equal is not always fair and fair is not equal." Different things work for different people. We were not all made from the same cookie cutter.

Amy Striegle

8/10/2010 05:29:18 am

My brother once asked me if I had to go to school everyday and struggle would I have made it to graduation... I am not sure I would have. I often take my ability to learn for granted.

S. Dokter

8/10/2010 05:29:18 am

Frustrated. I thought it was a great exercise and a good reminder of how some children feel on a daily basis. It was good to remember what my frustration level feels like. . .

Katie Brezina

8/10/2010 05:30:21 am

I was very frustrated during some of the activities. For example, the attention activity in which the teacher spoke directions (that she warned she would not repeat) really got me going! The other kids were gossiping, making noise, and pretty much making it impossible to hear the instruction. I got stressed out!

I really felt like I gained a brand new perspective while going through the activities! I am going to bookmark this site to refer back to later in the year!

Dan Lynn link

8/10/2010 05:30:28 am

The writing exercise was particularly effective for me. The need to concentrate so hard on the minutiae left no energy to do a good job. Completing the task would be hard enough without trying to do it well. Even though I thought I had followed the rules, I would have been embarrassed to have others see what I had produced. The brings to mind many students I've had.

Melanie

8/10/2010 05:30:51 am

In attempting the activities, you certainly get a sense of the frustration some students experience in the classroom. Coming up with ways to help these students succeed and feel successful is a definite goal of mine.

Amy

8/10/2010 05:31:46 am

The simulations we viewed really opened my eyes to the daily struggles many of my students have. After attempting the activities, I felt the emotions expressed by the students in the interview. Now, what can I do about it? I think there is such power in having empathy for those around you and it is my hope that my teaching can begin to evolve from "teaching the group" to "teaching the students". Universal Design for Learning is going to be the perfect tool to implement these teaching practices.

Bonnie

8/10/2010 05:31:47 am

The writing was very frustrating! I have first graders at very different levels, it's good to remember how it feels to be just learning. I can see how Universal Design for Learning is an essential piece for all our students, especially the ones with special needs.

Connie Renkema

8/10/2010 05:32:37 am

What an eye opening experience!! The level of frustration spiked immediately upon attempting the assignment and I had an idea of what was going to happen when I began. I can't imagine what a student is thinking who is going into the assignment wanting to be successful, but getting more and more frustrated at how difficult "following the directions" is going to be. It's no wonder they give up before they even start after a while!

Dave S

8/10/2010 05:34:40 am

I began to get a headache right away. However, after listening to the picture activity twice I was able to put all of the shapes in the correct spot.

I think this was a valuable activity for all teachers to go through. Especially at the start of a new school year.

Jim

8/10/2010 05:35:54 am

These activities seemed designed to make me fail, at least, in the way that I am used to being taught. Some common occurrences were lack of time, confusing directions, disappearing script, etc. I feel that in our school we have many (not all) students identified that have learning disabilities and we have adapted. As a teacher I feel that the idea of UDL is really needed because it has been easier for us to teach all the students the same way, but that has not helped many of our students.

Whitney

8/10/2010 05:37:17 am

Hearing the students explain how they felt and the ways they would cope in the classroom melts my heart. It keeps me striving to do my best at reaching all students and learning the strategies to most effectively achieve that goal.

Ellen Jacobs

8/10/2010 05:39:44 am

The math was fun but I needed to keep track on my fingers. Asking me how I got the right answers bordered on accusing me of cheating.

The writing was difficult. My writing became more and more outrageous as I tried to finish the assignment by avoiding as many rules as possible.

Duane

8/10/2010 05:41:07 am

Yikes! Funny thing is that I have had reading difficulties most of my life and I received a 100% on the reading activity. On the flipside, I am a math teacher and consider myself pretty skilled in that area yet didn't do so well on the "tests". I can take a couple different approaches to my results -- where I did well - consider it luck that I did well in one of my weak areas or be really proud; where I struggled - think author was just trying to trick me and validate my failure or consider it a challenge for next time. When working with students we need to make sure they learn from whatever result they get.

