June 2020 - Special Educator e-Journal
Table of Contents
- Special Education Legal Alert. By Perry A. Zirkel
- Buzz from the Hub
- The ‘Life Passport’ – Transition support for young people with Special Needs. By Thomas Richardson
- Transfer of Learning Key Elements. By Marissa Desiree Pardo and Natasha Quesada
- A Push for Inclusion: Meeting Students with Disabilities’ Needs. By Yariana Bushman
- Meeting the Educational Needs of Students with Disabilities. By Olivia Perez
- Self-Regulation Interventions for Students with Disabilities. By Caroline E Ibanez
- Parents’ Experiences in Special Education: A Literature Review. By Larybett Pirela Moreno
- Book Reviews:
- Latest Employment Opportunities Posted on NASET
- Acknowledgements
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Special Education Legal Alert
By Perry A. Zirkel
© May 2020
This month’s update concerns two issues that were subject to recent court decisions of general significance: (a) the school district of residence’s IDEA obligations to students in private schools, and (b) liability for defamation arising from the special education context. For further examination of such issues, see Publications section at perryzirkel.com
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Buzz from the Hub
All articles below can be accessed through login:
- Framing the Issue of Equity
- Data Sources Reveal Current Realities
- Stuck at Home No More
- Also for Parents Schooling at Home
- Coronavirus Resources
- Tips for Working Remotely
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The ‘Life Passport’ – Transition Support For Young People with Special Needs
By Thomas Richardson
Abstract
In this article, a Scottish teacher of Special Education, Thomas Richardson, discusses transition support in Scotland and beyond for children and young people with special needs. He refers to his doctoral research in which he examined the effect of new legislation in Scotland upon the transition experiences of children and young people there with special needs. He found, for example, that while transition planning meetings had diminished in frequency since the legislation was introduced in the mid-2000s, the remaining meetings were now centred more upon the needs of the person than formerly. He also found that a need for a co-ordinator or link person to guide the young person through transition processes recurred in legislation and research and he wonders if an electronic ‘life passport’ might make this process easier and lead to earlier identification of needs for children and more personalised support throughout their childhood.
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Transfer of Learning Key Elements
By Marissa Desiree Pardo and Natasha Quesada
Abstract
Students with disabilities (SWD) have difficulties transferring learned skills into different contexts. Transfer of learning is more likely to occur when interventions are implemented to explicitly teach skills, monitored to determine effectiveness, and supported for students to achieve objectives and apply the skills in other areas. Using levels of learning gives students opportunities to to acquire knowledge and then eventually apply it to different areas. On-task behavior and participation increases when multiple steps are used to complete tasks.
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A Push for Inclusion: Meeting Students with Disabilities’ Needs
By Yariana Bushman
Abstract
Due to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), we are seeing an increase of students with disabilities (SWD) in an inclusive and collaborative general education setting, changing the role of the general education teacher. This push for the Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) has been a victory in the view of families of students with disabilities. However, this push has not been as ideal as some parents would have hoped. Many questioning whether or not teachers have sufficient knowledge of their child's disability or how to meet their academic and behavioral needs best. These are meaningful discussions to be had to make the least restrictive environment a more responsive one for learners with disabilities.
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PMeeting the Educational Needs of Students with Disabilities
By Olivia Perez
Abstract
Under the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA), the federal government is required to provide public schools with funding so all students with disabilities (SWD) have access to a free and appropriate education (FAPE). Also, the education should be tailored to their individual needs and with necessary related services. Despite the law being signed over 40 years ago, schools receive about half of the support that was originally assured. As a result, students with disabilities do not receive appropriate services. Therefore, their needs will not be met in or out of the classroom. Also, of importance are IDEA Procedural Safeguards designed to protect the rights of parents. Parents of many SWD come from different cultures and backgrounds. They may not understand the language used in legal documents such as IEPs. Accordingly, parents cannot take a meaningful part in the educational decisions about their child. Both issues are of concern to many researchers and educators alike.
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Self-Regulation Interventions for Students with Disabilities
By Caroline E Ibanez
Abstract
This literature review seeks to examines different aspects of self-regulation interventions for students with disabilities and identify strategies to increase self-regulation which will improvement behavior and academics. Self-regulation is a crucial skill that children develop from infancy through adolescence that helps monitor thoughts, behavior, and emotions. Students with disabilities have difficulties recognizing when circumstances around them are causing them to become less regulated. When they are less regulated, it can cause challenging behaviors or withdrawing from an academic task. This is a concern within an educational setting due to the negative effects of having limited self-regulation skills can have on academic progress and behavioral expectations.
Keywords: self-regulation, disabilities, challenging behaviors, academic progress, behavioral expectations
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Parents’ Experiences in Special Education: A Literature Review
By Larybett Pirela Moreno
Abstract
Amid the diverse experiences of parents in special education, there are commonalities that imply the existence of issues which transcend the specific situation of any child, parent, or professional. The moment parents perceive or are informed that their child has a special need, they are thrown down the rabbit hole of the special education system. Parents’ experiences in this system are fraught with feelings of uncertainty, unmet expectations, and confusion. In order to better support students with disabilities, teachers and parents need to form meaningful partnerships. However, in order to effectively partner with parents, teachers must understand the experiences in the special education system from parents’ perspectives. This paper provides a review of the literature of parents’ experiences in the special education system with the aim to inform teachers’ approaches to form partnerships with parents of SWD.
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Book Review: Leverage Leadership 2.0
By Daniella Parra
Bambrick-Santoyo, Paul. Leverage Leadership 2.0: A Practical Guide to Building Exceptional Schools. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 2018. 403pp. $36.95 - 16.59.
