Please explain why and how you choose your topic for your Collaborative Power Point. Did it address a need that you have or a need that you have observed. Do you believe that you were able to find resources to address this need?
I am choosing why communication/collaboration is important between teachers and parents of children with Autism. I feel that if parents are involved in any child's education the children will recognize that education is important and try harder. If their parents are involved they will do the best they can to impress them and try to do well. As a teacher, a positive school year involves being in touch with parents on a weekly basis. Parents of children with Autism also need this support. It is important that are aware of what is going on in school and can work on activities at home, and if communication is present, parents can let the teacher know what is going on at home that may affect the child's day.
I chose the topic of sharing the classroom with a co-teacher, because I think that it is important for the two teachers to practice effective collaboration in order to promote student learning. I wanted to research the topic, because I will be co-teaching for the first time this year. My goal was identify the pitfalls to avoid while working with another teacher in the classroom. One of the journal articles highlighted strategies to utilize that complemented each teacher's actions in the classroom. For example, if one teacher is checking for understanding with a large group, then the other teacher will check for understanding with the remaining small group. I think that these strategies will help me communicate effectively and plan for instruction with my ELL co-teacher.
Sounds like you came across some very helpful strategies and co-teaching is becoming more and more of the norm, so we need to jump in head first and become proficient in these areas.
I choose teamwork among co-workers and everyone stepping up to do their own part and how to be a team player. This is a need that I see at my school. We have difficulty with people sharing responsibilities and the same people are always stepping up to stay late or make sure supplies are ordered and those types of things. We are just implementing job duties and holding one another responsible for their duties. We have been pushing more towards a model of collaboration and improving our communication and having more of a team player atmosphere.
To have a team player atmosphere it is essential that there is effective communication. I certainly hope that the team players at your school learn the vital skills of sharing responsibility and improving communication.
I am choosing effective communication and collaboration between teachers and parents. When you have open communication and a good rapport with your parents this will create an environment that is welcoming and friendly. Parents need to feel they can always come to the teacher with concerns or questions. A parent should never feel, like the teacher is too busy and doesn't have time to talk. When you have parent involvement children are more likely to keep their academic grades up and stay out of trouble.
I think that this is a very important topic for teachers to understand. The parents of our students know them the best. If we can tap into that information, we do not have to recreate the wheel when creating behavior plans.
I am choosing Effective communication and collaboration between Teachers and Paraprofessionals. The reasons that I am choosing this topic is because I currently have a paraprofessional in the classroom with me and it has been a wonderful and rewarding experience. It is important to understand that working with a paraprofessional is different from working with a co-teacher. The Paraprofessional in my classroom and myself have really developed a strong rapport and it has positively influenced the students as well within the classroom.
Working as a special educator and hopefully soon working as a BCBA, I have faced and will face instances where my feedback and advice for other teachers were not welcomed or utilized. I have had students in my room that flourish and then fall apart in other classes because the teachers refuse to use positive reinforcement or be a little flexible with a student with behavior issues. In my current practicum placement I see behavior plans written by a behavior therapist and then not looked at by the classroom teacher because they don't have time or are not open to change and suggestions. I see a need for training on how to open your mind and your classroom to collaboration and feedback by specialists. I did my powerpoint on implementing a behavior plan written by a BCBA because it is often a practice that classroom teachers are hesitant to do. I researched literature that had to do with collaboration, behavior analysis, and implementing behavior plans to support my conclusion that implementing these behavior plans, when written by a qualified specialist, does in-fact benefit the learner.
I chose to do my collaborative in-service Power Point on why and when to take data, specifically when working with students with behavioral needs. Data collection and analyzing are vital to the success of students both with academic and behavioral needs. Data driven decisions are best practice and can make all the difference in a child's education. Working as a future BCBA, I know that data collection plays a huge role in the changing of behaviors. In my experiences with other teachers, I feel that data collection is seen as troublesome and time consuming, so it often falls by the wayside. I focused the power point on discussing the benefits of data collection and why it can truly help to diminish unwanted behaviors and replace behaviors with more appropriate ones for our students with behavioral needs.
