11comadre - NBPTS Exceptional Needs
kathey - so, how's it going - has anyone done anything?
kathey - I am still in the midst of #6 - 6 pages of description and 8 documents
Ret in OH - Hi Everyone....any questions about the NBPTS process?
comadre - hello, i am waiting in florida to hear the november resullts and also assisting approx. 5 teachers who are new candidates at my school
Rebecca - just wondering if anyone has made any significant progress on entries 1-4 yet
Ret in OH - I also am awaiting that (hopefully) November letter. Hoping the first word is CONGRATULATIONS!
mrjohn - hello, a sp. ed. teacher from NC waiting to hear from national boards in Nov.
kathey - Ret - do you need to group the descriptions used in #6 under the 3 main headings,(in that order) or do you just need to address them all in the total document?need to
Rebecca - hi to all of you awaiting scores
Ret in OH - Are there other new candidates in our group tonight (other than Rebecca) ?
comadre - does anyone know anything about documentation one should be keeping if they are mentoring?
mrjohn - the last e-mail I received from a fellow teacher was approx. the 3rd. week in Nov.
Rebecca - i have specific questions, can anyone answer them?
mrjohn - how will scores be sent, reg. mail, etc...
Rebecca - can i link the social development entry to instruction received via reading and writing instruction
mrjohn - Rebecca, I thought #4 was the hardest one to get started
jobless - what is a candidate?
Emily - I am currently working on entry #5. I am also trying to make a decision about the question for #4.
Rebecca - this isn't # 4, it's #3
mrjohn - a candidate is the teacher who is working towards nat. bds.
java - I got my box to day.I am planning to be certi fied in exceptional needs. Please let me know if anybody that could help me ?
Rebecca - i've finished 5 and 6, pretty much, just agonizing over the hardest parts now
mrjohn - hello java
Rebecca - java, start now, i've had mine since labor day and am moving slowly
mrjohn - java, boy do I need to talk to you :-)
mrjohn - I got my box last year between turkey day and christmas
comadre - congrats to you rebecca...most of my peers just got their box
mrjohn - I really started the first weekend in Jan
kathey - do you need to organize all descriptions under the 3 headings in #6, or just address them in the total portfolio?
mrjohn - read the standards
mrjohn - I mean--read the standards
mrjohn - make you a copy, then highlight, take notes
mrjohn - java, are you there?
Rebecca - who said they were from N.C.?
kathey - i am
mrjohn - me, mrjohn from NC
java - mrjohn are you in special needs area?
E Z Ed - Susan, I posted a note to "Laura" on the en e-mail. Ck it when you get the chance.
Ret in OH - Kathey.....sorry I took so long, I wanted to look at what I did for #6. I discussed my accomplishment and under the heading, put the area that I felt it addressed ((Gaining Insight about students). Either is probably fine
mrjohn - yes, java, I did multi- to severe
Rebecca - well, i'm in n. ga., how close are we?
mrjohn - that's the area I tested in
Susan - Hey EZ! How's everything behind the fence?
mrjohn - I'm in Hickory area
kathey - thanks
mrjohn - close to Charlotte
Rebecca - ok, still a ways from me then
mrjohn - this is true
comadre - mr john..what type of severe?
Ret in OH - Are Kathey and Rebecca the only new candidates in our group tonight?
mrjohn - back to java--hello
Susan - Mr john - I heard in the Hickory area, everyone has the cert, and what is the magic there?
mrjohn - when you are working on your enteries, keep asking yourself in the back of your mind, what is the end result of each project, task, etc... how will this benefit my student
E Z Ed - Susan: Yohbohseyoh! A bit tougher this week than normal, 20 new kids in 3 days, 4 lockups in 2 days, both a bit higher than normal; but we pulled together and made it through!
mrjohn - let me tell you
Rebecca - on entry 3, social development, can i link this instruction to reading and writing also, because i have to address this each day
mrjohn - the trick was going to a week workshop at NCCAT
java - mrjohn have you any suggestions for me to get started on my portfolio?
mrjohn - that's North Carolina Center for the Advancement of Teaching
mrjohn - we spent a week, some days 16 hrs. picking our stuff apart
mrjohn - we had mentors who were nat. bd. certified in other areas to work with us and really adivce
mrjohn - java, I WILL BE HONEST!
Susan - How cool...
mrjohn - don't think you have to do it in order
mrjohn - I did my #2 entrie of Commun. & Lit. first
comadre - rebecca...what type of social skills objectives do you have?
mrjohn - I select areas that I was most familiar with
mrjohn - let me tell you about my social skills entry
Rebecca - i want to integrate it into a novel i am doing....it deals with the issue of truth and lies, for ex. is it ever ok to lie or do you always tell the truth
mrjohn - I selected a student in the early spring, an 8th grader who was going to our spring dance
E Z Ed - Susan- You're regular school- right?
