Assignment 1 – 1 page
Reply to, you must support your assertions with at least one acceptable source, with a citation in current APA format. Acceptable sources include course readings, special education peer reviewed research journals, course content, professional web sites etc.
Jay is a fourth-grade student who finds herself in a specialized classroom designed to offer structured support, academic interventions, and one-on-one attention, known as a 12:1:1 setting. Despite being in fourth grade, Jay reads at a first-grade level, indicating significant challenges with literacy. Her academic environment is tailored to her needs, yet it seems to misalign with her maturity and interests, as evidenced by her frustration with the toddler-oriented content, such as nursery rhymes and Sesame Street, that is used in her classroom. However, Jay’s educational experience has been further complicated by the scheduling of her special education support services, including Occupational Therapy and Speech, which often pull her out of gym class. This has led to significant distress, manifesting in behavioral issues, including acting out in class and an increasing reluctance to attend school. These responses suggest a deep dissatisfaction with aspects of her current educational environment and indicate a need for a reassessment of how her needs are being met, both academically and emotionally.
In understanding Jay’s situation, it is clear that while her educational setting is designed to provide her with the necessary support, there is a disconnect between the content and methods being employed and her interests, capabilities, and needs. This misalignment has led to behavioral challenges and disengagement from the school environment, signaling a need for a more personalized and engaging approach to her education. As the special educator assigned to Jay’s classroom, my strategy would involve implementing a series of carefully considered steps aimed at tailoring her educational experience to better align with her unique needs, interests, and strengths. This approach is inspired by the principles outlined in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and enriched by Kathy Snow’s advocacy for emphasizing what students with exceptionalities can achieve (Lee, n.d.). I would initiate a thorough evaluation of Jay’s Individualized Education Program (IEP) to ascertain whether it accurately reflects her current needs, abilities, and preferences. Given Jay’s expressed dissatisfaction with content that seems developmentally inappropriate for her age and her keen interest in more complex subjects like Minecraft and robotics, there exists a clear opportunity to integrate these areas of interest into her curriculum (Lee, n.d.).
Acknowledging Jay’s adverse reactions to missing out on gym and lunchtime for additional support sessions, I would engage in discussions with the occupational therapy and speech therapy teams. The aim would be to explore alternative scheduling options that minimize the impact on Jay’s participation in these preferred, socially enriching parts of her school day. By addressing one of the potential triggers of her behavioral challenges, this adjustment could contribute positively to her overall school experience and willingness to engage in the learning process.
To incorporate Kathy Snow’s “can-list” philosophy, I would prioritize collaborative conversations with Jay, her family, and other involved educational professionals. Together, we would compile a comprehensive list of Jay’s strengths, skills, and interests. This “can-list” would serve as a foundational document to remind all stakeholders of the importance of focusing on Jay’s capabilities and using these as a basis for planning her educational activities and goals (Snow, K. 2016). Emphasizing her competencies rather than her limitations aims to provide a more positive and empowering framework for Jay’s education. Considering Jay’s appreciation for social interactions and teamwork, I plan to integrate more opportunities for cooperative learning within the classroom. This would involve designing and facilitating group projects, particularly those that tap into her fascination with technology and robotics. Such collaborative activities not only cater to her academic development but also offer valuable contexts for social engagement, peer learning, and the enhancement of interpersonal skills.
In summary, as Jay’s special educator, my overarching goal is to reimagine and restructure her educational journey in a manner that is both personalized and stimulating. By modifying her schedule to protect valued social times, concentrating on her strengths through the “can-list” approach, and fostering opportunities for meaningful collaboration with peers, the intention is to transform the school environment into a space where Jay feels valued, understood, and motivated to learn (Snow, K. (2016). This tailored approach not only adheres to the best practices recommended by IDEA but also celebrates and nurtures the individuality of students, ensuring they receive the comprehensive support and opportunities necessary to flourish (Lee, n.d.).
REFERENCES
Snow, K. (2016). The Can List. Disability is Natural. Retrieved [2024], from
Lee, A. M. I. (n.d.). Conditions covered under IDEA. Understood. Retrieved [2024], from
Assignment 2 – 1 page
Reply to, you must support your assertions with at least one acceptable source, with a citation in current APA format. Acceptable sources include course readings, special education peer reviewed research journals, course content, professional web sites etc.
Information provided by IEP confirms Jay is a 4th grade student in a 12:1:1 classroom. She is currently at a first-grade reading level. Jay’s support services are scheduled during Gym. Jay’s interests include robotics, Minecraft, gym, lunch and recess on the playground. Inappropriate responses have been observed in the classroom when certain songs, such as nursery rhymes and Sesame Street, are played on the Smartboard. I have also been informed that Jay becomes “angry” with her parents and younger sibling when she has to begin transition for bussing to school.
Based on certain behaviors I am considering a re-evaluation for a behavior intervention plan. Before beginning with this I have collected data on these behaviors in the controlled environment of the school setting for a period of no less than 3 weeks prior to implementing small changes that are individual and classroom centered. The data collected can be used as evidence- based practices to show a correlation if the modifications will be beneficial to Jay. This has been used in the educational setting and is shown to be effective. “Evidence-based practices are practices for which there is a demonstrated relation between specific practices and measured outcomes.” (Schalock, 2017) At this time I have begun with an informal team meeting with the service providers to discuss the scheduling issues. We will be attempting to reschedule these to a time not in a period of mandated class such as physical education since it is required in NYS. In compliance with PBIS (positive behavioral interventions and supports) I increased the visual prompts of classroom expectations to be more visible from all perspectives of the room. Before beginning the day, we review expectations and rules of the classroom that all children were involved with creating. Discussions with the students included song preferences that were age and school appropriate. Positive reinforcement will be increased to encourage appropriate responses and active learning. Using the tiers of PBIS as stated on sites such as National Education Association (Nea, 2024) and Center on PBIS (2019) are favorable for appropriate behavior responses. PBIS is currently used school wide and now we are only implementing more support in the classroom based on school policy.
More discussion is needed with Jay with options of more support geared specifically to children who may need more frequent breaks including but not limited to movement/sensory breaks. Waiting on Jay to give some suggestions on what could be useful to help her. Token system will be implemented throughout the whole classroom in hopes that it will assist Jay and classmates with active learning and appropriate responses. I will continue to document and collect data through observations. Will use evidence to determine next action.
Asking questions and making a can list is helpful in understanding Jay as an individual with her own views and needs. These methods are making it person centered and using that as a bridge to form a better rapport with Jay and our attempts in her success.
References
Arway, T. L. (2023, April 6).
Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports | NEA. Www.nea.org.
Center on PBIS. (2019).
PBIS.org Home Page. Pbis.org.
Schalock, R. L., Gomez, L. E., Verdugo, M. A., & Claes, C. (2017). Evidence and Evidence-Based Practices: Are We There Yet?.
Intellectual and developmental disabilities,
55(2), 112–119.
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