Advice for Teachers from Teachers (How to build rapport with students)
1. Greet students at the door
2. Interact with students while they are getting settled, asking about their weekend, their game, the movie they saw, the birthday party they went to, etc
3. During discussions, allow some off topic but relevant exchange regarding connections to current events and student experiences the topic being addressed
4. Conference with students to encourage completion and/or improvement of assignments, explaining current and future implications
5. Listen to individual complaints, modifying assignments, due dates, or grading for special circumstances when appropriate. Let the students know you care and are flexible.
6. Send home letter/postcard/email with positive message to student/parent.
7. Give each student a card and their favorite candy bar on their birthday.
8. Highlight a student of the week, just because they are part of the class.
9. Tell the entire class you are glad they are here and ready to learn.
10. Have students write positive affirmations to each classmate.
11. Write personal positive affirmations to each student (contingent or non-contingent based.)
12. Give your full attention to a student as he or she talks to you; smile or nod appropriately.
13. Be willing to give a pat on the back, high 5, thumbs up etc
14. Phone call home just to say you enjoy their student in your class.
15. Leave sticky notes on random desks once a week saying, “Glad you’re here,” “It’s great to see you,” or “I appreciate you,” et
16. Every so often spend the last 5 minutes of the class asking students questions about their life.
17. Ask students to be teacher assistants.
18. Have a “lunch brunch.” Invite students to spend lunch with you.
19. Attend extra-curricular activities.
20. Tutor students before/after school.
21. Learn about students’ favorite professional students
22. Learn about their pets.
23. Use student names on test questions.
24. Bring treats for the entire class when something great happens (e.g. popular team wins the Super Bowl or someone has received a special honor outside of school).
25. Celebrate birthdays even in a small way.
26. Say goodbye at end of day (high five).
27. Smile when walking down the halls.
28. Share personal information when appropriate and listen to their stories.
29. Take 2-5 minutes each morning to ask how they’re doing and listen to what they have to say.
30. Once a week each lunch with them.
31. Play on the playground with them once a week or month.
32. At the end of the year write the class a letter telling what you have personally learned and gained from each student.
33. Have fun with them
34. Even when a student makes a mistake, remind them tomorrow is a new day, and greet them with a smile.
“Successfully Teaching Challenging Students” by Dahlgren et al. - From a 1 day seminar that Mr. Everhard and I attended earlier this school year.
Friday, November 30, 2012
Sunday, November 18, 2012
Parentally Placed Private School Evaluations
There has a been a change in the interpretation guidance of a law involving Parentally Placed Private School Students. Since IDEA 2004 was passed - school districts which had private schools were responsible for the special education evaluations of any students who were parentally placed there. There has now been a recent legal interpretation change given.
For example - A parent resides in the Abbotsford School District and has a child placed at Holy Rosary. They have speech and language concerns and want their child tested. The parents now have 3 options to choose from:
1. Parents can choose to have the school district (Medford) in which the private school (Holy Rosary) resides do the evaluation.
2. Parents can choose to have the school district of residence (Abbotsford) do the evaluation.
3. Parent can choose to have both school districts do the evaluation (not recommended)
If you have one of these situations - please contact me for how to proceed.
Here is the direct Office of Special Education Program (OSEP) interpretation guidance:
OSEP Question and Answer Document on Servicing Children with Disabilities Placed by
Their Parents in Private Schools, Revised April 2011
OSEP letter to EIG, January 28, 2009
A parent of a parentally placed private school student may request a special education
evaluation from the resident school district or the school district where the private school
is located. Although OSEP does not encourage this practice; parents may also request the
two different school districts to evaluate their child at the same time.
Joseph A. Greget
Director of Student Services/Special Education
State Superintendent Conference on Special Education and Pupil Services Leadership Institute
State Superintendent Conference on Special Education and Pupil Services Leadership Institute
I attended the conference this week and obtain great information on RTI for SLD law, Postsecondary Transition Planning, Section 504, and Special Education legal updates. Here is a link to those and more information:
Leadership Conference Handouts
Handouts from the keynote and sectional presentations at the 28th Annual State Superintendent’s Conference on Special Education and Pupil Services Leadership Issues are posted online at http://sped.dpi.wi.gov/
Section 504: A Legal Overview
There was a very informative sectional 504 and what is covered, best practices, etc. I will be covering Section 504 more indepth in a future newsletter. Here is a link to the handouts http://sped.dpi.wi.
