Phase 2: Establishing a Caring, Equitable, and Inclusive Environment

Focus Students Assignment

During my student teaching experience, I designed and implemented math instruction for a specialized academic instruction classroom serving students with extensive support needs. The information below represents a summary of classroom context and student profiles, created in response to teacher performance assessment requirements. To respect copyright protections and student privacy, I am presenting a synthesized overview of my work rather than reproducing assessment materials or original documentation. All student information has been de-identified in accordance with FERPA requirements.

Classroom Context

Student Population: Ages 13-16, grades 9-11
Instructional Model: Specialized Academic Instruction with collaborative support from paraprofessionals and an intervener
Languages: English and American Sign Language

Focus Student Profiles

Focus Student A (High School)

Strengths: Strong visual-motor integration, bilingual learner, highly engaged in creative expression and technology-based learning activities
Support Needs: Autism Spectrum Disorder, speech/language impairment; utilizes AAC device; benefits from extended processing time between instructional prompts
Math Focus: Developing computation skills from single-digit to multi-digit operations; applying math concepts to functional money skills

Focus Student B (High School)

Strengths: Bilingual learner, demonstrates strong temporal awareness and routine-following skills, highly engaged with technology-based instruction
Support Needs: Multiple disabilities, speech/language impairment; uses AAC device for communication
Math Focus: Building one-to-one correspondence and number recognition skills with functional application to currency identification

Focus Student C (High School)

Strengths: Communicates using American Sign Language, demonstrates strong independent living skills, effectively self-advocates using assistive technology
Support Needs: Deaf-blindness, intellectual disability; requires tactile learning materials, high-contrast enlarged print, and dedicated intervener support
Math Focus: Developing foundational number concepts and money identification skills using multisensory approaches and manipulatives

Instructional Approach

All instruction was differentiated based on individual IEP goals and incorporated visual supports, extended processing time, assistive technology, and collaborative support from paraprofessionals and an intervener. Students accessed math content through evidence-based, multisensory curriculum with adaptations for sensory, communication, and cognitive needs.

Disabilities Flier

This flier provides essential information about Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) in educational settings, including characteristics, classroom implications, and evidence-based strategies to support students with TBI in their learning journey.

Non-Participant Observation

Setting

This observation took place in a park. I sat on a bench surrounded by trees, with 3 tables visible to the left and several trails in view. The weather was overcast with grey clouds. I could hear faint music in the distance, about 4 to 5 bird sounds, and cars on a nearby overpass.

Participants and Activities

About 20 people were present, with groups of 4 to 5 entering and leaving every 5 to 10 minutes. Most wore neon vests with black logos, held green bags, and carried sticks with clamps. About 4 people wore thicker vests with different patches. People in thinner vests used sticks to grab loose items and place them in bags. People in thicker vests collected full bags, moved them to a pile near the entrance, and distributed new bags.

Groups of 2 were most common. I counted 5 pairs during observation. About 15 people used sticks to pick up items while 2 used their hands. One woman mentioned the city plans to install 9 more park benches, and a man with partially grey hair replied "oh that's cool" and nodded.

Focus on One Person

I focused on one person with no grey hair who held a stick in one hand and a phone in the other. They wore a neon green vest over a black jacket. Their thumb moved in flicking motions while collecting items every few seconds. After about 12 minutes, they put the phone away and picked up items faster. They left for 3 minutes, then returned and continued collecting items. They walked down a slope, pulled on wood attached to a tree, and made eye contact with me before moving on. They kicked the ground, struck it with a stick, and pulled up a metal fence-like object to place in their bag. The bag looked about one quarter full when they walked toward the music source.

Reflection

If I could study this setting further, I would collect systematic quantitative data instead of relying on impressions. I would track exact counts of participants across multiple events and locations to see how demographics change with time, weather, and location. I would measure engagement with specific numbers like items collected per minute and use time sampling every 5 minutes to record activities. I would also track duration patterns with precise start and end times using focal sampling. This would give me data I can analyze statistically to understand participation patterns.

Health Effects on Learning

This presentation explores how various health factors impact student learning, including physical health, mental health, nutrition, sleep, and environmental factors. Understanding these connections helps educators create supportive learning environments that address students' holistic needs.

Team-building Exercises with Lesson Plan

In this Bingo game, students will build team cohesion, develop and follow rules, improve observation skills, and utilize non-verbal communication in a fun, interactive, and silent way.

This lesson was developed in collaboration with Nallely Nava and Tommy Hoey. The complete lesson plan can be found here.

Standards Alignment