Individualized Learning Plan
Students with Physical Disabilities
Description of Student and her needs
I chose to do my case study on my cousin, Crystal Tate McCollum, she was born 4-22-92 in Wichita, KS. Crystal was born a twin, but her twin sister, Stephanie Lynn was still born, and Crystal was born with Cerebral Palsy. Her main disability is physically. Crystal cannot walk on her own and uses a wheelchair only for transportation purposes outside the house. At home she refuses to use the chair and gets around all on her own by crawling and scooting. She does everything a normal person does some things might just take her a little longer.
She is a little slow mentally, but she did graduate from Wichita West high school in 2010 with her diploma. She now attends Levy special needs school and works at Starkey. She really wants to move out and live independent, but her mom is having a hard time letting go. When she's at home and her siblings try to help her she gets extremely upset and wants to do everything on her own.
Crystal loves to watch the weather channel and music channels; that is what she really enjoys to do. She has no hobbies besides work, or that's what she calls her hobby. Crystal is fun loving person who wants to be independent, and will as hard as she can to accomplish her goal.
Crystal's High School Picture
Crystal's Graduation Picture with her uncle
Crystal playing b-ball at Levy Special Needs School
Ways to Build Teacher-Student Connections
As a teacher here are some ways I would try to connect with my student.
- Interview the students parents or guardian
- Interview the student one on one
- Try to relate my past experiences I've had with the student
- Show the student I will always be there for them (open door policy)
- Always point out the good they do
- Minimize your actions to their negativity
- And ALWAYS try to make it FUN and ENJOYABLE
Ways to Build Student-Student Connections
Ways how I would try to get my students to connect to each other.
- Educate your students on the needs of your special needs student
- Pair a different student each day with the special needs student
- Always lead by example when working with special needs student, when other students see what you do and how you connect with them they will hopefully follow
- My main key is to always make if FUN and ENJOYABLE
Motivation Strategies for Learning and Promoting Positive Behavior
Ways I've learned to motivate students and keep them positive with good behavior.
- Its been studied that when you reward your students always helps
- When observing at Muller Elementary I learned when you make the work into a competition it seems to motivate the students more
- Another learned from observing, which would be a last resort, is to tell the students that I will contact their parents or guardian if needed
Teaching Methods
Some methods I would use
- When teaching any subject I like to use music and songs to help
- Show the students how to relate the work to things they enjoy or care about
- I would consider this to be a method and that'd be patients, patients is the key success with special needs students
Assessment Techniques to Promote Success
Expect students to achieve grade level accomplishments by
- must be familiar with content standards and accountability systems at the state and district levels
- must know where to locate standards and updates
- collaboration between general and special educators must occur for successful student access
Modifications to the Plan for Creating Classroom that meets the Varying Needs of all Students
This is a very hard area in which to provide due to all the school regulations, district regulations, and of course the principle whats their rules thrown in as well.
- To connect with student if the parent's or guardian can't come to meet with me then i'll would go to their home for the meeting
- If students don't want to come around then I might give a reward to whomever can teach me something about one of the special needs students, that we don't already known
- Maybe get someone famous to come in as a reward for good behavior
- If you're not changing your teaching ways and learning new methods everyday then you'll never be the best teacher you can be
Resources Used to Substantiate your learning plan
- Principal: Justin Kasel - Hamilton Middle School
- Web Site: Teacher Vision - Teaching Students with Special Needs
- Web Site: Education Week Teacher - 7 Ways to Bring Out the Best in Special Needs Students
- Web Site: Reading Rockets- How to Adapt to Special Needs Students
- Web Site: Special Education News - Educating Students with Special Needs