The topic I chose was the need for organization in the classroom, and how it specifically relates to scheduling. When I first began teaching, I inherited the previous teacher’s schedules. Once I got situated and acclimated with the students and staff, I created my own schedules. I made a classroom schedule that is posted on our wall with visuals. I made each student their own individualized schedule based on their needs – some are first/then schedules, some are words with pictures, and for my higher functioning students, the schedules have just words. Having easy-to-follow and clear schedules has helped my staff, my students, and me tremendously. I have been in classrooms where there is no set schedule or routine, and they definitely don’t run as smooth as they could. A lot of the ideas and pictures of schedules in my PowerPoint are from my personal experience, but there are also plenty of resources to be found. There is a lot of research on using schedules and visuals with students with autism.
Melanie I agree that scheduling is an important part of my classroom routine. Like you, I create a daily schedule with visuals as well as individual schedules for my students. Since beginning this practice, I have noticed a decrease in behavior and an increase in independence.
I created a Power Point about Co-Teaching. Co-teaching is not a new development in education, but many of the teachers I have worked with are not familiar with the six different models of co-teaching and how to navigate a classroom with two teachers. I have worked in both successful and unsuccessful co-teaching situations throughout my career and felt it was necessary to give an overview of the different models. I included a written description of each model, a visual model, and a video of each model. Marilyn Friend has a lot of useful information on her web site about co-teaching and other hot topics in special education.
I chose to create a PowerPoint that focused on a basic overview of Applied Behavior Analysis. I created the PowerPoint in question/answer format that answered ten most frequently asked questions for behavior staff at my school. As a teacher who has six students, all who have a behavior plan and a paraprofessional, I get asked a ton of questions. I have worked with a lot of paraprofessionals who have had either no idea what ABA is or think they know exactly what ABA is. I will be honest in saying that I have learned a lot over the past year, both about what ABA is and what ABA is not. Some of the things I thought were true about ABA turned out to be misconceptions. By creating this PowerPoint, I hope to inform and help both teachers and paraprofessionals some general knowledge and a basic foundation about ABA.
What a great idea to answer the 10 most asked questions of ABA- I hope you are able to use it in the future to help people who have questions about ABA.
I chose to make a Prezi on steps for effective co-teaching. I chose this because I think that for some teachers this is not something they have ever experienced. Three are so many little things you take for granted when someone enters your classroom. It is so much better to make a plan and work the plan tweaking it as you go along. Getting to know your Para-professional on a personal and a professional level is very important. Making this person feel welcome in your room and part of the learning cycle. I have friends who said they spent their first year making copies and sharpening pencils. This should not be the case. If the teacher would have sat down with her and discussed both of thier expectations the year may have gone differently. In the end my friend just became so frusterated that she confronted the teacher reagarding her duties. The teacher was unaware of her qualifications for her postion or her desire to do more. All of this could have been avoided. I am going to share this Prezi with some of our veteran teachers as they will be having student teachers in their classrooms this year and this way maybe the experince can be a good one for all involved.
I usually have two or three paraprofessionals in my classroom. I have found it to be imperative to meet with them in the beginning of the year to discuss my expectations. The special education team at my school created a power point to facilitate communication between teachers and paraprofessionals. We as teACHERS must ensure the paraprofessionals are made aware of any changes that could impact the students with whom he or she works, such as: medication changes, instructional or behavioral changes, or other changes that might cause a shift in the role or attention of the paraprofessional. I meet with my paraprofessionals daily. We have a morning meeting. This has been an important component of our collaborative relationships.
Meeting with your paras daily requires a lot of time but ultimately probably saves you both time and frustration in the end. What a great habit to get into.
Meeting with your paras daily requires a lot of time but ultimately probably saves you both time and frustration in the end. What a great habit to get into.
For my collaborative power point, I chose to find information regarding parent collaboration between schools and families for students with autism. Parent involvement and collaboration is very important in the school setting. Parents should feel comfortable communicating with staff about any concerns or issues with their child. Having the families knowledge of the student and the staff's knowledge of the curriculum allows for the highest achievement rate. In the school setting, we are a team and need to be in communication at all times. We are all here for educating and providing the most functional curriculum for the student. This was a need that i have observed in my school. A co-worker was having a very difficult time accepting and understanding that a particular mother wanted to be involved. The teacher took it at that she was controlling and wanted to watch everything she did. Family involvement can help you inside and outside of the classroom with providing information and experiences that work best for the student. I do believe that i was able to find resources for helping teachers collaborate more effectively.
