How Goals are Embedded into Learning Activities

           I implemented by first learning activity last Wednesday, June 1st.  The Pre-K classroom that I am working in was studying Nursery Rhymes last week. During choice centers I decided to have a cooking activity at the art table. I based my learning activity around the Nursery Rhyme "The Muffin Man." I had the students practice writing their last name (another skill they were working on) onto chef hats. We then sang the "Muffin Man" song and made blueberry muffins for them to enjoy at snack time that afternoon.

         My focus child's IEP goals are to: 1) share information about personal experiences or activity at hand on 70% of opportunities and 2) participate in structured and non-structured activities with 80% of activities.
I embedded the first goal into the activity by asking all students at the beginning of the lesson if they had ever made muffins before and what kind of muffins they made. My focus child was able to answer the questions and said, "I made strawberry muffins at home." I also embedded the first goal at the end of the lesson when asking each student what their favorite part was. My focus child did not want to answer the question and left the art table to move on to another choice center.
I embedded the second goal into my learning activity by teaching a structured small group activity. My focus child was able to participate and answer questions. I did use a visual recipe with pictures of each step (bowl, add milk, stir, put muffin liners in pan, add mix to liners) and put a picture of each child beside each step that they were to do. This helped my focus child stay focused on the activity because he knew when it would be his turn.

Thanks for reading my post this week, I can't wait to read all of yours!

Until Next Time...

Why are Intervention Plans and the Collection of Progress So Important?

The intervention plan is very important in the child’s education because it is created specifically for that child to meet their individual needs in order to help them succeed at an age appropriate level.  There is a reason that a child is referred and is assigned an IEP or an IFSP. It is because when they were evaluated there were areas that they showed below average skills. All of this information was collected and a plan was created that gave examples of what each child was able to do and what they were unable to do. Goals are created based on this information and these goals should reflect each child’s specific needs. This plan gives the parents and the teachers some realistic expectations of what they would like the child to be able to do in a certain amount of time.

                Documentation towards these goals is very important because the purpose of this plan is for the child to meet expectations and not need as much support to function in his/her daily environment. Periodically as a teacher you are expected to send home a progress report or report card noting progress on each child’s IEP goals. If you are not documenting progress on a regular basis you are unable to honestly report on how the child is doing with their interventions and goals. Another reason documentation is so important is because a child will often meet their goals before their IFSP or IEP is due. At that time the team should meet again in order to create more goals in increase the child’s skills. Every once in a while you will have a child who is not meeting their goals within a reasonable amount of time or regressing.  As a teacher you would want to meet again and discuss reasons for this regression and create a new plan to help this child succeed. If you are not documenting progress it is very hard to catch regression before it gets out of hand.

IDEA 2004:Reauthorization of Law

The Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA) was originally created in 1975 and known at that time as Public Law-142 or Education for All Handicapped Children (EHA). This law makes sure that all children with disabilities from the time that they are born until they graduate from high school are given the appropriate special education services that they need. IDEA now consists of four components: Part A defines the terms used in the law, Part B gives money to states to provide services for eligible children and youth with disabilities, Part C is the Early Intervention Program for Infants and Toddlers with Disabilities, and Part D helps state education departments and other agencies improve how they work with children and youth with disabilities. 

The law was reauthorized by Congress and signed by President George W. Bush in 2004 with changes in special education and related services, some major provisions were made since the last re authorization in 1997 and these provisions are still in effect today. Some changes that were made are listed below:

• Before the new change in 2004 students who were struggling in school had to wait until they were failing to get the help they needed through special education. Since 2004 schools have been able to use up to 15% of IDEA money to support students who have academic and behavioral problems in regular education, but who are not disabled. This has been able to get these services to children earlier and prevent future problems. 
• There were some provisions made for transitioning. In 1997 schools had to consider transition issues for disabled students, but did not have to set clear goals for life after school. Since 2004, schools must plan for transition by setting transition goals and providing transition services beginning at age 16. 
• There were also changes made that affected teachers. In 1997, some state standards for special education teachers were not well defined and as a result many of these teachers did not have the skills to be teaching students with disabilities. In 2004, a standard for highly qualified teachers was established. In order to be considered highly qualified, all teachers have to be fully certified in special education or pass State licensure exams, hold a valid bachelor’s degree and demonstrate subject knowledge.
• Pre-School and Early Intervention Services also made some new adjustments. In 1997, IDEA maintained two separate systems, one of early intervention programs for children from birth to age 3 and one for special education programs for children with disabilities ages 3 through 5. Now states have flexibility to develop a system to serve disabled children from birth to age 5. Under IDEA children need early intervention services because they are experiencing developmental delays in one or more of the following areas: cognitive development, physical development, communication development, social or emotional development, adaptive development, or have a diagnosed physical or mental condition that has a high probability of resulting in a developmental delay.  

All About Me!!!

Hi Everyone,

           My name is Heather and this is my first semester at ECU :). I graduated from Peace College in 2008 with degrees in Child Development, Elementary (K-6), and Special Education (K-12). I have been teaching with Wake County Public School System for the past 3 years. My first year I taught Kindergarten and last two years I have been teaching Special Education as a Resource Teacher for students in grades K-5. I love my job and working with children. There is a special place in my heart for preschool aged children and I am enrolled at ECU, working towards my preschool add-on and eventually my Master's in Birth-Kindergarten (BK). 

          I recently married my best friend, Matt,  on October 17, 2010 and we have a wonderful doberman named Penelope. In my free time I love to read, spend time with family and friends,  and watch sports (My husband and I are HUGE NY Giants and Yankees' Fans).

         I am very excited about all that I will learn in this class and getting to know each and every one of you. 

Good Luck This Semester!!

Until Next Time,

                    Heather