The demands on the teachers of special education students are
enormous and the rewards are equally enormous. These
are the wonderful teachers who have the skill to bring order and structure
to the lives of their students and who have the kind and understanding
hearts to see all children as capable and worthy. These are the
teachers we called “The Saints of Education” in our October
2004 column. (http://teachers.net/wong/OCT04/)
In this column, we will revisit with the teacher we featured in our
October 2004 column, Robin Zarzour, now Robin Barlak.
(Our best wishes to Robin!)
In addition, we will share the techniques used by Charlotte
Empringham, who teaches special education in the Thames Valley
School District in London, Ontario, Canada.
Finally, we’ll close with the strategies and wisdom of Dan
Seufert, who recently retired after years of teaching special
education in North Carolina.
Robin Barlak and Her Nurses’ Procedures
Robin Barlak works with children who have a variety
of disabilities—autism, speech and language delays, ADHD, and
severe behavior, physical, and developmental handicaps. “Miss
Robin,” as the students call her, teaches special education at
First Step Preschool in Ohio’s Parma City Schools.
Her classroom assistant and right-hand helper is Lois Preston, "Miss
Lois" to the students. Lois is in the classroom each day,
all day long assisting with small groups, snacks, attendance, record
keeping, art, and anywhere else she is needed.
Robin says, “After reading The First Days of School,
I constantly think of procedures, because special education students
can be put in an at-risk situation if there is not a consistent set
of procedures. They like a consistent set of routines every day
as it makes life familiar and friendly.”
The consistency helps Robin because she has a student with medical
complications who needs a nurse with him while he is at school.
There are three nurses and five therapists in and out of Robin’s
classroom each week for this one child. At the beginning
of the school year she simply typed up the schedule and procedures of
the day. These were given to each nurse and therapist when they
first came to her classroom. This way each professional knows
the daily routine, and therapies can be scheduled according to the prevailing
schedule, such as Physical Therapy during gym time.
Robin Barlak’s Daily Schedule
Morning Class (repeated for the afternoon class)
| 8:20-9:15 |
Free Play
During Free Play, the children can go to the bathroom and all go
to the Art table to do an art/craft project with “Miss Lois.”
Some of the children do TEACCH. TEACCH is a program used for autistic
children developed by the University of North Carolina. It
helps children who need to complete work and who need a schedule
and structure to do so (www.teacch.com). Others can practice
speech therapy cards, if applicable. |
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| 9:15 |
Clean up |
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| 9:17-9:30 |
Circle Time
During Circle Time the children do the calendar, the weather, a
game, a song, the story of the week, the word of the week, and a
social skill (Listening, Using Nice Talk, Sharing, etc). |
| |
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| 9:30-9:50 |
Gym
On Thursdays the children have Musical Gym, a structured gym time
with movement and music.
Musical Gym was developed with a colleague of Robin’s,
Sandy Krems. Sandy shares gym time with Robin. They
each plan Musical Gym activities for two weeks and then they rotate.
At the end of the year, the students put on a Musical Gym show
for the parents.
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| 9:50-10:00 |
Wash hands and have a snack. |
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| 10:00-10:05 |
Look at books on carpet. |
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| 10:05-10:20 |
Circle Time
Another story of the week and music, movement, rhythm, two songs,
or finger plays. |
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| 10:20-10:45 |
Small groups
Three students are on the computer with “Miss Lois”
Four students are with “Miss Robin” playing a game (Lotto
game/number game, etc.)
Four students are playing on their own in the sand box/role play/Play
Dough, etc.
The groups switch every 7-10 minutes |
| |
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| 10:45-10:50 |
Dismissal |
Robin says, “With a schedule, it has been working great
because we are all are on the same page and I don’t have to repeat
myself and take class time to discuss my classroom schedule and procedures.
All the nurses and therapists are very grateful as well."
Charlotte Empringham and Personal Fulfillment
Charlotte Empringham is a Special Education Specialist
who has been teaching Developmental Education for ten years. Her
classes consist of ten students with various learning differences and
special needs. The students may be in her classroom for three
or four years and then move onto a high school setting.
Her program is based on academics developed through a Provincial (state
or district) Curriculum which she modifies to suit her students’
abilities. She says, “My classroom setting is structured
to take advantage of teachable moments. Communication skills,
daily living skills, and learning strategies are integrated into our
programming.”
Charlotte teaches grade 5-8 students with developmental challenges.
Here’s how Charlotte describes her class:
Mission Statement |
| I believe students with developmental disabilities must participate
in educational programs designed to assist them in reaching the
levels of independence in daily living, gaining responsibility for
self and others, and attaining personal fulfilment as determined
by potential. This education must take place in a safe and
accepting environment. |
| |
Mission Strategies |
| I will strive to |
- provide a safe learning environment.
- create a positive atmosphere in the classroom.
- promote a sense of caring among staff and students.
- encourage independence in the school environment.
- design individualized programs to maximize potential.
- encourage the development of responsible attitudes towards
self, others, and the environment.
- provide age-, interest-, and skill-appropriate opportunities
for integration.
