Final Exam

Written by Lauren Forte and Katherine Marcoccio

Based on special education common core teacher standards:
1) 3
A. experience going to IEPs, meeting families, and understanding of different economic
status
B. modifying lessons regularly to meet the needs of all different students with similar and
differing eligibility categories e.g. a child with autism and an intellectual disability.
C. Informally assessed students prior to creating lesson plans in order to challenge the
students academic and functional ability. Modified lessons for students, compared
resource and FLS environments.
D. Lauren has had the opportunity to work with students with emotional disturbance,
autism, OHI (experience working with a student with down syndrome and Williams
syndrome), multiple disabilities, specific learning disability, and intellectual disability.
Lauren did research on Williams syndrome to better her lesson plans for academic and
functional performance. Lauren has an understanding of the educational implications for
students with diverse needs.
E. Laurens activities have included the use of technology, augmentative communication
device, specific programs (SPIRE, Edmark, Touch Math, Handwriting Without Tears),
PBIS plans, and positive behavior charts.
F. Katherine Marcoccio has worked in school districts prior to Biddeford. She believes
that Lauren learned a great deal by doing her student teaching at Biddeford Primary
School. The students and their families we work with on a daily basis have different
cultural or economic backgrounds. Lauren learned to teach students with different
backgrounds and communicate with all parents in a positive way.
2) 4
A. Lauren regularly informally assessed to see where students were making gains and to
see if skills needed to be retaught. From informal assessments Lauren designed
instruction to meet all students needs.
B. Lauren conducted timely assessments to keep in data collection to make sure that
progress towards IEP goals were being met.
C. The population of students that Lauren taught have little prior knowledge with the
subjects she taught, she used technology, books, visuals, to support prior knowledge
before teaching a lesson.
D. Lauren has attended multiple staff meetings where other special education teachers,
specialists, and staff members all collaborate and bring multiple perspectives to the
discussion of content. Laurens lesson plans and style of teaching have incorporated all
students with learning differences on multiple levels in small and large group settings.
E. Lauren has worked closely with speech/language pathologists in the building, has
recognized student needs, and works in collaboration with recommendations from
speech/language specialists and other special education teachers.

F. Lauren works closely with the special education team (O.T./P.T./Speech, speech,
administrators). She uses other special education team members as resources. Lauren
has learned Proloquo2go, an augmentative communication devise, from team members.
G. Lauren recognizes the impact of students with diversity. She has had experience with
teaching the general education population about students with special needs, and their
potential differences in language and communication. Lauren has an understanding of
how students with different backgrounds may impact their learning and how to support
their learning in a positive way.
H. Lauren recognizes the importance of students transitioning into adulthood with
specific needs, and the importance of having a transition plan put in place when they are
in high school. This is a conversation that Lauren and her supervising teacher have
discussed.
3) 4
A. Lauren collaborates in a positive manner with families and colleagues on a daily basis.
This collaboration supports our students progress .
B. Lauren created a draft IEP, helped facilitate a Triennial and worked with the IEP Team
to create appropriate goals for the student.
C. Lauren follows the daily classroom schedule and individual behavior plans. This
makes a safe and positive learning environment for all.
D. The methods that Lauren has used are informal assessment, data collection,
observation, self-evaluate lessons, and make modifications as needed.
E. Lauren has utilized an augmentative communication device with students for writing
lessons and for communication with non-verbal students.
F. Lauren promotes responsible learner use of the IPad for communication, A-Z books,
social stories, and appropriate educational apps.
G. Lauren has used PECS with students and an augmentative communication device.
Lauren has done morning meetings with general education and special education
students, and teaches social skills groups.
H. Lauren has familiarity with crisis prevention and intervention and adheres to student
behavioral plans in order to prevent crisis. Lauren has worked closely with the school
social worker when a student reported abuse at home. Lauren followed through with
being a mandated reporter.
I. Lauren understands the antecedent-behavior-consequence relationship. Consequences
for behavior are regularly enforced by Lauren, she also uses behavior charts for positive
behavior-consequences. Lauren tries to find the antecedent in a behavior to try to end the
behavior that is happening and replace it with a positive behavior.
J. Lauren has modified the learning environment for different students to facilitate
attention during lessons. Lauren has used a cardboard barrier for one student who
struggles with attention during various writing assignments. Lauren has utilized positive
behavior charts, and is constantly keeping students engaged and involved in lessons.
4) 3
A. Lauren has helped to draft IEPs, has helped decide the LRE with students, and Lauren
has discussed LRE and FAPE with other staff members.
B. When writing an IEP Lauren followed MUSER and IDEA regulations.

