archie - any first time candidates?
caroline - Me
Stacy - yes
Randi - Yep!
Stacy - are you guys candidates?
archie - Randi- Lost nothing
archie - I am a newbie
Randi - Thank goodnes--was thinking you were a candidate and lost your portfolios.
archie - How far along in the process are you guys
caroline - speaking of NB is anyone else worried that you are not worried enough?
Stacy - I'm working on entry 1, making revisions
Randi - My hard drive crashed this week and I FREAKED!! I'm almost done with Entry 1--working on 2 and 3, and thought I would lose everything
Randi - I'm not worried yet, but give me another two months....
caroline - I have not done alot of typing yet-- just some prep work
Randi - Hi Bob
bob - hey
Stacy - I'm stressing over the whole thing. It seems to be coming a little to easy. I don't think I'm doing it right
Randi - Stacy--do you have someone to read your work? It's really helped me alot
caroline - what do you think you are doing wrong stacy?
Stacy - yes, a fellow candidate
Randi - What state are you in? Can you hook up with a NBCT?
Stacy - Well, first of all, my entire entry was only 9 pages
Stacy - GA
Randi - Me, too--is this Stacy from the academy?
caroline - stacy, did you have a question document?
Stacy - Yes, I have a mentor through the georgia teacher center that is a NBCT
Stacy - yes
Stacy - yes
Randi - Stacy--email your entry to Kaye
Stacy - okay
Stacy - you're speaking of the email address that Jo gave us, right
Randi - I emailed mine to Jo because Kaye was away...she gave me GREAT feedback
archie - Was your question document just a one sentecne question of an explanation
Stacy - YOUR FINISHED?
Randi - She's an assessor for entry 1
Pam in SC - which entry are you discussin?
Stacy - Oh
Randi - NO!! I'm revising Entry 1
Stacy - Okay, Jo is my mentor
Stacy - facilitator I should say
ispy - hello all
Stacy - Were we in the same group? I can't remember names
caroline - hi ispy
Stacy - Entry 1
Randi - I'm thinking I have you confused with another Stacy--there was a Stacy in my group with Kaye.
Pam in SC - that is one that I am redoing.....my first one was a 1.625!
Randi - Pam--are you starting over or revising?
Stacy - Okay, there must be another Stacy, I'm from Lowndes Co.
Randi - Well, hi there! Email your stuff to Jo--she was marvelous
caroline - Pam, what do you think was the problem with your entry?
Stacy - She was very supportive at the academy
Pam in SC - I have to start over......i emailed my entry to Jo and there were major boo boos
Stacy - I feel really stupid right now, does anyone else feel this way?
Pam in SC - she said that I used interventions instead of assessments
Randi - Gee--everyone knows Jo!
Stacy - She's great!
Pam in SC - I feel really frustrated
Randi - She said my assessments were good, but had to analyze more...
Randi - Pam, what do you teach?
caroline - I feel like I am writing stupid.... you know you spend all day at a kid's level and you start sounding like one
Stacy - Does anyone think they are repeating when answering questions in the written commentary
Pam in SC - i am ld resource middle school
Stacy - Pam, amen
Randi - Me, too Pam!
caroline - Stacy, yes, yes, yes
Pam in SC - The answers are VERY repetitive!
Stacy - I am interrelated middle school
Stacy - Thank goodness
Randi - I think I"ll be deleting many of my repetitions, cause I'm over in pages....
caroline - I teach a K-1 self contained EMD class in NC
Pam in SC - What types of assessments are y'all using?
Stacy - I was beginning to think I was going crazy
caroline - informal and Brigance
Stacy - I used the Brigance and some assessments I made myself
Randi - I used a WJ III, a self made interest inventory and a Rewards Preference Inventory
Stacy - Caroline, are you targeting math by any chance?
Randi - Caroline--I taught pre-K for years in FL
Randi - Did you use that yellow Brigance?
caroline - no, colors---I have a child that is having lots of problems learning her colors yet she does posess some other higher level skills that make the fact that she doesn't know colors really stand out
caroline - Randi, yes the yellow one
Randi - Ohh--I read your emails....it's all coming back to me
Randi - Is this the apraxic kid?
Stacy - Sorry, I thought you taught middle school
caroline - yep, that's me
caroline - yes, at least that is what the private speech therapist is saying, personally I don't know
caroline - I did test for color blindness, and she passed
Randi - Stacy, I teach middle school now. I taught pre-K for 4 years, and now I'm doing 8th grade. So much the same it's scary...get in your seat....open your book....stop talking...
