I have implemented the Problem-Solving Model twice this school year. In one student, I noticed low test scores in math during the first nine weeks. Then I noticed how low her math MAP and Benchmark scores were (much lower than the "norm"). With this information, I conferenced with her mother who told me this child had always struggled in math. I have a friend (a former fourth grade teacher) that comes in once a week and tutors this child in math. During the first nine weeks the mom was very receptive of the student attending our RtI class once a week. After her scores did not increase, she refused to allow her daughter to continue attending the RtI math class now and miss related arts. I have another student whose MAP scores are just below the "norm", but his performance on quizzes, tests, and projects in the classroom doe not reflect this. He is failing all but one content area. I did refer his to the school psychologist. He was tested, and his tests showed him just below grade-level. He does not have any classroom accommodations, but I have taken it upon myself to do a few things to help him. Instead of learning 10 spelling words, I have him learn the five third grade word wall words that week. I also give him extended time to test, give him multiple choice questions instead of short answer, and often let him answer questions orally.
Currently, I can't think of anything that I am forgetting or not doing for either of these students. I am in constant contact with both parents. I am providing everything that I can at this point to both students. One student's mom has refused Rti, and the other does attend. However, there is no help for the second student in reading, social studies, or science. He make failing grades in each of these subjects, and I don't know what else I can do at school to help. He does not have any support at home. He is often alone while his mother sleeps (she works nights). She told me that she only went through second grade and cannot help him in any way.
I have offered to help him before school and after. He rides a bus, and mom said she couldn't have him at school earlier. I am sending him to both the math tutor and to math RtI weekly. With this student not qualifying for any accommodations or modifications, I have to take it upon myself to send him for any help that he gets. I plan to put him on the Compass program in the mornings. This will have him working on the areas he needs help in. He also needs some type of motivation. I am working on a self-monitoring behavior plan for him, and I hope we can see some improvement in his grades and work.
Sunday, January 29, 2012
Chapter 5 - Classroom Management
I feel that classroom management is one of my strong areas. I like structure, and from Day 1, my students know exactly what is expected. I have my classroom rules posted for every student to see, and at various times during the year, we review them. Most of my students are well-behaved and productive on a daily basis. The times we have chaos in the room is when one of my severely ADHD students has not taken his medicine. This happens a few times a month. At first, I tried to deal with it in the classroom, but his behavior is not like any child's I've ever had. He literally runs around the room, climbs on counters, and crawls under desks and chairs. With this pattern, I decided to discuss options with my school psychologist and our assistant principal. At first, I moved him to the front of the room. That didn't do a thing when he didn't take his meds. Then I moved his desk to the back of the room and hoped he wouldn't disturb any other student. This didn't work either. I then moved his desk beside my desk. Big mistake! He was taking things out of my desk drawers and had to be sent to the office for stealing. He is very impulsive and is out of his seat constantly. Now, I am to send him to the assistant principal when his behavior is disruptive. He has been suspended twice this year due to his behavior.
What I did wrong was to send this student outside my door when he was running around the room. I would keep my door open, and that didn 't accomplish a thing when he came back into the classroom. Whenever I would talk with his mom about the situation, she would tell me that she had forgotten to get his presciption filled or she didn't have the money to get it. Another thing I did wrong was to think that I alone could correct his behavior. The more I dug into his life at home, the more I understood (or tried to) where he was coming from. He has been taken from his mother twice by DSS. He has been through things that no eight year old should ever have to go through.
Currently, we are using a system like the Check-In/Check-Out. My assistant principal checks in with this student every morning and asks if his homework is completed and how his evening was. During the day, he checks in with me on this student's classwork and behavior. At the end of the day, I send a note home to mom that is supposed to be signed and brought back (it is never signed nor brought back). We have set up several I-team meetings between our school psychologist, assistant principal, mom, and myself to discuss this child' classroom behavior. Over the past week, he has begun stealing from me and other students and lying to me, our assistant principal, and to his mom. Mom says that nothing has changed at home, but we are seeing a side of this student that we haven't seen before. I asked our assistant principal and the school psychologist about this student talking with a guidance counselor. Mom did not agree with it and said that she was taking him to talk with someone already. When I asked her about this later, she admitted that she had cancelled the last few appointments. My next step is to begin a daily point system as discussed in this chapter and to follow-up with mom about him seeing a mental health person.
