Collaborative Adaptations France Goulard University of Calgary

Collaborative Adaptations

Collaborative Adaptations Assignment #3 France Goulard APSY 513 Case #6 Chase is 8 years old (Grade 3) and is the youngest of 5 boys in his family. Chases father works at a low paying labor position while his mother receives government financial assistance to help make ends meet. Chases parents are unmarried and his father claims that only two of the children (Chase and the second youngest) are biologically his while his mother claims that all of the children are from the same father. The school staff has noticed that Chase often comes to school in what appears to be dirty clothing and that the other students comment on how Chase smells. Chase is a very friendly child with a big smile. He seems to like school and puts forth a good effort but is often tired and unable to concentrate throughout his classes. Despite seeming to have the motivation to do well, Chases grades are barely above failing. Hypothesis/assumptions: The case does not indicate that Chase has a current Individual Program Plan (IPP) in place. Chases cognitive ability seems to be in the normal range due to no signs of a previous IPP. Because both of his parents are working the mother is on financial assistance so she may not be working, Chase is not getting homework support at home. There might be animosity between him and his 3 older brothers because of his father claiming only he and the second youngest are biologically his. Since both parents are working, it seems that some negligence in the home front is going on. They might not have the time to clean their kids clothes or keep daily hygienic routines due to long working hours. Chase probably has a very limited wardrobe, which doesnt help if his mother only has time to clean it once a week.

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Other structural routines, such as brushing teeth, taking a shower or going to bed at a decent time seems to also be lacking in his household. Good! Chases parents give him love and attention this doesnt seem to match with the neglectful acts. as much as they can which results in him being a very friendly and amicable person. There are signs that Chase is not getting enough sleep. This could be due to a poor routine structure or possibly sleeping in a room with one or more of his siblings. There are also signs that Chase might not be eating a balanced diet, he might even be skipping out on breakfast due to the lack of routine or parent support. Poor nutrition leads to lack of concentration (Caron, 1999). Excellent! Chases parents relationship seems to be having issues due to his father claiming only two of his sons are biologically his. a. A description of the diverse learning needs of the student with special needs. (What are the physical, social, and emotional needs of this student? What challenges/barriers does he/she face?) Physical Needs: His personal care needs to be improved o Given the fact that Chase is going to school with dirty clothes on numerous occasions, it is essential to find a way to clean his clothes if his parents dont have the time or even find a way to get more clothes o Chase needs to shower at least 3 times a week to assure proper self-care. o Chase needs to get more sleep and better nutrition. Going to bed at a decent time and eating a good balanced diet will improve his energy and performance level significantly (Caron, 1999). Social Needs: Peer relationship o Because of his noticeable odors due to an improper hygiene, Chase does not make friends very easily and probably gets laughed at or talked behind his back. It seems like his hygiene is the biggest barrier from him making friends, therefore it is essential that he learn proper self-care very important, good!(www.crvshp.caauthor, year). Emotional Needs: Home and school life stability o Even though Chase is a very happy and motivated person, the lack of structure, routine and care from his parents is affecting Chases grades. o At school, Chase probably feels inferior and embarrassed to his fellow classmates and probably notices that most of the other kids come to school with clean clothes and a more diverse wardrobe. What is the emotional impact?

