Epilepsy Awareness

What is Epilepsy and how do we deal with it in the classroom?





"As a teacher, you know that information is power. On this Web site, you’ll find the information needed to educate yourself, your colleagues, and your students about the realities of epilepsy, so that you can help foster better understanding about—and greater compassion for—individuals living with epilepsy.
To start, the term epilepsy stems from the Greek word “to seize.” It’s best described not as a disease, but instead as a group of related disorders characterized by recurrent spontaneous seizures. Simply put, epilepsy is the tendency to have seizures, and epilepsy is one of the most common disorders of the nervous system.
More information about epilepsy—such as what a seizure consists of, possible triggers, and who can have epilepsy are described in detail in this section.
Share the link, and spread the knowledge."





************** http://www.epilepsyclassroom.com/home/index.aspx ***************


Use this LESSON PLANS link to discover grade level specific information on how to handle you special needs students in a rewarding, safe manner:

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:

from: http://www.epilepsyclassroom.com/epilepsy/epilepsy_faqs.aspx

What does "epilepsy" mean?

The word "epilepsy" is derived from a Greek word meaning "to seize." Today, the word "epilepsy" means nothing more than the tendency to have seizures.

How many people have epilepsy?

Around 50 million people worldwide have epilepsy. More than 3 million of these people live in the US. This means that about 1 in every 100 people in the US has experienced an unprovoked seizure or been diagnosed with epilepsy.

How is epilepsy diagnosed?

A neurologist often performs the diagnosis and evaluation of epilepsy. An electroencephalogram (EEG) may be used to supplement information provided about the specifics of potential seizure activity. The information needed may include when the seizure started, the student’s appearance before, during, and after the seizure, and any unusual observations including changes in behavior. As an educator, it is important to keep track of seizure events that occur in your class so that you can share information with the parents of the affected student.

Is there a cure for epilepsy?

To cure epilepsy, researchers and doctors need to know its cause. In most cases, the cause of epilepsy is unknown, so for many people living with epilepsy, a cure has not yet been discovered. For some people, the cause of their epilepsy is known. In these cases, it is sometimes possible to treat the underlying cause of their epilepsy.

Can epilepsy be fatal?

Typically, the answer is no. In rare cases, a condition called status epilepticus can occur. This is when a person has continuous seizures for longer than 5 minutes without regaining consciousness. This is a true medical emergency and has the potential to be fatal. If you see this occur in your classroom, call 911 immediately. Thankfully, status epilepticus is not a common occurrence. More common is serious injury caused by hazards or accidents that occur when someone has a seizure unexpectedly in a potentially dangerous situation, such as while swimming or riding a bike.

Can seizures occur if a student does not have epilepsy?

Yes. Epilepsy is an ongoing condition of recurrent unprovoked seizures. If a student has just a single seizure, and the seizure does not return, then it is not related to epilepsy. There are many types of non-epileptic seizures, and they often differ from those related to epilepsy. The most common difference between an epileptic and a non-epileptic seizure is that there is usually no evidence of any abnormal electrical brain activity after a non-epileptic seizure. Unless you’re aware that a student has epilepsy, it will likely be difficult for you to make this distinction—so it is important to treat any seizure you encounter with the same seriousness and sense of urgency.

How can a non-epileptic seizure be provoked?

Some of the common causes of non-epileptic seizures are low blood sugar, fainting, heart disease, stroke, drug and alcohol withdrawal, and extreme stress or anxiety.

How long do seizures last?

Every seizure is different, and seizures affect different students in different ways. Typically, though, the type of seizure determines how long it lasts. Depending on the type of seizure, it can last anywhere from a few seconds to several minutes.
Be aware that any seizure lasting more than 5 minutes (known as status epilepticus) is considered a true medical emergency. If you see this occur in your classroom, call 911 immediately.

Can people living with epilepsy lead normal lives?

Absolutely! You should encourage students with epilepsy to take part in many of the same activities and events as the rest of the class. For safety’s sake, there may be some provisions regarding dangerous activities—talk with your student’s parents to see if there are any activities that should be avoided or that require additional supervision.

What is the correct way to respond to a seizure?