You are so correct that finding a productive way to work with families will be so beneficial for all involved. Thanks for finding resources to help teachers collaborate more effectively with parents.
You are so correct that finding a productive way to work with families will be so beneficial for all involved. Thanks for finding resources to help teachers collaborate more effectively with parents.
I chose my topic for my Collaborative Power Point because I thoroughly enjoyed the lecture on likeability and controlling confrontation by Arch Lustberg. After completing the module with the lecture on controlling confrontation, I personally began to take notice of the way I present myself in conversation. I believe it addressed my need to process my thoughts prior to responding. I often feel like I need to have all the answers in my new teaching role but I liked the idea of honest ignorance. If you don't know the answer to something, just state that you don't know but that you are willing to find someone that does. I also chose to highlight the Communication Cycle and how it relates to Autism because I believe I can use this presentation in the future for parent visits or professional development. I also work in an Autism Program so I had many available resources to pair this presentation with an actual AAC device and collaborate with the Speech Pathologist on the Communication Cycle.
I too like the idea of honest ignorance- we can't know everything and must be willing to say that out loud and that we will find someone who does have the answer we need.
I too like the idea of honest ignorance- we can't know everything and must be willing to say that out loud and that we will find someone who does have the answer we need.
I choose to do a power point for parents to prepare and know what to expect for their child's first IEP meeting. Many of the students who are referred and then placed in my program, it is their and their parents first experience with special education, it's process and services. may times I have had parents say they had no ide what to expect or how to prepare for this first meeting. I feel it is very important for the future success of the student that their parent and our team have a good first collaboration. This does not happen many times, becuase the parents feel defensive and judged as a parent even before stepping into that meeting. I thought if i had something to give to my "first time' parents to go through that was quick, simple and clear with some resources, it could help allieviate some of their anxiety or concerns. Please let me know what you all think, I shared this idea with my director of students services, and she is open to it, but I will only give it to her, if you all give me your stamp of approval.
I chose to do my power point on collaboration between therapists and teachers. Throughout my time at Elim therapists have played a huge role in the classroom. Whether it is the behavior therapist, occupational therapist, physical therapist, or speech therapists collaboration is always happening in the classroom. These therapists have a huge bearing on the goals of the students and how lessons are run. looking at how to develop these relationships is key!
I chose barriers preventing success from occurring in the inclusive classroom. I chose this because this is an issue I have both observed and been a part of first hand. It was great that laws were finally put into place to help people with disabilities receive the education they deserved just like their non-disabled peers, but the government put into play these laws without a plan to pay for them. It takes lots of funding to support special education services, but unfortunately, there just isn’t enough. I have also found that most teachers find themselves ill prepared for teaching in an inclusive setting, but the most problematic issue I’ve seen is planning or the lack of time to plan. It’s very difficult to have success in an inclusive classroom without their being some kind of planning time. I do believe I did find some good resources, but would like to continue to dig a little deeper, so that I can be better prepared.
I choose to create a PowerPoint on the effectiveness of co-teaching in the classroom. I have worked in several different rooms where it was called a co-teaching model but in fact it was not. I was surprised myself about how many different models of co-teaching there really were and how each can be utilized for different aspects of the success of not only the students but the classroom itself.
I am choosing why communication/collaboration is important between teachers and parents of children with Autism. I feel that if parents are involved in any child's education the children will recognize that education is important and try harder. If their parents are involved they will do the best they can to impress them and try to do well. As a teacher, a positive school year involves being in touch with parents on a weekly basis. Parents of children with Autism also need this support. It is important that are aware of what is going on in school and can work on activities at home, and if communication is present, parents can let the teacher know what is going on at home that may affect the child's day.
ReplyDeleteIt is critical that parents and teachers of children on the ASD communicate regularly and you have made many good points as to why.
DeleteI chose the topic of sharing the classroom with a co-teacher, because I think that it is important for the two teachers to practice effective collaboration in order to promote student learning. I wanted to research the topic, because I will be co-teaching for the first time this year. My goal was identify the pitfalls to avoid while working with another teacher in the classroom. One of the journal articles highlighted strategies to utilize that complemented each teacher's actions in the classroom. For example, if one teacher is checking for understanding with a large group, then the other teacher will check for understanding with the remaining small group. I think that these strategies will help me communicate effectively and plan for instruction with my ELL co-teacher.