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o Probably feels confused and hurt about his dads claiming that only he and the second youngest are biologically his and his mom claiming that they are all his. This could also be a contributing factor to his poor academic performance. o Has a desire to feel accepted at school with his peers and at home with his 3 older brothers. Barriers such as him arriving the school in dirty clothes, smelling bad and the possibility of not sharing the same biological father as his three older brothers is making it very hard for him to fulfill is desire. o Chase is probably a little frustrated with his close to failing grades given the fact that he is motivated to learn but doesnt have the energy to stay focused. Yes! o He probably feels isolated from the other classmates due to the fact that the other students dont approach him or try to avoid working with him or sit beside him. o What impact would the tension between his parents have? Challenges/barriers: Due to his age, Chase is not fully capable of understanding the importance of selfcare and good nutrition (Goupil, 1997). Due to his lack of sleep and nutrition, it is very difficult for Chase to fully concentrate at school even though he is very motivated (Caron, 1999). The lack of having a definite routine at home doesnt help Chase with the importance of doing and finishing homework on time and getting a good night sleep. With both of his parents working and with a very limited income, Chase is not getting the proper tools to succeed in all aspects of his life (Goupil, 1997). Challenges with keeping up with the rest of the class are hard due to his tiredness and feelings of isolation. Challenges of finishing his homework and/or assignments at the same time frame as the other kids of his class that do not have any special needs. Having no IPP in place or performance improvement plan, Chase is lacking the school support he deserves and needs. Peer pressure amongst Chases age group can be very cruel and sometimes leads to bullying (Goupil, 1997). Good point! I like the addition of this section to your paper, very effective. b. Identification and rationale of who would be included on the collaborative team (Who should be a member of the collaborative team? Why is it important to include these people on the collaborative team?) According to Ginott (1995), Interpersonal interactions revolve around communication. When communication is effective, several common elements are in place: active listening, depersonalizing situations, identifying common goals and solutions, and monitoring progress to achieve those goals (Mastropieri & Scruggs,

Collaborative Adaptations 2007, pg 27). Linkage to the collaborative team? Chase: Needs to be a part of the collaborative team to better understand his needs and to offer further details on what he thinks, feels and requires.

Chases parents: It is important for Chases parents to be part of the team so everyone can have a better understanding of what they are going through and what kind of barriers they might be experiencing as parents that is causing or contributing to Chases specific learning needs. Administration: The principal needs to be part of the team to be able to understand and identify the support and requirements for that family. The principal has a duty to ensure that every child achieve to its full potential in the classroom. Resource teacher: The resource teacher is a key member of the collaborative team as he or she will be able to provide tools, strategies and guidance to Chases teacher as well as help implement his goals and needs to better succeed in the classroom yes!. He or she is also responsible to gather formal and informal both are very important, good! data in the academic and non-academic areas as well as periodic assessments to einsure greater success towards the achievement of his goals (McLaughlin & Lewis, 2008). Teachers: Chases current teacher needs to be a member of the team in order to implement his needs in the classroom and to better understand what he is going through physically, emotionally and socially and why he is requiring a special needspecial programming (Alberta Education- Special Education). The teacher is also responsible in developing his IPP arent all team members collaborating to create this to einsure a realistic approach in the classroom since he or she is able to contribute valuable information about the students social skills in dealing with their peers (McLaughlin & Lewis, 2008). Chases previous teachers are also important sources of information as they can help determine if Chases condition has worsened or appears different. Psychologist: The psychologist will be part of the team to assess that Chase isnt suffering facing challenges (be careful using the word suffering as it often victimizes an individual) from anything relating to his cognitive abilities. As well as to assess where he stands on his academic evaluation. He or she will be able to suggest the best strategies that need to be put in place in order to help the resource teacher and his teacher to have the best realistic approach in creating his IPP. According to McLaughlin & Lewis (2008), school psychologists gather data to help determine whether students are eligible for special education programs. Social Worker: Because of Chases lack of cleanliness and tiredness, the social worker can be a vital resource. He or she is responsible in finding out whats going on in the home front and work hand in hand with his parents to find ways to improve their situation I like how you focus on the positive here. He or she is also responsible in providing information about the social and emotional status of the student (McLaughlin & Lewis, 2008).