- maintain open lines of communication among school staff, parents/guardians,
and community-based personnel.
|
Charlotte’s classroom consists of ten developmentally challenged
students with various learning differences. One student has Downs
Syndrome, two students are hearing impaired using wireless FM systems,
and one student communicates with American Sign Language. There
are two Educational Assistants in the classroom who help students with
their living skills, academics, and social skills.
Her classroom is structured with procedures and routines taught
at the beginning of the year and re-taught several times throughout
the school year. The classroom is a visual learning environment
with charts and posters available on the walls so that students can
access information to enable them to complete their assignments.
As they enter the school every morning, each student is personally
greeted by at least one of the adults in the classroom.
Every effort is made to notice and acknowledge good behavior, kindness
to others, and those who are following the procedures and routines with
verbal praise and/or rewards—such as tickets for our weekly draw
or a ‘star’ certificate, which is a schoolwide incentive
program.
| Students follow these routines and procedures: |
- Bring communication book (daily communication between teacher
and parent), planner, pencil case, and any other items needed
for classes into the classroom.
- Students deposit communication books in a blue bucket.
- Students work in their cursive writing books while waiting
and listening to announcements.
- Students are given a ticket if they have put their communication
books and planners into the blue basket and are working quietly.
- Another ticket is given if students remembered to have parents
sign their communication books.
- At the signal of announcements (buzz on the PA system) students
immediately stand beside their desks facing the teacher and
sign and sing O Canada.
- At the end of announcements a student collects the writing
books and puts them into the ‘blue marking basket’
as students take out their daybooks to begin the daily morning
routine.
- As students complete their daybook activities, their daybooks
are placed in the ‘blue marking basket’ and they
immediately take out their spelling books. Students have
been trained on the procedure to use with the worksheets for
their individual spelling lists. No two students have
the same list, but all students use the same procedures for
learning their words.
- SALAME is called at 10 a.m. to instruct students to clear
off their desks in order to have their snacks delivered.
SALAME - Stop And Look At Me (from the video
series The Effective Teacher,
Part 4)
|
- The teacher, educational assistant, or co-operative
education student (a high school student placed in
the classroom) can put up a hand and call SALAME for
the attention of the students at any time.
- Students should respond by putting up their hand
without saying a word and looking at the person in
order to hear the next instruction.
- Students who respond correctly get a ticket.
|
- When the bell rings for recess, students remain in their
seats until the ‘superhelper’ has been told
to line up at the door. The bell does not dismiss
them!
- When students return to the classroom after a recess
there is a procedure to follow which is the same every
day:
|
- Cursive writing after morning recess
- Mad minute math after lunch recess
- Write tomorrow’s messages into their planners
after afternoon recess
|
- All students are responsible for a job in the classroom,
such as pencil sharpening, handing out books, collecting
books, putting out the thermometer, checking the weather
forecast on the computer, assisting with snack program,
wiping off charts, etc. Jobs are assigned according
to abilities and interests and remain their responsibility
all year.
|
Incentive Charts and
Stamp Charts |
- All students have an incentive chart on their desk
- When a student is disruptive, gets out of his or her
seat without permission, or has been warned about a behavior
and continues, a stamp is put on the student’s incentive
chart. The staff member says nothing; the chart
is stamped without interrupting the flow of the activity
in progress. Students can receive up to five stamps
per day.
- For every blank space on their chart at the end of the
day, they receive a ticket for the Mickey Mouse Draw.
- If a student receives no stamps all day and has had
a good day, a sticker is put on the chart on the wall.
- At the end of the month, the sticker chart is checked
and if the students have the correct number of stickers
or more, they receive a ticket for the monthly draw of
a tuck (sweet) shop token.
- A student who has a perfect month—a sticker for
every day of the month—receives a tuck shop token.
|
Mickey Mouse Good Box |
- Students receive tickets for positive behavior, e.g.,
communication books put into blue basket in the morning,
having all supplies, beginning work on time, staying on
task, finishing on time, good work, manners, helping others,
etc.
- Every Friday a name is drawn from the Mickey Mouse Good
Box and that student chooses a treat from the Mickey Mouse
Treat Box.
- All tickets are tallied and the top three students also
choose a treat from the Mickey Mouse Treat Box.
|
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In addition to teaching special education, Charlotte Empringham for the
past twelve years has been involved with the organization and running
of the annual Special Olympics, a track and field event for special needs
students. Charlotte Empringham is another reason why we
call special education teachers the “Saints of Education.”
Dan Seufert Stands Tall
Dan Seufert is not a traditional teacher by a long shot!
Dan immersed himself in teaching his students turning his classroom
into an Early American hands-on museum where the special education students
serve as docents to regular classroom students. Dan was also known
for his pirate character that prowled the school.
Dan retired from teaching special education in North Carolina and moved
to South Carolina where he now teaches in the Lancaster County School
District. He is the special education teacher at Indian Land Elementary/Middle
School. He feels he has a good grasp on what it takes to bring
about change in special needs students as a result of the self-contained,
behaviorally-emotionally disabled classes he taught for fourteen years.
He says that his ideas center on recognizing the potential
of these students. They center on recognizing the positive
spirit of these students.
