Stage III: Personal Plan of Action: “Paul”

1. Stage III: Personal Plan of Action: “Paul” Issue: Paul withdraws from peers and does not like to work in a group Plan of Action: “Paul” would benefit from developing positive social skills and positive relationships with both peers and adults outside the classroom. He does not currently participate in any after-school activities, but I feel that such activities would be crucial for Paul to develop emotionally. As a learner, Paul’s strategy makes sense and the support he currently receives from teachers, especially surrounding where he sits in relation to the rest of the class. This serves as an example of ideal teacher-student accommodation and hints at a depth of understanding from many of Paul’s teachers (Books, 7) and my hope would be that because Paul enjoys school so much more than home life there would be additional efforts to create a bridge for Paul to extend his school participation. Issue: G&T Support Needs to Supplement Regular Class Life Plan of Action: Paul already participates in what could be described as a student-initiated pull-out from regular class. He sits apart partially so that he can complete his work quickly and pursue other interests (like reading). A formalized Individual Learning Plan should be created for Paul now that he has graduated out of ELD programming and participates exclusively in mainstream classes. His academic gift is not and should not be limited to a quick graduation from the additional support that comes from ELD. IQ tests, Achievement Tests, and Grades should be evaluated as a Pre-Referral process (Identification of Students Who Are Gifted and Talented). Issue: Paul will continue to need additional support with academic English Plan of Action: Paul’s most challenging subjects continue to be LA, both reading and writing. Although he is a smart, focused student he does not have the opportunity to apply his academic English anywhere but school. To ensure future academic success and to adequately support his academic gifts Paul will need an arena for applying his education outside the classroom.

2. Stage III: Personal Plan of Action: Karen Issue: Karen’s socializing prevents her academic success Plan of Action: Karen’s current status as a “trouble maker” stems from her ongoing focus on social rather than academic success. Clearly, Karen is a verbal processor who needs an opportunity to voice her learning. More opportunities to discuss academic topics in a constructive manner would engage Karen in a higher level of learning. Small group work and the opportunity to work on an independent project would also foster the skills necessary to combine a social personality with an academic life (Ledger). Issue: Karen’s behavior problems have followed her to the 8th Grade Plan of Action: Karen has a reputation for being a difficult student to discipline because she responds to traditional discipline methods (negative behavior interventions) by returning negativity to her teachers. Karen needs positive behavior supports in order to re-develop a trusting and cooperative relationship with her teacher team. Restorative justice techniques would be particularly useful for a verbal processer like Karen, allowing her to see both the negative impact of disrespectful behavior alongside a more positive model for disagreement. Issue: Karen continues to need ELD support despite years of intervention Plan of Action: Given Karen’s home life situation with a mother who does not speak English at all, it is hardly surprising that she would need ongoing support with academic English. Karen is neither above or below average intelligence, and has few outside opportunities to utilize English language skills. In addition to ongoing participation in school-sponsored ELD, Karen would benefit from involvement in an academically focused after-school program such as a book club where she could use her English in a setting less formal than school but more formal than social-only English.

3. Stage III: Personal Plan of Action: Alex Issue: Alex has short-term memory processing issues Plan of Action: Alex clearly demonstrates an understanding of key concepts when he asks questions and can orally explain new learning several weeks after a unit. However, given his school and family situation he has never been tested specifically for a learning disability. Alex should be referred to the District Specialist to see whether there are strategies Alex could practice to improve short-term retention. Additionally, I feel a medical exam could be useful as to test for things like hemispheric integration, which could contribute to his academic success. Issue: Alex is aware of his difficulties learning, and already admits to “feeling dumb” Plan of Action: Alex is the kind of student who can be saved from dropping out of high school through correct academic intervention. He should not be pulled from elective classes because they provide him an avenue to demonstrate successes; such classes may ultimately prove to be the factors that keep Alex in school. However, a small group and pull-out plan should be put into place for Alex to receive additional support core subjects. I would suggest that “partnering” (Prensky, 13) with Alex, allowing him to focus on the parts of his learning process that he does best, and as teachers focusing on the parts of his learning process that as teachers we can do best. Issue: Alex needs verbal, rather than written assessment accommodations Plan of Action: Despite his poor academic record, Alex is by no means unintelligent. When conveying concepts verbally Alex confidently lends insight and demonstrates understanding. Traditional testing methods play to Alex’s weaknesses rather than his strengths, and thus his nuanced understanding suffers in the translation. Teachers should provide Alex with an opportunity to orally present understanding when he fails to demonstrate adequate understanding on written exams. As O’Brian suggests, Alex is they type of student for who could benefit from a process where “data-driven dialogue (can be) used by teachers and students to co-construct meaning from classroom-level formal assessment (O’Brian, 450)” in order to become more engaged in his own learning process.