EDUC 627/629/631 Teaching Students With Emotional, Learning, or Cognitive Disabilities

INSTRUCTOR: Patrick Godar

CREDITS: 3
DATE: Spring 2017

Course Description:
In this methods course, students will plan instruction for learners with emotional, learning or
cognitive disabilities. Course content will include assessment, instruction and instructional
design, establishment and maintenance of case records, the use of assessment data to design
goals and objectives, and information needed in the development of Individualized Education
Plans (IEP) and curriculum and instruction to accommodate diverse student needs. We will also
review the practicum handbook so you can start preparing for that requirement.

Artifact Description:
The artifact that I chose to showcase from my time in EDUC 627/629/631 Teaching Students with
Emotional Disabilities in the post baccalaureate special education certification process is my knowledge
gained through creating the lesson plan for our final project. Throughout this course we read two
textbooks- Lost at School (Greene) and The Art and Science of Teaching (Marzano). A big portion of
these books talked about strategies of how best to work with students whom are having difficulties. The
Lost at School text references the ideals of Plan B, an action plan on how to respond to children whom are
having difficulties in the classroom. In The Art and Science of Teaching, Robert Marzano stresses the
importance of effective instructional strategies, effective classroom management techniques and effective
curriculum design. With the ideals stressed in both of these texts, I put my lesson plan together using the
Universal Design for Learning method. Along with a multi-day lesson, filled with time for brain
breaks. I have also highlighted a section on what to do should an issue should arise and how to use the
Plan B method to work through it. Plan B stresses Empathy for the student, allowing the student time to
define the problem (not an adult). In this empathy step we as teachers try to gather information about the
situation and gain a clearer understanding of the students concerns or perspective. Next is the define the
problem step. In this step we show the student our concern for their problem or unresolved matter.
Finally comes the Invitation Step. In this step the student and the adult (but more so the student),
brainstorm realistic, mutually agreeable concerns and outcomes. In this project, utilizing UDL, helps
students and teachers to collaborate on mutually agreeable solutions and outcomes.
Impact on Student Learning:
This course has given me a number of practices on how to be a collaborative and effective educator. In
this class we have performed a variety of tasks: IEPs, letters to parents, letters to collogues, and letters to
students, all dealing with effective and appropriate ways to communicate and collaborate. When we learn
to work together as educators, we learn to use each others wisdom to aid us in problem solving. Co-
workers can be great sources of guidance and wisdom. We dont need to have all of the answers in our
tool kits but it is important to have someone we can turn to when we need it. If we as teachers can
portray the power of collaboration through demonstration, we can teach our students to collaborate and
communicate effectively as well, through our example.

Professional Growth and Development:

This particular class stressed two main concepts from week to week Collaboration and Communication.
During each week we discussed strategies on how to speak with parents, collogues, and students. The
class stressed the importance of listening and communicating effectively with others. Going right along
with the concept of effective communication is collaboration. When we work together we can
accomplish a great many things. The texts emphasized these ideals. Through effective cooperation, and
collaboration we can do great things, but most importantly when we listen to one another.
The Lost at School text emphasized the process of Plan B, to be utilized when collaborating with (helping
with/working with) students, especially those with learning disabilities. As a hopeful Emotional
Behavioral Disorder Special education teacher, I believe that using the steps of Plan B to help my students
reach their full potential.

Understanding and Application of Standards:

CEC Standard#2: Beginning special education professionals create safe, inclusive, culturally responsive
learning environments so that individuals with exceptionalities become active and effective learners and
develop emotional well-being, positive social interactions, and self-determination.
In this assignment I tried to create a lesson that everyone can take part in. They can each have a role
within a group and everyone can take part in. Groups have the flexibility of creating their own type of
presentation or final product based on their own capabilities/ strengths. This makes learning unique,
special, personalized and exciting. I believe those are key ingredients to engagement within the
classroom.

Content Knowledge: Standard #5: Application of Content

The teacher understands how to connect concepts and use differing perspectives to engage learners in
critical thinking, creativity, and collaborative problem solving related to authentic local and global
issues.
For this class I prepared a lesson plan using the Universal Design for learning. Using this strategy is
important as it allows for accommodation for multiple learns. This type of instruction strives to
personalize lessons and meet learners where they are. Using this method, I devised a lesson plan with the
ideals of helping students with EBD where they are, skillfully. The UDL method of instruction allows fro
person and individual creativity and collaborative problem solving. It can be more individualized, if that
is what a student needs. You can create a lesson that I specific or custom fit to an individual learner.

CEC Standard 5:
Beginning special education professionals select, adapt, and use a repertoire of evidence based
instructional strategies to advance learning of individuals with exceptionalities.
In this particular lesson I not only put UDL to work, I also incorporated a Plan B, step by step process for
handling situations if a student becomes overwhelmed. The step by step solution is geared for anyone to
be able to step into this teaching role and know how to assist a student having a difficult time (EBD). I
feel that these steps could really help any student, disability or not, whom may be experiencing a difficult
time. Empathy is a big part of this technique. (Not pretending or solving, but actual caring). In this
lesson I incorporate the use of technology to help students ease along. I have some electronic forms to
use and videos to watch that can be easily viewed from personal (iPad, etc.) devices should a student
need a second viewing of an example to further understanding of a concept.

CEC Standard 7: Beginning special education professionals collaborate with families, other educators,
related service providers, individuals with exceptionalities, and personnel from community agencies in
culturally responsive ways to address the needs of individuals with exceptionalities across a range of
learning experiences.

In this particular lesson plan I have the regular education teacher working alongside a special education
teacher and if need be a paraprofessional in the same classroom. I feel that this allows for some great
collaborative opportunities. Students can see it first hand, learn from it first hand and try to emulate it,
hopefully. I believe these cross categorical lessons can work well in other areas collaboration amongst
multiple classes, like a combined math and history class to teach a unit. Currently the 6 th grade class at
our school does a collaborative unit on the Civil War. All disciplines get involved in the instructional
unit. The school does a civil war reenactment. The Art class creates bandages and set props, gym class
provides steps for marching routines, history tells about the: who, how, when, where and why or the war.
Math teaches strategies, etc. The entire school focuses how all of the disciplines can be a part of this
instructional unit collaboratively. Collaboration can be a beautiful thing!