“Much of the current research has studied effective school leadership and identified the characteristics of effective schools. Yet these are often the outputs of effective schools, not the actions leaders took to get there.” Paul Bambrick-Santoyo strives to provide readers a practical roadmap to achieving exceptional student results that exceed expectations and are replicable. As the chief schools officer for Uncommon Schools and the founder and dean of the Leverage Leadership Institute, he has had over fifteen years of experience working with school leaders across the country, and has used his observations and experiences as a foundation for this guide. As Bambrick-Santoyo states, “this book’s goal is to show that the success these leaders enjoy does not stem from some magical quality but from a practical set of decisions that any leader, at any school, can apply” (p5).
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Book Review: “The Coaching Habit: Say Less, Ask More & Change The Way You Lead Forever”
By Jane Doyle
Purpose and Thesis
Leadership entails dedication, hard work and most importantly coaching. In “The Coaching Habit: Say Less, Ask More & Change The Way You Lead Forever”, Stanier refines the central message of powerful coaching through seven key questions. These questions help leaders manage relationships in the workplace, effectively engage with others, and productively guide team members or co-workers to solve problems and develop reasoning on their own.
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Book Review: Be Excellent on Purpose: Intentional Strategies for Impactful Leadership
By Buruuj Tunsill
Competitive and athletic, Sanee Bell was not one to tamper with—she rivaled against boys in every sport and did not back down. While Bell enjoyed every sport, she particularly enjoyed basketball. In the inner city of Kentucky, where Bell was raised, she was not allowed to have a basketball goal in her yard, so she played curb ball with the boys where the ball had to bounce off the curb into the streets. She believes that she had to think that she was the best in order to become the best, so during street games she would speak confidently and push herself harder each time she played. At a young age, Bell believed that one must be clear and intentional in order to achieve excellence. She later translated her viewpoints on playing the game into the professional world where she believed “without a personal vision, you don’t have a strategy for success” ( pp 19).
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Latest Employment Opportunities Posted on NASET
* Exceptional Student Education, Teacher - Responsible for the educational leadership of students placed in exceptional education programs, including gifted students and students with disabilities. This position encompasses the three standards included in Teacher Professional Expectations in School Board Policy, which are high student achievement, safe learning environment, and effective and efficient operations. To learn more - Click here
* Academic Resource Center Math Specialist/Teacher - Academic Resource Center (ARC) Mathematics Specialist/Teacher is a teacher leader who is responsible for supporting effective Grade 9 through 12 mathematics instruction and student learning with a particular focus on students with service plans and exceptional needs. To learn more - Click here
* Diverse Learner Teacher - We are seeking experienced full-time Diverse Learner Teachers (K-8 Grades) to join CICS Avalon, CICS Basil, and CICS Washington Park Campuses for the 2020-2021 school year. A Diverse Learner Teacher holds primary responsibility for providing academic, emotional, and physical services for students who require additional support to thrive within the school’s core academic program. To learn more - Click here
* Special Education Teacher - We are looking for highly motivated and skilled Special Education teachers to join our team at District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS). DCPS serves more than 51,000 students through the e?orts of approximately 4,000 educators in 117 schools. DCPS intends to have the highest-performing, best paid, most satis?ed, and most honored educator force in the nation and a distinctive central o?ce sta? whose work supports and drives instructional excellence and signi?cant achievement gains for DCPS students. To learn more- Click here
* Special Education Teacher - $60,000/school year (185 days), summers off with year round pay and year round appreciation. Special Education Teachers needed in Arizona (Phoenix and surrounding cities). Needs are in the self-contained and resource settings serving students with emotional disabilities (ED), Autism (A), Severe/Profound (S/P), and Intellectual Disabilities (ID). STARS is the largest school contract agency in AZ. STARS is owned and operated by Occupational Therapists. To learn more - Click here
* Special Education Teacher - The Special Education Teacher provides individual, small group, and whole-group instruction. Monitors student progress in the school environment including academic achievement and behaviors. Maintains a safe and orderly environment, which may include monitoring specific health concerns of students in the classroom and teaches social skills. To learn more - Click here
* Special Education Teacher - Environmental Charter Schools is seeking a talented and dynamic Special Education Teacher who is passionate about preparing low-income students of color for college success. The mission of the Environmental Charter Schools (ECS) is to reimagine public education in low-income communities of color to prepare conscious, critical thinkers who are equipped to graduate from college and create a more equitable and sustainable world. To learn more - Click here
* Teacher-Special Education - Tacoma Public Schools is looking for exceptional special education professionals ready to inspire and make a positive impact on students. Our special education program serves approximately 4,000 students from preschool through high school; serving ages three to twenty-one. Specially designed instruction and related services are based upon the need of each student. To learn more - Click here
Acknowledgements
Portions of this or previous month’s NASET’s Special Educator e-Journal were excerpted from:
- Center for Parent Information and Resources
- Committee on Education and the Workforce
- FirstGov.gov-The Official U.S. Government Web Portal
- Journal of the American Academy of Special Education Professionals (JAASEP)
- National Collaborative on Workforce and Disability for Youth
- National Institute of Health
- National Organization on Disability
- Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
- U.S. Department of Education
- U.S. Department of Education-The Achiever
- U.S. Department of Education-The Education Innovator
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
- U.S. Department of Labor
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration
- U.S. Office of Special Education
The National Association of Special Education Teachers (NASET) thanks all of the above for the information provided for this or prior editions of the Special Educator e-Journal