President’s Day Salute: Learning from Lincoln

President's Day is an American holiday celebrated on the third Monday in February. Originally established in 1885 in recognition of President George Washington, it is still officially called “Washington’s Birthday” by the federal government. Most of us remember two notable Presidents on this day: George Washington and Abraham Lincoln, whose birthday falls a few days prior to Washington’s.

Lincoln, best remembered for being President during one of our country’s most difficult times. He made history by blazing new paths and fighting for the rights and freedoms of our young country.

What can 21st-century educators learn from a 19th-century president?

According to Joe Hirsch’s article, What Teachers Can Learn From Lincoln, there are many leadership practices that educators can gain from studying the life of our 16th president. Hirsch bases his information on a book titled Learning from Lincoln, by Harvey Alvy and Pamela Robbins. “Through an analysis of pivotal events in his presidency as well as his public and private pronouncements, the authors reveal a side of Lincoln that educators would do well to emulate within and beyond the classroom.”

Here are three of Hirsch’s favorite attributes to be gleaned from the life of President Lincoln:

• Demonstrating Restraint - Knowing what to do, and when and how to do it, is an important skill that all teachers need to know when dealing with students, parents, coworkers, and administration. “Lincoln took to writing his enemies long missives in which he blasted them for their foolishness, hubris, and unmitigated lack of effort. He folded these letters into envelopes, signed and stamped each one, and then buried them in a drawer, never again to touch the light of day or a postmaster's delivery wagon.”
• Building Trust - Creating a shared trust with and among students in the classroom can create a positive learning environment. Trust is also an important part of working with parents and other educators.
• The Power of Predictability and Presence - Lincoln followed a regimented schedule throughout his presidency. His coworkers knew what to expect of him because he was predictable in his daily routines and actions. Hirsch notes, “Teachers hold a different type of public office, but they are no less accountable to their constituents. In the course of a day, teachers interact with students, dialogue with parents, collaborate with colleagues, and report to supervisors. They set learning agendas, define performance goals, and monitor progress. Learning that is predictable is not necessarily rigid or impervious to innovation. Predictability -- in classroom expectations, learning designs, and measures of learning -- can actually provide the type of stability that leads to productivity and growth.”

Schools and offices will be closed on Monday, February 15, in observance of President’s Day. From your Pepper team, we hope you enjoy your day off. But, also, we hope that as you return to the classroom on Tuesday that you will remember some of these key character traits of a well-remembered President.

As always, be sure to check out our wide range of Pepper Courses and the Resource Library to further your own professional growth.

Special Education Collaboration: Inclusion and Co-Teaching

Students with disabilities are being taught more than ever in general education classrooms. This provides unique opportunities for special and general education teachers to work together to support these students in general education classrooms. However, general and special education teachers run the risk of falling short of their potential to impact students’ success unless they know how to effectively collaborate.

When the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) mandated that children with disabilities be educated with children who do not have disabilities, education in the United States changed. Education World writer Wesley Sharpe, Ed.D., wrote an article that looks at the characteristics of effective inclusion. Making inclusion work can be challenging, but with planning and effective collaboration, it can be successful for both the teacher and the student. Below are four ways inclusion benefits students with disabilities:

• Inclusion improves learning for both classified and unclassified students
• Children learn to accept individual differences.
• Children develop new friendships.
• Parent participation improves.

Sharpe believes that there is still work to be done in order to make all inclusion settings successful, including more research, better training for educators, and improved teacher education programs. Ultimately, the goal for effective inclusion classrooms is that inclusion be invisible.

Another popular inclusion practice is co-teaching. According to Dr. Richard Villa's article, Effective Co-Teaching Strategies, “a co-teaching team typically includes a general and a special educator who teach the general education curriculum to all students as well as implement Individual Education Programs (IEPs) for students with disabilities. Both educators on the co-teaching team are responsible for differentiating the instructional planning and delivery, assessment of student achievement, and classroom management.”

Pepper provides several Special Education Courses that focus on Inclusion and Co-Teaching. The Collaborative Practices that Support Inclusive Education course will provide special and general education teacher teams with tools and practices designed to support their teaming so all students can be successful in general education, inclusive classrooms. The Co-Teaching: Special Education Differentiation course is intended to guide and enhance special education and general education teachers understanding of co-teaching as a special education service delivery in the core classroom across all grade levels. The course offers clear and concise information, resources, and practical tools to considering co-teaching as a model of instructional delivery, and an opportunity to provide highly scaffolded differentiation of the core in the inclusive setting. Both of these courses, and others, are available for Special Education teachers K-12.

So, whether you’re a new Special Education teacher or a seasoned veteran, Pepper Courses and your Pepper Learning Community can be a great resource for implementing new ideas. Utilizing the experience and skills of teachers from around the country can provide unique opportunities for networking and sharing lesson ideas and classroom management tips.