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Public Health nurse: The health nurse is another vital resource because he or she is responsible to educate the family on the importance of cleanliness and will share the availability of resources in helping low income families getting proper health care services. www.calgaryhealthregion.ca an excellent resource for the family

c. A description of resources that would be needed to meet the students diverse learning needs and a report on how the resources would be obtained (What services, supports, or resources does this student need to succeed (all resources listed should be both realistic and practical). How can these resources be obtained/What approach can be taken to obtain these resources?) Resources: The following resources will be utilized in order to help Chase with inhis current special needs: o All members of the collaborative team will be key resources in order to implement an effective IPP (if he qualifies for a coding due to his evaluation from the psychologist you don necessarily have to be coded to have an IPP, some kids with IPPS dont have an official educational code) or performance improvement plan and get the best strategies and realistic goals in order to see significant improvement. www.lrc.education.gov.ab.ca not sure how you are making a connection of this resource to the above statement o To better understand what Chase is going through, his parents need to be more aware of his specific needs. Here is a list of resources that will help educate his parents and hopefully answer some of their questions and concerns. o Alberta Education website for special needs children: www.albertaed.ca this link doesnt take you to the Alberta Ed site o The Learning Disabilities Association website: www.Idaa.net this link may not be correct as it wouldnt open o Meetings with the psychologist to better understand what type of learning accommodations Chase needs and strategies to help them out as a couple and how to be more effective in regards to parenting their children. o Discussions with the resource teacher in order to understand the importance of the strategies and goals given to Chase and hopefully try and utilize them at home as well. o Chases teacher can utilize resources such as, Alberta Education: standards for Special Education; Programming for Special Needs Students: Teaching Students with Learning Disabilities, Alberta Education; and other relevant websites or books, such as The Inclusive Classroom, to better understand his special needs and help differentiate the classroom more effectively. Reading the ten-step process for collaboration school consultation (Dettmer, Thurston, Knackendoffel & Dyck, 2009) will help better prepare the teacher to assure a positive collaboration. Good

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resources for teachers. o Professional development for Chases teacher, resource teacher and teachers aide is essential to gain better knowledge and resources in regards to his specific learning needs. These can be accessed through the school board or Alberta Education. o Having a guest speaker, such as a public health educator come to class to educate all of the students about proper cleanliness and good nutrition. This will avoid the possibility of Chase feeling like he is the only one that needs to improve in those areas. It will also ensure a better comprehension and feeling of importance on the subject. Calling or visiting the local community health center will provide the teacher or administrator with the necessary steps in order to access this service for the school. Great idea, good strategy to not single out Chase o Referral to Student Health Partnership-Family Liaison in order to collaborate effectively between home and school and to provide 1:1 services to Chase to help develop his self-esteem, health awareness and teach his parents the importance of acquiring those specific skills. They can be accessed through this web site: www.cbe.ab.ca this is the home page, where can they access the liaison info? o Big Brother-Big Sister program: www.bbbscalgary.com Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Calgary and Area is an incorporated non-profit registered charity that impact the lives of young people and volunteers through the power of mentoring. Great idea for someone in Chases position and most likely the parents would be all for it.

d. An overview and description of adaptations and accommodations that could be made to provide differentiated instruction to the student with diverse learning needs (minimum 4) (What are the adaptation and accommodations that could be put in place to assist the student? How would they be implemented? How would these adaptations be of use to the student?) Adaptations/Accommodations according to his identified needs: 1. 2. 3. 4. Need more breaks (rest or quiet time in infirmary if tired) excellent! Giving him extra time at school to do his homework Decrease the amount of homework given (focus on his weaknesses only) good! Giving him time with the resource teacher (to do some creative therapy or just simply talk) 5. Nutritional needs: Offer him breakfast in the morning and lunch if needed (bowl of cereal, fruits, bagels with cream cheese) yes! 6. Peer mentor: Having someone in his class to help him catch up with his work or explain certain tasks. Help to organize his homework by using an agenda. 7. Student health partnership (family-school liaison).

