Professionalism Beth van der Berg Saint Marys University of Minnesota Schools of Graduate and Professional Programs Portfolio

Entry for Wisconsin Teacher Standard 10 EDUW696 Portfolio Production July 10, 2013

WTS 10 page 2 of 21 National Board Core Proposition 5: Teachers are Members of Learning Communities. Teachers collaborate with others to improve student learning. They are leaders and actively know how to seek and build partnerships with community groups and businesses. They work with other professionals on instructional policy, curriculum development and staff development. They can evaluate school progress and the allocation of resources in order to meet state and local education objectives. They know how to work collaboratively with parents to engage them productively in the work of the school. Selected Wisconsin Teacher Standard Descriptors Wisconsin Teacher Standard (WTS) 10: Teachers are connected with other teachers and the community. The teacher fosters relationships with school colleagues, parents, and agencies in the larger community to support students learning and well-being, and acts with integrity fairness, and in an ethical manner. Knowledge. The teacher understands and implements laws related to students' rights and teacher responsibilities (e.g. for equal education, appropriate education for students with handicapping conditions, confidentiality, privacy, appropriate treatment of students, reporting in situations related to possible child abuse). Dispositions. The teacher is willing to consult with other adults regarding the education and well-being of his/her students. Performances. The teacher makes links with the learners 'other environments on behalf of students, by consulting with parents, counselors, teachers of other classes and activities within the schools, and professionals in other community agencies.

WTS 10 page 3 of 21 Wisconsin Teacher Standard (WTS) 3: Teachers understand that children learn differently. The teacher understands how students differ in their approaches to learning and the barriers that impede learning and can adapt instruction to meet the diverse needs of pupils, including those with disabilities and exceptionalities. Knowledge. The teacher understands and can provide adaptations for areas of exceptionality in learning, including learning disabilities, visual and perceptual difficulties, and special physical or mental challenges. Dispositions. The teacher appreciates and values human diversity, shows respect for students varied talents and perspectives, and is committed to the pursuit of individually configured excellence. Performances. The teacher makes appropriate provisions (in terms of time and circumstances for work, tasks assigned, communication, and response modes) for individual students who have particular learning differences or needs. Danielson Domains Domain 4: Professional Responsibilities Component 4c: Communicating with families Component 4d: Contributing to the School and District Component 4e: Growing and Developing Professionally Component 4f: Showing Professionalism

WTS 10 page 4 of 21 Professional Development Goals I will continue to involve parents in their childs learning, specifically in the IEP process. I will continue to promote effective two-way communication with parents concerning their childs IEP, progress in school, concerns that may arise, and useful extra-curricular and community resources that may benefit their child. I will continue to cultivate community partnerships that will benefit my students both inside and outside of the classroom. I will participate in professional development activities that will increase my effectiveness as a teacher to improve student achievement for special education students. I will continue using and learning new technologies to improve special education student learning.

WTS 10 page 5 of 21 Self-Assessment It takes a village to raise a child with a disability is the quote found on a billboard recently posted in our local community picturing local teachers, administrators, support staff, students with disabilities, police, firefighters, the mayor, and hospital personnel. This is a beautiful summary of the importance of collaboration, communication, and effective working relationships between school staff, parents, and community agencies for the benefit of the child. As a special education educator, I have witnessed the benefits of involving parents and the community into the learning environment of students. Communicating with and involving parents in the Individual Education Program (IEP) process is not only best practice, it is the law. Parents have valuable insights and input on their child that can help teachers better understand how to best reach that child. Beyond the school day, the school year, and the K-12 school experience there is a wealth of beneficial community resources available that students, particularly students with disabilities can benefit from. Part of my responsibility to my students and their families is to know what is available locally and help connect them to the resources that will be most beneficial in serving the needs of their particular child. As a special education educator, my duties and responsibilities extend far beyond the walls of my classroom. In addition to teaching classes, I am the IEP case manager for 16 ranging from freshman to juniors. I communicate with these students regular education teachers, other special education teachers, and support staff on a regular basis to ensure that their IEPs are being implemented. At least quarterly, I update all of these students parents regarding each students progress toward the goals in their IEP. To keep myself updated on community agencies and resources available to my students and their families, I participate in the Transition Advisory Council (TAC) meetings and help facilitate TAC events. Thankfully no teacher operates on an