What I did wrong was to send this student outside my door when he was running around the room. I would keep my door open, and that didn 't accomplish a thing when he came back into the classroom. Whenever I would talk with his mom about the situation, she would tell me that she had forgotten to get his presciption filled or she didn't have the money to get it. Another thing I did wrong was to think that I alone could correct his behavior. The more I dug into his life at home, the more I understood (or tried to) where he was coming from. He has been taken from his mother twice by DSS. He has been through things that no eight year old should ever have to go through.
Currently, we are using a system like the Check-In/Check-Out. My assistant principal checks in with this student every morning and asks if his homework is completed and how his evening was. During the day, he checks in with me on this student's classwork and behavior. At the end of the day, I send a note home to mom that is supposed to be signed and brought back (it is never signed nor brought back). We have set up several I-team meetings between our school psychologist, assistant principal, mom, and myself to discuss this child' classroom behavior. Over the past week, he has begun stealing from me and other students and lying to me, our assistant principal, and to his mom. Mom says that nothing has changed at home, but we are seeing a side of this student that we haven't seen before. I asked our assistant principal and the school psychologist about this student talking with a guidance counselor. Mom did not agree with it and said that she was taking him to talk with someone already. When I asked her about this later, she admitted that she had cancelled the last few appointments. My next step is to begin a daily point system as discussed in this chapter and to follow-up with mom about him seeing a mental health person.
Webliography
1. http://www.interventioncentral.org/ (Intervention Central)
This site provides free resources to help struggling students. It provides a Behavior Report Card maker, math worksheets, reading fluency passages, word lists, and a list of the latest interventions to use in the classroom.
2. http://www.rti4success.org/ (National Center on Response to Intervention)
This site tells you what you need to know about RtI. It provides an easy to follow graphic on screening, progress monitoring, and the multi-level prevention system. There are webinar series and on-line chats. It also tells you how to implement RtI.
3. http://www.studentprogress.org/ (National Center on Student Progress Monitoring)
This is a technical assistance site to monitor student progress and provide implementation support. This site offers online training and webinars in various areas on special ed., math, AYP, RtI, and progressive monitoring in math and reading.
4. http://www.fcrr.org/ (Florida Center for Reading Research)
This is a reading site that provides research, reading assessments, and reading instruction. It also provides technical assistance for improving literacy for PreK-12. There are student-centered activities, projects, and instructional materials.
5. http://www.as.wvu.edu/~scidis/hearing.html (What Teachers Need to Know about Sensory Impairment)
This site provides strategies for teaching deaf students. It has easy to read lists to adi all teachers of these students. There are general strategies to aid in reading, writing, what to avoid, discussions. Testing strategies are also listed.
6. http://www.tqsource.org/ (National Comprehensive Center for Teacher Quality)
This is a resource for strengthening teacher quality. It provides technical assistance, webcasts, lists of specific events. This site is also designed to help at-risk schools.
7. http://www.nrcld.org/ (National Research Center on Learning Disabilities)
This is a site for teachers, psychologists, administrators, and parents. It provides answers to questions and gives info on LD, RtI, how-to topics.
8. http://add.about.com/ (ADD/ADHD site)
This is a parent-friendly site that defines ADD/ADHD and provides symptons, how children are diagnosed, and various treatments.
9. http://www.adhdcarecenter.com/ (ADHD Care Center)
A site that discusses the symptoms of ADHD.
10. www.EverydayHealth.com/ADHD (Everyday Health)
This site gives tips on correct foods/diets for children/students with ADHD. It also gives some advice for traveling with children with ADHD.
11. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Individuals_with_Disabilities_Education_Act (IDEA)
This site provides a definition for the Individuals with Disabilities Act. Here one can also read the provisions of the act and find out who is eligible. IEPs (Individual Educational Plans), low performing students, attention to problems of minority populations, funding, and unrealistic goals are all discussed.
