Describe an incident of working with a special
child in your classroom.What
advice/guidance did you receive from your teacher or another school
professional?
One of our children has an IEP for all language processing, production, and comprehension. He has a lot to say, but he often leaves out background information that is essential to his audience’s understanding. Although English is his first language, his parents are not native English speakers. This boy spent an extended summer in his native country, missing the final month of last school year as well as the first month of this school year. He began learning his parent’s language while there. He has now been back at school for a week, and he is understandably having a tough time settling back in to school routines. In addition to his language difficulties, teachers have observed this boy being very fixated on certain objects or activities. For example, he spent a recent math time focusing only on the die instead of using it to work on the given activity. Last year, he had a certain spot that he felt compelled to sit in during all meetings. Teachers are continuing to observe this behavior. This year, the children have begun keeping track of their independent reading in a Reading Log. Since this boy had not yet returned to school when we originally introduced this routine, the teacher introduced it to him yesterday. During Independent Reading time today, I saw that the boy was having a hard time settling in with a book, so I sat down with him and asked him which book he was thinking of reading. After we had established the book, I opened his asked him if he remembered his Reading Log. He said, “No, no, I already did” and wanted to put it back in his book bag. I showed him that he had logged the book from the day before, but reminded him that he needs to log every book he reads. I borrowed another student’s Log, showing the boy what to write and how it looks when you log all of your reading. The boy became very agitated, repeating that he didn’t want to do it. I went over to the teacher, who had been watching our exchange. We discussed our observations of the boy. She was able to give me more insight into his behavior this year versus last year. This was particularly helpful because I have been working with him for less than a week. We discussed how of his behavior often makes it seem like he is being defiant, when he is really just extremely fixated on his own way of doing something. She then went over to the boy to continue the conversation of the Reading Log, and it was helpful to watch her interaction with him. Eventually, with her guiding him every step of the way and being very persistent, he wrote his book in the log.
This is a very good example. What grade are you in? Can you think of anything else that might be done to help this child. Keep learning from the teacher! Nancy
I am interning in a first grade classroom and I have a student, I'll call him Ethan, who is on the Autistic spectrum. Coming to school the first day was very hard for Ethan. Separating from his mother and starting the day in a new classroom, with new teachers and new classmates was very scary for him and he had trouble letting his mother leave. After a very long and tearful goodbye, his mother left and he seemed fine for the rest of the day. On the second day of school, I was prepared for more tears, but Ethan came in with a big smile, put his things away, said a quick goodbye to his mother and settled right in on carpet with a book. It was like night and day! This was my first signal that Ethan has a hard time with the unknown, but once a routine is set and familiar to him, he does just fine.
For the first week of school, while everyone was getting used to the routine, all of the teachers, student teachers and interns went to recess and lunch with the children. Starting the second week of school, however, the interns and student teachers would be on recess and lunch duty in shifts. The first day that neither me nor the student teacher in my class were on duty, Ethan had a meltdown in the line when he realized that none of his teachers would be outside. He froze in line and started to cry. "I'm scared," he told me. I told him I would walk him outside and bring him to one of the teachers on duty and introduce them and not to worry.
Later that day, my lead teacher suggested I take Ethan around to meet all of the teachers that would be on recess/lunch duty the next day. That way he would not have to be afraid of the unknown and he would be better prepared. She explained that she thinks he just needs to know who he is with and that he will be safe with them. I took him around so he could meet the other teachers, and the next day I planned on walking him out again to avoid any tears. However, as I led the class out to recess, Ethan walked right outside and didn't need me at all! He was happy and comfortable, having met the teachers, knowing who was going to be outside and that they were people he can trust. It is clear that Ethan has an obsessive focus on routines that is a characteristic of someone who is on the Autism Spectrum. He has trouble with new things that upset his routine, and he has trouble with the unknown. Now, Ethan knows the routine, he feels safe, and there haven't been any tears since!
I work in a second grade classroom. We have a student with ASD who particularly struggles with math. He can typically complete the math assignments and often understands the concepts, but he does not like math. Therefore, he frequently becomes anxious and frustrated during math lessons, especially as the math block winds down and students begin to transition for recess and lunch. Recently, this boy (I will call him Ben.) began to cry and get very agitated as he saw other students leaving their seats to put away their workbooks and get their items for recess. I suggested that Ben skip the problem he was on, which was very challenging and move on to another problem that was more manageable; however, for Ben skipping problems and leaving tasks incomplete is not an option. He needs to have a sense of completion to feel ready to move to something else, which often increases his anxiety and results in the use of short cuts or not trying on his work just so he can feel he has completed it. Ultimately, Ben's behavior's escalated such that we determined he needed to take a break and be taken away from his math workbook because in the past he has had trouble with self-injury. We did have to gently force Ben away from his math, but the situation quickly de-escalated. I am continuing to work with my teacher on the best strategies for working with Ben, but I am gradually beginning to learn what activities can trigger his anxiety and be better prepared to provide him with more support during these times.
