Reflections as an Euucation Specialist

TPE A - Naking Subject Nattei Compiehensible to Stuuents

This lesson needed more adaptations for students to access this concept. I began this
lesson with a subtraction game; from Marilyn Burns curriculum using ten frames and
unifix cubes and much to my surprise the students did not understand this game that I had
taught them just a week prior. Partner groups that were assigned to play the game
struggled to stay on task and to engage in this game. The format of the game was a bit
confusing, as we played it I realized how it could be confusing for students, but it is
effective in determining what the vocabulary word difference means. After a few
minutes, I chose to play the game against the four of them. This method was more
efficient. Following the game the students began their individual work in the their
workbooks. Students were creating subtraction equations for the ten frames given to them.
This was effective, however students worked at different paces and therefore I needed an
extension activity to have the fast-finishers complete once they were done. The content
within this lesson itself was aligned with the students learning goals in their IEP. I will
always come with a plan b lesson in mind, and always come with extension activities. I
learned from this lesson and learned how different students learning needs are and how
one student might benefit from unifix cubes, another student may need a whiteboard or a
ten frame

TPE B - Assessing Stuuent Leaining

This week, I assesseu a stuuent using the W}III. Aftei completing this assessment, I
was able to ieflect on the infoimation obtaineu fiom this foimal assessment. This
stuuent was not able to answei any math questions ielateu to money, anu this is
something that I woulun't noimally see within my specializeu instiuction in the
leaining centei. I have been woiking so haiu to woik with this stuuent towaius his
cuiient goals, so it was helpful foi this assessment to give me moie infoimation that
I neeueu. This stuuent will neeu some focuseu woik on money value, foi each coin,
auuitional to this he will neeu to ieview teims such as; cents, because this was founu
that he uiun't know this key teim on the assessment. It is helpful to unueistanu the
ueficit aieas moie closely anu it woulu be beneficial to have these types of iesults
eveiy yeai. 0nueistanuably this has been changeu in special euucation because that
is a lot of foimal assessments. I uo feel collaboiative teaching woulu help in this aiea
because stuuents will ieceive ie-teaching in the aieas of math, wiiting, anu ieauing
anu will be given moie suppoits anu seivices in the classioom.

TPE C - Engaging anu Suppoiting Stuuents in Leaining

Reflecting on my best piactices with my small gioup in the leaining centei, I will
implement stiategies that will best suppoit them anu theii neeus. Inuiviuually they
each neeu uiffeient things anu as a whole they neeu similai acauemic instiuction.
While instiucting them to wiite a paiagiaph I will neeu to meet theii neeus foi
sensoiy, fine motoi anu motivational suppoit. In oiuei to meet these neeus I will
ensuie the piactice of leaining to ieau sight woius involves many moues of sensoiy
options foi a paiticulai stuuent. These options will incluue using whole bouy to spell
these woius, anu using his fingei to spell these woius on the table, caipet, in sanu,
anu on his back. 0thei ways to suppoit this stuuent will be having him sing the
spelling, wiite the spelling on a whiteboaiu, anu use iepetition. Anothei stuuent has
the ability to uo gieat acauemic woik, howevei he lacks motivation. Be will have a
glass jai that will neeu to be filleu by the enu of gioup in oiuei to eain his uime. Be
will eain these beaus by showing whole bouy listening, being on task anu uoing his
woik. The thiiu stuuent neeus suppoits in fine motoi suppoit, which will incluue a
slanteu boaiu, peihaps, a pen oi pencil cushion anu may benefit fiom typing insteau
of wiiting in some cases. 0veiall, its helpful to look at these specific neeus of my
stuuents anu to unueistanu how I can best suppoit them. I neeu to give them eveiy
oppoitunity to be successful in the time that I have with them.

TPE B - Planning Instiuction anu Besigning Leaining Expeiiences foi Stuuents

I ieflect on one of my 2
nu
giaue stuuents who appeais to have a busy home life. Be is
an English language leainei anu lives at home with his paients anu oluei sistei who
just hau a newboin. I know that they live in an apaitment anu theiefoie I feel I can
assume the space is pietty tight. I ieflect constantly about how this may affect him at
school anu in leaining. Be has once saiu to me, "my sistei useu to help me leain all
my numbeis, but now she is too busy with hei baby." This stuuent is fiequently
absent fiom school one uay pei week accoiuing to my attenuance iecoius anu I feai
that he is missing out on too much of his euucation. I unueistanu how the home life
can impact a stuuent's leaining anu unueistanu families who coulu be stiuggling to
stay afloat. It's helpful to know this about my stuuent anu be able to auapt things as
necessaiy within my lessons. I fiequently check in with home about how things aie
anu he always appeais happy anu iemains as sweet as can be. By knowing uifficult
living situations it helps me to become a bettei teachei because I will ensuie he can
access cuiiiculum in whichevei way he may neeu.

TPE E - Cieating anu Naintaining Effective Enviionments foi Leaining: Behavioi
Suppoit Plan

I began the school yeai by continuing implementation of a stuuent's behavioi
suppoit plan. I knew him fiom substituting last school yeai, anu was able to see his
escalateu behavioi at school, which incluueu both veibal anu physical aggiession.
Bis annual IEP was in Septembei at the beginning of the school yeai so I ueciueu to
continue his behavioi suppoit plan baseu on last school yeai's iesults. Repoits fiom
his guaiuian incluueu him being on a new meuication ovei the summei anu positive
iepoits fiom summei camps. Be uiu not have any veibal oi physical aggiession to
iepoit fiom summei, Yay! Reflecting on him thiough this school yeai, he is
continuing to uo extiemely well. Be has not behaveu in any way to iequiie use of his
behavioi suppoit plan. I feel that this is a huge pait fiom his meuication, as his
guaiuian has iepoiteu. The meuication has helpeu him to not ieact immeuiately to
his peeis iemaiks oi behaviois. Be is able to use pio social stiategies when
inteiacting with peeis uuiing times when this behavioi woulu escalate (iecess, less
stiuctuieu times). Be continues to come to the leaining centei foi lunch bunch as a
way to piomote pio social stiategies in uaily communication with his peeis. Be
biings a fiienu along with him anu we have club themes. This stuuent is fosteieu in
this enviionment to use appiopiiate school language with his peeis. 0n occasion he
has biought up "spin the bottle" oi "name calling". Be is encouiageu to use
"expecteu" behaviois at school anu is ieminueu if this is "expecteu" oi "unexpecteu"
use of language in the school enviionment. At this point, I feel that he no longei
neeus his BSP because he has been uoing extiemely well!