March Field Notes

Wednesday 3/2
Ben has been applying to attend the Aurora Quest K-8 program for middle school. The past few years he has not been admitted. His family feels that this not a fair representation of his abilities and requested that representatives from the school come to observe Ben in the classroom setting.  The representatives visited for about an hour and observed Ben in a small literacy group, in community circle, and in his one-on-one math instruction time.

Ben seemed very aware of the fact that people were there to observe him, and intentionally acted silly throughout the hour they were there by shouting, bouncing a lot on his ball, and giggling. During community circle Ben was talking over his peers and contradicting the teacher. He would often look over at the observers after acting out, as if to see if they were watching. I later asked him how he was feeling and he responded "I feel silly. I'm being silly because they're watching."

Thursday 3/3
Today I observed Ben at lunch and recess to see how he interacted with his friends/peers. During lunch, Ben sat with another friend in the class whom he has known for several years. This friend has been loyal to Ben since the third grade and really tends to look out for him, trying to guide him to fit in with others and make the right choices. Lately, this friendship has been strained because Ben has taken to openly and directly criticizing his friend, and his friend feels frustrated when Ben shouts out in class and is disruptive. I was happy to see that Ben and his friend were eating lunch together. Ben did not initiate any conversation, but answered questions when asked something by those around him.

At recess, Ben played by himself, mostly pacing around the outskirts of the playground and field. Ben has many conversations with himself about Minecraft and Gemstones. I asked the paras on the playground about what Ben usually does on the playground and they said this was his usual behavior.

Wednesday 3/9
Ben was absent today. No field notes were taken.

Thursday 3/10
Today was my last day with Ben's classroom. The class was testing in the morning, so Ben was pulled out for extended time and a quiet environment, both part of his IEP specifications.

In the afternoon, we swapped classrooms with another teacher for extenuating circumstances and the sudden schedule change was difficult for Ben. When we arrived to the classroom he struggled getting refocused on what we had been working on and repeatedly requested/demanded a break. I offered to go for a walk around the school with him, but only when he was able to use one of his strategies to calm his voice and body. He used a breathing strategy and told me he was ready, and we went for a walk around the building. When we returned Ben was able to successfully return to the classroom and complete his work.

Thursday 3/17
This was the week that I switched out of Ben's classroom, but I did stop by to say hello and check in on him. It seems that after a meeting with the family, they have come up with a new behavior chart to successfully track behavior patterns and to ease communication between school and home. The chart looks like this:

Interview with Student

What do you want me to know about you?
I like gemstones. I don't like doing that much work. I'm 11 and in 5th about to go to 6th.

Are you excited for middle school?
Scared.

Tell me about your friends.
Micah is a friend, but is almost not a friend of me anymore. He is being mean to me now. Saying things like 'stop it.' He's accusing me. He thinks I'm loud and says 'be quiet.'

What do you like to do at recess?
Play play play. Walk around, walk around, walk around. (sing-song tone).

Do you like to walk around by yourself or with friends?
I like to be by myself.

Tell me about your family.
[sister's name].

How old is your sister?
Seven. I meant eight!

Who else is in your family?
Papa, mama, baby, and I'm being a little silly...

Do you like having your mom and your sister here at school with you?
Yes. They help me.

Are there any things you do with your family that you really like to do?
Holidays. Christmas, Halloween, Easter. We hunt for eggs on Easter.

What are your favorite parts of school? 
Lunch and recess because I don't have to do any work.

What are your favorite subjects in school?
Those don't interest me that much...

Are there any that you like more than the others?
Math and science are what I like the most, but I still don't like those subjects.

Do you have any hobbies that you like to do at home?
Play video games. I like Minecraft. I build and survive. I like to talk about gemstones.

Is there anything you think is hard about school?
All those subjects, subjects, and more subjects. I would be playing Minecraft if I wasn't here right now.

Would you change anything about school?
No learning, just fun. It would be play school.