Rebecca - please mrjohn, tell me what you did
mrjohn - we had her mom to video tape her at the beauty shop getting her haid done,
mrjohn - the cook at our school made her dress for the dance
comadre - for exampe..the student i focused on was working on keeping appropriate space from others
mrjohn - mom video taped her getting dresses, make up, etc...
Rebecca - soooooooo.....can i or not?
Ret in OH - Rebecca -- Rebecca, whatever you do...it needs to be designed to meet the social development needs of one of your students.
mrjohn - as she entered the dance mom kept the video running, my student introduced her mom to her teachers, her friends, and the cook who made her dress was there too
mrjohn - after the dance was over, a couple of days later-- my video taped lesson on social skills was the student and me viewing the tape together
mrjohn - we talked about getting the hair done, having the social skills of being in public, going to a social event such as the dance
kathey - are the basics like handshake, eye contact, voice level okay, or do you think they've been done to death?
mrjohn - all of this lesson was recorded as we reviewed her tape of that day
mrjohn - at the end of the taped lesson I had pictures of her all dolled up in her new dress, new hair do, etc...
Ret in OH - Kathey...my entry was about greeting, conversation, etc.
comadre - kathey...what is on your students iep?
mrjohn - we worked on her writing thank you notes to all the folks who helped make her evening a success
mrjohn - I hope this gives you an idea of the approach I took
kathey - we're working on job interview skills
Rebecca - ok, then, on this video you have to do, how much are you involved in the conversation, or is it mostly student focused?
mrjohn - java, did I loose you?
comadre - i woulld not wtart with something they don't need
Susan - What on earth did you do for entry 4, Mr. John?
kathey - I have my job ready coach doing the interviewing
E Z Ed - kathey, I don't think the fundamentals can be overdone. Great offense, you might win; Great defense (they never score), you'll never lose. Especially job interviews. (vince lombardi quote used during professional development training)
mrjohn - for #4 I took a student who was having difficulty with spelling word, using the computer & word processing each day
java - mrjohn no you did not loose me. I have not started any thing yet I am just getting some ideas.
mrjohn - I used a fucntiuoal word list such as JC Penney, Sears, etc...
Ret in OH - On the video, you need to show your sound knowledge of social development instruction and the students being engaged...active.
mrjohn - the student was to take a picture and then go to the computer station and type the word using a sale ad for the correct spelling
mrjohn - java, what do you teach, emh, tmh, or inclusion?
kathey - so, I need to actually be on the video, not just my voice?
Rebecca - would you mind if i asked how you addressed that one then....#3, social development
comadre - kathey..on the video you must be engaged in some way with thetarget student
Susan - well, did the student learn to spell?
Ret in OH - Kathey....yes, you must be on the video.
mrjohn - yes, and after a follow up period of time I took the photos away
mrjohn - after I took the pictures away I developed a disk that already had the word bank on it
comadre - kathey..they are going to evaluate your teaching strategies
java - Mr.John I teach LD/sc 5th graders.
mrjohn - the student opened the lesson on the disk and they had to take the printed word list on the disk, print a copy, and then match up the sight word with the sale paper
mrjohn - I took the approach --proposed spelling of sight words and word recognition
Rebecca - java, i also have 4th/5th LD
Susan - Wow, I need the Hickory workshop if it made you get going on it like that. Did you have equally creative entries for 1, 2? Please tell...
Ret in OH - For social development, I worked with a student who would not talk in front of others. I used role playing and interviewing with people (gradually moving to people she didn't know well)...introducing others, etc.
mrjohn - and then I modified and follow up with ways my students would recognize those sight words in their everyday environmetn
Rebecca - thank you for that info....i really need ideas
mrjohn - such as: sale papers, tv ads, phone book, yellow pages, etc...
mrjohn - keep it real, but--show how real it actually is in everyday situaitons
comadre - any more questions?