Randi - Sounds like a great candidate for Entry 1, Caroline
Stacy - I taught elementary before I was moved to middle. I prefer elementary!
caroline - I hope so
Randi - I'm focusing on an 8th grader who hasn't made any gains in reading since he was initially placed in 5th grade
caroline - I've taught K-3 for the past 5 years
Stacy - Can anyone give me suggestions for video? I have my camera set up and my students are not "getting used to the camera. They are making faces and everything else. they are very immature!
Randi - I used out and out bribery. "Do this and we'll have a pizza party"
caroline - I think that the assessors kind of expect a little of that
Randi - Stacy--what grade?
Pam in SC - Have you played the video back to them?
Pam in SC - when i played mine back last year, it really seemed to help
Stacy - It upset me because before I had the camera, I didn't see the immaturity, well maybe not at visually as I am now
caroline - mine love to see themselves on video or on my digital camera, I haven't had too many problems yet but I also haven't taped too much
Stacy - I actually did show one of the kids and he was much better the next time
Randi - That's a good idea, Pam. You could also threaten to show it at parent night.
caroline - Stacy, the immaturity could be an Entry 3 LOL
Stacy - I did that as well
Randi - My Entry 3 is going nowhere fast...
Stacy - The sixth graders as a whole (school wide) appear to be extremely immature this year
Pam in SC - My deal with the kids was that the lessons I actually wanted to pick from, I would immediately play back. You see so much more through that camera!
caroline - I'm excited about my entry 3, I have a great idea, but now I have to get it going
Stacy - Okay, I'll try again next week
Pam in SC - Randi, do you have the skillstreaming books?
Randi - I teach all inclusion--it's a hard setting to show social skills with one kid
Randi - No, I don't
Stacy - I am going to order the books, do you have the cards?
caroline - I just ordered the skill streaming books from Amazon
Pam in SC - OUCH! I can see the problem
Randi - I had saved an email from Jo with the info for getting them, but lost it when my hard drive died
Stacy - Would you like me to forward to you?
Randi - I think I'm going to have to pull a few kids into my room after school and do it that way
Randi - Yes please--PRSagona@bellsouth.net
Pam in SC - I just today borrowed the books from another teacher.....am still deciding which entries to redo
Stacy - Do you guys have extended learning time? Could you do it then?
Pam in SC - I missed by 34 points
Randi - We don't have it for sped...
Randi - Pam--can you tell us about the AC
Pam in SC - I did decent there........
Pam in SC - you need to be able to think fast on your feet
Stacy - Randi, I'll send you the information tonight
Randi - How did you prepare?
Randi - Thanks, Stacy
Stacy - I am very concerned when looking at the number of people that met certfication
Pam in SC - Be sure to review current journals......one vocab word that got me is now a different term for something I learned 10 years ago
Stacy - I know of 2 teachers that missed by 1 point
caroline - Stacy, what were the numbers, do you know?
Stacy - pam, which journals do you suggest?
Randi - I get the CEC journals, but haven't been reading them like I used to. Too busy with NB
Pam in SC - I pulled up the actual transition laws to know exact facts on transition plans
Stacy - no
Pam in SC - Definitely CEC,
Randi - I've done preK transitions, middle school transitions and transitions to high school. I'm assuming these are postsecondary transitions? The ones I know NOTHING about??
Pam in SC - I reviewed terms on LD online and that also helped
Stacy - I've never done a transition plan
Stacy - VERY worried about this
caroline - me either
Stacy - SUGGESTIONS?
Pam in SC - I did transitions when I taught h.s. 5 years ago in a very rural district......had been away from sped for 3 years when I did this
Pam in SC - just be sure to know who is included in the transition meetings and the rationale behind each one
Randi - Stacy--is there a person in your county who coordinates the transitions?
Randi - We have a transition specialist, or something like that. I'm going to contact her for a crash course
Stacy - I honeslty don't know for sure but I think it is the asst. principal
Randi - Pam--are these the transitions AFTER high school, or TO high school?
Stacy - I think I'll contact the asst. sped director and see if she can help
Pam in SC - after high school
Randi - Figures....
Stacy - Pam, did you have anyone read over your portfolio?
Pam in SC - I only had one NBCT read mine, but did have a fellow teacher read......
Pam in SC - romised to have everyone I can read my entries this time
Stacy - I was going to ask, would you suggest having several read over
Stacy - What did you find the most difficult?
Randi - I've heard mixed things about that---one person says a section is great, another says to trash it.
Pam in SC - I definitely would, ....most difficult to me was the AC question on pe and leisure
Pam in SC - try to get people like Jo to read
Stacy - The one person has been helpful, also a candidate
Stacy - I want to make sure it's okay for presenting to her before I email it to her
Pam in SC - I understand that
Randi - Stacy, I email her at least twice a week with quick questions. She's my hero
Randi - I asked her for clarification on several of her comments, and she got right back to me
Stacy - I also know a teacher that certified this past time and she has agreed to read for me
Pam in SC - She seems to be extremely helpful
Stacy - She has been a God send
Randi - Pam--off the topic--did you make out ok with the icestorm?