ReplyDeleteSounds like you came across some very helpful strategies and co-teaching is becoming more and more of the norm, so we need to jump in head first and become proficient in these areas.
DeleteI hope you find the ideas you read about both effective and helpful in your classroom.
ReplyDeleteI choose teamwork among co-workers and everyone stepping up to do their own part and how to be a team player. This is a need that I see at my school. We have difficulty with people sharing responsibilities and the same people are always stepping up to stay late or make sure supplies are ordered and those types of things. We are just implementing job duties and holding one another responsible for their duties. We have been pushing more towards a model of collaboration and improving our communication and having more of a team player atmosphere.
ReplyDeleteTo have a team player atmosphere it is essential that there is effective communication. I certainly hope that the team players at your school learn the vital skills of sharing responsibility and improving communication.
ReplyDeleteI am choosing effective communication and collaboration between teachers and parents. When you have open communication and a good rapport with your parents this will create an environment that is welcoming and friendly. Parents need to feel they can always come to the teacher with concerns or questions. A parent should never feel, like the teacher is too busy and doesn't have time to talk. When you have parent involvement children are more likely to keep their academic grades up and stay out of trouble.
ReplyDeleteI love your emphasis on communication with parents. It really should be a dynamic, healthy and affirming relationship for all.
DeleteI think that this is a very important topic for teachers to understand. The parents of our students know them the best. If we can tap into that information, we do not have to recreate the wheel when creating behavior plans.
DeleteI am choosing Effective communication and collaboration between Teachers and Paraprofessionals. The reasons that I am choosing this topic is because I currently have a paraprofessional in the classroom with me and it has been a wonderful and rewarding experience. It is important to understand that working with a paraprofessional is different from working with a co-teacher. The Paraprofessional in my classroom and myself have really developed a strong rapport and it has positively influenced the students as well within the classroom.
ReplyDeleteIt is so true that working with paras is a unique relationship that need to be positively nurtured for the benefit of the students.
DeleteWorking as a special educator and hopefully soon working as a BCBA, I have faced and will face instances where my feedback and advice for other teachers were not welcomed or utilized. I have had students in my room that flourish and then fall apart in other classes because the teachers refuse to use positive reinforcement or be a little flexible with a student with behavior issues. In my current practicum placement I see behavior plans written by a behavior therapist and then not looked at by the classroom teacher because they don't have time or are not open to change and suggestions. I see a need for training on how to open your mind and your classroom to collaboration and feedback by specialists. I did my powerpoint on implementing a behavior plan written by a BCBA because it is often a practice that classroom teachers are hesitant to do. I researched literature that had to do with collaboration, behavior analysis, and implementing behavior plans to support my conclusion that implementing these behavior plans, when written by a qualified specialist, does in-fact benefit the learner.
ReplyDeleteGreat topic- implementing a behavior plan is probably even more difficult than writing one!
DeleteI chose to do my collaborative in-service Power Point on why and when to take data, specifically when working with students with behavioral needs. Data collection and analyzing are vital to the success of students both with academic and behavioral needs. Data driven decisions are best practice and can make all the difference in a child's education. Working as a future BCBA, I know that data collection plays a huge role in the changing of behaviors. In my experiences with other teachers, I feel that data collection is seen as troublesome and time consuming, so it often falls by the wayside. I focused the power point on discussing the benefits of data collection and why it can truly help to diminish unwanted behaviors and replace behaviors with more appropriate ones for our students with behavioral needs.
ReplyDeleteData collection and coding is a very important part of changing behaviors. This might be a great research topic!
ReplyDeleteThe topic I chose was the need for organization in the classroom, and how it specifically relates to scheduling. When I first began teaching, I inherited the previous teacher’s schedules. Once I got situated and acclimated with the students and staff, I created my own schedules. I made a classroom schedule that is posted on our wall with visuals. I made each student their own individualized schedule based on their needs – some are first/then schedules, some are words with pictures, and for my higher functioning students, the schedules have just words. Having easy-to-follow and clear schedules has helped my staff, my students, and me tremendously. I have been in classrooms where there is no set schedule or routine, and they definitely don’t run as smooth as they could. A lot of the ideas and pictures of schedules in my PowerPoint are from my personal experience, but there are also plenty of resources to be found. There is a lot of research on using schedules and visuals with students with autism.
