October 2024 - Special Educator e-Journal

Table of Contents
- Special Education Legal Alert. By Perry A. Zirkel
- Buzz from the Hub
- Developing Literacy Skills: Exploring Teachers’ Experiences in Implementing Intervention Strategies for Public Elementary School Learners. By Erwina Pitac
- Evaluating the Processes and Effectiveness of Transition Programs for High School Students with Disabilities: A Literature Review. By Dana Braschowitz
- Book Review: Districts that Succeed: Breaking the Correlation Between Race, Poverty, and Achievement. By Rosna Jean
- Book Review: True Leadership: The 10 Universal Laws. By Sarah Tiilikka
- Latest Employment Opportunities Posted on NASET
- Acknowledgements
NASET Members - Login Below to access the latest Special Educator e-Journal.
Site visitors: You may access a sample e-Journal - Sample e-Journal
Special Education Legal Alert
By Perry A. Zirkel
© September 2024
This month’s update identifies two recent court decisions that respectively illustrate the nuances for, and high stakes of, tuition reimbursement cases for increasingly severe behavioral issues. For previous monthly updates and related publications, see perryzirkel.com
Not a Member? - Join NASET
Buzz from the Hub
A Practical Guide for State Teams to Increase Inclusion in Early Childhood Programs
StopBullying.gov
Want to Learn More About Technology & Youth Mental Health?
My Life is Worth Living
- MCH (Maternal and Child Health) Bridges: The official podcast of the Association of Maternal and Child Health Programs (AMCHP)
NASET Members - Login to Access the Full Article
Not a Member? - Join NASET Today!
Developing Literacy Skills: Exploring Teachers’ Experiences in Implementing Intervention Strategies for Public Elementary School Learners
By Erwina Pitac
St. Therese Educational Foundation of Tacloban, Inc. (STEFTI), Philippines
Abstract
This qualitative exploratory case study examined the experiences of public elementary school teachers in the district learning center (DLC) VI, Tacloban City Division, in implementing intervention techniques to improve reading proficiency. The study involved twenty (20) teachers from three public elementary schools in District Learning Center VI. The study utilized semi-structured interviews and non-participant classroom observations, utilizing interview guides and observation protocols to collect the data. Thematic analysis was used to analyze the transcripts, while interpretive and descriptive analysis were applied to observational data. The study aimed to determine effective intervention methods, common challenges, and the overall impact of the interventions on literacy advancement. The findings revealed that educators use a variety of intervention techniques, including phonics teaching, literacy centers, reading aloud, and differentiated instruction. Implementation effectiveness is hampered by issues including absenteeism, resource shortages, and time constraints. Despite the challenges, the intervention strategies helped in improving reading comprehension, motivation, engagement, and core competencies, all of which have a favorable impact on students' literacy development. Recommendations include providing support, tools, professional development, managing time constraints and absenteeism, and fostering collaborative learning communities. The study emphasizes the significance of effective intervention strategies in public elementary schools for enhancing literacy education, fostering student motivation, and promoting lifelong learning.
Key Words: literacy development, intervention strategies, experiences of teachers
NASET Members - Login to Access the Full Article
Not a Member? - Join NASET Today!
Evaluating the Processes and Effectiveness of Transition Programs for High School Students with Disabilities: A Literature Review
By Dana Braschowitz
Key Terms:
Individual Education Plan (IEP)- legal document supporting students with disabilities.
Postsecondary- life after high school
Transition Planning- the process of preparing students to access education, work experiences and life skills upon graduating high school
Literature Review
A literature review is a summary and analysis of research studies and scholarly articles on a particular and narrow topic. The purpose of a literature review is to present information and data gathered through research on a specific topic, therefore highlighting the results of a literature review question. A literature review is not a paper or essay and is not intended to go into detail of a topic, but instead review and discuss the already published research and summarize that information. In addition, a literature review may discuss the contradictions or disagreements between various articles being reviewed. In summary, the goal of a literature review is to improve the reader’s understanding of a topic and synthesize the topic based on a series of scholarly articles and literature on a subject.
