Carlena Lowell

SEI 525 Progress Monitoring Project

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Carlena Lowell
Progress Monitoring Project
November 10, 2012












Carlena Lowell
SEI 525 Progress Monitoring Project
2

Learning Objective
Throughout the entire morning, AG will elope less than 10 times per day, in 4 out of 4
days.
I have selected to monitor the progress with this particular objective as it is currently of
great concern due to the safety issues that surround AGs tendency to elope.
Plan for Monitoring Progress
As the early childhood special educator (and AGs SDI therapist) in the
classroom, I will be collecting the data on this objective. I designed an event sampling
matrix to record the amount of times AG elopes. I developed the matrix to enable single
letters to be used in place of tally marks as a way to collect more information (described
below); therefore, it will be easy to quickly note on the matrix when he does leave the
room throughout the morning. Every time he elopes, it will be marked on the matrix. A
clipboard with the matrix will be kept in a cupboard in our classroom.
The data will be collected in the classroom, as well as in the outside play setting.
There are several routes in which AG leaves the room. Therefore, the matrix I will be
using to keep track of the data includes the following columns: classroom B, through the
gate into the hallway, out the blue door (a door in my classroom leading to a staff
parking lot), away from the playground, and other (I will specify on the matrix). Also
included on the matrix is a column for the date and any special notes for that day, as
well as a totals column. I have arranged it in such a way that each tally mark is a letter
associated with the time of day AG exits the room; I have written above the matrix the
abbreviations. For example, the letter M will denote meal time and F for free play. By
Carlena Lowell
SEI 525 Progress Monitoring Project
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doing this I will not only be able to monitor where AG goes, but also how many times
during what part of the day. This is a goal on AGs IEP; I will use this form daily to keep
track of his eloping until the goal is met.
Data Collection
The matrix below was used in the collection of data over eight days. In addition
to the completed matrix for this assignment is a line graph depicting the amount of times
AG eloped per morning over the number of days the data was collected.
Data Analysis and Summary
Data was collected on eight days, spanning three weeks, starting on the first day
of AGs enrollment into my classroom. The number of times AG eloped per morning
ranged from zero to eleven, with neither a decrease nor an increase in numbers lasting
more than two days in a row. AG was unable to meet the criteria of less than ten times
per day in four out of four days. He did elope less than ten times on five out of eight
days; however, they were not consecutive.
November 6 was AGs second day in my classroom, as well as make-a-plate
day; this was the only day he did not elope. This day involved an activity put on by the
parent group in our classroom. There were many adults in our room for most of the
morning, as well as an activity in which most of the children were engaged in with one
on one adult support. November 7 was the day with the highest amount of elopes. This
was an abnormal day as we had to leave the room to get each childs picture taken. We
split the group in two to decrease the amount of time the children had to wait in line to
get their picture taken. There was a fair amount of chaos surrounding this event, which
Carlena Lowell
SEI 525 Progress Monitoring Project
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took place during free play. As one can see on the matrix, that day AG eloped eight
times during free play alone, the highest of any day.
Through the addition of a row to the matrix providing cumulative totals of the
times of day AG eloped, I reaffirmed what I had already seen. Over the eight days, AG
eloped during free play 27 times, transitions 19 times, outside play and meal times twice
each, and away from circle once. On the seven days AG eloped, free play and
transitions were times of the morning that appeared each day, whereas circle time, meal
time and outside play were not daily occurrences. I also added the totals of where he
eloped to and found AG went to the other classroom 27 times, through the gate into the
hallway 14 times, to the blue door in the classroom one time, away from the playground
twice and other places (the small room, the office, etc.) eight times.
Recommendations
Throughout the data collection period I took note that AG was able to stay in the
room during free play while he was engaged in an activity. Once he would become
disengaged he seemed to have difficulty selecting another activity, and this is often
when he would elope. I also noticed when AG leaves the classroom during free play he
often looks back to see if a teacher is following and smiles. This tells me he may be
eloping during free play as a result of disengagement, as well as attention seeking.
Considering the percentage of time spent on transitions, the number of times he eloped
during transitions would be the highest number of elopes per minute. Transitions are a
busy time of day, particularly the transition to outside play. This is often a time when
Carlena Lowell
SEI 525 Progress Monitoring Project
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AG is able to elope less detected than other times of day. After analyzing the data
collected I recommend the following:
1. Continue with current objective until it is met. Once AG is able to elope less
than ten times per morning for four consecutive days, begin the next objective
on his Plan of Care which is to elope five or fewer times per morning for four
consecutive days.
2. Attention seeking may be a reason for eloping; therefore, I recommend not
using words when leading him back to the classroom. Rather when he is not
eloping use positive reinforcement and discussion around staying in the
classroom. This is a recommendation in which consistency among all staff
involved with AG is of great importance.
3. Continue to use large visuals of a picture of feet on the classroom side of the
red tape in front of the blue door and the gate. Continue to provide positive
reinforcement when he is near the tape but on the appropriate side of it.
4. Continue to discuss staying in the classroom with the whole group during
circle time.
5. Whenever possible during free play, and always during transitions, have a
teacher in close proximity to prevent eloping before it happens. Once AG
becomes disengaged in an activity, a teacher needs to assist him in
reengaging in another activity.
6. Provide a preferred item for AG to use during the transition time.


Carlena Lowell
SEI 525 Progress Monitoring Project
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Leaving the classroom without permission: AG
Abbreviations: A=arrival, C=circle time, M=meal time, F=free play, T=transition, O=outside time
One letter denotes one tally mark


Date/Notes
about the day
Classroom
B
Through
gate/hallway
Out blue
door
Playground Other
(specify)
Total