12. http://en.wikipedia.org/wik/No_Child_Left_Behind_Act (No Child Left Behind Act)
This site defines the law; provides updates on the act/the law; the effects on teachers, schools, and districts; the problems with state tests; effects on the gifted and talented and students with disabilities; explains the least restrictive environment and early interventions; discusses how to discipline a child with a disability; discusses amendments of the act and provides lists/explanations of current Supreme Court cases.
13. http://www.ku-crl.org/sim/strategies.shtml (Center for Research on Learning)
Great site that provides lists of learning strategies to use in math, reading, writing, studying and remembering information, improving assignment and test performance, interacting with others, and self-motivation.
14. www.ehow.com/effective-teaching-strategies-asperger_s-students.html (Teaching Strategies for Students with Aspergers)
This site describes the challenges for the student and gives strategies for the teacher to use. It offers related articles/videos on Aspergers, the symptoms, some assistive technology, and use of visual aids.
15. www.ehow.com/how_8097746_tech-students-severe-behavior-problems.html (Teaching Students with Severe Behavioral Problems)
This site states and discusses the top five strategies to use in your classroom for a student with behavioral problems.
16. www.as.wvu.edu/~scidis/motor.html (Strategies for Teaching Students With Motor/Orthopedic Impairments)
Strategies given for the teacher to use for students with epilepsy, cerebal palsy, autism. General strategies offered, along with adaptations for the classroom, test-taking strategies, wheelchair accessibility/safety in all areas.
17. http://www.as.wvu.edu/?~scidis/sitemap.html (Disabilities, Teaching, Strategies, and Resources)
This is a collection of over 800 teaching strategies to help the teacher of students with various disabilities. It has a list of accommodations, organizations, resources, a list of books and videos.
18. http://buildingrti.utexas.org/ (Building RtI Capacity)
This site provides a section for teachers and one for parents. It discusses RtI in the middle school, lists effective instructional practices, effective collabortion, differentiated instruction.
19. http://state.rti4sucess.org/ (RtI State Database)
State database providing various resources on topics related to RtI, policies, training, and tools per each state (Early Intervention, screening, team building, cultural diversity).
20. http://www.ideapartnership.org/ (IDEA Partnership)
Collaborative work of 50+ state and local organizations to improve the educational services of all students with disabilities. Provides links to ASD, the Common Core Standards, RtI, NCLB, IDEA, monthly newsletters, and webinars.
21. http://www.onlinestory.net/ (Online Stories)
This is a wonderful website that has actors/famous people) reading various children's books aloud. Students are able to follow along as the words are also posted on the screen as the story is read. This would help struggling readers. The site also provides activites for the students.
22. http://www.brainpopjr.com/ and http://www.brainpop.com/ (Brainpop)
This is an educational site that my third grade team uses almost daily in introducing new content and in reviewing something already taught. It appeals to children by using a cartooned robot and little girl/boy to explain the subject matter. It also offers an easy and a hard test. This site can also present the information in other languages.
This site provides free resources to help struggling students. It provides a Behavior Report Card maker, math worksheets, reading fluency passages, word lists, and a list of the latest interventions to use in the classroom.
2. http://www.rti4success.org/ (National Center on Response to Intervention)
This site tells you what you need to know about RtI. It provides an easy to follow graphic on screening, progress monitoring, and the multi-level prevention system. There are webinar series and on-line chats. It also tells you how to implement RtI.
3. http://www.studentprogress.org/ (National Center on Student Progress Monitoring)
This is a technical assistance site to monitor student progress and provide implementation support. This site offers online training and webinars in various areas on special ed., math, AYP, RtI, and progressive monitoring in math and reading.
4. http://www.fcrr.org/ (Florida Center for Reading Research)
This is a reading site that provides research, reading assessments, and reading instruction. It also provides technical assistance for improving literacy for PreK-12. There are student-centered activities, projects, and instructional materials.
5. http://www.as.wvu.edu/~scidis/hearing.html (What Teachers Need to Know about Sensory Impairment)
This site provides strategies for teaching deaf students. It has easy to read lists to adi all teachers of these students. There are general strategies to aid in reading, writing, what to avoid, discussions. Testing strategies are also listed.
6. http://www.tqsource.org/ (National Comprehensive Center for Teacher Quality)
This is a resource for strengthening teacher quality. It provides technical assistance, webcasts, lists of specific events. This site is also designed to help at-risk schools.