ReplyDeleteMelanie I agree that scheduling is an important part of my classroom routine. Like you, I create a daily schedule with visuals as well as individual schedules for my students. Since beginning this practice, I have noticed a decrease in behavior and an increase in independence.
DeleteIt's great that you were able to come up with a schedule that works for you and your students- this is something every teacher should learn how to do.
DeleteIt's great that you were able to come up with a schedule that works for you and your students- this is something every teacher should learn how to do.
DeleteI created a Power Point about Co-Teaching. Co-teaching is not a new development in education, but many of the teachers I have worked with are not familiar with the six different models of co-teaching and how to navigate a classroom with two teachers. I have worked in both successful and unsuccessful co-teaching situations throughout my career and felt it was necessary to give an overview of the different models. I included a written description of each model, a visual model, and a video of each model. Marilyn Friend has a lot of useful information on her web site about co-teaching and other hot topics in special education.
ReplyDeleteMarilyn Friend is the guru of co-teaching and I'm glad you looked to her as an expert in this area.
DeleteI chose to create a PowerPoint that focused on a basic overview of Applied Behavior Analysis. I created the PowerPoint in question/answer format that answered ten most frequently asked questions for behavior staff at my school. As a teacher who has six students, all who have a behavior plan and a paraprofessional, I get asked a ton of questions. I have worked with a lot of paraprofessionals who have had either no idea what ABA is or think they know exactly what ABA is. I will be honest in saying that I have learned a lot over the past year, both about what ABA is and what ABA is not. Some of the things I thought were true about ABA turned out to be misconceptions. By creating this PowerPoint, I hope to inform and help both teachers and paraprofessionals some general knowledge and a basic foundation about ABA.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great idea to answer the 10 most asked questions of ABA- I hope you are able to use it in the future to help people who have questions about ABA.
DeleteI chose to make a Prezi on steps for effective co-teaching. I chose this because I think that for some teachers this is not something they have ever experienced. Three are so many little things you take for granted when someone enters your classroom. It is so much better to make a plan and work the plan tweaking it as you go along. Getting to know your Para-professional on a personal and a professional level is very important. Making this person feel welcome in your room and part of the learning cycle. I have friends who said they spent their first year making copies and sharpening pencils. This should not be the case. If the teacher would have sat down with her and discussed both of thier expectations the year may have gone differently. In the end my friend just became so frusterated that she confronted the teacher reagarding her duties. The teacher was unaware of her qualifications for her postion or her desire to do more. All of this could have been avoided. I am going to share this Prezi with some of our veteran teachers as they will be having student teachers in their classrooms this year and this way maybe the experince can be a good one for all involved.
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad that you will be able to share your Prezi with veteran teachers. It may open their eyes to the potential in co-teaching situations.
DeleteI usually have two or three paraprofessionals in my classroom. I have found it to be imperative to meet with them in the beginning of the year to discuss my expectations. The special education team at my school created a power point to facilitate communication between teachers and paraprofessionals. We as teACHERS must ensure the paraprofessionals are made aware of any changes that could impact the students with whom he or she works, such as: medication changes, instructional or behavioral changes, or other changes that might cause a shift in the role or attention of the paraprofessional. I meet with my paraprofessionals daily. We have a morning meeting. This has been an important component of our collaborative relationships.
ReplyDeleteMeeting with your paras daily requires a lot of time but ultimately probably saves you both time and frustration in the end. What a great habit to get into.
DeleteMeeting with your paras daily requires a lot of time but ultimately probably saves you both time and frustration in the end. What a great habit to get into.
DeleteFor my collaborative power point, I chose to find information regarding parent collaboration between schools and families for students with autism. Parent involvement and collaboration is very important in the school setting. Parents should feel comfortable communicating with staff about any concerns or issues with their child. Having the families knowledge of the student and the staff's knowledge of the curriculum allows for the highest achievement rate. In the school setting, we are a team and need to be in communication at all times. We are all here for educating and providing the most functional curriculum for the student.