Ret in OH - I teach 4th / 5th LD and DH
Emily - Would love to hear more perspectives on #4. Thanks
mrjohn - java, keep talking to me-- I feel I can help you brain storm--
Rebecca - my goodness, ret, i feel i need to talk to you personally!!!
mrjohn - keep thinking of your students and find the ones that will be the best subject for your entries
java - Rebecca thats good we are in same area . Do you have any suggestions for me for entry one?
mrjohn - once you do that, that's half the batter'
Rebecca - i feel so braindead right now, i don't know why i can't think of anything GOOD
mrjohn - keep your material saved on your hard drive, make back up copies, and start collecting your artifacts,
Kathey - so, do I need to do the interviewing, or just the commentary?
mrjohn - make lots of photos, work samples, and record your contacts,
Ret in OH - #4...I investigated whether a child really was DH or if he had Asperger Syndrome or Hyperlexia...and what strategies would be effective in improving his reading comprehension.
Rebecca - java, what part of the country are you in
comadre - emily..my #4 was a very challenging autistic student..who i got lots of resource help for
Rebecca - these ideas are great guys, keep them coming!
mrjohn - get you a file systme java, or a hanging file folder rubbermaid container, etc.. and put copies of your stuff that you have done over the past couple of years for entries # 5 & 6.
java - Rebecca I am in south carolina
mrjohn - now you know, 5 & 6 don't count as much as the other entries
Ret in OH - #1....I used teaching multiplication facts
Rebecca - i'm in n. ga.....i feel so ALONE in this because no one near me is doing my area
mrjohn - get some friends to proof your stuff, then you revisit it and then clean it up, and let that person read it again.
comadre - kathey..yes you need to be engaged in some instructional manner with the child
mrjohn - I did each entry on a separate disk
E Z Ed - Rebecca-how close to w. sc are you?
Ret in OH - Rebecca...don't feel lonely. I was the ONLY teacher in my COUNTY that was pursuing National Boards last year. My greatest support came from our Exceptional Needs group. :o)
Rebecca - ret.....can you be more specific on what you did with multiplication facts?
mrjohn - when you open your box and take your stuff out, keep them in color coded folders
Emily - Thanks for the insights. I am already feeling better about an idea I have been tossing around. I am also from SC.
mrjohn - I hope to hear in the next few weeks
Rebecca - i'm in blairsville, which is about 2 hours from hartwell
Susan - Rebecca there is a lady in NGa named Angela on the site
mrjohn - I'm not bragging, but my product was good
mrjohn - the exam wasn't that bad
Rebecca - what site, susan?
mrjohn - I mailed my box june 1st and I took my exam July 7th
mrjohn - I tested in the area of severe-multi.
Rebecca - tell me about that exam
Susan - Well, Mr.John it sure sounds good to me, tell us more
mrjohn - read Bloom's, know your developmental levels
mrjohn - also you need to know inclusiion methods of special needs students in the regualr classroom in various ways
mrjohn - academics, social, art, pe
Susan - Did you have a severe student do that prom stuff?
mrjohn - folks, I'm going to sign off if no one else has any questions
Shelly - I have a question ....
Shelly - I'm just joining the group and was trying to read the discussion so far
mrjohn - java, do you want my e-mail address?
E Z Ed - mrjohn- could you send a copy of your lists as an attachment to an e-mail: i like the ideas
mrjohn - java, do you want my e-mail address?
Rebecca - i want to email with ANYBODY doing 3rd-5th grade SLD and behavior disorders....i need support!!
java - yes john please keep in touch .I will have more questions after iI start my portfolio
Susan - Rebecca- the Exceptional-Needs egroup
E Z Ed - mrjohn, did you get my question?
mrjohnn - what all do you want? I'm willing to help anyway I can
Ret in OH - You can join the National Support Group for Exceptional Needs Candidates by going to: http://www.egroups.com/subscribe/EXCEPTIONAL-NEEDS 270 members
E Z Ed - mrjohn, yobohseyoh, would you shoot a copy of your word lists over to me via e-mail attachment?
Shelly - I have a question about artifacts if anyone can help me
Shelly - the guidelines say that an artifact can be "transcripts of converstions with family members or colleagues"........
mrjohnn - ez ed, my email address is jgriffin@abts.net drop me a line and I'll respond once I get some stuff together for you
Shelly - Does the transcript have to be "word for word" or can it just be a narrative description of what the conversation consisted of in general??
Ret in OH - Shelly...what entry is that?
mrjohnn - folks, this is my first time in the chat room, man I wished I'd know this jewel last year while I was just starting
mrjohnn - I hope to have my scores by the 3rd week of Nov.
Shelly - I'm looking at entry 4 ..... the question artifact
Susan - Yes, Ret that is what I wanted you to do for Rebecca! Thanks. I can't get private message on your name.
mrjohnn - I mailed my portfolio 6-1-2000 and tested 7-7-2000
Ret in OH - Shelly...I'm not sure about whether a transcript of a conversation would need to be word for word...I would contact NBPTS and ask them.