Special Education Law: A Year in Review
Student Services/Prevention, Special Education, and Pupil Services Nondiscrimination Legal Updates
Special Education Legal Updates
Here are some primary special education legal updates. Please contact me for more information:
Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) Letters/Guidance
A. Parentally Placed Private School Students
OSEP Question and Answer Document on Servicing Children with Disabilities Placed by
Their Parents in Private Schools, Revised April 2011
OSEP letter to EIG, January 28, 2009
A parent of a parentally placed private school student may request a special education
evaluation from the resident school district or the school district where the private school
is located. Although OSEP does not encourage this practice; parents may also request the
two different school districts to evaluate their child at the same time.
B. LRE/Work Placements
OSEP letter to Spitzer-Resnick, Swedeen, and Pugh, June 22, 2012.
Transitions services are defined broadly and include a range of services. Work placement
can be an appropriate transition service, depending on the individual needs of a student,
but it is not a required component of all individualized education programs (IEPs) that
address transition services. If an IEP team determines that work placement is an
appropriate transition service, in determining the placement, the IEP team must apply the
least restrictive environment (LRE) provisions. The IEP team must consider, and include
in the IEP, as appropriate, any supplementary aids and services needed to enable the
student to participate with other students with disabilities and nondisabled students in the
work placement described in the IEP.
IDEA Complaint Decisions
A. Shortened School Day
IDEA Complaint 12-043
Compare with Vincent v. Kenosha Unified School District 112 LRP 47790 (United States
District Court, Eastern District, Wisconsin (2012))
A student’s school day should be reduced or shortened only in rare circumstances when it
is warranted by the student’s unique disability related needs. It cannot be used as a
means of disciplining a student or creating an award system. If the student’s behavioral
needs are such that they cannot be accommodated in the regular classroom with the
appropriate supplementary aids and services, then the IEP team must consider and
determine an alternative placement which will allow the student to continue to receive a
free and appropriate public education (FAPE).
B. Requests for an Independent Educational Evaluation (IEE)
IDEA Compliant Decisions 12-027, 12-006
Districts must respond to requests for an IEE without unnecessary delay. However, what
is unnecessary delay depends on the circumstances. Sometimes a request for an IEE will
be submitted while a special education evaluation is in progress or a parent has filed a
request for a due process hearing. Parents have the right to obtain public funding for an
IEE only after the evaluation is completed. In cases involving a due process hearing, if
and when an IEE is required, depends on the outcome of the hearing process.
C. Role of a Special Education Aide
IDEA Complaint 12-013
Professional teaching responsibilities must be carried out by a licensed special education
teacher. A special education aide’s role is limited to working under the direct supervision
of the licensed teacher to support the lesson plans of the teacher, provide technical
assistance to the teacher, help with classroom control or management, and perform other
duties as assigned. Special education services were not provided by an appropriately
licensed special education teacher when the teacher had limited or no contact with the
students and the aide assigned grades, determined course materials, and developed and
carried out the daily lesson plans.
