Domain 4B: Maintaining Accurate Records- PECS Board
This assignment focuses on a PECS board, a tool to help students with disabilities communicate with the world around them. This assignment called for me to recall why this tool is important, and to create a plan to implement the PECS board with a student with disabilities. This is focused on a student who was non-verbal but was enrolled in the core classes such as science, English, social studies, and math. the schedule also had her participate in a special art class for students with disabilities. The student would get over-stimulated easily and would find it hard to communicate her needs with her aide. Students were asked to create a PECS that would align with their daily schedule and were asked to find ideas in which they could implement the PECS. Because the student had already had access to an iPad that would just be used for games that would help calm her down during environments that would be overstimulating, I created a PECS board that would align with her schedule at school and one that would align with her schedule at home so that the student was able to use the PECS board in both environments to help her communicate.
This assignment aligns with Domain 4B: Maintaining Accurate Records. In order to create a PECS that would be effective, I had to maintain records of her behavior during these classes and find her daily schedule so that way she would be supported throughout the entire day and not just during individual classes. the records that have to be maintained also had to determine what support she was being given already and what support she might need to be put in place so that way her learning could be enhanced, and communication was needed to make sure that her records and supports were up to date.
Domain 4D: Participating in the Professional Community
During my student teaching, I attended many professional development meetings that would help me retain better information about the curriculum that I was teaching, and how I could best implement them the support the needs of my students. Because one of the special projects that I was there to complete was Equipped For Reading Success program, I attended weekly professional development meetings with a reading specialist along with one of my professors at SJU to help assess what I was doing during the week and if any adjustments needed to be made. I took notes throughout the week about the students skill levels and about any struggles or celebrations that I wanted to share with them. We would also discuss the program itself, and how best to implement support for the groups moving forward.
These meetings would fall into Domain 4d: Participating in the Professional Community. I was able to talk to fellow Educators who were implementing the same curriculum I was , and was able to communicate with them about supports and adjustments that would need to be made for the students. I was able to gain relationships with my mentors and my peers, and was also able to communicate my needs for students with the professionals in my school as well.
Lesson Plan Downloads:
PECS Assignment