Jeremy Andrews

8/10/2010 05:43:09 am

Many behaviors that I have seen in my students came to mind. I can identify the acceptance of being "lost" as one means of coping. This awareness will better equip me with my methods of teaching.

Heather

8/11/2010 04:53:13 am

It was good to experience the problems our students face. It was very hard to concentrate at times and frustrating as well. How can we make it easier for our students to focus on what we WANT them to learn, and not spend all their energies on distractions or trying to remember things they "should" already know, therefore blocking them from learning the new information?

Jessica

8/11/2010 04:57:26 am

I was very frustrated with the barriers. I was always in the advanced classes in school but never performed at the same level as my friend. I didn't feel like I belonged in any of the advanced classes and felt like the dumbest of the smart kids. These excercises made me feel 10 years old again.

valerie

8/11/2010 04:58:24 am

I was really excited at first because I got all of the questions correct...but, I think it is because I am good at Biology. It's hard to imagine that students actually think, hear and read like this...I guess we just need to work harder!

Christa

8/11/2010 04:59:22 am

I think that this is an excellent way to show teachers what it is like to "really" step into the shoes of a student who has difficulty in traditional learning structures. True empathy can be a powerful tool for change. I felt really frustrated when I couldn't complete the task successfully and there was no pressure for me to finish. Imagine how a child must feel to be going through this with each subject!

Wendy

8/11/2010 05:01:02 am

The first one was frustrating because I kept waiting for the writing to come back into focus so I could read the rest, but it didn't. It takes longer to read with the distractions, but if the time runs out then it would be extremely difficult to perform well. I can see how some students would just give up and not even try.

Laura

8/11/2010 05:02:31 am

It was frustrating!!! I really have to concentrate while listening to catch everything. Having extra barriers on top of my selective hearing didn't help!

Ryan

8/11/2010 05:03:54 am

On the tests, I anticipated the problems and still found them difficult to do well. I had the motivation to try to do well. Students who have these problems, often lack that same type of anticipation and motivation. And often students don't just have a problem with one of the categories, they may have a combination of all 3. These activities help to see what they may be experiencing.

Mike

8/11/2010 05:05:09 am

This was very eye-opening for me. Sort of like the driving simulators that simulate impaired driving. As the parent of a child with special needs, I can relate to the distractions that hinder learning. My hope is that teachers learn from their students as much as they want their students to learn from them.

Dawn

8/11/2010 05:35:38 am

This makes me feel a bit powerless as a teacher. :(

Lisa Norman

8/11/2010 05:36:46 am

Being a mom of a special needs son and working with students with many learning barriers, it showed me some of the frustrations that they must feel when learning and trying to complete tasks.

Nick Niederquell

8/11/2010 05:39:08 am

The two simulations for the limiting reagent and alkaline metals was great to think about the level of activity/engagement of students in the classroom. I am also thinking about this from the facets of 'being relevant to students'. I need to drive instruction with what's best for students, not what's best for me.

Trina

8/11/2010 05:39:56 am

hmmmm...
I work with 'learning challenged students'
I have my own learning challenges.
I am depressed...but motivated to do more 4 all :O)

Sue H

8/11/2010 05:41:27 am

The different "lessons" were an eye opener that took my knowledge of this concept into a deeper level of understanding.

Renee

8/11/2010 05:43:53 am

It helped me to understand what many students experience. I found myself doing what they do - I just skipped everything because I knew I could not get it and it was not important to me because I did not understand what was being taught.

Very powerful!

Renee

8/11/2010 05:47:15 am

Understanding the barriers to learning will force me to locate and use various lessons and resources to try to impact more students.

Jacki

8/17/2010 04:36:53 am

What an eye opening experience! I am so much more aware of the frustration these children are feeling now. Planning for this is going to be my main priority...I just hope that I can help!!

gmunroe

8/17/2010 04:38:08 am

I was working in a quiet focused environment, aware that this was almost like a game. Imagine how a child feels who faces the same problems every day!

