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In this issue: Don’t Look Now, YOUR Behavior is Showing! 1 Very Important Things to Include in ARD 1 Child-Find in the RtI Era—Do We Really Understand? 2 The PLAAFP Clarified 2 IEP Tracking Sheet 2 BRUSH COUNTRY CO-OP Special Education Matters... February 2011 Volume 1, Issue 2 Special points of interest: Next Support Staff meeting 4/1/11 TAKS Accommodation Tools samples http://www5.esc13.net/ag c/accommodations.html TAKS-Alt Assessment 08/11 Modules 1-4 available 01/03/11—04/15/11 assessment window CPI Training Dates @ BCC 03/22/11—Refresher 04/19/11—Refresher Register with Becky at [email protected] Very Important Things to Include in ARD BCC has completed the 2010-11 Spring Folder Review to gather information to meet all mandated compliance regulations. The following are general suggestions based on the findings. Lock ARDs and FIEs prior to filing in the eligibility folder. Address all sections of ARDs, FIEs, and assessment planning supplements. Attach all eligibility reports to FIEs. Obtain appropriate signatures for all documents. Review all assessments and ARDs in a timely manner. Give parents the required 5-day notice of ARD or obtain waiver. Make certain areas of eligibility, instructional arrangement, grade level, and campus assignments match within the documents. Be cautious of text fields auto-populating from previous ARDs. Ensure teachers complete Student Data Profiles to document student’s current academic strengths and weaknesses. Write goals based on PLAAFP data in standards- based format which includes the timeframe, condition, behavior, and criteria. Confirm general education teachers receive a copy of the most recent IEP. Consider whether the accommodations/modifications match the assessment decisions. Discuss previous state assessment results and document remediation if required. Develop a personal graduation plan for high school students who failed to meet TAKS standards. Document a rationale for alternate assessment on the TAKS decision worksheet. Include coordinated sets of activities to measureable post-secondary goals. Write deliberations in a manner that they are easily understood by those not in attendance at the ARD. Problem behavior in the classroom is one of the most difficult aspects of a teacher’s job. It interrupts their lesson plans, tries their patience, interferes with the other children’s learning environment, and leaves many teachers feeling overwhelmed, helpless, and out of control. Student behavior is communication and feedback is key. 1. Are you a role model 100% of the time? Teach your students how to remain in control when they are having a bad day, to respond to negative behavior, and to speak to others with respect. 2. Are you teaching the skills that you want your students to learn and practice? Teach classroom policies, procedures, and rules often (not just at the beginning of the school year). Demonstrate skills such as turning in assignments, lining up, going to lunch, asking for permission or any classroom routines. 3. Do you know how to respond to behavior? You should use a calm tone of voice, make sure that your body posture is relaxed, and keep your facial expressions neutral. Provide the students with clear expectations. Separating the student from the behavior allows you to address negative behavior without damaging the relationship you have with the student. 4. Do you know how to handle behavior that is escalating out of control? Proximity is not useful for de-escalation. Do not talk excessively when someone is in crisis because the learning cortex is shut down. Give a student short directive statements and allow time for response. Your body posture can escalate behavior by 25-30%. RELAX and remain CALM and keep your hands at your side with your palms up because palms up have a calming effect. 5. Can you define behaviors by environment? Is your class clean and orderly? chronologically age-appropriate? Is daily schedule clearly posted? Are daily assignments clearly posted? Is homework clearly posted? 6. If you send a student to time out to “think about what they did,” then are you giving that student permission to sit and “ponder evil?” It might be more productive to allow a student some “cool down time” and then implement consistent consequences for inappropriate or disruptive behavior. 7. Have you set up clear parameters in the classroom? Establish an overall management system and ensure your students understand how the system works. Post classroom expectations and clearly define both positive and negative opportunities. Remember, behaviors are defined by the environment within the classroom. ~Jo Mascorro, M.Ed. Don’t Look Now, YOUR Behavior is Showing! “They may forget what you said but they will never forget how you made them feel.” ~Carol Buchner