How could we make learning more fun?
Play games, less tests, and be precise.

What do you mean be precise?
Do less work, that's precise.

What is one goal you have for yourself this year? One thing you want to do at school.
(Thinking)
I remember you telling me you are applying to go to Quest, is that a goal you have?
Yes, I really want to go to Quest next year!

Is there something you want to do when you are grown up and done with school?
A weatherman and a gemologist.

Did you get to talk to the weatherman when he came to visit? What did he tell you?
Yes. He told me how to be a weatherman.

What do you think makes a great teacher?
Helps me play games. Makes games out of learning. Gets me stuff when I want them.

Who helps you with homework?
Nobody. I don't like it, I have to do it all by myself and it takes Minecraft time away.

If you are having a hard time with homework who do you ask for help?
Mama

Is there anything else you want to tell me about you?
I like snow days (we had just had two snow days in a row).

Interview with Special Education Teacher

     Tell me about Ben as a student.

Ben is identified with Autism Spectrum Disorder. He is twice exceptional, meaning he has an identified disability and is also identified as being Gifted and Talented in the area of math. Ben demonstrates many of the typical characteristics of a child with Autism: difficulties with transitioning and changes in schedule, triggers (hearing food names, “bad words”, and being told “no” are some of Ben’s), obsessiveness, and an exceptional (possibly photographic) memory.

What are some of his strengths as a learner?

Ben is GT (Gifted and Talented) in math. He performs one grade level above, and has received instruction at one grade level above during his entire time in elementary school. Ben has a vast knowledge of vocabulary and can decode words up to the high school level.

Are there any difficulties he has is the classroom setting?

Ben has had a number of behavioral issues since kindergarten. Some issues are related to his Autism, while others are not. Ben has frequent meltdowns during classroom instruction, which from grades 3-5 have been triggered by a variety of different antecedents. Ben’s meltdowns vary in intensity, but he often needs to be removed from the classroom due do his disruptions. Ben has a difficult time coping when he is given an assignment he does not want to do. Ben has trouble with writing and reading comprehension. He also tries to avoid doing mathematical word problems. Ben has extremely limited social and emotional skills. He has very little interest in his peers or in making friends. Ben gets stuck on his obsessions (at one time, the number 7, currently, gemstones) to the point of becoming a problem in school.

What is the procedure when he has disruptive behaviors in class?

Prior to this school year, the special education teacher was called to remove Ben from the classroom and give him a quiet place to calm down. This year with the new behavior room, behavior intervention staff are called to remove Ben from the classroom. Generally, when Ben begins to have a meltdown, he is reminded to use his calming strategies. If this doesn’t work, the behavior team is called to remove Ben and bring him for a cool down period to the behavior room.

How would you say Ben relates to his peers? Does he have any strong friendships in school?

No. Ben has little to no interest in making friends or interacting with his peers.

What is his parents’ involvement level in his education?

Ben’s parents spend more time at the school than any other parents at Laredo. His mother checks in with Ben throughout the day, because she is a para at Laredo. Overall, Ben’s parents are extremely involved.

Are there any particular accommodations you provide regularly for him?

Ben’s accommodations include district and state assessments (tested separately and with extended time), special options for certain assignments, a ball chair for sensory, a weighted pencil, and breaks outside of the classroom as needed.

What are your hopes for Ben as a student this year, and in the future?

I hope that Ben is able to make far more progress in developing his social skills and emotional level. Ben currently has little to no interest in making friends or interacting with any of his peers. As such, Ben often taunts his peers and can be a major distraction in the classroom. Ben is prone to having frequent temper tantrums and meltdowns, which many of his teachers believe could be preventable/ avoidable with proper treatment and interventions. It is my sincere hope that Ben’s parents will someday realize the importance of getting Ben appropriate treatment and therapy, as well as allowing him to participate in social groups with other children who have Autism.