Susan - Hi Hilda the perfect
Hilda - Yes, perfect I am! And thrilled to be so.
E Z Ed - mrjohn-Got privy msg?
Shelly - it didn't specify in the guidelines so I wasn't sure....I think I will contact NBPTS -- Thanks
E Z Ed - Is it "broom" Hilda, or just "la perfecta" Hilda?
Hilda - Both!
Ret in OH - Any other NBPTS questions?
Shelly - I have some but I think I'll post them on the egroup......my computer is really slow tonight....THanks though
Kathey - ret - if I use my selective mute for #4 and don't come up with a reason why she doesn't talk will it go badly for me?
E Z Ed - Hilda, i work with moderate/behavior dis, what do you deal with?
Ret in OH - No...you are investigating. You don't have to answer the question or solve the problem...you just have to show your "authentic struggle to seek the best way to teach the student."
Hilda - Learning disabled, high school, I teach all English
Ret in OH - Kathey...I used a selective mute for #3.
E Z Ed - Hilda, I guess mine would be LD/EH if they had all the testing. My "content" area is Lang Arts/Reading also. How do you attack the very low sight vocab prob?
Ret in OH - For students with low sight vocab...I use the Reading Milestones program...works great!
Kathey - at this point, I am not even getting eye contact - just shrugs so I'm afraid social skills are nil..
Susan - Ed, did you figure out what to do about the time frame for #1? You know you could collaborate with a receiving teacher on one kid- that would be extra work - but not too bad.
Ret in OH - That might be a tough one Kathey...but I'd do a little on-line investigating and see if anything pops up that might spark some ideas for you....you never know what you might find.
Hilda - Ret...What is reading milestones?
E Z Ed - Susan, I'll have to try sorting that. I'm still really mired down in the reading prep, not really started practicing the entries yet.
Ret in OH - Reading Milestones is a program written by Edmark. But it is much better than the old Edmark program. Very structured...builds on words already introduced. Contact Pro-Ed for a brochure on it.
E Z Ed - ret-Is there a posting on the web on "Reading Milestones?"
Susan - Hilda, what are you doing on your entries lately?
Kathey - I, for one, really appreciate all of you who have "run the race" - "finished the course" - "awaiting scores" taking time to help us newbies. Have a great week, I'm gone..
Hilda - Oh, about the same! I am going to definitely get that scanner under control so that I may use the documents, and type directly onto them.
E Z Ed - ret- got it, a little late on my keystroke
E Z Ed - Hilda-help!!! What scanner model are you using?
Hilda - EZ, my problem is not sight words, it is content. I work with the students to understand unknown words from the context.
Hilda - UMax. I am almost there.
Ret in OH - Reading Milestones uses Readers and workbooks. 6 levels that take students to 3rd grade reading level...then you can buy a Bridge series to take them on up to 5th. Some of my students made a 2-grade jump in reading ability last year.
E Z Ed - Hilda-understand, do you use a particular pre-packaged model or have you designed your own?
E Z Ed - ret- thanks.
Susan - Hilda, where did you get that scanner program?
Hilda - I use a model in the text (Holt). It is beginning to work.
Hilda - Comes with the scanner.
E Z Ed - Hilda- brand name on scanner?
Hilda - umax Astra
mrjohn - susan, remind me, what are you doing for nat. boards, what area?
mrjohn - how many of you folks are nat. bd. certified?
Susan - I have EMD- Self-contained. We do it all.
mrjohn - if any?
Hilda - Mr. John how are you doing on Entries 1 and 2? I would be interested to know your progress.
mrjohn - ok
Susan - Mr J - you are our leader- you go before us - we are all just starting
mrjohn - entry one --I selected a down's student who had major speech delays
mrjohn - I did a screening of photos of teachers, coaches, media folks etc... of adults in our building he would have contact with
E Z Ed - mrjohn- re-Susan, you da man!
mrjohn - I did a screening/assessment if he would be a good canidadte for an aug. comm. device
mrjohn - heheheh, thanks,
mrjohn - listen folks, I'll know my scores in three weeks or so, lord knows I think I passed, but I'll helo you in any way
Susan - If you did not pass, you will have to move away from Hickory
mrjohn - for entry #2 Fostering Comm. I took pictures of a student doing everything
mrjohn - grocery story, cooking, cleaning
Susan - OF course you passed with entries like those
Hilda - Did you take these photos at school?
mrjohn - we took the photos and developed him a reading book and recorded a cassesstte tape of the book/pages, etc..