C. Lauren understands the rights and responsibilities that families, students, and school
professionals have, and the importance of following an IEP and seeing growth in students
in a variety of students with needs.
D. Lauren has observed the special education teacher communicate with outside agencies
such as Sweetser and Woodfords Family Services. Lauren knows that these services may
be available for families and their children.
E. Lauren is familiar with Spire, Edmark, Touchmath, and Proloquo2go, Handwriting
Without Tears. Lauren has shown interest in the Zones of Regulation and would like more
training with this program.
5) 3
A. Lauren observed Woodcock Johnson being given to a student for their triennial review.
After the special education teacher printed the students report, Lauren and the teacher
created appropriate goals in all academic areas for the drat IEP.
B. Lauren pre-teaches students with each lesson to keep students engaged and understand
the content in a more in depth manner.
C. Lauren taught students basic functional skills like sitting a in a chair, not talking when
the teacher is talking, losing a game and not feeling upset, and using the bathrooms when
prompted. Lauren taught basic academic skills in the areas of reading, writing, and math.
Lauren also facilitated the use of positive behavior tools by prompting students to utilize
their tools.
D. Lauren prompts students to answer real life questions and questions related to lessons.
She engages learners in answering direct questions and also facilitates discussions
regularly.
E. Lauren has taught the Spire program on a daily basis, but has incorporated other
reading programs as well as her own lesson plans.
6) 3
A. Lauren has had a conversation with a resource room teacher as well as one of the
speech/language pathologists regarding eligibility for services. Lauren has written an IEP
with the support of the supervising teacher, scored progress reports with the supervising
teacher, and understands what progress monitoring requires.
B. Lauren understands the legal provisions and principles of IDEA and MUSER and has
written an IEP with the support of the supervising teacher in line with these pieces of
legislation.
C. When designing modifications and accommodations in the IEP Lauren added access to
adult support, augmentative communication device, communication notebook, bus with
accommodations, extended school year, access to fidget toys, access to a human reader,
access to a scribe, and access to an alternative assessment.
D. Lauren is aware of issues related to the uses and limitations of assessment tools for
eligibility and progress monitoring in special education. Lauren ensures that the
monitoring tools that she utilizes are adequate for students as well as valid.