7. http://www.nrcld.org/ (National Research Center on Learning Disabilities)
This is a site for teachers, psychologists, administrators, and parents. It provides answers to questions and gives info on LD, RtI, how-to topics.
8. http://add.about.com/ (ADD/ADHD site)
This is a parent-friendly site that defines ADD/ADHD and provides symptons, how children are diagnosed, and various treatments.
9. http://www.adhdcarecenter.com/ (ADHD Care Center)
A site that discusses the symptoms of ADHD.
10. www.EverydayHealth.com/ADHD (Everyday Health)
This site gives tips on correct foods/diets for children/students with ADHD. It also gives some advice for traveling with children with ADHD.
11. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Individuals_with_Disabilities_Education_Act (IDEA)
This site provides a definition for the Individuals with Disabilities Act. Here one can also read the provisions of the act and find out who is eligible. IEPs (Individual Educational Plans), low performing students, attention to problems of minority populations, funding, and unrealistic goals are all discussed.
12. http://en.wikipedia.org/wik/No_Child_Left_Behind_Act (No Child Left Behind Act)
This site defines the law; provides updates on the act/the law; the effects on teachers, schools, and districts; the problems with state tests; effects on the gifted and talented and students with disabilities; explains the least restrictive environment and early interventions; discusses how to discipline a child with a disability; discusses amendments of the act and provides lists/explanations of current Supreme Court cases.
13. http://www.ku-crl.org/sim/strategies.shtml (Center for Research on Learning)
Great site that provides lists of learning strategies to use in math, reading, writing, studying and remembering information, improving assignment and test performance, interacting with others, and self-motivation.
14. www.ehow.com/effective-teaching-strategies-asperger_s-students.html (Teaching Strategies for Students with Aspergers)
This site describes the challenges for the student and gives strategies for the teacher to use. It offers related articles/videos on Aspergers, the symptoms, some assistive technology, and use of visual aids.
15. www.ehow.com/how_8097746_tech-students-severe-behavior-problems.html (Teaching Students with Severe Behavioral Problems)
This site states and discusses the top five strategies to use in your classroom for a student with behavioral problems.
16. www.as.wvu.edu/~scidis/motor.html (Strategies for Teaching Students With Motor/Orthopedic Impairments)
Strategies given for the teacher to use for students with epilepsy, cerebal palsy, autism. General strategies offered, along with adaptations for the classroom, test-taking strategies, wheelchair accessibility/safety in all areas.
17. http://www.as.wvu.edu/?~scidis/sitemap.html (Disabilities, Teaching, Strategies, and Resources)
This is a collection of over 800 teaching strategies to help the teacher of students with various disabilities. It has a list of accommodations, organizations, resources, a list of books and videos.
18. http://buildingrti.utexas.org/ (Building RtI Capacity)
This site provides a section for teachers and one for parents. It discusses RtI in the middle school, lists effective instructional practices, effective collabortion, differentiated instruction.
19. http://state.rti4sucess.org/ (RtI State Database)
State database providing various resources on topics related to RtI, policies, training, and tools per each state (Early Intervention, screening, team building, cultural diversity).
20. http://www.ideapartnership.org/ (IDEA Partnership)
Collaborative work of 50+ state and local organizations to improve the educational services of all students with disabilities. Provides links to ASD, the Common Core Standards, RtI, NCLB, IDEA, monthly newsletters, and webinars.
21. http://www.onlinestory.net/ (Online Stories)
This is a wonderful website that has actors/famous people) reading various children's books aloud. Students are able to follow along as the words are also posted on the screen as the story is read. This would help struggling readers. The site also provides activites for the students.
22. http://www.brainpopjr.com/ and http://www.brainpop.com/ (Brainpop)
This is an educational site that my third grade team uses almost daily in introducing new content and in reviewing something already taught. It appeals to children by using a cartooned robot and little girl/boy to explain the subject matter. It also offers an easy and a hard test. This site can also present the information in other languages.