WTS 10 page 6 of 21 island. I am fortunate to be able to collaborate, ask questions, share ideas, and communicate with experienced, knowledgeable colleagues from both the special education and regular education departments at my school to best serve our students. Based on the descriptors provided for Wisconsin Teacher Standards 10 and 3, I will describe and provide evidence and examples of how I have met these standards. I will explain and give evidence of my ability to communicate with and involve parents in their childs learning. I will provide examples of how collaboration with community agencies and resources benefits students. I will share professional development opportunities which have directly had a positive impact on student learning and the IEP process. Additionally, I will illustrate ways in which I am have been a leader and collaborator within the professional community to improve my teaching, benefit student learning, and contribute to the school and the district. Families and Community The Taylor County Transition Advisory Council is comprised of special education educators, guidance counselors, and administrators from the three school districts in Taylor County and representatives from local, regional, and state agencies serving people with disabilities in Taylor County. Participation in TAC meetings is not required of special education staff, but I have found it beneficial to make connections with individuals from the agencies represented and with professional staff from the surrounding school districts. The knowledge and networking that I gain from participating in TAC meetings benefits my students and their families because I am able to connect students and families to agencies that can best serve them. This past school year our TAC tried out a new event, a Transition Night where we invited agencies who serve students and adults with disabilities to present their services to students and families. I contacted local agencies and businesses and personally invited them to participate in

WTS 10 page 7 of 21 the event. I collaborated with one of my colleagues and some of our students to set up and staff a DART (Developing Activities Using Raider Teamwork) Club, the extra-curricular activity which I serve as an advisor for, booth for the event. I personally contacted all of the parents of students on my caseload either via phone, email, or in person conversation to invite them to attend and further explain the event. Our first Transition Night was a huge success with about 150 people, 40 families, and 30 agencies in attendance. A few of my students and their parents were excited to speak with the Northcentral Technical College (NTC) representative and find out more about accommodations available for students with disabilities. At least one of my students and his mom met with the store manager of the local McDonalds to find out about job opportunities. Our local McDonalds employs several current and past students with IEPs. Two of my students and their moms connected with the Department of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR) counselor to learn about how DVR services could benefit the student after high school. Overall, this first Transition Night could not have been better. The feedback from local agencies, local businesses, parents, students, and fellow staff was all in agreement that this was a worthwhile evening for all involved. TAC has already set the date for the fall 2013 Transition Night and I look forward to contributing to its success once again. In addition to TAC, I have been actively involved in the local communitys Medford Adult Diploma Academy (MADA) program since 2010. With my background and experience teaching Adult Basic Education at the technical college level, I was able to help start the Medford Adult Diploma Academy which is a partnership between NTC, Medford Schools, and Community Learning Center - Adult Education. MADA provides adult students who have not achieved a high school diploma two different options to earn an actual diploma from the Medford High School. I collaborate with the program coordinator and fellow instructors to plan

WTS 10 page 8 of 21 curriculum, scheduling, and stay updated on state requirements for GED Option 2 programs. I set up a Google Drive communication system to keep the three instructors informed and updated on student progress. One evening per week I serve as an instructor at MADA, assisting adults with individualized instruction as they work towards their high school diploma. I use my understanding of client reporting for the state from NTC to manage the client reporting information for our MADA students. Even though I am sometimes exhausted from a full school day at the high school, I find my work with the MADA program to be rejuvenating. I love helping our adult students, boosting their confidence, showing them that they are capable of achieving this educational goal, and seeing them improve their lives. Involvement in this community program is well worth the extra hours each week because it truly does improve peoples lives. As an advocate for the students on my caseload, I have collaborated with DVR, employment specialists, local businesses, and NTC on behalf of my students and their families. I set up initial meetings with the DVR counselor and families whose student might be a candidate for DVR. Once connected with DVR, I follow with the parents, student, and DVR counselor to ensure a smooth transition. Near the end of the students junior year or in the senior year, I talk with the parents and student about the importance involving the DVR counselor in the IEP meeting. To promote employability skills and employment awareness, I invited the UW-Stout employment specialist to present to my special education English class of juniors and seniors. We coordinated her presentation with the unit that I was teaching and the students utilized the resources presented in their final projects for the unit. This was excellent integration of a local community agency and relevant English curriculum.