Is there anything else you would like to add about Ben?
I believe Ben has the potential to improve his social skills and behavior, but that potential is being impacted by his parents’ resistance to proper interventions and treatment.

Interview with Homeroom Teacher

      Tell me about Ben as a student.

As a student Ben is proficient in science and social studies. He does a nice job finding nonfiction information in textbooks. He is partially proficient in writing. He is proficient in reading nonfiction text and partially proficient in reading fictional text. Ben is currently working on 6^th grade level math.

What are some of his strengths as a learner?

Ben is good at computational math. He also does a nice job with nonfiction text. For example, he easily finds evidence to support responses in his social studies text during his open book tests. Ben does an excellent job with spelling, grammar and punctuation when writing.

Are there any difficulties he has is the classroom setting?

Yes. Ben has a lot of anxiety and can escalate quickly when he becomes frustrated. He struggles with social situations. For example, during community circle time he has difficulty listening to other students and being respectful of their answers. He has difficulty with comprehending fictional text. For example, he recently read the book Hatchet and answered 50% of the comprehension questions correctly. When I asked him about the ending of the book he was not able to tell me about it. Ben also struggles with ideas for writing. He has difficult time thinking about what the content of his paper should be about.

What is the procedure when he has disruptive behaviors in class?

It depends on the situation. Ben gets very upset when there is a schedule change or if there is a sub in the classroom. For this, I try to give Ben advanced notice of schedule changes and I try to introduce him to a sub beforehand. In most situations I take a firm stance with Ben and tell him that I will not tolerate his behavior. Depending on the situation I may pull him to the back of the room to discuss his anxiety. If that doesn’t work, then Ben is removed from the classroom and sent to the Lion’s Den.

How would you say Ben relates to his peers? Does he have any strong friendships in school?

Ben struggles to relate to his peers. His peers work hard to make him feel a part of the classroom. Ben expects certain things from his peers but rarely ever shows appreciation. For example, during snack time last week Ben didn’t have anything to eat. This typically results in a meltdown if he does not get food. Another student anticipated this and quickly gave Ben part of his snack. Instead of showing gratitude, Ben took the snack, ate it quickly, and then came back to this student to get more. I do not believe Ben has any strong mutual friendships in the classroom. However, there are a couple of students that are willing to come along side Ben and help him when he gets frustrated or needs assistance.

What is his parents’ involvement level in his education?

Ben has extremely involved parents. Ben’s parents attend every field trip. They attend every afterschool activity. Ben’s dad has coached flag football afterschool and has helped out with science club. Ben’s parent would like communication in the mornings before school, during my lunch break, and afterschool. They have also text messaged me during the school day and at night. They email frequently too. Boundaries needed to be set regarding the amount of communication that was appropriate. The new plan is that we will communicate via email and if they need to have a meeting about Ben they must make an appointment with me. 

Are there any particular accommodations you provide regularly for him?

See answer to question four for part of my response. Ben is given a yoga ball to sit on instead of a chair. This is given to him because chairs make him uncomfortable and it helps him get out some of his energy by lightly bouncy on the ball. Ben has a soft pencil grip on his pencil. Ben goes to the Lion’s Den if he gets too anxious and feels like he’s going to have a meltdown. Ben has a behavior plan in place right now, but we often need to switch up his behavior plan because he gets used to it and starts acting out again. He is currently being monitored for being respectful and for the amount of complaints he makes during the day. Ben’s parents get this chart at the end of the day and will contact me via email if they have any questions. Ben is in an advanced math class so he has one on one math instruction by a teacher in the Lion’s Den. Ben also has speech minutes weekly with our speech pathologist. Ben is seen by our special education teacher weekly as well.

What are your hopes for Ben as a student this year, and in the future?

I hope that Ben will be respectful towards his teachers and his classmates. I hope that Ben will learn to listen appropriately in class and understand that his peers are trying to listen and learn as well. In the future I hope that Ben will be able to be independent and that he will excel at school. I would like to hear about Ben going to college some day and having a successful career.