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Ch. 3 - Low-Incidence Disabilities
I have only had one student with a low-incidence disability. She was a high-functioning autistic student. Her parents were very involved in our school, and I collaborated with them and our resource teacher quite frequently about her. This student was an above-average reader and wanted to read all the time. She was exceptionally bright in math also. Her handwriting was horrible, and we continuously worked on making it more legible. She was in my regular education class for the entire day and was only followed by our resource teacher as needed. Whenever she got excited, she would start shaking her hands. This was actually the first thing I noticed about her when we met. Her main problem was organization, and she never knew where anything was. She had to be reminded to write down her daily assignments. She was a bit socially awkward and was often alone at recess. Her desk and cubbie looked like a trash can! I would have to get another student to help her clean it. Other than the above, this student did not require any additional support/help from me. Her parents did ask that I have her sit in the front of the class. She was an all A student for the entire year.
The resource teacher proposed that I keep a daily chart on this student for having her homework in a specific folder and completing a desk check every Friday. This was not my idea. It got to be too much to have to clean that desk every Friday, so I did not follow through on that checklist. I really didn't agree with doing this. (We cleaned out desks anyway every time it rained and we had indoor recess.) There was just not an appropriate time during class to have her clean out her desk.
I did keep this student close to the front of the classroom or where I was standing. I encouraged her and other girls to play together. Looking back, I wish I had gotten her a small trash can to keep beside her desk. This might have helped with the desk. Her mother would cry whenever we had meetings because she worried about this student not having a close friend. I encouraged the other girls in the class to ask her to play, and they would, but she refused. Looking back, she was a happy little girl. She's now in fourth grade and smiles and hugs me every time I see her. She loves hearing her current teacher bragging about her to me. I feel that she's slowly coming out of that shell.
The resource teacher proposed that I keep a daily chart on this student for having her homework in a specific folder and completing a desk check every Friday. This was not my idea. It got to be too much to have to clean that desk every Friday, so I did not follow through on that checklist. I really didn't agree with doing this. (We cleaned out desks anyway every time it rained and we had indoor recess.) There was just not an appropriate time during class to have her clean out her desk.
I did keep this student close to the front of the classroom or where I was standing. I encouraged her and other girls to play together. Looking back, I wish I had gotten her a small trash can to keep beside her desk. This might have helped with the desk. Her mother would cry whenever we had meetings because she worried about this student not having a close friend. I encouraged the other girls in the class to ask her to play, and they would, but she refused. Looking back, she was a happy little girl. She's now in fourth grade and smiles and hugs me every time I see her. She loves hearing her current teacher bragging about her to me. I feel that she's slowly coming out of that shell.
Ch. 2 - High-Incidence Disabilities
I currently have four students diagnosed with ADD/ADHD. Three of the students are from supportive families, and one has no support at all from home. He lives with a single mother and a younger sister, who is also ADHD. This student has been in foster care, and his mother recently got both children back. She works night shift at a gas station. Drugs have been involved in this student's entire life. Homework and projects are never done. Classwork is completed only if I stand over him or tell him it'll have to be done during his recess. He never studies, and his grades reflect it. On his current report card, he failed all but one subject. There is no motivation at all. When I noticed that he was making 10s and 20s on spelling tests, I started writing his words in colored markers on index cards. I discovered that whenever I did this, his spelling test grades would improve. I then decided to take his study guides for ss and science, put them in a large baggie, and he would at least take that baggie home and read over the study guides. From there, I prepared a baggie with pencils, notebook paper, and colored pencils for him to keep together at home. This student was retained in kindergarten and currently reads on a kindergarten level. His MAP scores are just a little below the norm, so he doesn't qualify for any services (resource was what I hoped for). I have referred him to our I-team, and we have set up a behavior plan. It consists of me writing his assignments daily and completing a checklist of daily behaviors and expectations. Often, this student does not get his medication. He cannot sit in his chair, he runs around the room, he climbs on the counters, and talks continuously. Focusing is a major issue even when he is on his meds. I keep him at the front of the room (and always near me).
Due to the major behavioral issues (stealing, lying, and no support from mom), I know that I am impatient with him. Since he has no IEP, 504, or any accommodations, I expect the same from him that I do from my other students. I have discussed this student numerous times with my assistant principal and our school psychologist. They agree that I have no reason not to expect the same from him. However, he has failed most every subject the entire year. I feel that I am letting him down.