Kerry

8/17/2010 04:39:27 am

The auditory interference simulation was especially significant to me. I teach in an "open school" without walls and I now have a better understanding of how my students are challenged...

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8/17/2010 04:41:09 am

These activities gave me a headache~especially after completing the writing assignment and trying the follow all of the "rules"! OVERLOAD!

Karen c

8/17/2010 04:42:01 am

I was feeling very frustrated because of the inability I felt to keep up, or finish, or understand when I know that I should be able to do the task. I know that students get frustrated, but experiencing it helps to make me more sensitive.

Donna Henley

8/17/2010 04:42:52 am

I have had somewhat of an understanding of children with disabilites because of my daughter's disablities. I was still frustrated with the activities. I know that it will take persistance and patience on my part to help students who come to me with identified or unidentified disablities.

MaryT2010

8/17/2010 04:43:46 am

I think the activities were valuable to gain insight regarding the difficulties students with disabilities face.

Jeannette Gg123

8/17/2010 04:45:41 am

Writing activity
I couldn't wait to be DONE! Didn't say even an eighth of what I could have simply because it was so frustrating to have to follow seemingly arbitrary rules.

Phoneme activity
At first I felt smart because I was keeping up, but when the room got noisier and the teacher got quieter I got mad at my "classmates" and wanted to scream "shut up" to them.

Roger

8/17/2010 04:46:37 am

Now I see the problems some students experience while I am giving my "simple directions".

jheck

8/17/2010 04:50:07 am

I can understand the frustration some of my students must feel when there are distractions in the classroom.

Wendy

8/17/2010 04:53:03 am

During the simulation I could not focus on the teacher instruction. It made me realize that when I ask a kid to focus on the instruction and ignore any distractions that may not be possible.

John

8/17/2010 04:57:07 am

Frustrating. I just got started reading the article when the article went blank and time was up. I probably wouldn't even attempt an assignment like that again.

Bryan Boettcher link

8/17/2010 04:58:15 am

During the activities I got annoyed by the distractions and the limitations. As a math teacher I was annoyed by how long it took to use a table of values to do simple addition (I didn't even make it to the multiplication before I gave up). Experiencing that barrier for myself makes me want to give calculators to those students in lieu of multiplication tables.

In some activities I was able to adapt. For example, I learned the pattern in the deciphering activity and began to read the passage about DNA more quickly. I can see the benefit to having more than one way of considering math ideas.

Josh Bell

8/17/2010 04:59:36 am

I just wanted everything external to stop so I could do what I thought needed to be done to complete the assignment. I was frustrated. I will attempt to give my students time, clarification, or differnent means of responding when I need to take feedback.

Vandy

8/17/2010 05:06:39 am

Wow. This series of videos and activities was pretty difficult, even when I took extra time in class to complete them all. I do NOT do well under time constraints and felt even more pressure when other participants were finishing theirs much earlier than I did. This was very helpful.

Wade Waldrup

8/17/2010 05:12:43 am

I get frustrated when people are talking while I am trying to watch something I am interested in on TV, so the distractions while I tried to complete a task in this demonstration were extremely frustrating. This emphasized to me the importance of classroom management as a core principle of lesson delivery. The need for on-going reading assesment with adaptive lessons throughout a school year also stands out to me.

Angela Lin

8/17/2010 05:15:42 am

Experiencing the distractions that a student would experience and the behaviors they would exhibit to avoid reading were very heart wrenching. As a teacher I would never want a student to feel so inept, but my classroom management may do that, without intent.

Vicki

8/17/2010 05:24:02 am

I could put names and faces, different from what I was seeing in the video clips, to each of the kids telling their reasons for not reading aloud in class, or for why they couldn't remember math facts, etc. The exercises were frustrating and provided a good means by which we can develop some meaningful empathy for our learning disabled students.

Stephanie

8/17/2010 05:25:19 am

I thought it was interesting that some of the activities did not seem as difficult for me as others. It just shows you that all students struggle with different things. Some struggle with visual stimuli while others have a difficult time ignoring auditory things. It even helped me understand why my husband is not able to talk with me while the tv. or radio is playing.