WTS 10 page 9 of 21 Another way that I advocate for the students on my caseload is through regular communication with their other teachers to ensure that their IEPs are being implemented. I work with regular education teachers to develop strategies, accommodations, and modifications to use with individual students to help those students to be successful in the regular education classroom environment. I frequently communicate with colleagues to see how my students are progressing in areas specific to their individual IEP goals such as class participation, homework completion, use of accommodations in class, and any other issues that may arise. I am also in regular contact with the parents of my students addressing IEP related issues including use of accommodations, modifications needed, questions parents have regarding progress and IEPs, and quarterly IEP goal updates for each of the students on my caseload. Learner Throughout my career in education I have always sought out opportunities to improve my teaching skills and in turn improve student learning. When I learned that I would be teaching Expert 21 in my English 11/12 special education class, I asked for some training because the program was new to me. In the summer before I was to start teaching the program, I was able to participate in a one-day overview workshop. The trainer was very practical and I learned how to set up the course, get students into instructional routines, and to use the supplemental online portion of the curriculum. By the time school started, I was excited to begin this new curriculum journey with my special education English class. We were off to a great start. Throughout the year, I worked to maintain a balance between fidelity to the Expert 21 program and modifying to meet the needs of my students. In March, my trainer came to do a coaching visit. It was perfect timing because I was feeling the curriculum start to get mundane and I needed some fresh ideas. There is no one else

WTS 10 page 10 of 21 in the district that teaches this, so I couldnt go to another teacher for feedback. Kelly gave me more ideas on how to incorporate even more small-group collaboration and critical thinking into my instruction. I really needed to challenge the students a little more and let them show what they could do. One of Kellys suggestions was to brainstorm in small groups and then have the students share out with the whole class. I tried this the next day as we were starting an article on the impact of melting polar ice caps. The class came up with an amazing list of possible animals, environmental factors, and people groups that might be impacted. Kellys feedback also made me more conscious of incorporating all components of the instructional model throughout the week. To guide my lesson planning, I created a template with all of the components and made sure to address all of them throughout a weeks plan. By the end of the year when I administered the final Scholastic Reading Inventory (SRI) test to the students, I was pleasantly surprised to see gains from all of the students! The SRI is used to measure reading level and is given three times throughout the year in Expert 21. The students scores were the proof that Expert 21 does help kids improve in reading, it specifically helped me special education students increase their reading levels. Now because of what I learned this year in teaching Expert 21, I am even more excited to teach this course again next year. Another area that I focused on learning more about this past year was post-secondary transition planning (PTP), a federal and state requirement for all students with IEPs. When the DPI switched to a mandatory online system for submitting this portion of the IEP, I wanted to understand the details of what was expected so that I could accurately inform families and effectively develop PTPs according to DPIs best practice standards, not just minimum compliance. The majority of my IEP caseload was from the junior class, so PTP becomes even