Stacy - Does Jo usually join the meeting room on Friday's
mercysakes - Good evening all! Am I too late?
Pam in SC - we missed a day and a half here.......8 schools in our district were without power yesterday, but mine stayed on at home
Randi - I met Jo here--I almost died when we realized we live in the same town, AND she was going to be at the Academy
Randi - Nope--we still have a half hour
Pam in SC - Hi mercy.........not too late at all
Randi - Pam--I was all psyched for a weather day, but we never got ice, only rain
Pam in SC - where are you, randi?
mercysakes - Thanks!! When I post to the exceptional needs group, I go by Pam in KY or pharlow. I am on my home computer tonight
Randi - North Georgia
Randi - Mercy, are you a candidate?
mercysakes - I recognize Pam in SC from the group. Hi Pam!
Pam in SC - I am about 45 minutes from North Augusta
Stacy - I live in South Ga and it's only been cold, well cold for us anyway
Pam in SC - cool beans! another pam!
mercysakes - Hi Randi!! I am one of those "just certified" NBCTs!!
Randi - CONGRATULATIONS!!! I am so jealous!!!
Stacy - COOL so you can answer ALL of my questions, right
Pam in SC - Lucky you! we have been agonizing over our entry 1's
Randi - Maybe she'll read for you, Stacy!
mercysakes - Are you a first time candidate or advanced candidate?
Stacy - first time
Randi - First go-round for me
Pam in SC - advanced
mercysakes - Ah...entry 1....THE most difficult!!!
Stacy - Hey, anyone willing to read, i'll send
mercysakes - I agonized over that one more than any!!
Pam in SC - my worst score too!!!!!
Randi - I think I'm almost done, but it's 15 pages and counting
Stacy - Okay, now I know my 9 pages stinks
Randi - LOL
Randi - Stacy, you really are making me laugh...
Stacy - really? I was being serious
mercysakes - I think I got a 3.0 or something like that. I chose to do it on a behaviro goal, and by the the time I finished, I was wishing I could chuck it all and start again, but it was way too late for that.
Stacy - I'm glad I can entertain others, I seem to be crying a lot ---over this
Pam in SC - remeber the key words are "clear, CONCISE, and consistent"!
mercysakes - I'd be happy to read and give feed back.
Randi - I've been having a pity party over that whole entry 3 thing...
Stacy - what is your email?
Randi - OK, mercy...what's your email?
Pam in SC - I am glad to hear you did a behavioral goal....i was talking with the NBCT at my school and she felt that was harder to do assessments for
mercysakes - mercysakes@kvnet.org
Stacy - what level do you teach?
mercysakes - Yeah, Pam...I kinda felt like behavior is very nebulous, unlike more academic goals. What did you do yours on?
mercysakes - I teach self contained MMD high school.
Stacy - I chose math for entry 1
Randi - I already put you in my address book...
mercysakes - That's a nice clear cut subject!
Stacy - my focus student is ADHD and was not on medication at the time when I began and now on medication
mercysakes - Where are you Randi?
Pam in SC - I did mine on a child with short term memory loss. I had Jo Hubbard look over my entry last week and she said the problem was that my assessments were interventions, not assessments
Stacy - he's a totally different student now
Randi - My kid has ADHD, too, and is totally off task in spite of his meds
Randi - I'm in Georgia--near Atlanta
mercysakes - Oh, that's an interesting comment...about the assessments being interventions.
mercysakes - Jo has lots of neat comments.
Randi - Plus she was an assessor over the summer...
Pam in SC - so now I am really really stuck and frustrated
Stacy - I am going to log off now, look forward to next week. It helps to have people to "chat" with
mercysakes - Pam, were you out of school today because of snow? We were out today, yesterday, and went home early on Tues. My children and I have been out in the snow playing the last two days.
Pam in SC - 'Night Staci!
Randi - Stacy can't you include that in your entry--did you advocate for the meds?
mercysakes - Good night Stacy!
Randi - mercy, where are you?
Pam in SC - We just had ice on Wed and yesterday.......got out early wed and stayed home due to power loss yesterday, 8 of our schools were without power
Pam in SC - i wish it had been snow instead
mercysakes - I am in KY, elizabethtown in Hardin Co. It is an hour south of Louisville.
mercysakes - Oooh!! Sounds Coooooooooold!
Pam in SC - isn't that near Fort Knox?
mercysakes - Yes, very close! Same county, but different school district
Pam in SC - I grew up in Bristol VA/TN and remember gong thru e-town a few times
Randi - Mercy--how old are your kids? That's my biggest problem with the whole thing--it takes up so much of my time I feel like I'm neglecting my two. Ages 6 and 10
mercysakes - Pam, how do you collect data on your student?
mercysakes - My girls are 7 and 8. Last year, I feel I did miss out on a lot with them. But my husband took up the slack mostly.
