IEPReflection4/16/15

JoeSullivan

NameofObservedMeeting:
IEPMeeting:StudentwithanEmotionalDisturbance:Anxiety
Purpose:
AnnualMeeting
Present:
Student,CaseManager,GuidanceCounselor,AssistantPrincipal,3Teachers(Gen.
Ed).Absent:Parent.EmailedCaseManagerprioreveninginformingofunavailability.
Leader:
CaseManager.Agendawasdiscussedbrieflybeforebeingexecuted:introductions,
discussstudentsstanceonhowschoolisgoing,introduceobservationsmadebyadults,
evaluateinformation,updatedocuments,questions.
Observation:
ComingintotheIEPnotknowinganybodywasnerverackingforme.However,
thestudentappearedtobeundernostraininthecompanyoftheirteachersandassociated
adults.Thefactthatnoparentwasinattendancewasaddressedattheverybeginningofthe
meeting,astheCaseManagerinformedboththestudentandstaffthattherehadbeenan
emailexchangedbetweentheparentandCaseManagerabouttheparentbeingunableto
attendtheIEPmeeting.Itwasimpliedbutnotstatedthatthiswasnotasurprise.
Afterintroductions,theCaseManagertookcontrolofthemeetingandbeganbyspeaking
directlytothestudent.ThefirstquestionswereHowdoyouthinkthingsaregoing?,What
isgoingwell?,andWhathasntgonewell?Oncethesebasicwereanswered,questions
becamealittlemoreindepth:Whatdoyouwanttodoafterhighschool?,Howcanyou
makethathappen?,andAreyouplanningongoingtocollege?
Afterthestudenthadgiventheiranswerstotheaforementionedquestions,teachersbegan
givingtheirobservations.EachteacherhadPowerschooltorefertoaswellassocialand
personalobservations.Teacherscommendedthestudentforbeingaselfadvocate,theeffort
thathadbeenputin,andrespectfulattitudeinclass.Mostcriticalcommentsregardedeffort
onassignments(particularlyhomework).Othermentionablemomentsfromteachersincluded
recommendingthestudentuseresourcesprovidedinclassandapowerfulfeelingofbeliefin
thestudenttosucceed.
Afterteachershadfinishedwiththeirobservations,theguidancecounselorandassistant
principalbothtookturnsdiscussingtheirobservations.Oneofthecommentsinthesection
mentionedthelackofdisciplinaryissuesforthestudent,whichwaswellreceivedbythe
student.
Onceallparticipantshadfinishedwiththeirobservationofthestudent,theCaseManager
said,Iwanttomakesureyourehearingthethingsthesepeoplearesayingaboutyou.You
aredoingagreatjob.
Followingthisprocedure,therewasashortdiscussionaboutthenearfutureforthestudentin
particular,applyingforapositionintheLewistonRegionalTechnicalCenterscarpentry
program.Thecommitteeconcludedthatthiswouldbeaddedtothegoalsforthestudent,in
additiontoapreviouslycreatedwritinggoalandselfadvocacygoal.Thecommitteedecided
thatthefollowingclassroomexpectationsgoalsetbythestudentatthelastIEPmeeting
couldbediscontinued.
Accommodationsforthestudentwerereiteratedforteachersatthispoint:extratimeand
breakingcontentdown.

Finally,therewasanopportunityforanyquestionstobeasked.Therewerenone.TheIEP
meetingwasthenconcluded.
ClassroomTeachersRole:
Thegeneraleducationteacherspresentwereexpectedtohave
thestudentsgradesaccessedandreadytobediscussed.Inaddition,individualobservations
aboutthestudentwereexpectedtobepreparedanddiscussed.Worksampleswerenot
requiredbutseveralteachersbroughtexamplesintoshow.Observationswereconcisebut
detaileditwasobviousthatparticipantshadspenttimeobservingthestudentclosely.
ProtocolandOverallComfort:
Tomakeallparticipantsfeelwelcomeinthemeeting,
everybodyintroducedthemselvestoeachotheratverybeginning.Inadditiontothis,
commentswerekeptmostlypositiveandconcernswerevoicedinasupportiveandproductive
manner.AsanobserverIcouldtellthatallparticipantssupportedthestudent.Ihaveno
suggestionsorrecommendations.
Preparation:
AsageneraleducationteacherIwillbesuretoapproachIEPmeetingswith
carefulconcern.Iwillbepreparedwithgrades,observations(academic,social,and
emotional),andstudentsamples.Inaddition,Iwillbesuretohaveresourcesavailableformy
studentandplansofactionstoremedyanysupportareas.Iplanonhavingdatatobackup
anyassertionsorobservationsthatImake.
Conclusion:
Themeetingconcludedfollowinganopportunityforanyparticipanttoask
questions.Forafollowup,newgoalsweresetforthestudentanditwasimpliedthatunless
therewascauseforconcern,thenextmeetingwouldoccuratthenextannualcheckin.
Thoughts:
Afterthisexperience(whichIunderstandwasoneofthemoreefficientexamples),
IfeelthatIamgenerallypreparedtoapproachanIEPmeetingmyselfwhenitcomesto
advocatingformystudents.Onthewhole,ItookawaythatasaneducatorIshouldbe
keepinganeyeonmystudentsandobservingtheirhabitsinregardstothecontentofmy
classroomandthebehaviorsandinteractionsofmystudentswithothers.OnceIaminan
IEPmeetingIwanttoensurethatmystudentknowsthatIappreciateandsupporttheirefforts
inmyclass.IfthereareconcernsthatIneedtovoice,Iwanttodosoeffectivelyand
concisely,withoutshamingthestudent.Iespeciallywanttheseconcernstobefollowedbya
planofactionandresourcestoensurethatthestudentcansatisfytheexpectationsthathave
beensetoutbymyselfandthestudentsIEP.
Overall,thiswasaverypositiveexperiencethatmodeledeffective,caringteaching.