WTS 10 page 11 of 21 more significant as students get closer to the end of their high school career and I wanted to do the best that I could for my students and their families which meant I needed to learn more. In the fall, our CESA offered a PTP and transition resources workshop by the Wisconsin Statewide Transition Initiative. This was exactly the kind of training that I was looking for. At this transition planning workshop I gained a clear understanding of DPI requirements for effective practice implementing PTP and completing online PTPs for IEPs. I also learned valuable WSTI and TR4Y resources for student, family, and teacher use in transition planning. Throughout the year I worked to involve my students and their families more in transition planning, shared resources with them, was better able to explain the PTP, and was able to help colleagues with their PTPs all because of this workshop. Because of my interest in transition planning and the needs of one of the students on my caseload, I wanted to learn more about community based programs for 18-21 year old students with disabilities. At the time, we had three students in that age range who returned to the high school for part of their day and worked in the community during the rest of the day. I was able to participate in three professional development opportunities that centered about 18-21 programs. The result of these learning experiences was that I worked with a few other staff to put together a plan for an 18-21 community based program for our students in Medford so that they did not have to come back to the high school after their class had graduated and could be more involved in the community. The school board approved it. I helped secure a classroom space at the Northcentral Technical College building. Parents and students are excited about the upcoming changes and we are set for implementation in the 2013-2014 school year. The full impact on the students will not be known until the program is off the ground, but the outlook is very positive.

WTS 10 page 12 of 21 As a special education teacher, I work with students with a range of disabilities, a number of which use assistive technology to help them in school. Through professional development opportunities within our district, I have been able to learn about assistive technologies such as Dragon Naturally Speaking (DNS), Kurzweil, and Read, Write, Gold (RWG), all programs that are used by students either on my caseload or in my classes. Because of these trainings, I have been able to support students in using DNS and Kurzweil to complete assignments and projects. I have learned to troubleshoot these programs and help students to manage the bugs that sometimes occur when working with technology. These technologies have made school more manageable for students with language, speech, or physical writing difficulties. RWG did not get installed at our school until the end of the year; however, I plan to continue learning more about this text-to-speech program and hope to make available to all of my English students next year. I am truly a learner. I want to know the programs, technologies, DPI requirements, and curriculum so that I can be as effective as I can for my students. Every professional development opportunity that I have participated in over my first two years as a special education teacher has had a direct impact on my professional practice either in the classroom or as an IEP case manager and has contributed to improving student learning both in the classroom and in student understanding their own IEPs. Leader and Collaborator Even though I have only been in my current school and teacher position for two years, I have found areas where I was able to step up into more of a leadership role by participating in committees and sharing my learnings from professional development opportunities with colleagues. In the summer of 2012, I jumped at the chance to be on the Ad Hoc Committee of

WTS 10 page 13 of 21 Procedural Compliance because I wanted to learn more about writing DPI compliant IEPs. This voluntary committee was composed of special education certified staff from all four schools in our district, parent representatives, and administration. We met as a committee in July and October. As a member of the Ad Hoc Committee, I was trained on using DPIs evaluation tool checklist for evaluating IEPs for DPI compliance. This was part of DPIs requirement that all districts complete a self-assessment of procedural compliance every five years. We broke into pairs and each pair used the DPI checklist to evaluate current IEPs randomly selected from our district. Through the Ad Hoc Committee I was able to give back to my district by helping evaluate IEPs for compliance, but I also learned more about specific areas of IEPs that we needed to improve on as a district. Participation in this committee helped improve my own IEP writing, my understanding of DPI requirements in specific areas of the IEP, and my ability to assist my colleagues by sharing my knowledge and understanding when they had questions about DPI requirements for IEPs. My participation in the Ad Hoc Committee is an example of myself as a learner, a collaborator, and a leader. Collaboration is a constant in the role of and special education teacher. Even before school started in my first year as a special education teacher, I was collaborating with occupational therapists, physical therapists, other special education teachers, special education paraprofessionals, regular education teachers, and parents during the summer to prepare for implementation of student IEPs for the 2011-2012 school year. Throughout the school year I collaborate with all of the above mentioned including school psychologists, guidance counselors, and administrators to ensure that students are receiving the special education services and supports stipulated in their IEPs. In the classes that I teach and co-teach, I collaborate daily with

