Andrea Kober
Journal Entries
Journal Entry 1
General education teachers get the IEP at a glance of the students before the first day of school. This tells general information about the students as well as the students goals. They also receive a special factors sheet. This sheet tells what works well with the students. In a small school like the one I work at, teachers often know the students they will be working with before they get them. They see them in the hall or may hear about them from the student's past teachers.
2. What are the sources of that information?
The IEP's come from the previous special education teacher. The special factors sheet is filled out by a past general education teacher at the last IEP meeting. The information they hear from other teachers comes from experiences those teachers may have had with the student.
3. How much does the teacher rely upon the comments of other teachers when getting to know new students?
As I said, in a small district like my own, many of the teachers know many of the other students. It is good to consider the things they hear about their students so they are able to prepare effective lessons for the students. It can be a challenge too. For example, if teachers hear about a student that has terrible behavior, they should not assume this about them. They should have a plan in place, but be able to form their own opinions on the student.
4. If you could know only 2 specific characteristics of each pupil at the end of the first day of class, what would these by? Why?
I would want to know what special factors that students may need. It is good to know what I can do as a teacher to help ensure that the student is successful in my classroom. Knowing the specific needs the student needs will help create a positive classroom environment. I would also want to know the students reading level. This will help me to plan instruction for the student.
5. What information is most useful for managing pupils in the classroom?
The information that I feel is the most useful is knowing special factors. If a student does the best seated at the front of the classroom, it is necessary to know that information so as a teacher, you can adjust the seating chart to make that happen. Also knowing students that can and can't sit by each other will make the classroom environment a more positive place for all students. These factors can also include things such as using a graphic organizer or being an auditory learner. Knowing these factors will help the student be more successful in the classroom.