Sounds like you are handling this perfectly. If things don't continue to work out, you and the teacher might talk to the SPED expert in the school and/or his parents.
For Marisa Bracero Newton public schools are full inclusion schools, which means that children with and without disabilities learn cooperatively. With this classroom structure one can see an array of children with special needs. Mark is a bright young boy, with a vast vocabulary and an eagerness to please. Mark has ADHD as well as below average fine motor skills. These two combined make it difficult for Mark to produce legible work and to finish tasks in a timely manor. Many times he will get distracted and lose concentration, which leads to a lack of finished work. In the classroom the head teacher and I are working diligently with his occupational therapist to help give Mark the tools he needs to be successful in second grade. He sits close to the teachers' desk so that she may offer friendly reminders to stay on task. He has a sticker board, where he recievs one sticker per completed assignment. Once he reaches ten he is allowed to go in to the prize bin. This bin contains stickers, pencils, and other small trinkets. Mark is given a small pencil with a pencil grip for all his writing assignments. His teacher will orally brainstorm with him before he starts to write as well as provide models of finished work. We also provide him with a slant board and checklists to help him stay on task. My lead classroom teacher is very accommodating and encouraging, which seams to motivate Mark to do his best work.
Newton Public Schools is a full inclusion school district; all students with special needs are kept in typical classrooms for most of their day. I am in a first grade classroom, so is too early to diagnose most learning disabilities. However there are a large number of English Language Learners in the class. There are many ways in which accommodations are made in the classroom. The lead teacher is sure to have visual aids with every lesson, and often repeats himself slowly. Fortunately for us, most of the ELL students speak Chinese as their native language so they are able to support each other. When participating in writer’s workshop, each of the students has a partner and we paired up a student who is fluent in Chinese and English with one of the ELLs who speaks Chinese at home. So far this is working out really well and they are able to support each other in their writing. I hope that throughout the year I will be able to observe a true inclusion class with a more diverse group of students, this way I can see first hand the methods teachers utilize with students with diverse learning styles and abilities.
Use the opportunity to visit other classes while at the school. I'm sure your teacher can direct you to classes that can show you what you would like to see, or talk to the experts on the different issues at the school.
Janet Turkovich
ReplyDeleteSeptember 30, 2014
One of our children has an IEP for all language processing, production, and comprehension. He has a lot to say, but he often leaves out background information that is essential to his audience’s understanding. Although English is his first language, his parents are not native English speakers. This boy spent an extended summer in his native country, missing the final month of last school year as well as the first month of this school year. He began learning his parent’s language while there. He has now been back at school for a week, and he is understandably having a tough time settling back in to school routines.
In addition to his language difficulties, teachers have observed this boy being very fixated on certain objects or activities. For example, he spent a recent math time focusing only on the die instead of using it to work on the given activity. Last year, he had a certain spot that he felt compelled to sit in during all meetings. Teachers are continuing to observe this behavior.
This year, the children have begun keeping track of their independent reading in a Reading Log. Since this boy had not yet returned to school when we originally introduced this routine, the teacher introduced it to him yesterday. During Independent Reading time today, I saw that the boy was having a hard time settling in with a book, so I sat down with him and asked him which book he was thinking of reading. After we had established the book, I opened his asked him if he remembered his Reading Log. He said, “No, no, I already did” and wanted to put it back in his book bag. I showed him that he had logged the book from the day before, but reminded him that he needs to log every book he reads. I borrowed another student’s Log, showing the boy what to write and how it looks when you log all of your reading. The boy became very agitated, repeating that he didn’t want to do it.
I went over to the teacher, who had been watching our exchange. We discussed our observations of the boy. She was able to give me more insight into his behavior this year versus last year. This was particularly helpful because I have been working with him for less than a week. We discussed how of his behavior often makes it seem like he is being defiant, when he is really just extremely fixated on his own way of doing something. She then went over to the boy to continue the conversation of the Reading Log, and it was helpful to watch her interaction with him. Eventually, with her guiding him every step of the way and being very persistent, he wrote his book in the log.
This is a very good example. What grade are you in? Can you think of anything else that might be done to help this child. Keep learning from the teacher!
DeleteNancy
Rachel Wolff
ReplyDeleteOctober 1, 2014
I am interning in a first grade classroom and I have a student, I'll call him Ethan, who is on the Autistic spectrum. Coming to school the first day was very hard for Ethan. Separating from his mother and starting the day in a new classroom, with new teachers and new classmates was very scary for him and he had trouble letting his mother leave. After a very long and tearful goodbye, his mother left and he seemed fine for the rest of the day. On the second day of school, I was prepared for more tears, but Ethan came in with a big smile, put his things away, said a quick goodbye to his mother and settled right in on carpet with a book. It was like night and day! This was my first signal that Ethan has a hard time with the unknown, but once a routine is set and familiar to him, he does just fine.