Debbie

8/24/2010 05:24:11 am

I was amazed at how difficult some of the activities were! It is easy to forget how hard it is for some of our students to concentrate!

Carrie

8/24/2010 05:25:24 am

I thought it was very interesting. Even when I tried my hardest, or followed very carefully, I wasn't successful.

Sue

8/24/2010 05:27:11 am

OMG overwhelmed!!! :)

Joanie

8/24/2010 05:28:13 am

I was so frustrated trying to read the paragraph, I ended up giving up after the first two sentences. I wasn't even close when I read the actual paragraph. It was like learning chinese.

Dana

8/24/2010 05:30:34 am

I have a much better understanding of how my students feel and how it feels to have difficulty with tasks. I see our students in the video and I can see where their misbehavior stems from.

Mandy

8/25/2010 04:56:23 am

It was very frustrating to try and hear directions when all the other kids were talking. It makes me realize how unfair it is to say "I'm only going to give you directions once." There are many kids who are going to need the directions repeated or given one and one. I think I will be more aware of this now that I have done this exercise.

Traci

8/25/2010 04:58:55 am

It was frustrating to try and read while there were so many visual distractions. It made me more aware of how a student might get lose their spot after being distracted, or have to wait for the distraction to stop before they can continue with their work.

Laura

8/25/2010 05:00:52 am

it was very frustrating not know what was expected of me. I felt like I was being set up for failure and after a while, I just gave up.

Becky

8/25/2010 05:02:06 am

Certainly not a fun experience!

Bob

8/25/2010 05:03:30 am

I became quite dis-attached to the activity as it progressed. It was impossible to follow; hence, I lost interest. I empathize with these students--we need a better system to "catch" these students before they are required to deal with higher level curricula as the state requires.

Mike

8/25/2010 05:03:35 am

I can relate because I was an insatiable student most of my life. I do not "listen" well and know how difficult understanding complex instructions can be for students. Of course understanding the barriers will help when designing lessons and determining ways to provide instructions and deliver content.

Jamie

8/25/2010 05:04:52 am

Nathan

8/25/2010 05:06:00 am

Very frustrating and I didn't even do all of the activities. Not sure what to do about it though.

Mike

8/25/2010 05:08:03 am

Boy does this explain alot of my students. Compound that with ESL learners and you really have problems.

Jamie Bowman

8/25/2010 05:09:12 am

I did what all LD students would do, I gave up, stopped trying to keep up, didn't try most of the activities.

Ann

8/25/2010 05:11:02 am

I was frustrated because I knew I was much smarter than the results I was getting on the tasks.

Michele Svoboda

8/25/2010 05:12:15 am

What a tough assignment. It was frustrating that I couldn't quickly get through these simple assignments.

Shauna

8/25/2010 05:13:12 am

It was very frustrating and it reminded me that everyone learns differently!!

Lisa Leiterman

8/25/2010 05:18:34 am

As a special ed teacher I see the frustration in the students and try to find the path the students learn best.

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lisa

6/22/2011 11:41:34 pm

I was so annoyed with all of the background sound. Makes me feel bad for the students who are so sensative to noise.

Jill

6/28/2011 03:32:26 am

The activities were very frustrating. I found myself very upset because I was not able to focus in on the teacher's directions or read fast enough to keep up with the comprehension activity. These activities gave me a new understanding of what my students are going through. I totally understand why my students feel so frustrated/defeated in some classrooms. It is important to provide students with access to learning through multiple modes and ask students how they are doing (where are they in the process).

Holly

6/28/2011 03:32:49 am

The visual/auditory activity was very difficult. Many things were taking place at the same time. I felt overwhelmed and I felt like giving up. I am the type of learner who benefits from a quiet learning environment. I am sure this activity would really open the eyes of some of my co-workers.

Billy

6/18/2012 05:14:32 am

It was hard. Especially after a long day.

Kevin

6/18/2012 05:15:58 am

I agree. Sometimes you can play a guitar for help.

