Delaney Dillard - Shadow a Teacher
Gretchen Dillard (HS SAS Teacher), Greenwood Christian Academy (Greenwood, IN)
What grade levels are
within the building?
Is the school considered
rural, suburban, or urban?
How many students did
you observe?
How does the teacher
individualize instruction
for the strengths and
challenges of each student
in reading? Math? For any
other subjects observed?
What instructional
materials are used for
reading and math?
Describe any
accommodations and
modifications used by
students you observed.
Describe any assistive
technology that was used.
Describe any low-tech
instructional aids used
such as pencil grips, charts,
specialized paper,
manipulatives, etc..
OVERVIEW
Greenwood Christian Academy High School houses grades nine
through twelve. Each grade has about 55 students.
The school is considered suburban, as it is situated in Greenwood, a
suburb of Indianapolis. A suburb is a setting that typically combines
elements of urban and rural environments, offering a balance between
city amenities and natural landscapes.
Due to a class-wide trip and her current half-day schedule, Mrs.
Dillard only worked with 3 students during my time there today.
Mrs. Dillard does a lot of read-alouds for ELA and for mathematics. A
lot of Mrs. Dillard’s job is basic organization, such as helping students
fill out their planners and checking in on missing assignment progress.
As far as individualizing instruction goes, she works mostly in the areas
of small group instruction and independent study.
Mrs. Dillard utilizes what the teacher is using within the classroom.
Today, I mostly observed check-ins with students, which means I
didn’t really see instructional materials in use.
The accommodation I witnessed the most today was extra time. Since
most of today was meetings with students to check in on missing
assignments, I learned a lot about how these students do not have the
same penalties for late work.
I didn’t see any assistive technology in use today. However, in talking
to Mrs. Dillard, I learned that the most commonly used AT within the
building is text-to-speech.
Mrs. Dillard keeps “cheat sheets” in her file cabinet. These include
topics like triangle congruence, shape names, metric prefixes, and
formulae. As she puts it, she has “anything they can need while
working on homework.”
Describe the behavior
management system used
by the teacher. Describe
any reinforcers the teacher
might use.
What are the class
rules/procedures?
Describe class routines
such as for morning work,
going to lunch and recess,
end of the day?
How does the teacher
organize student work?
Individual folders, bins,
pocket portfolios, cubicles,
computers?
Which rules, routines,
and/or strategies might you
consider using in your own
classroom?
What was your favorite
part of the time with your
observation?
Mrs. Dillard uses a cell phone garage, just like the rest of the teachers in
the building. This forces students to be focused during their time in
the SAS room. Mrs. Dillard also uses the general behavior
management tactics of any classroom teacher, like verbal reminders to
stay on task and utilizing the relationship she has formed with each
student. Because of the way the room is set up, it is also quite easy to
use proximity as behavior management, as she’s sitting near the
student at all times.
Because Mrs. Dillard typically works one-on-one with students, there
aren’t any “posted” rules or procedures aside from the school wide
policies. However, she does ensure that students are staying on-task
within her classroom.
Mrs. Dillard is not in a self-contained classroom, so her routines
revolve around the high school schedule. There is a designated
“Cougar Time” (a block where they are able to visit teachers for
assistance or join a club) that Mrs. Dillard and the other SAS teacher
utilize to meet with students who have missing assignments. They will
send emails to students at the beginning of the day telling them that
they will be spending their Cougar Time in the SAS room.
Mrs. Dillard uses file folders to organize students’ work. As far as
digital documents go, each student has a folder on her computer as
well.
In my own classroom, I will probably utilize the behavior strategies the
most. Mrs. Dillard has a great grasp on forming relationships with
students before trying to “discipline” them in any sort of truly effective
way, and I think I will carry that with me. It is important to KNOW
the students you’re teaching before you try to change an attitude or
behavior.
Other than being able to watch my mom in action, my favorite part of
my time was watching her respond to each situation in such a unique
and authentic way. For example, we had taken a walk to fill up my
water bottle when a loud crash of thunder occurred. Her immediate
response was, “I have to go find [student].” This is because that
student has high anxiety and gets very disruptively anxious when she
can hear/see a storm. Her authentic response and genuine care and
 concern for the student were my favorite parts of my observation.

What data did you see
collected or used to
support the
students/lesson?
Mrs. Dillard showed me a few examples of dream sheets, transition
surveys, and other tools for seniors. I also viewed some other
examination/assessment tools for the underclassmen that help them
discover what they want to do after high school and set goals to work
toward that.

Next year, Mrs. Dillard will be focusing more on self-reflection

check-ins by implementing an IEP Check-In Worksheet that allows
students to express what they think they need.

GENERAL KNOWLEDGE
What “nuisance behaviors” One student spent a lot of time in the SAS room during Cougar Time.
did you encounter? He didn’t do much work (at least to the naked eye), but really just
wanted to talk to the other SAS teacher about food choices and his
spring break. He was definitely supposed to be doing his work, but
wasn’t really hurting anyone else. Therefore, I would mark this as a
nuisance behavior.

Describe the room
arrangement of the
classroom.
The room is pretty small, but most of the classrooms within the
building are also very small. Two SAS teachers share the room, so both
have their own desks and a student work table forming two Ls within
the room. Mrs. Dillard’s walls are decorated to make students feel
welcome, while the other SAS teacher only has a blank whiteboard and
a calendar. It is a stark contrast.