This student needs to feel some success. Instead of expecting him to study ten spelling words, I can give him the five third grade words for a few weeks. I can also provide him some time in the morning to complete homework. I do provide him with all necessary materials to complete projects (that never get done). Maybe I can have this student not take the work home, but let him work on assignments during a related arts time. I think he needs a different type of behavior chart. Instead of a chart with a long list of "accomplishments", we need to have a shorter list to start with and gradually add to it as he sees some success.
Due to the major behavioral issues (stealing, lying, and no support from mom), I know that I am impatient with him. Since he has no IEP, 504, or any accommodations, I expect the same from him that I do from my other students. I have discussed this student numerous times with my assistant principal and our school psychologist. They agree that I have no reason not to expect the same from him. However, he has failed most every subject the entire year. I feel that I am letting him down.
This student needs to feel some success. Instead of expecting him to study ten spelling words, I can give him the five third grade words for a few weeks. I can also provide him some time in the morning to complete homework. I do provide him with all necessary materials to complete projects (that never get done). Maybe I can have this student not take the work home, but let him work on assignments during a related arts time. I think he needs a different type of behavior chart. Instead of a chart with a long list of "accomplishments", we need to have a shorter list to start with and gradually add to it as he sees some success.
Sunday, January 22, 2012
Chapter 4 - Collaboration
Collaboration takes place on a daily and a weekly basis by my grade level team. We formally meet once a week to plan lessons and discuss any issues that arise. We all bouce ideas off each other about how to help our lower-performing students. Not only do I collaborate with my grade level, but I also talk with our resource teacher. She has provided me with valuable ideas to help several of my resource students. I have also gone to her for some ways to help my regular ed. students. This year I also have an ESOL student that is having problems in note-taking, organization, and completing work. He currently is not served by ESOL, and he has no classroom accommodations. The administrators at my school are a great source for ideas also. My principal and assistant principal are currently involved with one of my students regarding grades and behavior. They have suggested I use a positive behavior plan (taped to his desk). My assistant principal has a behavior plan that he is implementing with the same student.
We have had an I-team meeting with the administrators, mom, the school psychologist, and myself. Of all the issues we have discussed (failing grades in every subject, no homework is ever done, disruptive behavior in class and on the bus), I feel that the entire responsibility of this child's success is on me. Yes, we have implemented a behavior plan that requires the student to write down every assignment and have his mother signe the agenda that the work was completed. This has not been done. I am the one writing down his assignments to ensure that she gets them. When projects have been assigned, I gather the required materials and send them home for him to do the work. Somewhere between school and home. they are lost because mom tells me that she never saw them. I have him tutored in math each week, and I send him to RtI class in ELA weekly. I am seeing no evidence where he's being helped. I think I do have some anger that his mom is not holding up her end of the I-team process.
I want there to be accountability on mom's end. I want her to ensure that her child completes his assignments by initialing that all work has been done. It's hard to keep a line of communication open with her due to her work hours (nights). I want her to make sure he completes all of his homework at home and not send him to school with a note saying for me to let him do it at recess. She must take some responsibility, also. My students had a project assigned, and I sent all the materials home with him twice to be completed. It was due last week, and he has yet to bring in any part of the project. We do have another meeting scheduled on Friday, and I am going to suggest that she call me once a week to touch base. I would like for him to receive help in reading at school. Right now it's not offered.
We have had an I-team meeting with the administrators, mom, the school psychologist, and myself. Of all the issues we have discussed (failing grades in every subject, no homework is ever done, disruptive behavior in class and on the bus), I feel that the entire responsibility of this child's success is on me. Yes, we have implemented a behavior plan that requires the student to write down every assignment and have his mother signe the agenda that the work was completed. This has not been done. I am the one writing down his assignments to ensure that she gets them. When projects have been assigned, I gather the required materials and send them home for him to do the work. Somewhere between school and home. they are lost because mom tells me that she never saw them. I have him tutored in math each week, and I send him to RtI class in ELA weekly. I am seeing no evidence where he's being helped. I think I do have some anger that his mom is not holding up her end of the I-team process.