Pam in SC - I used the data from the meeting wiht his brain specialist for starters and then used a self-monitoring checklist
Pam in SC - My kids are 11 and 6 now.........i felt like I neglected them and my horses!
Pam in SC - I am thinking of doing a more concrete one this time
Randi - I mostly work from their bedtime until 11:00. I'm exhausted most of the time, but it leaves my weekends open
Pam in SC - I have several kids in 6th that cannot do three digit by two digit multiplication
Randi - Pam--mine is very concrete, and Jo said I was good on the asssessment.
mercysakes - That sounds good Pam..that will be good for collaboration. How do you keep track of progress? I just used my daily monitoring sheets. I got a simple little form from the EBD teacher and used that to collect s and-s each day. That was simple but effective
Randi - Can't do it because...?
Randi - the multiplication, I mean
Pam in SC - they cannot keep the steps in the correct order
mercysakes - I worked a lot right after school, like an couple of hours. I can't do school work at home. I end up just giving my bags a nice ride in the car back and forth.
Pam in SC - such as multiply the ones by the ones and the tens by the tens andnothing else
Randi - So, it's more of a processing thing?
Pam in SC - very much so
mercysakes - And memory too?
Randi - I wonder if you can tie in some kind of simple processing assessment, like the VADS, and use it to tap on their stronger modality
Pam in SC - uh-oh.....hubby needs help with a horse.......better go see whats up
Randi - Good luck!
Pam in SC - everyone have a great weekend!
mercysakes - See you, Pam
Randi - I'm thinking all of the other candidates are out holiday shopping
mercysakes - I don't come on here often..only my second time.
mercysakes - Are there usually lots more?
stenz - i'm not
Randi - mercy, can I focus on reading for the communication entry?
Randi - hi there, stenz...
Randi - Usually at least a half dozen
stenz - yes- I did and came very close to passing it 2.5
mercysakes - Yeah, Randi...its literacy and comm.. I think that would be good. How will you approach it?
Randi - in my 8th grade inclusion i don't see how i can do much other than reading
stenz - Focus one a specific reading strategy
Randi - I wanted to focus on a girl who is practically an elective mute, but she absolutely WILL NOT talk with the camera on
mercysakes - I did a unit on reading symbols
mercysakes - Oh my! That will be a challenge.
Randi - Well, I gave up on her
mercysakes - Definately a communication problem there!
stenz - don't give up give her the vocab to use.
Randi - That's why I thought she would be great! Too bad I have to video for this entry
mercysakes - How does she communicate her needs?
Randi - I did, I totally prepped her, but she WOULD not speak AT ALL with the camera on. I had her in a small group...I wonder if I tried one-on-one??
stenz - I give my language deficit kids vocab to use when summarizing a story- it seems to help the 4-5th graders
Randi - She will ask a question if she must, but other than that she uses alot of gestures.
mercysakes - Gestures are communication.
stenz - What does the speech teacher say?
Randi - She is very shy in front of other kids, as well. She mostly just stares at me when I ask questions in front of others.
Randi - I could probably get yes/no gestures out of her on tape, but that would be about it.
stenz - Sounds like a good one for focusing on communication skills
Randi - The speech teacher says she's an elective mute
Randi - I'm not too impressed with the SLP
Randi - OK--but are gestures on tape enough to carry this portfolio?
stenz - Oh I was just going to say to collaborate with the slp
Randi - She's only at our school Mon and Wed morning and cancels alot.
stenz - It is about you teaching and fostering communication - what would be most effective
Randi - I should try talking to the girl. I might be able to get her to talk on video if no one else is around. But, I'm telling you--she FROZE with that camera on
mercysakes - Well, I don't know. I wonder if this is her primary means of communication. Is there some way you can facilitate her communication to participate more in a group or to help her feel more successful? If you don't feel that you can, maybe another studetn would be better.
stenz - That's a tough one??
Randi - So, I'm thinking of moving along to a kid with a way above average IQ who detests reading
stenz - I used another student to help my autistic student.
Randi - I can't get him to read anything, but his mom says he can read "how to" manuals and build or fix anything
mercysakes - That sounds more promising.
Randi - I think so, too!
stenz - Sounds good to further assess where this kid is coming from
Randi - I think I'll work on higher order comprehension using something he's interested in. Like a go-cart manual
stenz - That sounds great!
Randi - I think our time is up, folks...
Randi - Bye and thanks!!
mercysakes - That is nice practical stuff. I think it is easier to write about functional reading, and functional communication
stenz - Sounds like a plan!