E Z Ed - THE ULTIMATE OPTIMIST- you PASSED!!!!
mrjohn - I took the pictures all over the com,unity
mrjohn - then, for the video taped lesson, we recorded him reading the book
E Z Ed - Did you have any "confidentiality" problems with the pictures etc.
mrjohn - I would stop him and ask, where is the page of the media specialist,
Hilda - Were these photos your artifats.
Susan - how cool
mrjohn - he would find the page, I would ask him to read the short paragraph, size 18-23 font, written at a 2nd g, level
mrjohn - then he would answer follow up questions about that person, or that location, etc..
mrjohn - for example, our section on community
Susan - Did you always do this kind of stuff, or did NB inspire you to try new things?
mrjohn - I would say, find me the fast food rest. that only sells Frostys
mrjohn - that had to be Wendy's
mrjohn - I went to a teacher workshop for a week on national board stuff
mrjohn - the lady told us the bring copies or sample of what we did with our students
E Z Ed - Gotta go, Law & Order SVU is almost over, but reg rr's are on A&E @ 11. Yo Tami, c'ya next time.
mrjohn - they taught me to make sure everything I wrote, photographed, video taped spotlighted the student at being a success
mrjohn - the key factor-- what benefit will this be to my student
mrjohn - let me share one thing about my professional development section
Susan - Really? That is different from what I have heard others say
mrjohn - last year I was voted Teacher of the Year-- whoa
mrjohn - not so much that I got the award
mrjohn - but, as a result of the award I was awarded some money
mrjohn - with that money I bought tools at Sears for my pre-voc. unit
mrjohn - that's the kind of stuff I leaned to write about in a reflective manner, as a result of getting the award, I was able to purchase tools that my students could use as hands on activities, and yes, I photoed my students using the tools and I'd write stories
mrjohn - anything from anybody? if not, later???
Susan - Mrj you are too good
E Z Ed - mrjohn- got it
Hilda - Impressive stuff
Emily - Thanks, Mr. John!
Susan - What else did you do for prof entries
Emily - Great ideas about pictures. I was also a TOY, but got no money. Made me feel great though!
Hilda - Mr. J. Were the pictures your artifacts, or did you have something done by the student?
Susan - Since the kids are severe, I guess it is hard to get artifacts from them
mrjohn - ok, I used photos of the students as my artifacts of them doing a task
mrjohn - eg, a student at the post office buying a stamp for a letter
mrjohn - I used artifacts of their computer disk where they would type word list such as sight words
mrjohn - For entry #2 my video was the key factor-- but the photos made up the story pages for the book
mrjohn - I'm sure you do lots of the same skills
mrjohn - take lots of photos
Susan - You make me want to visit your classroom and see your portfolio
Hilda - It is really interesting to read what you do. Thank you for sharing it.
mrjohn - I take a photo of each of my students using a pay phone
mrjohn - after the photos are developed, I glue the picture on a sheet of paper and draw a line underneathe-- the students are to write their home phone number, area code, etc..
mrjohn - folks, after I pass national board I'm gonig to work on publishing my stuff
mrjohn - have you all gotten your boxes yet?
Susan - I take photos constantly- I could use the ones in my scrapbook for that stuff, I take photos and give them a copy
mrjohn - have you started writing your student profiles?
Susan - I have my box, am just now planning my entries
Hilda - I plan on starting writing my student profiles this week end. did you use testing data?
mrjohn - think of other ways you could use those photos
mrjohn - for example
Susan - I started narrowing down the chosen students for the profiles
mrjohn - I use photos of people or places within our building and then I give my student that photo and send them to that location to see if they can find it, or find the secretary, the media specialist, etc...
Susan - I do that too!
mrjohn - I still stress over and over, read those standards, and when you start answering your entires
Hilda - Do you work on employing any of your students?
mrjohn - write them in a reflective format
Hilda - What do you mean by that? I thought the final section of each entry was written reflectively?
mrjohn - eg, now that I know Sam can find the secretary, I can now givehim more chores, task, errands to do as a means of improving his social skills of taking letters to the office and enter the office as an age appropriate young man.... etc...
mrjohn - throughout your material, you still need to state you know why you are doing what you are doing for the students benefit
Hilda - I get it, you mean "active voice".
Emily - Got to go! Thanks so much. This has been great!
mrjohn - don't waite until the final reflection page
mrjohn - anything else Susan?
Susan - Would you come meet with me or let me visit your class? I have frequent flier miles.
mrjohn - my email is listed with my name, I'm in North Carolina, where are you?
Hilda - We could make it a party!
mrjohn - my wife teachers 7th grade in my building --she is use to me having lots of guest
mrjohn - ha
Hilda - I'll bring dinner!
