November Newsletter
Upper Moreland Township School District Special Education
Turkey Time......
As you head into a time of year when kids start to get antsy, remember to plan activities that maximize engagement while allowing students to move around the classroom.
Special Education Updates
December 1st Childcount
If you need help with any paperwork, don't hesitate to reach out to me.
Quick Fact Sheet
Goals and SDI's
Let's all work together to get new goals into the system and remove the ones that are no longer relevant!
"Young adolescents will move mountains for teachers who they sense respect them."
Tips and Tricks
Research studies suggest that we learn more in environments when we are with others. This means that students should have the opportunity to practice cooperative and collaborative learning strategies to help them solidify what they have learned and to provide practice for individual assessments. These skills are also necessary for the real world, where collaboration is a key component of success.
In order to create a highly collaborative environment, consider these 4 factors:
1. Teacher to Student Communication
- Teacher sets the tone through verbal and non-verbal communication
-Create a positive environment, free from high stress and threats that cause students to fall into a "survival" mode
-Communicate expectations verbally and in writing
-Provide assignment expectations for success (i.e. rubrics, grading documents, etc)
-Set benchmarks to check for student understanding
-Actively monitor students
-Serve as a catalyst for learning
2. Student to Student Communication
-Start small with groups
-Allow students to pick familiar groups at first and then move to unfamiliar students
-Make group work meaningful
-Time activities and stick to a schedule
-Tell students the purpose for working in groups
-Attend PD about cooperative learning techniques to continue to improve
3. Communication with Parents
-Provide frequent communication (email, phone call, newsletters, etc)
-Invite parents in to observe your classroom (**Follow district procedures)
4. Teacher to Other Staff Member Communication
-Seek out administrative support
-Contribute to a positive school climate
-Meet in collaborative teams
-Communicate about assignments with other team members
From: 10 Best Teaching Practices by Donna Walker Tileston
Contact Me
Email: mlutz@umtsd.org
Location: 2900 Terwood Road, Willow Grove, PA, United States
Phone: (215) 830-1513