NASET Members- Login to Access the Full Article
Not a Member? - Join NASET
Book Review: Districts that Succeed: Breaking the Correlation Between Race, Poverty, and Achievement
By Rosna Jean
Chenoweth, K. (2021). Districts that Succeed: Breaking the Correlation Between Race, Poverty, and Achievement. Harvard Education Press, Pp 192. $32.00
Karin Chenoweth’s book, “Districts that Succeed: Breaking the Correlation Between Race, Poverty, and Achievement,” examines six succeeding and improving public-school districts that serve mostly students from minority demographics and poverty status. Chicago, Illinois Chicago Public Schools (CPS); Steubenville, Ohio; Cottonwood and Lane, Oklahoma; Seaford, Delaware; and Valley Stream 30, New York. She examines and highlights the strategies employed by these six school districts to address the challenge of students’ achievement, race and poverty status in public school education, a longstanding issue in the United States. Chenoweth’s book presents a compelling argument against the prevailing belief that children of color from low social economic status (SES) are determinants of low academic performance. The book emphasizes the need to change the perspective on children of color with low SES by moving away from a deficit-based approach. She urges leaders to concentrate on investigating and duplicating successful methods from districts that are achieving positive results or making improvements. The author’s objective in authoring this book is to challenge negative attitudes towards education by shining a light on these districts.
NASET Members - Login to Access the Full Article
Not a Member? - Join NASET Today!
Book Review: True Leadership: The 10 Universal Laws
By Sarah Tiilikka
“In any enterprise, leadership boils down to how well people coexist with one another. Fundamentally, effective leadership is creating, sustaining, and nurturing relationships.” (pg3) In Dr. David Samore’s new leadership book, published January 2024, True Leadership: The 10 Universal Truths provides readers with actionable strategies to enhance their leadership abilities and build relationships. Dr. David Samore is an experienced leader who has over 40 years of experience in both public and private sectors as well as a teacher, principal, and professor. True Leadership is applicable to educators in leadership and rising educational leaders and anyone who aims to lead others in any profession.
David Samore grew up in Sioux City, Iowa to immigrant parents, as a teenager Samore won a scholarship to a boarding school in Wales called United World College of the Atlantic. This experience helped shape his love of education. Dr. Samore earned his B.A. and M.A. in Spanish from the University of Iowa and Ed.D. in Educational Leadership from Florida Atlantic University. Dr. Samore was recognized as the Florida Principal of the Year in 2008 and 2015. These educational accomplishments give significant credibility to Dr. Samore’s leadership guidance offered in True Leadership: The 10 Universal Truths.
NASET Members - Login to Access the Full Article
Not a Member? - Join NASET Today!
Latest Employment Opportunities Posted on NASET
* Middle School Special Education Teacher - Grounded in our culture of rigor and love, our schools consistently outperform local districts academically, while also ensuring our scholars are developing in our PEAK values of perseverance, excellence, adventure, and kindness. To learn more- Click here
* Middle School Teacher - The fundamental purpose of Essex Valley School is to provide a therapeutic and academic environment that is designed to nurture the emotional, intellectual, behavioral, and social growth of each student so that they may become a future contributing leader in society. To learn more- Click here
* Special Education Teacher - The Structured Learning Center (SLC) is a specialized program where teachers focus on teaching functional academic skills to students in small classes with a high level of support. Each class typically has fewer than 20 students with a 4:1 student to adult ratio. The teaching follows approved curriculum, uses visual aids, structured routines, and modified lessons tailored to student needs. To learn more- Click here
* Associate Dean of Occupational & Life Skills - The Associate Dean provides instructional and administrative leadership for the Occupational & Life Skills program and directly supervises program faculty and staff. The Associate Dean role directs program operations, allocates resources, and is responsible for program results. To learn more- Click here
* Elementary School Special Education Teacher - Rocky Mountain Prep is a growing network of innovative public charter schools, serving students and families in the Greater Denver Area. Rocky Mountain Prep (RMP) opened its first school in 2012 with 130 students and has grown to twelve schools, working with over 5,000 scholars in PreK through 12th grade across two districts. 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