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Comment by Christine Southard on January 12, 2012 at 7:20pm

Just another of my friendly reminders. Be sure to save the date! Come join SETSIG for an Online Webinar: Built in Assistive Technology of Mac OS X and iOS operating systems. This event will take place on Thursday, January 19, 2012 from 7:00 PM to 8:00 PM (CT) http://setsigjan12.eventbrite.com/ 

Comment by Shawn Kirby on July 19, 2010 at 12:53pm

I am a Dyslexic librarian raising a dyslexic teen in a public school system. The rewards have been wonderful. She is starting High School and taking band, honors English and Honors Biology. She was always so dismayed in elementary school that people did see how smart she really was, her hard work paid off.

I was very impressed with the discuddion of the VPP program. Last year I had my special education classes take photographs for Reflections the national PTA arts competition. ( There is a special Artist catagory) The pictures were amazing, better than anything I could do. The perceptions were wonderful and artisitc. The students felt a real sense of accomplishment. I am putting them up as posters in our library. ( I could definately see a few of these students becoming professional photographers, if they keep taking pictures.)

Comment by Chad Meredith on March 31, 2010 at 1:57pm

The enormous success of the VPP program has significant implications for all educators. The VPP program does not confine vocational education to a vocational school, but offers any school (with enough resources) the chance to let students learn about specialized careers, such as carpentry, engineering, and photography. If my school does not have a VPP program (or does not connect to a school that does) I can petition and advocate for adopting the VPP program.
The concepts and skills that students learn in the VPP program should also be taught in the other subjects. Teaching students that they each have a rightful place in their community, nation and world helps their self-efficacy because it helps them see that they can use their strengths (and improve their weaknesses) to help make their world a better place. Teaching students that they can use what they learn in class in their future full and part-time careers is essential in all subjects, and helps them realize the relevance of what they learn in class. In our classrooms, we are not teaching students Math, Language Arts, Science, and other content areas for the sake of them learning the material. Ideally, we are teaching the students the content to help them when they use it outside of the classroom. The same is true for interpersonal skills and critical communication, which should be taught in every classroom. Helping students boost their confidence should also be fostered in classrooms, since self-confidence is essential to the workforce beyond high school (in full and part-time jobs).
Since one of the primary goals we have, as educators, is to prepare our students for their future professions, why not integrate critical communication activities, resume-building lessons, and information about related professions in all of our content areas? Making sure that these “real world” applications are integrated into our lessons helps ensure that our students are prepared to go out into the workforce. In a Business or Language Arts class, teaching students how to write various types of letters is logical and essential for students to realize what will be asked of them after they graduate high school. While “hands on” learning in the various vocations is somewhat unrealistic in “traditional” subjects, we can still teach students necessary academic and interpersonal skills they will need for any profession (vocational or non-vocational). We can teach our students to view punctually attending class as a job, where they must fulfill specific responsibilities and obligations, just as they would in a professional setting, outside of school. Teaching students to rely on themselves to get a job done (which is what one student learned from the VPP program) is a hugely important life-long skill. If we teach students about careers that are related to our subject area, we give them the opportunity to learn about what career they might like to pursue.
Another important implication for educators is the role technology played in the VPP program's success. When students used technology to create their own wikis, professional MySpace pages and other social networking tools, they learned how to use them in a professional way, while still expressing their unique identities and ambitions. The students then used the social networking software to talk with other people who had similar difficulties, career plans, and general interests. In our classrooms, we have the chance to use student wikis, Facebook and other Internet technology tools to foster meaningful content discussions and interactive learning experiences, without our students abusing the technology, or going “off topic.” If using the Internet for professional communication purposes becomes a regular activity for their classes, the professional skills our students learn could lead to countless benefits after they graduate high school. Since students who had social/emotional problems and learning disabilities successfully used the Internet for these professional purposes, there is no reason that we cannot teach our students to use technology in similar, professional ways.
What stands out the most to me is that the VPP program, aside from the countless real world preparation, taught the students that they are not “dumb,” or “worthless,” but that each of them has skills and abilities that can help other people. I agree with Cameron Clark when he said that you could never put a price on that. Teachers often dismiss “difficult” or “problem” students as people who will not make it in the “real world,” because college is not a likely avenue for them. The VPP program and its outstanding results should remind us that all students are valuable, and deserve a quality educations that empowers them.

Comment by Cameron Clark on November 10, 2009 at 2:37pm

In Australia there has been a successful program run for students with learning difficulties called Vocational Preparation Program (VPP).
This is their story told by Glenda Fisher the creator of this wonderful program:

A Second Chance

Glenda Fisher has worked as a teacher in Melbourne, Australia for over 40 years and in 2001 was asked to create an education program to help disadvantaged students who were in danger of leaving the school system before they completed their secondary schooling. These were students who experienced social/emotional difficulties in relating to their peers, had learning difficulties and disabilities or were recent arrivals from war torn countries such as the Sudan.

The program is called Vocational Preparation Program (VPP) and is available to students in year 10 who fit the above criteria. It is a school within a school where the students replace a section of their normal school timetable with VPP activities. VPP sits as a component inside the highly successful Australian Web 2.0 Knowledge Community software.

The primary aim of the VPP program is to ensure that students with learning difficulties and/or disabilities remain in the mainstream school setting and develop a spring board from which they can seek viable alternatives beyond the post compulsory years of schooling. It ensures they are given a chance to take their rightful place in society, teaches them some base skills, helps their self esteem and restores often lost personal confidence. They learn about the meaning of work, job availability, interpersonal skills and critical communication in the work place, basic Occupation Health and Safety, successful interview techniques, how to build a resumé and then apply for a job. A key part of the program is to get out into the workforce and “have a go”- to learn what it is like to have a job, its responsibilities and satisfactions. Most importantly it gives them a guide about what type of career they would like to pursue.