E. Lauren has seen pre-referral forms for Biddeford Primary School, and has had
conversations with the speech/language pathologist and a resource room teacher
regarding eligibility for services and placement.
F. Lauren observed the Woodcock Johnson III being administered, the scores were
explained to her, and she was able to observe them being explained at a triennial IEP
meeting.
G. Lauren has attended IEP meetings, written an IEP with the support of the supervising
teacher, and has facilitated a triennial IEP Meeting. Lauren has had placement
conversations with her supervising teacher, other special education teachers, and
administrators. She understands how to use assessment data in determining eligibility,
programs, and placement decisions.
H. Lauren understands diversity, and individual student need, and is constantly
considering whether or not her assessments are valid or accurate because of potential bias
in assessment.
7) 4
A. Lauren presents lessons using multiple means of representation. She gives visual,
verbal, and physical models or cues whenever possible. The lessons that Lauren have
developed were developed with multiple forms of representation in mind.
B. Lauren has designed, modified, and adapted lesson plans for specific students based on
interest, teacher assessment, and prior knowledge. Lauren teaches students on a daily
basis creating specially designed instruction with their interests, levels of achievement,
and prior knowledge in mind. She teaches writing, reading, math, social skills, morning
meeting, and calendar groups with considerations to all student interest, prior knowledge,
and assessment in mind.
C. Lauren has planned with her supervising teacher, ed techs, and specialists for more
effective learning. She has planned group games in coordination with a physical
therapist, she has taught social skills groups in collaboration with an occupational
therapist, and has taught baking a group in collaboration with a speech/language
pathologist.
D. Lauren has evaluated and written 2 progress reports for students. She regularly
evaluates students long/short term goals, and constantly has students IEP goals in mind.
E. During her student teaching experience Lauren has become more familiar with the
roles and responsibilities of paraeducators in the classroom in relation to direct service
and instruction. Lauren has developed a relationship with the paraeducators in the
classroom, and has delegated appropriate responsibilities for those in the appropriate role.
Lauren took over as lead teacher in the classroom for over 2 months and coordinated with
paraeducators on a daily basis during this time.
F. Lauren teaches specially designed instruction to small groups throughout the day and is
able to recognize why students are in the groups that they were placed in. She has written
an IEP that identified and prioritized areas of the general education curriculum and
accommodations that were appropriate for that student.
8) 4
A. Lauren has planned many lesson plans as well as unit plans that were designed to meet
students needs. Lauren uses toilet charts, behavior charts, behavior plans, and

augmentative communication devices to meet students needs. Lauren uses verbal

strategies, positive language, and PBIS to meet student need on a regular basis.
B. Lauren monitors and adjusts the instruction throughout her lessons during every small
group that she teaches. Lauren is required to continuously monitor students during her
teaching so that they are engaged and active learners.
C. Lauren collaborates with students in the learning process by allowing students to quiz
her, chorally responding with students, helping students during social skills lessons
through modeling, and is constantly monitoring and correcting work that demonstrates an
inaccurate understanding in a subject area.
D. During reading instruction Lauren will sometimes allow students to quiz her with sight
word cards as well as phoneme cards.
E. Lauren often presents materials by using multiple models of concepts. One example is
in teaching addition Lauren has used white boards, touch points, chalk boards,
worksheets, and manipulatives.
F. Lauren asks students higher order questioning skills during reading instruction when
asking comprehension related questions. Lauren has often required students to give
explanations when they have certain behaviors because she wants to understand the
antecedent.
G. When teaching students Lauren uses multiple representations, modeling, and
incorporates technology in order to best increase learning skills. Lauren has taught
students mnemonic strategies to recall the spelling of their first and last names.
H. Lauren uses augmentative communication devices, some American Sign Language,
physical models, verbal cues, PECS, and visual cues to teach students, support
communication, and facilitate instruction.
9) 3
A. Lauren engages in every learning opportunity that she has been presented. She has
attended staff meetings, has taught in general education classes while general education
teachers have been with their planned learning committees, and has learned things from
specialists in the classroom and at IEP meetings. Lauren has attended standards based
IEP trainings outside of school, an ELL seminar, as well as a collegiality training through
BPS. Lauren has learned from occupational therapists how to better students handwriting
using tools and strategies, she has learned to prompt students to make a sentence or ask a
question from the speech therapists that are in the school, and has learned strategies to get
students to walk a faster pace from the physical therapist.
B. Lauren has attended two professional development trainings on standards based IEPs.
C. Lauren collects diverse data including toileting charts and positive behavior charts as
well as journals and other samples of student work.
D. Lauren sought resources regularly when modifying instruction for students or
increasing workloads for successful students. While working with students in the subject
area of math Lauren sought new math problems that gradually eliminated the use of touch
points. Lauren was in communication with parents regarding out of school as well as in
school resources for P.T. and O.T.
E. Lauren has reflected on her own personal biases, and has tried to leave them behind.
Lauren and her supervising teacher have discussed how she may change a situation to