For starters, try to remain calm. The most important thing you can do for a student having a seizure is to keep him or her safe. Since you won’t be able to stop the seizure, your role will be to move any objects away that might cause him or her harm. Be sure not to put anything in his or her mouth—contrary to the popular myth, it is not possible for a person to swallow his tongue.

Popular websites for further research:

http://aesnet.org/go/professional-development/educational-opportunities/epilepsy-education-program/resident-educationAmerican Epilepsy Society Epilepsy Education Program
www.braintalk.org/BrainTalk Communities: Online patient support groups for neurology (from Massachusetts General Hospital) -- a large and active site with separate forums for epilepsy and a very wide range of other disorders.
www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/epilepsy/index.htmNational Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion: A page dedicated to some general information on epilepsy.
www.carpedb.ua.edu/CarpeDB is a dynamic epilepsy genetics database sponsored by a National Science Foundation CAREER Award and the Department of Biological Sciences at The University of Alabama.CarpeDB serves as a novel source for both epilepsy researchers and the public by featuring scores of "epilepsy genes" and associated publications in one location.
www.columbiaepilepsy.org/The website of the Columbia University Comprehensive Epilepsy Center, including patient education, information about services available for the complete care of patients with epilepsy, and links to other useful websites.
www.epilepsycenter.com/The website of the Epilepsy Center, an organization that provides services in northwestern Ohio. Features safety tips, posters for sale, and extensive links.
www.epilepsyfoundation.org/Website of The Epilepsy Foundation, the U.S. national organization that works for people affected by seizures. A good place to get reliable information, especially on legal affairs and community services.
www.epilepsyinstitute.org/The website of The Epilepsy Institute, a social-service organization for people with epilepsy in New York City and Westchester County, New York.
www.epilepsytoronto.org/Website of Epilepsy Toronto, a non-profit oragnization dedicated to the promotion of independence and optimal quality of life for all people with epilepsy and their families. They offer a range of epilepsy support services, information programs and education to the public.
http://www.epipro.com/Epilepsy & Brain Mapping Program: A comprehensive healthcare center in Pasadena, California, for treating adult and pediatric epilepsy and other neurological disorders with seizures.
familydoctor.org/214.xmlFamilydoctor.org, a website created by the American Academy of Family Physicians: General information on epilepsy.>www.hsc.stonybrook.eduThe website of the Long Island Comprehensive Epilepsy Center.
http://www.mayoclinic.org/epilepsyMayo Clinic is a world leader in developing innovative ways to diagnose and treat epilepsy in children and adults.
http://www.naec-epilepsy.org/The website of the National Association of Epilepsy Centers. Find a comprehensive epilepsy center near you!
www.neuro.wustl.edu/epilepsy/Epilepsy information and local resource centers in St. Loius, MO.
www.nichcy.org/pubs/factshe/fs6txt.htmNational Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities: Epilepsy information and resources.
www.nyuepilepsy.org/cec/New York University-Mount Sinai Comprehensive Epilepsy Center website. Information and useful links. The center includes a special program for people with tuberous sclerosis.
www.paceusa.org/The website of Parents Against Childhood Epilepsy,an organization that provides support for parents of children with epilepsy. Features information regarding fundraising efforts in support of advances in medical research of epilepsy.
pppl.tblc.org/sesweb/Suncoast Epilepsy Association: A Florida, non-profit organization which provides services to individuals with epilepsy in Pinellas and Pasco Counties.

Classroom Management Resources

Classroom management is something that can be preached and preached, but is ultimately up to the individual teacher and the methods he/she finds that work not only in the personal classroom but also with individual students.

Here are some resources geared specifically towards new, or first year teachers ;)

click on the link below to go to a slideshow on "Things I Wish I Knew..."










"Behavior Management"









"Time Management"











"Classroom Rules"

Fresh Ideas for Old Lessons

Many times when you sit down and try to plan a lesson, you can reflect back to how you learned it the first time, all those many years ago. Other times, you may not even remember what the heck it is your supposed to be teaching in the first place. I've always heard that your first year of teaching takes the most work because you are starting form scratch and continually having to come up with new ideas. Well... I've only done a few basic lessons so far and new ideas are TOUGH. Plus designed all the activities, worksheets, group work etc. is no picnic either. In all actuality the toughest part was just trying to search for what others had already done which may or may not have worked for them. Typing "lessons on adverbs" into the search engine really got me know where for the most part. But here is a site that provides lessons for all grades, all subjects.