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8. Decrease amount of work in class (for example, giving him only 2 questions to answer instead of 4, writing one paragraph instead of 2) 9. Do small group activities to give him the opportunity to socialize and the others the chance to get to know him. This will also help with his stimulation and comprehension, as he will have to collaborate with his peers on the given tasks. Great way to promote interaction among peers. 10. Making sure he is sitting close to the teacher and mentor, and possibly by a window to give him some extra natural light to entice better stimulation. 11. Having an extra change of clothes at school (provided by the parents or school) to create a positive reassurance and to promote the importance of his cleanliness. Good idea, how would you explain this strategy to Chase while being sensitive to his feeling? 12. Washing Chases clothes at school if necessary (using the schools washer and dryer). Interestiny\g, some creative thinking going on here :) 13. Formative evaluations by the teacher are given weekly to monitor his comprehension. 14. Summative evaluations by the teacher are given in small doses to encourage better concentration. These above adaptations and accommodations should help Chase improve his grades and quality of life significantly. It should also create a better environment to make friendships and get better grades. You said this in the previous sentence Once Chases adaptations and accommodations are identified, his teacher will have a better understanding of what to do in class and how to differentiate her program to better suit his needs. He or she will also be more sympathetic towards the fact that he has a hard time concentrating at school and will let him go rest if he or she sees him getting tired. By giving weekly formative evaluations, he or she will recognize what he did not learn (due to fatigue) and will be able to rework them with the resource teacher and/or mentor excellent approach to avoid Chase falling too far behind. He or she will also choose an appropriate, responsible candidate to help Chase by becoming his peer mentor. His teacher will also provide him with the options of breakfast and/or lunch if he or she sees that he has not eaten before school or did not bring a lunch. The teacher will also provide him with some clean clothes if he arrives dirty at school. How would approach this sensitive topic with Chase? Having an extra toothbrush and deodorant at school will also help reduce his smell if he did not shower over a period of time at home and reduce or eliminate teasing or bullying. His principal, teacher, parents and resource teacher will work together in collaboration to assure Chases goals are met. Certain accommodations (like food and clothing) will be discussed and approved by the parents before implementation. Whether it is Chases parents that provide the school with a box of cereal for him to eat (incase they dont have the time to feed him breakfast), extra change of clothes (if the ones he is wearing are dirty), toothbrush and deodorant (if Chase hasnt showered in a while) or the school provides these needs due to their low income situation.

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Chases resource teacher in collaboration with his teacher will work with him on a weekly basis to maintain various levels relating to his comprehension skills given as classroom tasks or assignments. The school counselor will also meet with Chase on a weekly basis to address his emotional needs and act as an additional support person. Creative therapy such as? will be utilized to help him cope with his home and school environments. He or she can also act as his advocate along with the resource teacher. Family school liaison will help Chase and his family improve their quality of life by giving them important strategies, information and needed support. The Big brother/big sister program will also be able to help Chase by providing him extra social opportunities. Home support would be essential in this case, good idea. Have Chase stay after school for half an hour to participate in the homework club (this will allow him to get his homework done with the help of the teacher). Good idea!

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References Alberta Education (2006). Individualized program planning (IPP): ECS to grade 12. Alberta: Learning and Teaching Resources Branch. Alberta Education (2006). Standards for Special Education. Alberta: Learning and Teaching Resources Branch. Alberta Learning (2008/2009). Resources to support students with diverse learning needs. Alberta: Learning and Teaching Resources Branch. Caron, J. (1997). Quand revient septembre. Recueil doutils organisationnels. Montral, QC :. Les ditions de la Chenalire Inc. Dettmer, P., Thurston, L. P., Knackendoffel, A., & Dyck, N. J. (2009). Collaboration, cConsultation and Tteamwork (6th ed.). Boston: Pearson Education Inc. Goupil, G. (1997). Les lves en difficult dadaptation et dapprentissage (2e ed.). Montral, QC :. Chenelire ducation. McLoughlin, J. A., Lewis, R.B. (2008). Assessing sStudents with sSpecial nNeeds (7th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ : Pearson.