Do you see differentiation
based on student interest
and/or student readiness?
While in the room, I witnessed the tutoring of a student (not by Mrs.
Dillard). This student receives tutoring every day after geometry by
having the lesson retaught to him. It has been found that it takes twice
for the student to grasp the concept, so the SAS team differentiated
based on student readiness and found this to be the best option.

Do you see any lessons I did not see any lessons in action today. However, Mrs. Dillard did
designed in multiple levels? share a few examples of modified assessments with me. These clearly
showed that there can be many levels to any assignment, and she might
even give the same test at different levels on a given day.

Are there clear Yes. Mrs. Dillard sets clear expectations for her students. They center
expectations? on organization, readiness for classroom instruction, and willingness
to learn. One thing she focuses on is being prepared to be in the

Did you use or see any
adaptations of IEP?
HLP 22: Provide positive
and constructive feedback
to guide students’ learning
and behavior
HLP 1: Collaborate with
professionals to increase
student success.
HLP 7: Establish a
consistent, organized, and
respectful learning
environment
HLP 11: Identify and
prioritize long- and
short-term learning goals.
What have you learned
most from this
assignment?
How will this information
classroom. This means bringing all materials needed, but also being
ready and able to self-advocate if necessary.
As I did not get to witness a lesson today, I didn’t see any active
adaptations of IEP. However, I did talk to Mrs. Dillard about what
that might look like and viewed a few anonymous IEPs as well as
modified/accommodated assignments.
HLP
Mrs. Dillard provided immediate and positive feedback to multiple
students, including phrases like “you have to be so proud of yourself,”
“you’ve worked so hard,” and general congratulations on being early
and keeping track of grades.
Mrs. Dillard emails her tutors at the beginning of the week. I also
witnessed her speaking to a tutor that comes in from an outside
organization as well as talking to a teacher about how to best
accommodate her students through modification.
Mrs. Dillard places great importance on her room being full of
two-way respect, organization for herself and for her students, and a
consistent safe space. I witnessed a lot of the organization and respect
pieces in today’s visit, as students clearly feel comfortable around Mrs.
Dillard and are open to her constructive feedback and able to ask for
help.
Mrs. Dillard utilizes 15-minute check-ins to make sure that her
students are reaching their learning goals. By reminding them of things
like filling in their geometry cheat sheets and taking notes in Bible, she
is making sure they have every opportunity to take control of and
prioritize their own goals.
SUMMARY
From this assignment, I’ve learned about the intricate details of
teaching in a special education setting, particularly within a suburban
high school. It provided insights into various instructional strategies,
behavior management techniques, organizational methods, and
collaborative approaches that support student success.
This information will be immensely beneficial in shaping my teaching
 help you as a teacher? practice. By incorporating the strategies and techniques highlighted in
the observations, I can create a more inclusive and supportive learning
environment for all students. Understanding the importance of
individualized instruction, positive reinforcement, and collaboration
with colleagues will enhance my ability to meet the diverse needs of
students effectively.

What new perspective Through this assignment, I gained a deeper appreciation for the
about special education complexity and importance of meeting the diverse needs of students in
might you have gained? special education. It highlighted the significance of flexibility,
adaptability, and personalized support in fostering student success.
Additionally, it underscored the critical role of collaboration among
educators and professionals to provide comprehensive support for
students with disabilities.

Did you learn anything Not necessarily unexpected, but one thing I learned more about
unexpected about teaching teaching and special educators was the level of detail and organization
or special educators? in managing student work and accommodations. From file folders to
digital documents, from assistive technology to low-tech aids like
“cheat sheets,” it’s evident that teachers invest significant effort in
ensuring that students have the resources and support they need to
succeed. Additionally, I was impressed by the emphasis on fostering a
respectful and organized learning environment, which contributes to
student engagement and achievement.

Is there anything else you I believe it is important to note that Greenwood Christian Academy
want to add to your screens students prior to admittance. In the admittance process, prior
shadow study that you grades, standardized test scores, and behavior are looked at to be sure
observed? that GCA can meet the needs of the student. Due to the lack of Tier 3
support available within the school, GCA is transparent with parents
who might want their child enrolled in the school on whether or not
their student will be fully supported here. The Center Grove school
system is involved in the ISP process once the student is admitted and
enrolled, ensuring that all goals are documented and working to be
met.

Raw Observation Notes

Check-In - TB
- Congratulates him on being early to his check-in and for his uptick in grades
- Asks him about schedule
 - “We’re going to work really hard on that homework and keep that grade going up, right?”
- “You have to be so proud of yourself! You’ve worked so hard!”
- “How are we balancing track and studying?”
- Nothing missing!
- “What do you have to work on right now?”
- Sent him back to study hall
Check-In - LC
- “Those are pretty grades you have right here”
- Asks personal questions
- Checks in on non-school related things (student hates driving and older sister isn’t around this
week; recap of spring break)
- “What are you looking forward to?”
- “What else do you have coming up?”
- “Why do we hate school so much right now?”
- “I like being here, but I don’t have to go to class and take tests.” - relates to students
- Student freely expresses opinions with her, clearly comfortable with her
- Student recognizes that if she keeps this up, she’ll get A/B honor roll for the first time (Dillard
celebrates that)
Check-In - NG
- “How do you feel about those grades?”
- “This is the one I would question.”
- Goes over assignments that could be causing “issues”
- “What do you have coming up this week?”
- Reminds student that his cheat sheet is not helpful if it is empty
- “Anything you’re worried about?”
- “Anything coming up that you need any help with?”
- Offers reminders for upcoming assignments