D. Screening
IDEA Complaint 12-033
Screening to determine appropriate instructional strategies for curriculum implementation
is not considered an evaluation of eligibility for special education services. Screening
activities generally include all children in a school, grade, or class, such as kindergarten
screening. A special education staff member conducting an observation or administering
an assessment to an individual student to explore or verify the possibility of a disability is
not screening. A formal referral for special education, including obtaining parent
consent, must be in place prior to sped
SLD Technical Assistance Guide
SLD Technical Assistance Guide Released
DPI has released the Specific Learning Disabilities (SLD) technical assistance guide, which will serve as a critical resource as schools around the state prepare for the sunset of the significant discrepancy criteria on December 1, 2013. The guide is on the SLD webpage at: http://sped.dpi.wi.gov/
In addition to the technical assistance guide, you will find a graphing tool for use in summarizing progress monitoring data collected during the implementation of intensive interventions to establish insufficient progress. Directions on how to use the graphing tool are in the technical assistance guide as well as with the graphing tool itself. The graphing tool is at:http://sped.dpi.wi.gov/
Wednesday, November 14, 2012
Taylor County Family Support Program
Taylor County Human Services Department
Family Support Program
The Family Support Program provides individual services and supports to families that include a child with severe disabilities. The program recognizes that meeting the needs of children who have severe disabilities may place hardships on a family's emotional, physical and financial resources. The program offers:
- information and help in finding services and maximizing community resources;
- limited funding to buy needed services and goods that can't be bought through other sources;
- help in linking families with other families to strengthen natural supports
Eligibility
Families are eligible for services if they have a child with a severe disability, under the age of 21, and living at home. A severe disability is a physical, mental, or emotional limitation which seriously restricts the child's ability to carry out basic daily living activities such as self-care, learning, communications, mobility and self-direction. Although family income is not a basis for eligibility, cost-sharing may be required on a sliding fee scale.
Family Support is a state-funded program. Because each county has limited funding for this program, eligibility does not guarantee a family will receive services. Agencies may have waiting lists for services and assessments. Families are served on a first-come, first-served basis, although priority for services may be given to families in a crisis situation or families who are bringing a child home from an out-of-home placement.
How to Apply for Family Support
Families apply for services through their county Family Support Program. The application process includes an eligibility determination and a needs assessment. Information is gathered from a variety of sources which may include interviews with the family, educational records and medical history.
Once eligibility has been determined, together the family and program staff develop a service plan that addresses the family's unique situation, identifying support needs and setting priorities.
As the service plan is developed, all supports available to the family are explored. Formal supports include medical, social services, educational and funding resources. Informal supports include friends, family, neighbors and community groups, businesses, or organizations.
In addition, the program staff may help families learn about and use services in their community, help coordinate services and advocate on behalf of the child and family.
For information on the Family Support Program please contact:
Taylor County Human Services Department
540 East College Street
Medford, WI 54451
Telephone: (715) 748-3332
Toll Free: (800) 993-3332
Fax: (715) 748-3342
The family calls the Intake Worker here at HSD (715-748-3332) to ask for an assessment or if they have further questions.
Monday, November 12, 2012
New SLD Technical Assistance Guide and Resources
Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction continues to put out resources designed to help all school buildings implement the new identifying students with SLD model by December 2013. We have now implemented this model in our elementary buildings as of September 1, 2012 and will be implementing at MAMS and MASH as of September 1, 2013. Here are the new and/or updated resources which can be used for our implementation and/or planning for implementation purposes.
SLD Technical Assistance Guide - November 2012
Frequently Asked Questions about making SLD Eligibility Decisions as of September 2012
Revised SLD criteria and implementation overview as of October 31, 2012
Wisconsin Intensive Intervention Tool for each of the SLD areas:
http://www.wirticenter.com/Friday, November 9, 2012
Autism Resources and Information
CESA 7 Autism Resources and Information:
Schedules are found at http://www.specialed.us/autism/05/visualexamples-sched.htm
Academic and Self Help are found at: http://www.specialed.us/autism/05/visualexamples-ash.htm
Classroom Structure is found at: http://www.specialed.us/autism/05/visualexamples-cs.htm
Strategies for Teachers Working With Students Who Have ASD:
http://www.specialed.us/autism/05/strategies.htm
Autism: Interventions and Strategies for Success:
http://www.specialed.us/autism/index2.htm
- Assistive Technology
- Children with Asperger Syndrome - Characteristics/Learning Styles
- Effective Programming for Young Children
- Structured Teaching Strategies
- Increasing Expressive Communication Skills for Verbal Children
- Developing Expressive Communication Skills for Nonverbal Children
Transition Checklist for Middle and High School Students with Asperger Syndrome
http://www.specialed.us/autism/05/trancheck.htm
Autism Website Resources
http://www.specialed.us/autism/05/webresources.htm
Examples of IEP Goals with Objectives
http://www.specialed.us/autism/05/g_o.htm
Examples of IEP Goals without Objectives
http://www.specialed.us/autism/05/gwo.htm
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