This particular link is one I used for my recent Webquest on Shakespeare. I lists all of the plays he wrote and when you click on one, it gives a brief synopsis of the play, how to introduce it your students, tips for what questions to ask, etc. So not only does it have a wealth of information but it plans pieces of the lesson out step-by-step.

http://www.teachervision.fen.com/drama/resource/4055.html

Field Notes on Gangs and Special Needs

March 11, 2008
REFLECTIONS ON:
Gangs & Educational Theorists

It is tough to try and relate the educational theories surrounding education to students who are members of gangs. This is mostly because I feel like those students who are involved with gangs are not being reached by their teachers and peers effectively enough for them to choose to stay out of them. Like we heard in the presentation, it is important that as teachers we approach students when we think there may be a problem with involvement and that we also make sure they know that they are not bad people they are just making bad choices and we won’t desert the because of that.
I think that knowing the stages of development such as those which Piaget presents is important because once a student hits the age of 12, they come into the formal operation stage, meaning that hypothetical reasoning becomes the source of how they reason logically. Knowing when students develop the ability to think in this way can help teachers to know that they can use an approach that caters to this asking: “What if you are in danger with this gang?” “What if they try to harm your family if you decide you no longer want to participate in their activities?” “What kind of effect will this have on your future?” These types of questions may be more effective for a student than simply telling them what they are doing is wrong.
Also, we heard in the presentation that telling the students they shouldn’t be in a gang and then not telling them what they should be doing instead is not very effective. Theorists like Vygotsky show the process of scaffolding where you are explaining things to students in broken down sections: motivate them to leave their gang, simplify it by offering help and giving them alternatives, provide a new direction such as a club after school, clarify why they are doing it over and over so they are not tempted to rejoin, and reduce their frustration by helping them through all of it. Also as Vygotsky says, the teacher is simply the facilitator and the choice of learning and following the recommendation lies with the student only, helped along by his or her peers.
March 25, 2008

REFELCTIONS ON:
Special Needs Students in the Classroom

A few students in my classroom need special attention, such as a special seating chart, etc, but only one that I know of has a “diagnosed” special need and an IEP plan to address it. Dana has trouble writing things down and struggles greatly with her handwriting, which looks like that of a third grader, even though she is in 8th. Writing samples she turns in are often in large hand and in different colors. Very rarely does she have to write, most of the time she uses a smaller, simpler version of a computer to take notes. Her assignments are graded differently from the other students, most of the time her answers to test questions are given verbally. Also she is graded based on her own improvements rather than judged compared to the rest of the class. Dana is also a genius, very technologically minded, often coming up with interesting ideas such as speaking in all html format, adding words like ‘space’ and ‘enter’ after her sentences as though she is typing on the computer. She also has a lot of trouble staying still in the proper sitting position; she often sits Indian style or moves about the room when she is bored. Most of the time, when it is not during a lesson, she separates herself from her classmates and works alone to avoid distraction. I haven’t seen her demonstrate any behavior problems and she gets along well with everyone in the class.
A few other students have simple issues with talking to much, acting up in class, shouting across the room, interrupting lessons, etc. but I don’t think they have any special needs beyond the fact that they have just come from lunch and are forced to sit in a desk when they are full of energy and ready to go home.

Webquests: an Era of Exploration

A "Webquest" is a concept that has just been introduced to me, but seems to be a fantastic way of getting students to learn and explore concepts on their own in a creative structure way (and of course, one that involves technology!)

The following website does a fantastic job of explaining what a webquest is and how it works:

http://webquest.sdsu.edu/taskonomy.html

the following are examples of actual webquests designed by teachers:

http://asterix.ednet.lsu.edu/~edtech/webquest/maori.html

http://education.nmsu.edu/webquest/wq/ocean/index.html

http://coe.west.asu.edu/students/hlynch/ToleranceWebQuest/tolerancewebqst.htm

If you don't have the time or the desire to create your own there are many available for your use on this search engine

http://webquest.org/search/

Check back soon for a link to my personally designed webquest!