WTS 10 page 14 of 21 regular education teachers, special education teachers, and special education paraprofessionals to meet the learning needs of students with IEPs and 504 plans in those classes. Outside of the classroom, I collaborate with my colleagues in a Professional Learning Community (PLC) where we work together to bring our special education department in line with district wide professional goals. This year we collaborated to align the essential outcomes of our special education English classes with the essential outcomes of the regular education English classes. As a PLC team we reviewed Rick DuValls vocabulary instruction strategies and revised several of our pullout classes to implement his vocabulary strategies with special education students. We also created confidential folders for the regular education teachers. Each semester we updated these folders with the accommodation plans, IEP case manager, and study hall assignment for each of the special education students in their classes. Early in the spring, we come together as a department to work out the student and staffing schedule. Based on the needs of the students, we determine which pullout classes we will need to offer, which regular education classes we will need to staff for special education support, and how many staff hours we will need to cover all of the classes. My specific role in this process is to review the IEPs on my caseload and the abilities of students in the classes that I teach so that I am prepared to give input on placement and graduation requirements that students still need to meet. Collaboration is essential in my role as an educator and I am grateful to be a part of a staff team that well together for the benefit of the students. Reflective Summary After reflecting on my entries regarding Wisconsin Teacher Standards Ten and Three, I have realized a few patterns. I believe that my dedication to my community and the families that I serve is strong. Over the course of the year I was in regular contact with all of the parents of

WTS 10 page 15 of 21 students on my caseload. Communication with families ranged from daily at times to a minimum of quarterly for some parents. I have built positive, two-way relationships with families and that they trust me as the IEP case manager and teacher for their students. I have also developed partnerships with community agency who serve people with disabilities. It has been my pleasure to help my students and their families navigate the process of transition to adult life, a process that by nature demands communication and collaboration between all involved for success. The connections I have made with DVR, the ADRC, Human Services, employment specialists, NTC, local business owners, and other TAC members from the community has been an asset to my students and their families as they plan for transition to adult life, a DPI requirement and essential for success as adults. Another pattern that I realized came from my reflection on the Learner entry. One of my strengths is seeking professional development that applies to my teaching practice and ultimately improves student learning. I just finished my second year as a special education teacher and there is still more to learn and more to improve on. I am grateful for the opportunities I have had to improve my teaching and improve student learning. I look forward to further applying what I have learned in the upcoming school year and plan to continue to take advantage of professional development opportunities that will ultimately benefit my students. A third pattern that I recognized came not only from the Collaboration entry, but from the Families and Community entry as well. Collaboration is essential to my role as a special education teacher to ensure student success and is also a key factor in working with families and community agencies to develop and implement IEPs. The more experience I gain in special education, the more I recognize the amount of collaboration necessary for successful IEP development and implementation.

WTS 10 page 16 of 21 One area that I plan to develop further in the future is that of a Leader. I believe that leadership roles come with experience. As my experience grows, I plan to take on more leadership roles. For the upcoming school year I am planning to be a part of the Response to Intervention (RtI) committee and would like to take a leadership role within the special education department with RtI since I have experience teaching several of the reading intervention programs. Looking ahead to this school year, I see myself continuing forward as a learner,

collaborator, communicator, and beginning to step out more as a leader.

WTS 10 page 17 of 21

Artifact A: Communication Log

Person Contacted Parent

Type of Communication e-mail, phone, conversations

Nature of Communication

Parent

Classroom teacher, parent, student

All Parents Mentorship Coordinator, student, and parent

Department of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR), parents, students Classroom teachers, parents, students

As per IEP, I maintain regular communication with parents regarding grades, upcoming events, general progress at school, and any other issues or concerns that come up. phone Discussed students grades and general progress in regards to eligibility for sports at the end of 2nd quarter. Called to update parents when 3rd quarter grades were all above C+. Conversation, eDiscussed with teacher progress student had made mail since special education services began. Teacher saw positive changes as well. Updated student and parents on the positive changes that regular education teachers and I observed since beginning special education. Student was proud of himself and parents were pleased with progress. e-mail and phone Provided information regarding Transition Night. Conversations Discussed with mentorship coordinator progress and the need for a job coach for student. Developed a plan for a job coach. Discussed plan with student and parent. Reevaluated job coach services with mentorship coordinator after two weeks and developed plan for new placement. Discussed new plan with student and parent. Checked in with mentorship coordinator, site adviser, student, and parent to monitor progress at new site. Student was more successful in new site with more consistent direction. Conversations, eProvide information regarding DVR and how to get mail, phone started. Set up initial meeting between DVR Counselor, student, and parent. Follow up with DVR, student, and parents to be sure connections are made and assist further as necessary. Conversations, IEP Discuss accommodations, progress, and learning Goal Pages needs of special education students at least quarterly. Update students and parents quarterly by sending home the IEP goal page.