Susan - I will not step in on your wife's territory, if that is what you mean
mrjohn - there is a small 4 yr college in Hickory, Lenoir-Rhyne, I have taught a class there, and now one of the sp. ed. teachers require each of their students to spend 10 clock hoursin my room
mrjohn - Vickie doesn't care, she's use to it! HA
Susan - Hilda- what will you bring for dinner- they have great food in Hickory
Hilda - Wow! Some of the students must be a great help!
mrjohn - I am going to Raleigh next weekend for 3 days to work with a sp. e.d department in a smaller county that is training on aug. commm. devices
Hilda - Is it hickory smoked?
Hilda - Or hickory farms?
mrjohn - that's how I get much of my tapes recorded or photos taken, it takes a village! :-0
mrjohn - Hickory, is a major furniture factory town, major plants, Bassett, Broyhill, etc....
mrjohn - I'm about 40 miles from Charlotte
Susan - It sounds like I could just pop in anytime- my class is like that, too, people in and out all the time
Hilda - I am in sunny Arizona. 90 today!
mrjohn - my school system is the smallest of the three in our region, but we have top notch folks, resources, etc...
mrjohn - tonite was homecoming football, 45 degrees, cool,
Susan - I am in SC, just south of Charlotte, so I will be up there soon for a field trip
Hilda - You are lucky, my system is huge and cumbersome.
mrjohn - Susan, feel free to-- honestyl
mrjohn - what part of SC?
Hilda - Tonight was our homecoming also. Do they plan these things?
mrjohn - we drove through pageland, etc.. last week on our way to the beach
mrjohn - think so, it's football friday nite
Susan - Yes, I am serious, I am on this site to get work done, not flirt, believe me
mrjohn - my system is so supportive, if you need it and can prove it, a way will be made to get you your stuff!!!
mrjohn - I'm just kidding, I went to NCCAT, at Cullowhee across from WEstern Carolina. I was there with 30 teachers, and it was me and two other guys
mrjohn - as a male in Ed. you get use to that
Susan - Mine is too, but I am the only one / first one doing it.
Hilda - And, we get used to having males in ed.
Susan - I have support, but nobody knows what kind of support I need
mrjohn - I was the first person in my middle school to do nat. bd.
mrjohn - we have a few ele, folks and a couple at the high school
mrjohn - it;s almost like a club, a religion, and other educators just don't understand
mrjohn - it was more work than my master's degree ever was
mrjohn - but it made me a better teacher
Susan - Well, I have joined your club. do you give out hats?
Hilda - I was really impressed with the standards.
mrjohn - it made me to stop and think why do I do what I do. I know to modify and make things that will help my students meet success, but it was hard to put that in writing,
Hilda - I was told to try to include evidence of as many of the standards as i could in each entry. Is that true. It seems very difficult. There are so many.
mrjohn - but, keep the standards real-- make them relate to your studensts
Hilda - I could never imagine that I could get in evidence of every single part of each standard in each entry. I would be writing for 50 pages.
mrjohn - yes, and tell what kind of learners, visual, auditory, and various skills, such as as a result of learning to make coffee for the teachers lounge, this is a skill that can be bridged into a job training situation, et....
mrjohn - my total portfolio, of pages, etc... finished printed copies, was over 175 pages
Susan - Where did you get your training?
mrjohn - that's reflective writing, artifcats, etc....
mrjohn - my undergrad and grad, was at East Tenneessee State.
mrjohn - My MA is in Mental Retardation';I
Hilda - Won't we all be turning in the same amount? I remember reading tht we can turn in so many artifacts, and our entries have to be limited to 12 pages?
mrjohn - I taught 7 years in coal mine country, WVA when we were "young" I got lots of hands on experience there becayse I had to make everything I needed
mrjohn - yes, but some of your entries have written com. 1 and written comm 2
mrjohn - it all adds up
Susan - I make a lot of my stuff now.
mrjohn - while I've been in NC I did my preschool handicapped add on through APP state and UNC Chapel Hill
mrjohn - I'm certifited in 5 areas of Sp .ed
mrjohn - susan, that's why I want to publish my material
mrjohn - I can not find the material I need at an age appropriate level
mrjohn - everything is mickey mouse or does not relate at all
mrjohn - back to national board
Susan - I know, I do not mind sharing at all, but some of the ideas could be copyrighted
mrjohn - start on your 5 & 6 entries now, get you a box, file system, etc... rubbermaid container and start sorting through all ofyour accomplishments, workshops, training, etc.....