Is there anything else you would like to add about Ben?
That’s it. Thank you.

Student Artifacts

Below is a sample of some of ben's writing. This is a rough draft of a persuasive essay he was working on during the quarter I was with his class. Ben's thinking is very concrete, so the idea of using figurative language and thinking about his word choices is something he is working very hard on. Notice that he added the word 'specifically' in to his writing about a dozen times. This was done after a conference with his homeroom teacher, in which she suggested he utilize adjectives and gave a few examples, one of them being 'specifically.' Ben took this very literally and added that word everywhere he could. Ben has come a long way with his writing this year, and is getting much closer to proficiency in his grade level, with a lot of coaching from his parents and teachers, which is very exciting!

Student IEP

Student Information:
   

District of Attendance	Aurora Public Schools
School of Attendance	Laredo Elementary
Primary Disability ,if any	Autism Spectrum Disorders
Secondary Disability	None
Primary Educational Environment	General Education class - 80% of the time

      Grade: 5th
      Age: 11
      Gender: Male
      Race: White
      Primary Language: English

Student Strengths, Preferences, Interests:

• Student demonstrates above grade level math abilities.
• Student demonstrates grade level written language abilities.
• Student demonstrates high average grade level reading skills.
• Student demonstrates receptive and expressive language skills that are age appropriate.
• Student demonstrates fluency, voice, and articulation skill that are functional at this time.
• Student has made progress towards some social communication skills.
• Student demonstrates spatial and nonverbal reasoning skills, as measured by a cognitive assessment, in the above average to high range.
• Student demonstrates functional visual motor and fine motor skills
• Student demonstrates functional handwriting legibility utilizing organization strategies
• Student demonstrates improved attention to task and participation when motivated and utilizing coping/sensory strategies 
• Student has learned coping strategies that, if utilized will calm him down. 

Goals:

1. Communication

Student will express himself using a voice volume level appropriate to the scenario with fading cues from an adult in 7/10 opportunities as measured by the SLP. 

2. Behavior

Student will be redirected to appropriate tasks and comply with requests from adults when he is upset/frustrated in the classroom/school setting through visual and/or verbal prompts, with 90% accuracy, as measured by observation and/or data collection. 

3. Writing

Student will independently write one structured, 3-paragraph opinion essay on a topic of his choice, including a thesis, supporting details, and a conclusion, as monitored by progress notes taken by the special education teacher every 4 weeks. 

4. Organization

Student will independently utilize organization related accommodations and strategies from 20% of pretaught strategies to 80% of pretaught strategies, as measured by school staff and monitored by OT every 4 weeks. Such strategies can include but not limited to: graphic organizer, writing checklist, labeled-color coded folders/binder, and modified seating (i.e. therapy ball, wiggle cushion). 

5. Communication
Student will choose an appropriate topic of conversation, and remain on topic without interrupting his communication partner for 8-10 conversation exchanges (4-5 turns each) with minimal cues in 7/10 opportunities as measured by the SLP.


Accommodations/Modifications

•   Allow acceptable sensory self-regulation strategies
  
•   Prepare for changes in schedule and routine in advance
  
•   Provide positive reinforcement/reward daily
  
•   Predictable structure and routine
  
•   Break lengthy assignments into smaller segments
  
•   Access to headphones
  
•   Sensory input to be determined by Occupational Therapist
  
•   Changes in rules, prompts and cues in P.E. and Recreation
  
•   Daily home-school communication for social/behavior goals
  
•   Access adaptive items to support pencil grasp and legibility during writing activities
  
•   Graphic organizers to assist with writing tasks
  
•   Access to organizational tools such as binders and folders
  
•   Modified seating to assist with attention and core strength (i.e. therapy ball, wiggle cushion) 
  
  

State/District Assessments
Ben takes all grade-level assessments for both state and district level, but is allowed accommodations on all, including small group environments, redirect prompts, and the use of pencil grips or large pencils.