Notes
V-
Kim is a dynamic high school special education teacher with a caseload of 19 students across grades 9-
12. She works in a large school of over 1300 students. Formerly, Kim was a TV news producer. This is
her third year of teaching; she was a paraeducator for five previous years in her current district and was
awarded scholarships to return to school to earn a Master’s Degree in special education.
She teaches three sections of support and study skills that include comprehension and oral fluency
instruction. She also teaches two sections of structured literacy instruction. Her scheduled instruction in
the block also includes executive functioning skill development through Smarts Connections used to
build reading skills and reading comprehension. She utilizes strategies to support students’ self-
advocacy and ownership of their learning and has established notable routines to initiative students’
self-advocacy mindset.
Kim is well-versed in assessment measures and processes. She is responsible for all eligibility, annual
and triennial evaluations. The school psychologist is on leave, so Kim has sole responsibility for testing,
reports, and IEP meeting participation for academic and cognitive assessment.
Kim also shared that her son has auditory processes challenges and receives special education services.
Her personal connection as a parent underscores her sensitivity and commitment to the provision of
substantive education benefit through quality literacy instruction. Kim is a creative thinker and
problem-solver. She has a strong voice and is a purposeful advocate in her school.
E –
Problem of Practice and Challenges:
Kim utilizes district mandated OG materials that incorporate structured literacy instructional
components. Some of the techniques (tapping, finger spelling formation) are not age appropriate for
her adolescent students; therefore, engagement and effort are compromised.
Additionally, the school has initiated and mandated use of Step Up to Writing without the provision of
professional development.
C-
Goal Attainment:
We discussed that four of her junior students are reading Great Gatsby in ELA and she may consider
developing a student goal that incorporates morphological skill development to assist in their reading
comprehension.
Course Progress:
Kim’s father died this week and the funeral is Saturday. She has not been able to work on the course
modules, but she had already completed Modules 1 and 2.
Her expressed needs for coaching support center on maximizing time with students for purposeful
instruction while supporting executive functioning and social emotional development. We both look
forward to more deep and reflective conversation that maximize the teaching and learning
opportunities for her students.