Susan - I never find things to order, or if I do, I use them in a different way- so I have just about quit looking in catalogs
mrjohn - get anybodyand everybody to sing your verification forms, school nurse if they have spoken to your class regarding services, health dept. etc... also, if you use Voc. Reh. or job training
mrjohn - record all of your professional contacts.
Susan - I do all that
mrjohn - I did a web page a couple of years ago, I listed that and referred to my page--using my web address
mrjohn - do you want to look at my web page?
mrjohn - 'll give you my address???
Hilda - YEs!
Susan - of course
Hilda - Please!
mrjohn - take a look at it later and drop me an e-mail here it is
mrjohn - http://www.abts.net/~jgriffin/
Susan - I have a web page, but we had to go to a new thing called Learning Village By IBM in our district, and that is all that is allowed. Mine is sitting in the computer, but not up, due to the entire system not ready
mrjohn - now, it's about 3 years old and it may not relate to you, but I talked my students through it--all of my students can tell me where they live,
mrjohn - town, city, county, state, usa, north america, etc...
mrjohn - feel free to give me a yell-- I'd be more than happy to review your stuff like Feb.
mrjohn - when do you have to mail your portfolio?
Susan - When you have a program you love and are proud of, you just want to share it with everybody, don't you?
mrjohn - I won't even start on the exam, but there are major areas to study for-- I'll coach you on those too
Hilda - Mr. J it sounds like the content of your entries was perfectly wonderful. Do you consider yourself an excellent writer? Do you think the quality of the writing is a big issue?
mrjohn - I have been blessed to build my program the way I see fit
Hilda - Entries to NB by April 14, right Susan?
mrjohn - my principal, EC director, and even my superin. have been wonderful
Susan - I have to send mine early, since I will be in NYC for spring break, the week before it is due. So my due date is March 30.
mrjohn - my box came last year around thanksgiving, I had to mail it to texas by 6-1-00 and I took my exam in July 7, 2000 at Appalachian State, that's where my son goes to college
Susan - I am lucky to have those kinds of people, but they do not know about NB- what I need- neither do I!
mrjohn - I mailed my, insured it for $4,000-- and it got there in 2 days, cost me about 35.00 to mail
mrjohn - if I had not gone to that week worksop at NCCAT, I would have been lost, that's why I'm being so honest with you folks
Susan - How did you arrive at $4000.00?
mrjohn - don't write it like a descriptive paper, they don't care what you do, or what your classroom is like, they wantto know why-- how do you know to do what you do, and to what benefit it will have foryour students
Hilda - What could you take in the exam with you?
mrjohn - it cost $2,000 to do the program. I signed a voucher from Raleigh, NC for the money up front, I decided if it got lost, I could pay back the state, and pay myself for my time and effort
mrjohn - the exam was cool
mrjohn - I took my standards book, notes, Make sure you take a copy of Bloom's and Piaget, you need to know somthing about child developmetn
Susan - tell,tell
mrjohn - other than being long, the senerios were real, true sampel of kids
Hilda - Where they at your level, or at any level with any disability?
mrjohn - I will tell you this, I did the area of severe-multi--- if thatis your area make sure you read somthing regarding TBI
mrjohn - Tramatic Brain INjury
Susan - so, if you are really good, and a natural, it should come to you?
Hilda - I teach mild/mod strictly LD. Am I liable to need to know severe and multi?
mrjohn - different levels, some middle school one at a job training site of a student working in the public, and one of a kid that had been in an accident,
mrjohn - the exam was a strength for me, or at least I think it was!
Hilda - It does sound cool.
mrjohn - Hilda, you will need to know inclusion frontwards and backwards
mrjohn - no pull out, everything built around the reg. population
mrjohn - I didn't test that way, but my best friend did
Hilda - Not a problem, that is our big issue in our district now.
mrjohn - I felt my testing was more "true to life" than the mild--
Hilda - Are your students our in reg ed classes at all.
mrjohn - in my building, I am the only self-continaed and the rest of our sp. ed. program is inclusion,
Emily - I thought any level and any disability were "fair game" at the assessment center. I teach mild-moderate
mrjohn - they go to art, music, and drama & pe with reg ed
mrjohn - in the mild area you will have a down's symdrome question of being in a reg class
mrjohn - If we go to an inclusion class, then I go with them
mrjohn - back to down's question-- I had 2 on my test, and the LD section had one, so I was told
Hilda - Do you do any prep for the class and/or teacher before hand?