I want there to be accountability on mom's end. I want her to ensure that her child completes his assignments by initialing that all work has been done. It's hard to keep a line of communication open with her due to her work hours (nights). I want her to make sure he completes all of his homework at home and not send him to school with a note saying for me to let him do it at recess. She must take some responsibility, also. My students had a project assigned, and I sent all the materials home with him twice to be completed. It was due last week, and he has yet to bring in any part of the project. We do have another meeting scheduled on Friday, and I am going to suggest that she call me once a week to touch base. I would like for him to receive help in reading at school. Right now it's not offered.
Chapter 1 - Response to Intervention
Effective teachers use numerous types of intervention daily for their students. Most of the time, interventions are used in the regular classroom with the regular education teacher. In my classroom, I currently have regular ed. students that I work with daily (in math) by using an informal type of intervention. It may include pulling these five students to the reading table to work with them in a small group on a specific skill, or it may mean sending them out with a tutor that I have that comes in once a week for additional support. I collaborate with the tutor weekly on the skills that the students need extra help with. Of these five students, I send the lowest two (from MAP and Benchmark scores) out once a week to our Response to Intervention class. This is a 45 minute class that is taught by related arts teachers. I do not use MAP and Benchmark scores only to help me identify struggling students. When I have evidence from quizzes and tests that a student does not understand or has not grasped new material, I immediately try another teaching strategy. If a student continues to struggle in class, I talk with an administrator and/or our school psychologist about possible I-team referral. From there, the psychologist will test the child for any learning disablility.
I know that there are some students that "fall through the cracks". How does a child get to third grade reading on a kindergarten reading level? How am I to expect that student to read assignments and understand what he has read? I currently have this student. He cannot read nor can he write a complete sentence. My school is the fourth school in the district that he has attended. He was retained in kindergarten. His MAP scores are just a little below the norm. His Benchmark scores are below grade level. I have provided him with one-on-one instruction, additional time to take tests, read tests aloud, given him notes and study guides, sent him to work with the tutor, and sent him to RtI. When tested, he did not have any learning disabilities. With all of this, there has been no changes in his classroom performance/grades. I have referred him to the I-team. This consisted of a behavior plan and his mom/family working more with him at home. None of this is working. I have gone to our assistant principal for input on the situation. He is following up with another behavior plan between them.
I want to have another I-team meeting with our principal, school psychologist, assistant principal, guidance counselor, mom, and myself there. Due to budget cuts, my school no longer offers any help to struggling readers in grade three. WIth mom's lack of education, she has said there is a limit to what she can help him do. He must ride the bus to and from school and cannot come before or after school for any additional help. I want him to have help in reading, writing, and math. I want there to be accountability by our school and by his mom. I keep daily charts on his behavior and his homework and classwork being completed. She must take on some of the responsibility and ensure us that he gets his homework and school projects completed. I am open to any other suggestions.
I know that there are some students that "fall through the cracks". How does a child get to third grade reading on a kindergarten reading level? How am I to expect that student to read assignments and understand what he has read? I currently have this student. He cannot read nor can he write a complete sentence. My school is the fourth school in the district that he has attended. He was retained in kindergarten. His MAP scores are just a little below the norm. His Benchmark scores are below grade level. I have provided him with one-on-one instruction, additional time to take tests, read tests aloud, given him notes and study guides, sent him to work with the tutor, and sent him to RtI. When tested, he did not have any learning disabilities. With all of this, there has been no changes in his classroom performance/grades. I have referred him to the I-team. This consisted of a behavior plan and his mom/family working more with him at home. None of this is working. I have gone to our assistant principal for input on the situation. He is following up with another behavior plan between them.
I want to have another I-team meeting with our principal, school psychologist, assistant principal, guidance counselor, mom, and myself there. Due to budget cuts, my school no longer offers any help to struggling readers in grade three. WIth mom's lack of education, she has said there is a limit to what she can help him do. He must ride the bus to and from school and cannot come before or after school for any additional help. I want him to have help in reading, writing, and math. I want there to be accountability by our school and by his mom. I keep daily charts on his behavior and his homework and classwork being completed. She must take on some of the responsibility and ensure us that he gets his homework and school projects completed. I am open to any other suggestions.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)