Before this week, I admit that I was a little afraid of IEP's mostly because I was unfamiliar with the process.  I enjoyed the video that we watched because to showed us what happens during an IEP meeting between the staff and the parents.  I felt much more comfortable after I realized that it wasn't as complex as I had previously imagined.  One of the thoughts that came to me as I learned more about it was that the information and support I need to be a successful teacher working with a student with an IEP will be given to me.  It was comforting to know that it won't be a big mystery or puzzle that I have to figure out on my own.  

After the mock case hearing this week, I haven't been thinking so much on the case details as some of my fellow homies, but instead about how important it is for us to know the details of the laws and how it effects us as teachers and educators.  In my class group, we had several people not attend that day which left us scrambling to fill roles necessary to complete the activity.  When people were unfamiliar with the particulars for their roles, it seemed like they let the emotional side take over, forgetting to use the law and other cases to build their argument.  Even I found myself repeating the same lines because I didn't really understand the other complexities or all the different parts of the laws we were arguing.  I realized from that how important it is for me to really understand how if effects what I do in the classroom so that I don't let my emotions hinder the success of the student.  I don't think that ignorance of the law is a reasonable defense if I fail to fulfill my responsibilities as pertaining to these laws we are learning about.  There's just so much to know and understand.  I'm sure that it will take some time to fully understand what me responsibilities are.  I have appreciated the opportunity to start to develop my understanding this week in our reading and in class.