I came across something in training that I think could be fun and useful for everyone across the district. I am attaching a YouTube link to a strategy called a "Board Relay". This one is demonstrated in a 5th grade math class, but could be tailored to virtually any subject or age that you teach, K-12. Normally a class game or competition can be a great experience for students, but for the inclusion student with a disability, it can be an embarrassing and frustrating situation if they are unclear on the content or expectations. Note on the video that before the activity takes place, students are allowed to confer with the group. Also note the placement of the teachers, listening in to provide some guidance to the students. When the game takes place, it's still fast paced, gets the kids up and moving, but the lesson design lets all of the learners in the room feel confidence in the material. I just wanted to share as something anyone could use, but particularly in the co-taught inclusion setting:
Welcome back to the 2016-2017 school year here at the Herscher Community Unit #2 School District! My name is Kevin Promis, and I am a Special Education teacher at Herscher High. I recently attended a training that provided me with some EXCELLENT resources regarding co-teaching, and was asked to share them with our district so I created this blog. Co-teaching is a concept that I truly believe is an asset to student learning and is something that can benefit all parties involved. In this blog, I hope to provide some real-world resources that can be used right away to assist all teachers in a co-teaching environment. Please feel free to ask me a question any time via a comment below, email, text, or phone, all of my contact information is on my home page. Please be aware that I am posting these excerpts from the conference material, with permission from the authors provided it is for not-for-profit educational use.
COMMUNICATION One of the most important pieces of the co-teaching puzzle is communication. It is absolutely vital that the teachers, para-professionals, parents and most importantly our students are aware of where they fit into the classroom dynamic. That is why I wanted to share a helpful "checklist" of items that could be discussed between the classroom teacher and the specialist in the room prior to the beginning of the year. These would be helpful to talk over for teachers that have co-taught for years, as a "check up" on how things are going, or for two people new to the experience to establish a procedure. Please click the links below for access: PARENT LETTER Below you will find a sample parent letter to use in a co-taught classroom situation. It can be confusing for some parents as to why there are two teachers in a room, who to contact for concerns, etc. This letter sets a tone early in the year as to what to expect for both parents as well as the students before they step into the classroom. I hope everyone will find these resources useful. Have a great year everyone! |
AuthorMy name is Kevin Promis, Special Education Teacher from Herscher High School in Herscher, Illinois. I have a B.A. from Eastern Illinois University and a Master's in Special Education from Lewis University. I currently live in Diamond, IL with my wife Summer, my 3 children Maya, Kate, and Brody and our 2 dogs Lucy and Maggie. ArchivesCategories |