From within the virtual learning software environment, students can now create their own life story as a blog, build their resume, carry out the program’s exercises, securely communicate with each other as in a MySpace type scenario and enter the notes and experiences about this amazing journey of self discovery.

As the program developed so to did an aspect, previously unsuspected, which proved to be just as important as the formal learning skills the students were presented with. They found a group of like minded friends with whom they chatted and texted online. Suddenly they were on a level playing field with no “priors”, they found they weren’t alone, that they weren’t dumb, stupid or hopeless, that they actually had most of the skills for life that simply needed bringing to the fore. Above all they were treated respectfully as young emerging adults and had lots of fun on the journey. What price to learn that respect goes both ways? They also made lifelong friends.

Glenda noted the difference from when they first arrived as shy, inward looking students to graduation day where the students could stand proudly before their peers, be interviewed and deliver short speeches about their experiences and achievements during the six month long program. Most importantly they all had a plan that took them on to further education and training beyond their VPP year.

What stood out was the transformation in self confidence and self esteem with some students going from barely communicating to giving a full and very confident presentation to a room full of friends and strangers. Parents, teachers and work place hosts often sat in stunned silence and disbelief as they watched their previously struggling child present an interesting personal story in a very professional and confident manner using tools such as PowerPoint. There were tears of joys, lots of hugs and kisses.

Here is what some of the students had to say about the program and their personal journey:

Erica – VPP gave me some valuable skills which enabled me to have the confidence to apply and secure a part time job

What did Alan learn on the job?
 How to prioritise jobs in the work place
 Specific camera knowledge including lighting, angles
 The importance of understanding exactly what the customer wants when undertaking a design brief – eg good communication

Susan noted from her work experience:
 How to tackle particular situations, behave and present ourselves in the work place
 The importance of politeness and respect, good organisation, listening carefully to instructions and asking for clarification if the task was not understood
 How to get into the Fashion industry and what sort of course can be undertaken
 The need to be punctual
 Rely on yourself and not others to get a job done
 How to be hardworking and have more confidence in oneself
 How to be responsible and organised

What they learned:
Peter – I know that ‘hands on’ work is not where I want to go in the future. My skills lie in drawing and sketching. I will undertake Year 11 in 2009.

Jacob – I would like to undertake an apprenticeship in Carpentry in the future.

Jason – I plan to become an electrician or builder because I believe more electricians will be needed in the automotive industry because of the changing technology.

Mark – At the conclusion of my work experience I was offered an apprenticeship with the Council to commence in July 2009. I am currently considering this option and am very proud to be offered it.

Teresa – I was intending to leave school at the end of the year and was offered a job through my work placement. However I have decided to stay on and do VCAL in Year 11 & 12 then pursue Office Administration.

This is a story with no losers, only fine results.

It is programs like this which can help stop a disadvantaged student from becoming a disadvantaged parent, to give them a chance for a better life and to fulfil the potential that God gave every human being.

Comment by Debra Bauder on October 9, 2009 at 7:33am

October Newsletter now available. Check out your email/junk email for the listserv email containing the newsletter. Also, the newsletter is available at the SETSIG WIKI. Additional NECC 2009 photos available on Flickr. Enjoy!

Comment by John Winsted on July 29, 2009 at 8:39am

I would offer a couple resources to enhance the conversation on the topic of social promotion and RTI. Allington and Walmsley have updated No Quick Fix to feature RTI strategies. In this book, they point out the ineffectiveness of retention of students in grade. Among the problems they point out so eloquently is the massive expense. I don't think social promotion does students a service but I am sure grade retention is not a viable alternative just for the reasons in this book.

I also am familiar with a number of articles from The Reading Teacher journal that detail problems with retention. For example, there are attendant social issues throughout life that accompany students who have been retained.

Teachnology...technology applied as a scaffold and accomodation for special needs...is critical for helping classroom teachers meet students' needs. It will help us teach the basics. We just need to keep in mind that the basics as we knew them when we were young and in school are changing and we need to prepare students for the jobs of the future because the jobs of the past and the society of the past have, in fact, passed.

Comment by Dorethia(Dotty) Myers on July 28, 2009 at 9:54pm

I vaguely remember in my distant past, where teachers intervened. None of this social promotion. RTI is getting back to the basics of what we should have been doing. sometimes the old fashioned methods work and long time educators know this. We can then transition into technology. A lot of students in the lower grades see computers, ipods, and any other gadgets as toys. Let them enjoy them as toys, by give them the foundation to be successful. Buid from the ground up. Not from the top down. 3 r"s- back to basics, then everything else will fall into place.

Comment by Nate on July 28, 2009 at 9:05am

I see the "Partnership for 21 Century Skills", Board of Governors goals, and "Response to Intervention" RtI shifting some long time educators out of the profession. Hopefully educational technology tools and ideas can support the learning for all including administrator, teachers and students with on going training and support. Peer Technology Coaching seems to be working well in my district.

Comment by Nate on July 17, 2009 at 8:14am

Yes this is a great way to find and exchange new ideas to support Response to Interventions for all learners and educators.

Comment by Blanca E. Duarte on July 9, 2009 at 2:48pm

Hi everyone! It was good to see so many of you at the SETSIG meeting at NECC. I would love to see some of those conversations expanded here.

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