Special Education Goal Reflection Miranda Haugen Spring 2014

Special Education Student Teaching Experience had a major impact on my professional development. I analyzed two individual students, planned and implemented numerous lesson plans including a unit lesson, attended IEP meetings, parent-teacher conferences, staff development days and strived to reach my goals. Throughout my experience there were several successes, challenges and components identified for future improvement or redesign. Each one of these experience factors contributed to my growth, development and goal achievement as a professional. At this time, I reflect on my student teaching experience to determine goal accomplishment and ongoing goal achievement. My first goal, categorized as knowledge of self as an individual, was stated as I will show respect and concern for my students by providing opportunities for all students to learn and succeed in the classroom. To accomplish this goal I allowed all students to participate in the lesson, answered verbal questions and provided appropriate feedback. My elementary school placement had a maximum of 5 students with the same area of learning difficulties and grade. My high school placement had students in 9th-12th grade with dissimilar reading levels from unable to read to a 4th grade reading level. The classroom was so diverse in developmental capabilities that I divided my instruction into various learning levels. I presented pictures, hands-on activities, short 10-15 minute verbal information sessions, materials at the students reading level for the students able to read, and frequent verbal praise and support. During evaluation of my students work I discerned that the low-leveled students received the same grade range as the highest functioning students in the classroom. This confirmed to me that I provided opportunities for all students to succeed by differentiating my instruction.

I also appraised goal achievement through my two cooperating teachers. During evaluation both cooperating teachers substantiated that I accomplished a great job of including all students throughout each lesson and reaching appropriate developmental levels. I garnered this goal from a junior field experience placement in order to demonstrate my ongoing ability to impart respect and concern for all my students in different classrooms. Overall, since a total of three cooperating teachers have verified my great empathy towards students, I believe this goal has been accomplished. In the future I will continue to display concern and respect for my students so they can all succeed and reach their potential. My second pre-written goal categorized as knowledge of content, was stated as I will assume responsibility for acquiring new knowledge of the curriculums the special education programs utilize and include a Common Core Standard to each lesson I create and teach. I composed this goal due to the diversity of the special education curriculum materials between schools and grades within a school system. Common Core standards were officially implemented into South Dakotas education program this year. Knowledge and integration of these standards into my daily lesson plans was essential to my performance and these students. In order to accomplish this goal I became accustomed with the curriculum materials and programs my special education placements utilized. My elementary placement employed the Investigations curriculum for math and Reading Street for reading instruction; I became familiar with the teachers manual, the materials for the activities suggested and adjusted my instruction to the students needs. My high school placement did not utilize a specific curriculum for their basic reading and science classrooms. Lessons taught in the elementary and high

school placement were aligned with Common Core standards. To prepare myself for incorporation of the new standards, I pre-printed the correct grade level standards and read through them before my placements; I also kept a copy of the standards in my folder. My second goal was assessed by my cooperating teachers and me. My elementary cooperating teacher remarked, You were very familiar and comfortable with the teachers manuals that were used to teach K and 1st math and reading, and being familiar with Common Core to be sure the lessons aligned with the standards. My high school cooperating teacher stated, Miranda is mindful to check the Common Core standards and include them in her lessons each day. The three evaluators appraised this goal as accomplished. In the future I will maintain lesson alignment with the states standards and seek familiarity of the schools curriculum in advance. My third goal, categorized as knowledge of learner was stated as, I will respond to the developmental levels and needs of all my students. In order to understand the developmental levels of my students I scrutinized the students IEPS and asked targeted questions about each student to the cooperating teachers. Throughout the first observational week of student teaching, I jotted notes on how my cooperating teachers assisted each student, the level of assignments and what type of support each student required. As previously noted my high school placement had a diverse classroom for reading and science class so to evaluate this goal I observed my students for frustration during work time and affirmed if they grasped the concept through their work. Occasionally a student or two would start showing signs of frustration during work time. I asked those students if they needed some assistance and if they would mind if we did

it together; the students never refused. While working with the students who showed signs of frustration I offered a lot of reassurance and support. For reassurance I would give them praise for thinking of the answer on their own and for support I read a word if they could not independently or helped them spell words they could not. Two educational assistances were staffed in the room to help; I directed their help to those in need and insisted them not to provide the answers directly. My high school cooperating teacher commented that, Miranda is aware of the large range of ability and developmental levels of our students. She does a good job of adjusting material to meet all needs in the classroom. My elementary cooperating teacher verified achievement of this goal as well. Adjusting instruction to each students needs is a task any teacher will do throughout their teaching career. Though I accomplished this goal in two special education placements, it will always need to be delivered. Knowledge of each students needs in your classroom and adjusting instruction to meet those needs is vital for a positive and successful classroom. My fourth goal, categorized as knowledge of pedagogy was stated as, I will show many examples and model the examples appropriately in the implementation of my lessons. Originally I determined to accomplish this goal by including at least 3 examples in each lesson and documenting this through a lesson checklist. I also noted that I would evaluate this goal by recording how many examples I provided in each lesson. Since I was keenly focused on ensuring each student got a chance to participate and completed the task appropriately I did not record how many examples I cumulatively presented. I planned for 3 examples to be provided for each lesson in advance and implemented this strategy; therefore this goal was ultimately

accomplished. In the future I will ensure utilization of examples for my students so they are well informed of what is expected for an assignment/task. My fifth and final goal categorized as knowledge of self as a teacher and member of a learning community and was stated as I will attend parent/teacher conferences, IEP meetings, and staff development days. I identified this goal because I was concerned in the beginning of my student teaching experience that I would be unable to attend meetings due to my teaching schedule. In order to accomplish this goal, I stated I would attend at least one parent/teacher conference, one IEP meeting, and one staff development. Fortunately I was able to attend both the elementary and high school special education parent/teacher conferences, over 10 IEP meetings and 2 staff development days with one occurring at each placement. I also was able to attend a new student meeting at the high school placement and volunteered for Fun Night, which is an evening of carnival games with prizes for the students and their families at the elementary placement. Self-assessment validates that I obtained this goal. My cooperating teachers confirmed I attended every meeting that was scheduled during my time at the placements and showed professional manner in those settings. In the future I wish to attend more events that my students take part in such as sports and events of the arts in order to display interest in holistic growth. Overall the Special Education Student Teaching Experience impacted my professional development by allowing me the opportunity to determine each students educational perspective, adjust my instruction and implemented effective teaching strategies to best meet students educational needs and actively assist them to reach their full potential. Over the span of my Special Education Student Teaching

Experience I was able to positively impact students growth in learning and decrease behavioral concerns during lessons. Both these experiences proved to be rewarding education for the students, teachers and student teacher.