The Role of the Elementary Special Educator

Case

Management Co-Teaching Using Resources

Christie Flayhart, Special Education Teacher Specialist Christie.Flayhart@fcps.org

A Quote: Asking Questions

Successful people ask better questions, and as a result, they get better answers. Anthony Robbins

Part One: Case Management

People Work

Paper Work

Case Management: Your Other Full-Time Job

Activity: Work with a partner to make a chart of case management jobs. Divide the jobs into paper work and people work. Brainstorm at least three jobs you will do for each side of the chart. Be prepared to share!

Case Management

Case Manager Checklist OIEP Case Management Spreadsheets Caseload Information chart Student Information chart Testing Referrals chart

Case Management: The 5 Day Rule

House Bill 269

School personnel shall provide the parents of the child with an accessible copy of each assessment, report, data chart, draft IEP, or other document that either team plans to discuss at the meeting at least 5 business days before a scheduled meeting School personnel shall provide the parents of the child with a copy of the completed IEP not later than 5 business days after a scheduled meeting

Case Management: Your Other Full-Time Job

Paper Work Identification/testing Blue folder IEP/OIEP Accommodation report BIP (Behavior Intervention Plan) Referrals: testing, ACT, Autism Cadre, itinerant service providers Contact Log Quarterly Progress Transition/Move-Ups MSA/ModMSA/AltMSA Tier IV data collection People Work Support for student: behavioral, technological, etc. Communication with parents Assistance for teachers Accommodations for assessments Training for instructional assistants (SEIAs) Interactions with administration and curriculum specialists

My Advice: Case Management

Stay on top of paperwork Develop a system Contact Log Binder Binder System:

Caseload Information Testing Referrals Individual Student Section

Student Information Copy of Current IEP Personal notes or observations Work samples/documentation

Dont be afraid to ask questions

A Quote: Paper Work

Perhaps the most valuable result of all education is the ability to make yourself do the thing you have to do, when it ought to be done, whether you like it or not. Thomas Huxley

A Quote: People Work

As a general rule, teachers teach more by what they are than by what they say. Anonymous

Part Two: Teaching

Lesson Planning

Co-Teaching Differentiation

Teaching
Activity: Write down at least one question that you have about your teaching role. As we talk, add any other questions that come to mind.

Lesson Planning and Adaptations

Review Chapter 22, Teachers Guide to Success, How Do I Write Unit, Weekly, Daily, and Lesson Plans?

How Do I Write Unit, Weekly, Daily, and Lesson Plans?

Literature-based unit to begin year (p. 214) Resource units (p. 215) Planning within parameters (p. 220) Blooms Taxonomy of Thinking Skills (p. 223) Gardners Theory of Multiple Intelligences (p. 224) Formats and Organization of Plans (p. 228)

My Advice: Lesson Planning

Have regular planning time with coteacher or other specialists Gather lots of resources Make a visual/graphic of ideas Consider needs of individual students to plan for adaptations Save everything List resources used on outside of folder Dont be afraid to ask questions

Co-Teaching

Co-Teaching: Making It Happen PowerPoint by Michele Weddle, Chris Bowman & Ilva Richardson Components of Effective CoTeaching PowerPoint Co-Teaching Planning Forms

Co-Teaching: Shared Knowledge

General Education Teacher Content Curriculum objectives, material, sequence Content resources Content development Large group management Typical child development Special Education Teacher Disabilities Learning styles Adaptation of curriculum Legal issues Integration of IEP objectives with State Curriculum Individual student needs

Co-Teaching Models

Station Teaching Parallel Teaching Alternative Teaching Team Teaching One Teach/One Assist

My Advice: Co-teaching

Get to know your co-teacher and cultivate the relationship bring candy and help grade papers Have open, ongoing conversations about classroom management, instructional strategies, and student performance Rely on general education teacher for long term planning of curriculum indicators Share resources and ideas Schedule a regular planning time Dont be afraid to ask questions!

Differentiation

Review Chapter 28, Teachers Guide to Success, How Do I Differentiate to Meet the Needs of All Learners? Differentiating Instruction: Making it Work! PowerPoint by Michele Weddle FCPS Teach Lesson Plan Templates Differentiation Terminology from FCPS Teach

Instructional Terms Management Terms Strategy Terms

How Do I Differentiate to Meet the Needs of All Learners?

Gardners Theory of Multiple Intelligences (p. 292)

Visual/Spatial Verbal/Linguistic Mathematical/Logical Bodily/Kinesthetic Musical/Rhythmic Intrapersonal Interpersonal Naturalist

How Do I Differentiate to Meet the Needs of All Learners?