increase learning by eliminating bias or by setting it aside to work more efficiently as a

team.
F. Lauren continuously models ethical behavior in the classroom and is encouraging to
students.
G. Laurens knowledge in special education is up to date. Lauren has attended standards
based IEP training recently.
H. Lauren recognizes that she can not do everything in the classroom at one time, and has
asked for assistance from ed techs as well as those who are safety care trained. Lauren
has had a conversation with a physical therapist about a student who did not swing
correctly because this was not her area of expertise. Lauren has had other conversations
with the speech/language pathologist about communication with a non-verbal student.
I. Lauren is culturally sensitive and demonstrates culturally sensitive communication and
behavior. Lauren is aware of students with different living situations, communication
needs, and students in her classroom who come from various backgrounds. She
demonstrates sensitive communication and behavior with students from diverse
backgrounds.
J. The instructional practices designed and implemented by Lauren are appropriate and
meet the needs of the learners. Lauren wrote a Draft IEP with the support of the
supervising teacher that was designed to meet the needs of the student, and with the
collaboration of the IEP team the goals that were suggested as well as services were
accepted and written into a final IEP.
10) 3
A. Lauren has had experience being a member of a team in the classroom. She has
attended IEP meetings where she has acted as a member of an IEP team, and
demonstrates that she can be an effective and active member of a team.
B. Lauren has collaborated with the occupational therapist, speech/language pathologists,
and physical therapists in the school on multiple different occasions. The physical
therapist has demonstrated proper ways to get a student to walk down the hallway, while
demonstrating proper ways to get another student to walk at an appropriate pace. The
occupational therapist has collaborated with Lauren to attempt to get a student to use a
pencil grip, to use a spacer, and to use one hand while writing. The speech specialists
have collaborated with Lauren while baking to encourage students to use full sentences.
The examples above are just a few instances of consultation and collaboration with other
school personnel.
C. Lauren has attended a training on collegiality as well as a half a day of training on
creating a new school vision with Dan Joseph from Saint Joseph College.
D. Lauren has collaborated with parents in writing daily communication notebooks and at
the 3 IEP meetings that she attended.
E. Lauren has had the opportunity to communicate with parents about community
resources through their communication notebooks.
F. Lauren has attended two professional development trainings in standards based IEPs.
G. Lauren demonstrates effective written communication skills daily in communication
notebooks. She has also demonstrated written communication skills in the IEP that she
wrote as well as the written notice. Lauren speaks clearly and uses the language of the
classroom so that she is able to communicate well and effectively with all of the students.

Lauren facilitates the use of an augmentative communication device for a student who is
unable to communicate verbally at this time.
H. While taking over the role of the supervising teacher Lauren demonstrated that she
was able to successfully lead a functional life skills classroom with the support of
classroom ed techs, specialists and the Special Education Team.
I. Lauren is an advocate for student success and learning on a daily basis. One clear
example that demonstrates that Lauren is an advocate for students was when she had to
report abuse.
J. Lauren works hard to be the best that she can be as an educator.
K. While Lauren took over the role of the supervising teacher she observed and gave
feedback to paraeducators. Lauren has had the opportunity to direct paraeducators, ask
for assistance, and work with paraeducators on a daily basis.
11) 4
A. Lauren facilitates and inspires student creativity through the social skills group that
she teaches. Students often do a craft during this time that Lauren has prepared.
B. Lauren has technological experiences by asking a non-verbal student to answer a
question with the use of technology (augmentative communication device). Lauren has
observed the alternative state assessment. NCSC
C. Lauren has assisted students in their Computer class, and helped to model how to
complete a task to assist students in learning.
D. Lauren has engaged in learning new technology throughout her student teaching
experience. She has learned to use the JumpRope report card system, Infinate Campus,
some ASL, as well as Proloquo2go (augmentative communication device).