For the first week of school, while everyone was getting used to the routine, all of the teachers, student teachers and interns went to recess and lunch with the children. Starting the second week of school, however, the interns and student teachers would be on recess and lunch duty in shifts. The first day that neither me nor the student teacher in my class were on duty, Ethan had a meltdown in the line when he realized that none of his teachers would be outside. He froze in line and started to cry. "I'm scared," he told me. I told him I would walk him outside and bring him to one of the teachers on duty and introduce them and not to worry.
Later that day, my lead teacher suggested I take Ethan around to meet all of the teachers that would be on recess/lunch duty the next day. That way he would not have to be afraid of the unknown and he would be better prepared. She explained that she thinks he just needs to know who he is with and that he will be safe with them. I took him around so he could meet the other teachers, and the next day I planned on walking him out again to avoid any tears. However, as I led the class out to recess, Ethan walked right outside and didn't need me at all! He was happy and comfortable, having met the teachers, knowing who was going to be outside and that they were people he can trust. It is clear that Ethan has an obsessive focus on routines that is a characteristic of someone who is on the Autism Spectrum. He has trouble with new things that upset his routine, and he has trouble with the unknown. Now, Ethan knows the routine, he feels safe, and there haven't been any tears since!
Lovely story. Let us know the nwt time he encounters something unexpected and how he reacts.
ReplyDeleteNancy
I work in a second grade classroom. We have a student with ASD who particularly struggles with math. He can typically complete the math assignments and often understands the concepts, but he does not like math. Therefore, he frequently becomes anxious and frustrated during math lessons, especially as the math block winds down and students begin to transition for recess and lunch. Recently, this boy (I will call him Ben.) began to cry and get very agitated as he saw other students leaving their seats to put away their workbooks and get their items for recess. I suggested that Ben skip the problem he was on, which was very challenging and move on to another problem that was more manageable; however, for Ben skipping problems and leaving tasks incomplete is not an option. He needs to have a sense of completion to feel ready to move to something else, which often increases his anxiety and results in the use of short cuts or not trying on his work just so he can feel he has completed it. Ultimately, Ben's behavior's escalated such that we determined he needed to take a break and be taken away from his math workbook because in the past he has had trouble with self-injury. We did have to gently force Ben away from his math, but the situation quickly de-escalated.
ReplyDeleteI am continuing to work with my teacher on the best strategies for working with Ben, but I am gradually beginning to learn what activities can trigger his anxiety and be better prepared to provide him with more support during these times.
Sounds like you are handling this perfectly. If things don't continue to work out, you and the teacher might talk to the SPED expert in the school and/or his parents.
ReplyDeleteFor Marisa Bracero
ReplyDeleteNewton public schools are full inclusion schools, which means that children with and without disabilities learn cooperatively. With this classroom structure one can see an array of children with special needs.
Mark is a bright young boy, with a vast vocabulary and an eagerness to please. Mark has ADHD as well as below average fine motor skills. These two combined make it difficult for Mark to produce legible work and to finish tasks in a timely manor. Many times he will get distracted and lose concentration, which leads to a lack of finished work.
In the classroom the head teacher and I are working diligently with his occupational therapist to help give Mark the tools he needs to be successful in second grade. He sits close to the teachers' desk so that she may offer friendly reminders to stay on task. He has a sticker board, where he recievs one sticker per completed assignment. Once he reaches ten he is allowed to go in to the prize bin. This bin contains stickers, pencils, and other small trinkets.
Mark is given a small pencil with a pencil grip for all his writing assignments. His teacher will orally brainstorm with him before he starts to write as well as provide models of finished work. We also provide him with a slant board and checklists to help him stay on task. My lead classroom teacher is very accommodating and encouraging, which seams to motivate Mark to do his best work.
Sounds perfect. When we meet as a group perhaps you can bring us up to date on this situation.
ReplyDeleteNewton Public Schools is a full inclusion school district; all students with special needs are kept in typical classrooms for most of their day. I am in a first grade classroom, so is too early to diagnose most learning disabilities. However there are a large number of English Language Learners in the class.
ReplyDeleteThere are many ways in which accommodations are made in the classroom. The lead teacher is sure to have visual aids with every lesson, and often repeats himself slowly. Fortunately for us, most of the ELL students speak Chinese as their native language so they are able to support each other. When participating in writer’s workshop, each of the students has a partner and we paired up a student who is fluent in Chinese and English with one of the ELLs who speaks Chinese at home. So far this is working out really well and they are able to support each other in their writing.
I hope that throughout the year I will be able to observe a true inclusion class with a more diverse group of students, this way I can see first hand the methods teachers utilize with students with diverse learning styles and abilities.
Use the opportunity to visit other classes while at the school. I'm sure your teacher can direct you to classes that can show you what you would like to see, or talk to the experts on the different issues at the school.
Delete