Differentiated Instruction (p.296)

Core Knowledge

Essential Standards Readiness Interests How students learn best Content Process Outcomes

Formative Assessment

Modifying Instructional Components

CONTENT: The What

Refers to the concepts, principles, and skills that teachers want students to learn. It also refers to the means teachers use to give students access to skills and knowledge. Teachers address the SAME CONTENT with all students, but adjust the degree of complexity.

Taken from: Differentiating Instruction: Making it Work! PowerPoint by Michele Weddle, High School Special Education Teacher Specialist

CONTENT: The What

Pre-assess skills and knowledge Provide choices about topics to explore in greater depth Provide students with basic and advanced resources that match their current level of understanding Use reading material at varying readability and depth of content Meet with small groups of students to extend or re-teach curriculum.

Taken from: Differentiating Instruction: Making it Work! PowerPoint by Michele Weddle, High School Special Education Teacher Specialist

PROCESS: The How

Refers to the activities that help students make sense of, and come to own, the ideas and skills being taught. Varies by student interest and learning preferences.

Taken from: Differentiating Instruction: Making it Work! PowerPoint by Michele Weddle, High School Special Education Teacher Specialist

PROCESS: The How

Add greater complexity to tasks Engaging students in creative and critical thinking Increase the ways in which you ask them to learn Scaffold learning (step-by-step directions, re-teaching, additional models)

Taken from: Differentiating Instruction: Making it Work! PowerPoint by Michele Weddle, High School Special Education Teacher Specialist

PRODUCTS: The Show What You Know

Refers to culminating projects that allow students to demonstrate and extend what they have learned. Reveal whether students can apply learning beyond the classroom to solve problems and take action Different products can be assigned based on readiness levels, interests, learning preferences, etc.

Taken from: Differentiating Instruction: Making it Work! PowerPoint by Michele Weddle, High School Special Education Teacher Specialist

PRODUCTS: The Show What You Know

May be tangible: report, brochure or model May be verbal: dialogue, speech or debate May involve action: skit, mock trial or dance Reflects many ways for students to represent or show what they have learned

Taken from: Differentiating Instruction: Making it Work! PowerPoint by Michele Weddle, High School Special Education Teacher Specialist

What Differentiated Instruction is NOT

Same assignments with harder questions for some students Grading some students harder then others Playing games if they finish early Doing more or extra work after finishing the regular assignment (more of the same thing)

Taken from: Differentiating Instruction: Making it Work! PowerPoint by Michele Weddle, High School Special Education Teacher Specialist

How to Begin

START SMALL: Try a differentiated task for a small block of time. GROW SLOWLY BUT GROW: Take notes so you can see what works and what doesnt; assess before you teach and use results to guide the differentiation. ENVISION IN ADVANCE HOW AN ACTIVITY WILL LOOK: Write out procedures for yourself and directions for the students, think about what might go wrong, plan alternative options. STEP BACK AND REFLECT: Ask yourself questions Were all students engaged in learning?, Did grouping (size, arrangements) work? Adjust accordingly.

Taken from: Differentiating Instruction: Making it Work! PowerPoint by Michele Weddle, High School Special Education Teacher Specialist

My Advice: Differentiation

Have regular, ongoing conversations with teacher and SEIA about need for differentiation Choose method of differentiation based on lesson objectives Help to plan for differentiation even when you arent in classroom Think creatively about use of staffing and resources Dont be afraid to ask questions

Teaching: Any Questions?

Activity: Review your questions. If they havent been answered, ask them now!

Part Three: Using Resources

Human

Material

Using Resources
Activity: On a post-it note, write down one resource that you can find in your school. Then place it on the group chart. Remember to think about: Human resources Material resources

Finding Resources
Human Resources Administration Reading Specialist Targeted Intervention Teachers Special Education Team Leader General Education Teacher Special Education Teacher Specialists Media Specialist Computer Technician Instructional Assistants School Secretary Parents Material Resources Book room Supply closet Media center Computer lab Reading specialists office/bookshelf Special education team materials Grade level team resources FCPS Teach (links to new sites) ACTT Website

My Advice: Using Resources

Look and listen As soon as possible, ask for a tour of your school Forget about the labels general education and special education when it comes to resources Talk to team mates and administrators if you need something Offer to share Remember that you are also a valuable resource Dont be afraid to ask questions

A Quote: Using Resources

Heres the greatest secret to teaching success: Beg, Borrow, and Steal! Anonymous

A Quote: Special Educators

Start by doing what's necessary, then what's possible, and suddenly you are doing the impossible. St. Francis of Assisi