Liz Hughes

6/18/2012 05:15:05 am

Auditory activity was tough. The distraction was making it hard to focus on what shape and color to put where. It was frustrating. I tried to complete it a couple times. I did better the last time but still couldn't get it completed.

Jill

6/18/2012 05:16:06 am

That was really difficult. I usually try so hard at everything I do and that made me want to give up.

Angela

6/18/2012 05:19:13 am

I felt frustrated as I know my students are frustrated. The audio on was most difficult. I can really relate to my students and understand the need to clairify and make sure students are respectfull to eachothers learning.

Val

8/15/2012 04:03:59 am

These activities were extremely frustration. There were many times in the activities where I simply wanted to quit because they were too hard. Participating in these activities will have me thinking twice before I automatically assume that a child doesn't understand something simply because he/she wasn't listening to the directions.

Laurie Larson-Doornbos

8/15/2012 04:04:34 am

I guessed wildly, hoping I got it right (I didn't!). I also didn't even try some activities because it was just too overwhelming--I could hardly even figure out the directions, let alone carry them out. I also noticed that "try harder" and "concentrate" ('encouragements' teachers often give kids) wouldn't have helped me a bit :(

Sarah

8/15/2012 04:04:40 am

Very frustrating and created a lot of pressure. It makes you think about students and the behavior in your classroom differently.

Shari

8/15/2012 04:04:59 am

It was frustrating and I wanted to quit and not try to answer the questions. I could also identify which students in my classes have acted exactly the way I felt during difficulty.

Amy

8/15/2012 04:05:00 am

I never realized the total advantage I have had in being able to decode words and listen for longer than a few minutes. I am motivated to help these students in any way I can in my classroom

8/15/2012 04:05:04 am

Experience is the best teacher and gave me a good beginning to make more accomadations for all students in the classroom.

Ann

8/15/2012 04:05:18 am

I was frustrated and on some of the activities I just did whatever so that I could get finished with the activity.
By having a better understanding I can make accommodations for those students so they don't feel the same feeling of frustration as I did.

Terri Rowland

8/15/2012 04:05:31 am

When doing the simulations, I found myself getting quickly frustrated by the difficulty of what should have been fairly easy tasks. As a result, my effort level went down drastically and quickly - by the third task, I found myself wanting to just give up.

Michele

8/15/2012 04:05:32 am

That was very eye-opening. I always considered myself as being sensitive to the needs of all students but I don't think I totally understood what it is truly like to be a student with these disabilities. It is so much more difficult than I believed it would be. As an adult, I became frustrated quite quickly. I'm trying to imagine how it would feel for a child and what motivation you would need to continue to push on rather than just give up.

Cynthia

8/15/2012 04:05:32 am

I have a reading disability, so trying to read and recall the information when it kept disappearing was very frustrating. I do not read that fast to begin with, let alone retain the information when I am missing key chunks! If I didn't know anything about oxygen reactions I would have been even more lost.

Dave Staublin

8/15/2012 04:05:53 am

Solving the math problems took a lot of brainpower: focus, concentration, attention. It was very easy to get overwhelmed and frustrated. Noise and activity around me became more and more distracting.

Experiencing these feelings helps me feel empathy for my challenged students, and reminds me that I need to control the environment and tools my students need to be successful.

Jodie

8/15/2012 04:06:02 am

I was surprised by the difficulty some of the tasks created. I think this would be a useful activity to help inform others who may not understand what is means to have a disability. I think this could be used to assist teachers in being intentional in planning differentiated activities for students.

Mary

8/15/2012 04:06:11 am

Found that I started to rely on prior knowledge and then just did a lot of guessing. I see students in this situation all the time. Students in this predicament have to work harder than others

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8/15/2012 04:08:49 am

I was always a good student, quick to catch on...not so good with memory. I wanted to go back and try again...I tried one activity 4 times and still got it wrong... very frustrating!

Kim

8/15/2012 04:13:02 am

It was an extremely challenging excercise. I wanted to give up before even trying to respond to the questions. It is important to remember that students come into our classrooms with varying needs and abilities. It is our responsibilty to provided encouragement words and additional support where needed.

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