ReplyDeleteThis was a need that i have observed in my school. A co-worker was having a very difficult time accepting and understanding that a particular mother wanted to be involved. The teacher took it at that she was controlling and wanted to watch everything she did. Family involvement can help you inside and outside of the classroom with providing information and experiences that work best for the student.
I do believe that i was able to find resources for helping teachers collaborate more effectively.
You are so correct that finding a productive way to work with families will be so beneficial for all involved. Thanks for finding resources to help teachers collaborate more effectively with parents.
DeleteYou are so correct that finding a productive way to work with families will be so beneficial for all involved. Thanks for finding resources to help teachers collaborate more effectively with parents.
DeleteI chose my topic for my Collaborative Power Point because I thoroughly enjoyed the lecture on likeability and controlling confrontation by Arch Lustberg. After completing the module with the lecture on controlling confrontation, I personally began to take notice of the way I present myself in conversation. I believe it addressed my need to process my thoughts prior to responding. I often feel like I need to have all the answers in my new teaching role but I liked the idea of honest ignorance. If you don't know the answer to something, just state that you don't know but that you are willing to find someone that does. I also chose to highlight the Communication Cycle and how it relates to Autism because I believe I can use this presentation in the future for parent visits or professional development. I also work in an Autism Program so I had many available resources to pair this presentation with an actual AAC device and collaborate with the Speech Pathologist on the Communication Cycle.
ReplyDeleteI too like the idea of honest ignorance- we can't know everything and must be willing to say that out loud and that we will find someone who does have the answer we need.
DeleteI too like the idea of honest ignorance- we can't know everything and must be willing to say that out loud and that we will find someone who does have the answer we need.
DeleteI choose to do a power point for parents to prepare and know what to expect for their child's first IEP meeting. Many of the students who are referred and then placed in my program, it is their and their parents first experience with special education, it's process and services. may times I have had parents say they had no ide what to expect or how to prepare for this first meeting. I feel it is very important for the future success of the student that their parent and our team have a good first collaboration. This does not happen many times, becuase the parents feel defensive and judged as a parent even before stepping into that meeting. I thought if i had something to give to my "first time' parents to go through that was quick, simple and clear with some resources, it could help allieviate some of their anxiety or concerns. Please let me know what you all think, I shared this idea with my director of students services, and she is open to it, but I will only give it to her, if you all give me your stamp of approval.
ReplyDeleteAn excellent topic! If you can help relieve any of the anxiety for parents you will have done them a great service.
DeleteAn excellent topic! If you can help relieve any of the anxiety for parents you will have done them a great service.
DeleteI chose to do my power point on collaboration between therapists and teachers. Throughout my time at Elim therapists have played a huge role in the classroom. Whether it is the behavior therapist, occupational therapist, physical therapist, or speech therapists collaboration is always happening in the classroom. These therapists have a huge bearing on the goals of the students and how lessons are run. looking at how to develop these relationships is key!
ReplyDeleteHaving positive relationships with the specialists at your school benefits both you and your students- great topic!
DeleteHaving positive relationships with the specialists at your school benefits both you and your students- great topic!
DeleteI chose barriers preventing success from occurring in the inclusive classroom. I chose this because this is an issue I have both observed and been a part of first hand. It was great that laws were finally put into place to help people with disabilities receive the education they deserved just like their non-disabled peers, but the government put into play these laws without a plan to pay for them. It takes lots of funding to support special education services, but unfortunately, there just isn’t enough. I have also found that most teachers find themselves ill prepared for teaching in an inclusive setting, but the most problematic issue I’ve seen is planning or the lack of time to plan. It’s very difficult to have success in an inclusive classroom without their being some kind of planning time. I do believe I did find some good resources, but would like to continue to dig a little deeper, so that I can be better prepared.
ReplyDeleteAnnette
The lack of planning time is a huge issue! It needs to be resolved in some way if there is to be effective collaboration.
ReplyDeleteI choose to create a PowerPoint on the effectiveness of co-teaching in the classroom. I have worked in several different rooms where it was called a co-teaching model but in fact it was not. I was surprised myself about how many different models of co-teaching there really were and how each can be utilized for different aspects of the success of not only the students but the classroom itself.
ReplyDeleteUsing the correct type of co-teaching model is critical to its success.
DeleteUsing the correct type of co-teaching model is critical to its success.
Delete