Susan - Did the preparatory materials do the job, or did you have to draw on what you knew from experience?
mrjohn - this is my day, 8-8:35 homeroom, my planning, all of my students are in reg. homerooms
Hilda - I mean the reg. ed class before youand the student become part of the class.
mrjohn - I teach a block 1&2 period unitl 10 am and then they go to an elective
mrjohn - I have a 45 min. planning at that time
Emily - I teach middle school 7-8. So could I have questions related to preschool handicaps?
mrjohn - students return at 11 and we have 30 minutes before lunch... I eat with my students at their table
mrjohn - then I do all of my prevoc. job skils in the afternoon and they go to pe at 1:00
mrjohn - after that we work on social skills, etc,,, from 1:45- 2:15, then prepare to go home.... I have a great schedule'
mrjohn - Emily, you will have ele.questions, but you will need to know low level, child development for students who might function as 4-6 years of mental age??? does that make sense?
Hilda - Do you use reg. people at your school to practice social skills?
Susan - Do your kids call you Mr.John?
Emily - Yes, I think so.
mrjohn - Hilda, we do when I plan it with my team.... I am part of a 7th grade pod...me and 5 other teachers... sometimes some of those reg. students come into my class and read with my students or cook with us if we tie in reading receipes, et.c... to math, scien
Hilda - Your situation sounds so ideal!
mrjohn - no, I use to teach at a special school a separate day school and I've gone by that for years, but in "real"school --it's Mr. Griffin--
mrjohn - also, I am the student coucil advisor and I have student interns 4 times througout the day
mrjohn - so, I have "real" students or reg. students around my kids agreat deal
mrjohn - I'm in heaven-- but, I've worked hard to do that
Hilda - Your situation sounds even more ideal!
mrjohn - I have students who come to me from the reg school asking to volunteer --to go to the grocery store with us, or sp. olympics
Emily - Sounds like your kids are very frotunate to have you for a teacher!
Susan - I wish you were my "feeder' middle school teacher.
Hilda - A second to that, and their parents!
mrjohn - when we cook, I like to have a reg. ed. studetn to come in and read the directions or make photos of step by step of them helping their buddy
mrjohn - my parents are awesome and they know they are very lucky to have a school that is so suportive.... my principal has a son who is a senior who is severe LD and she knows how kids struggle
mrjohn - my parents love the photo reading books-- at awards day I even give a parent of the year award
Susan - I will take a day and come up there between Tgiving and Cmas
mrjohn - last year at our awards day I gave a citizenship award and the entire school gave this kid a standing round of applause
mrjohn - there was not a dry eye in the place!
Hilda - What are the qualifications for parent of the year?
Emily - That's awesome!
mrjohn - last year I had the local newspaper do a feature story on my student council students being helpers in my classroom
Susan - I did the same thing- my student was honored at a fancy DO dinner, with reg ed kids
Susan - Did you use news stories in your entry?
mrjohn - parent of the year have to make at least 10 school visits, sign off that they would do 10 community visist, the art musume, ballgame, social events with their young person other than shopping at Wal-Mart. etc....
mrjohn - yes, my news story was part of my #5 or #6???
Hilda - I love parent of the year! That is a great idea.
Susan - I am planning that, too, using stories from paper
mrjohn - we are going Tuesday to get pumpkins for Halloween, but then we are taking them to the nursing home -- that's our way of doing service learning
mrjohn - we have a garden
mrjohn - cucumbers, tomatoe,. flowers
mrjohn - we clean the lunchroom
mrjohn - we do it all
Emily - My students are packing and wrapping shoeboxes for Samaritan's purse for Christmas. I hope to be able to use this.
Hilda - How large is your school?
mrjohn - good luck on your national boards-- just keep your focus, what's inthis for the kids,,,,
mrjohn - our middle school is 650 students
Susan - Our service learning is an "adopted class" where they came from. They learn they can do for others- we do a thing every month, and go to SP Olympics together in the spring.
Hilda - Emily, what is Samaritan's purse?
Emily - Sponsored by Franklin Graham Ministries. Shoeboxes go to children in foreign countries for Christmas. Great program.
mrjohn - folks, I'm gone, feel free to drop me an e-mail, keep me in your thoughts and prayers as I waite to hear in Nov. I have a son in college and my other son is a Junior who says he wants to be a sp. ed. teacher. With my wife and I both being educators the
Emily - My students/parents help purchase items and wrap boxes to send.
mrjohn - But, right now, it's not about the money, totally, I've worked so hard I want it -- like a proven token
mrjohn - bye--good chatting folks :-)
Emily - Will be thinking about you. Thanks for all the great tips!
Hilda - Thank you John!
Hilda - Susan what time is it where you live?
Hilda - I really don't think John has much to worry about when it comes to NB.