They center on celebrating and encouraging the "thinking out of
the box" that these students are so good at doing, just as all
great leaders and discoverers are capable of doing.
Dan shared, sadly, how often he watched teachers try to break the spirits
of these children, make them feel worthless, or set them up for failure.
He feels there is no need to come crashing down on students for bad
behavior and miss the golden opportunity to teach a new behavior.
He says, “We don't need to break their spirits. What we
need to do is re-direct their spirits and then watch
their spirits and abilities and "differentness" carry them
to new heights!”
Dan delighted in the years of opportunity he has had to teach important
life lessons to his students, lessons such as real men know how to shed
a tear and are not afraid to do so; the real man is one who reaches
out to help others, not belittle or hurt others.
Like Robin and Charlotte, Dan Seufert’s classrooms have structure
and consistency. Dan’s classes, however, go beyond
structure and consistency.
Dan wisely says we should not assume structure and consistency alone
will solve the many behavior problems these students have. Structure
and consistency only delays the appearance of behavior problems for
a little while, and when the structure is removed, the behaviors will
return.
Students need to be taught alternatives to unacceptable behaviors.
It means that positive behaviors have to be taught. Replacement
behaviors have to be taught.
| Beyond the recitation of the rules and procedures, they have to
know |
what those rules and procedures mean;
why those rules and procedures are in place;
what they should be doing to show they are following those rules
and procedures; and what the benefits are of replacing old behaviors
with new behaviors.
|
Rules and procedures should have meaning and relevance to the students.
Dan says he often sat with the students (sometimes after each activity)
and processed with them what he liked about their behaviors, recognized
exemplary behaviors, talked about behaviors that he saw and/or students
think should be changed, and taught them alternative behaviors.
He says, “When a student misbehaved in my classroom and it was
necessary to utilize a time-out procedure, before he/she could return
to the general class population I would ask them:
- Can you tell me what happened?
- What could you have done differently to have kept this from being
a problem?
- What can you do differently to keep it from being a problem next
time?
- Is there anything you think needs to be done now to resolve this
problem (e.g., letter of apology, apologizing in person, picking up
the books that were knocked over)?”
“I would also incorporate the use of group processing time, where
the entire class looks at a problem situation and offers possible solutions.
This technique worked great in settling a problem between students.”
Dan believes and knows that beyond the personal strife or the
need for attention, many children demonstrate inappropriate behaviors
because they do not know alternative behaviors when they are in certain
situations. What works for them in the home or in the
"hood" is oftentimes unacceptable behaviors in school, but
they are the only behaviors they know.
To bring about new behaviors we have to give them new tools for dealing
with life and problem situations. We have to teach them responsibility
for their actions and what steps to take to develop and show acceptable
behaviors.
Beyond behavior, Dan shared his viewpoints about expectations with
us.
He says, “I think the biggest injustice we do to children is
setting our expectations too low. I especially see this with children
in special education. I have found that children will give you
what you expect. I expect 100 percent from my students and 100
percent of the behaviors I know they are capable of giving me.
I do expect a lot!
“I then go about setting up the procedures and techniques
and methods to make it happen. Ah, the joy on their faces when
they realize they can reach 100 percent, when they see they can be the
best!”
Dan did not accept what was “good enough.”
As a self-contained teacher of children with severe emotional and behaviors
difficulties, Dan said, “It was not good enough for my students
to just have behaviors that were as good as students in a regular classroom.
Before I would consider mainstreaming my students into the regular classroom,
their behavior had to be the best, much better than the other students
they would encounter in the regular classroom. I found out that
if I only expect their behavior to be ‘as good as’ the behavior
of students in the regular classroom, when their behaviors began to
slip they would quickly find themselves back to the behaviors that landed
them in my self-contained classroom.
“However, if I expected their behavior to be better than the
other students, then a slight slippage of behavior still gave them room
to pull themselves up to acceptable behaviors. I taught them what
they needed to do when their behavior began to slip. We role-played
it in the self-contained classroom; we talked about possible situations
that might lead to behavior slippage and what they could do about it.”
Stand Tall
We met Dan Seufert over fifteen years ago and he shared his personal
quote with us:
"Ours is not the business of producing doctors or lawyers
or teachers or nurses or factory workers or sales associates.
Ours is the business of putting smiles on young faces, hope in young
hearts, and dreams in young minds. The rest will take care of
itself."
In his classroom hangs a sign that reads,
"A man is never so tall as when he stoops to help
a child."
In his career, we are sure that many of his students found Dan Seufert
one of the tallest men they ever met!
Reaching New Heights
The lessons learned from Robin, Charlotte, and Dan are not just for
dealing with special needs students, but they can be applied to all
children.
We encourage you to start going beyond the expected and reach for the
extraordinary.
- Select three children in your classroom, in your school, or
in your community.
- Interact with each of these children in one of the following
ways:
|
- Say something that will bring a smile to their young faces.
- Express a thought that will bring hope to their youthful
hearts.
- Plant a dream in their adolescent minds that they will recall
for the rest of their lives.
|
Do this and you’ll join the ranks of those who make a difference
in the lives of children.
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