WTS 10 page 18 of 21 Artifact B: Professional Activities Log 2012-2013 Professional Development Completed IEP, PTP, TR4Y, Oh My! by Wisconsin Statewide Transition Initiative (WSTI) Date 11/7/12 Learnings and Student Impact At this transition planning workshop I gained a clear understanding of DPI requirements for effective practice implementing Post-Secondary Transition Planning (PTP) and completing online PTPs for IEPs. I also learned valuable WSTI and TR4Y resources for student, family, and teacher use in transition planning. Throughout the year I worked to involve my students and their families more in transition planning, shared resources with them, was better able to explain the PTP, and was able to help colleagues with their PTPs all because of this workshop. At this workshop I learned the steps needed to set up and implement a successful 18-21 community based program for students with disabilities who have not yet met their transition goals in their IEPs. Back at school, I worked with the department chair to develop a specific plan and secure a site off-campus for a community based 18-21 program in our district. By the end of this school year, the program was approved for implementation 2013-2014. The students (and their families) who will be in the program next year and the coming years are very excited. True student impact will not be known until we start in 2013-2014. From this presentation I learned that students with Autism Spectrum Disorders have receptive language deficits, they struggle to understand what I am telling/asking them to do because their understanding of language is very literal. I learned strategies for addressing these receptive deficits. This helped me to better understand students that I work with. Learnings from this presentation made me more aware of how I explain directions or situation. From Kellys feedback, I learned specific strategies to try to incorporate more small-group collaboration and critical thinking into my teaching. The next day I tried a small group brainstorming activity and had each group share out with the whole class; it was awesome and the students came up with so much more! Kellys feedback also made me more conscious of planning the components of the whole instructional model throughout the week. I set up a lesson planning template for the week so that I would be sure to cover all areas in a week. Seeing Project SEARCH in action and meeting the students gave me many ideas for how we might duplicate something similar to offer to our students. In addition, the tour of Marshfield High Schools 18-21 Community Based Program

Community Based Programs for 18-21 by WSTI

1/28/13

Dr. Glenis Benson Remedies for the Receptive Deficits

2/6/13

Expert 21 Coaching Visit with Kelly Kenney

3/20/13

Marshfields Project SEARCH and 18-21 Program Tours

4/11/13

WTS 10 page 19 of 21 gave us more ideas and strategies for implementation in our community. The student impact will be known once our program gets off the ground in 2013-2014, but Marshfields work sites and daily structure are what we modeled much of our plan after. From this initial training/presentation on starting a Project SEARCH in our community, our team realized that we are not ready at this stage for a Project SEARCH due to uncertainty of a business host/partnership which is essential for program success. The positive side to this realization is that we are not trying to move ahead and be unsuccessful; we recognized what was missing and will not proceed until all of the necessary partners are in place. On the tour of Mid-State Independent Living Center, I learned more about their programs and services and am now able to recommend their services to students and families. From this presentation I gained a better understanding of what parents, families, and students need to consider for transition planning. Each participant also received a resource binder. The student impact from this presentation is that I am now better equipped to refer parents to specific services and answer questions about transition planning.

Project SEARCH Orientation and Mid-State Independent Living Center tour

4/26/13

Whats After High School? Transition Training by Family Voices of Wisconsin

5/21/13

WTS 10 page 20 of 21 Artifact C: Medford Adult Diploma Academy Staff

MADA instructors pictured with one of our graduates. This artifact is a print screen of the MADA Facebook page. Since its inception in 2010, MADA has had 10 graduates.

WTS 10 page 21 of 21 Artifact D: Summary of Expert 21 Coaching Visit