Running head: ROLE AS BOTH AN EDUCATOR AND CASE MANAGER 1

Role as Both an Educator and Case Manger

Assignment 1: Instructional and Case Manager Organizer
Melissa Clark
University of San Diego

Education 571 - Positive Behavior and Instruction Management in SPED

Dr. Jerome Ammer
12/20/2016
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When entering the field as an Educational Specialist Intern, I quickly became aware of

the separate roles I played in my students lives that come together to ensure their success

academically. In one part I am there to explicitly educate them in a way that works for their

unique way of learning. Meaning I have to be observant and tailor my lessons based on my

individual students, and when in small group I have to base lessons that reach all of my students.

As well as, create an environment that engaged all of my students and had them excited to learn.

On the other hand, I am also their Case Manager, I am here to make sure their hours of need our

being met, ensure I have open communication with their families and general education teacher,

keep track of their progress, make sure they are obtaining their goals, checking in to make sure

their behavior is progressing in a positive manner, implementing accommodations when needed,

and following through with the legal paperwork. I quickly realized how much organization and

being in tune to my students was needed in order to be a beneficial part in their success

academically.

Educator

First as an educator, there are various things I must consider in order to help my students,

not just prosper academically and behaviorally, but as a whole. A key aspect to creating a

positive learning experience for my students was creating a safe place for them learn, as well as a

place that inspired their learning. It is important that teachers consider what their goals are for

the classroom in order to create a healthy learning environment for the students (Anderson, C.M.,

& Spaulding, S.A., 2007). In order to do this you must consider the needs of your students and

what will work best for them. For example, if you have students that are easily distracted in

would best to create an environment that allows for visual rest and more hands on activities. As

well as consider how you are going to alter the classroom environment to encourage positive
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behaviors and eliminate triggers for inappropriate behaviors (Ruef, M.B, Higgins, C., Glaeser,

B.J.C., & Patnoder, M., 1998).

To further keep behaviors from going completely into disruptive and inappropriate

behaviors, it is important to give students a space to calm themselves and to teach them about the

Zones of Regulations. The Zones of Regulations is a framework that fosters self-regulation and

emotional control. It teaches students how to self-manage their emotions through visual supports

that allow them to identify what zone they are in and what strategies they can use to calm

themselves (Kuypers, L.M., 2008).

As I prepared to transform my tiny office into a learning space that would inspire learning

and allow my students to feel safe, I took many things into consideration, such as visual rest,

creating a positive break area, and giving my students the tools they needed. I made sure I had

what my students needed to inform themselves when they felt stuck during assignments, such

as a number chart, alphabet chart, writing guidelines, etc. However, I displayed it in a way that

was organized and was not too much for them visually, where they could visually focus on what

tool they were looking at. I also made sure I had these tools available for them at their figure tips

if they needed something close by. I also wanted my students to have a positive break area if they

felt overwhelmed, I created a space with that provided comfort and let my students re-center

themselves, it has a Zones of Regulation Chart and ways to get back to zone green, I decided to

laminate the sheets to allow my students to write on them, in order to make it more personal. For

example, they circle how they are feeling and circle what they are doing to get back to zone

green, they also have a space to explain why they are feeling that way. I made sure my break area

was equipped with a break tool box that had fidgets, stress balls, books, and a calming rod that

eased students while they looked for various objects in the rod. I introduced all of my students to
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the break area and showed them how to use all the tools and what the Zones of Regulation were.

This is imperative for my students to learn in order for them to become more aware of their

emotions and what strategies they can use to help them feel good again.

Beyond that, my classroom needed rules and a reinforcement plan for those rules. Rules

should be explicit, minimal, and overarching to ensure that multiple behaviors are addressed

(Anderson, C.M, & Spaulding, S.A., 2007). It is also, important when making rules for your

classroom to keep them in the positive form and suggest what student should be doing and not on

what they should not be doing (IRIS Module, 2016). This ensures that students know what is

expected of them. Students should also be aware of the rules and they should be taught to them

(IRIS Module, 2016).

It is imperative to encourage students to engage in more appropriate behaviors that lead

to academic success (Anderson, C.M, & Spaulding, S.A., 2007). In order to do this,

Acknowledgement systems are effective ways to increase prosocial behavior, focus staff and

student attention on desired behaviors, foster a positive climate, and increase time spend on

academics (Anderson, C.M, & Spaulding, S.A., 2007 ). This can be done by simply giving a

students positive verbal reinforcements throughout the day or can by allowing them a means to

attainable objects or a favorable activity (Anderson, C.M, & Spaulding, S.A., 2007). There are

various ways to reinforce appropriate behaviors and research shows that positive reinforcement

has a great impact on students than negative reinforcements.

If inappropriate behaviors do arise it is important that clear expectations were understood

and the consequence is consistent and followed through on (IRIS Module, 2016). Negative

consequences are done to decrease the likelihood of an inappropriate behavior from occurring

again and these consequences should be nonintrusive (IRIS Module, 2016). Such as the loss of a
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privilege or doing a critical reflection sheet. The consequences should also serve the problem

behavior, meaning a student should not be sent immediately to the principals office if the student

for being off task. (IRIS Module, 2016) Consequences should also start simple, such as a

reminder and go up from there. The main objective to handling student behavior is to always

reinforce positive behaviors, even if the student is often times engaging in inappropriate

behaviors.

To start off, I had my students help me plan my rules and as they explained very detailed

things I explained how some things fell into other rules. Such as, being nice to others, fell under

the rule of keeping your hands and feet to yourselves. This allowed us to come up with 5 broad

rules that the students understood and rules I could refer to for numerous behaviors. Allowing my

students to partake in the rule making, gave them an opportunity to voice what they would like

and also held them accountable for the rules. I also, implemented a reward system where my

students cashed in stickers to place on their individual reward sheets that allowed them an

opportunity to get into the reward box. This taught my students to trade in small rewards for a

bigger reward and encouraged them to engage in appropriate behaviors, as well as stay focused

on finishing their tasks.

Another important aspect I had to consider in regards to behavior management, in the

terms of allowing my students to become the best versions of themselves, was building a

relationship with them. I took the time to sit down with all of my students individually to

complete an interest survey, this allowed them become comfortable with me, showed them I

cared, and gave me information that would allow me to make lessons more meaningful for them.

In regards to lessons, it is important I am aware of my students current level of

performances, knowing this allows me to create small groups with student with similar
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performance levels (Yell, M.L., Busch, T.W., & Rogers, D.C., 2007). This is important for three

reasons, it allows my students to work on their team collaboration skills, it allows for my

students to learn from one another during group discussions, and it allows me to ensure my

students pull out hours are all being met. This also gives me extra time for change, for example if

I need to work with a student individually. Another important aspect I must be aware of is my

students IEP goals in order to create lessons that are geared toward helping them progress toward

their goals (Yell, M.L., Busch, T.W., & Rogers, D.C., 2007). When creating lessons, it is also

important to consider that my students may have different styles of preferred learning, meaning I

include multiple means of representation and multiple means of expression (Ruef, M.B, Higgins,

C., Glaeser, B.J.C., & Patnoder, M., 1998) .This keeps them all engaged in the learning as we

move through different parts of the lesson and reinforces what they are learning in multiple

ways. I also give my students choices, this allows them to become more in control of their

learning and helps to keep students from engaging in noncompliance behavior.

Research has stated that when a teacher systematically plans their instruction, as well as

account for students progress, students perform better academically (Algozzine, B., Ysseldyke,

J., & Elliot, J., 1997). I believe it is imperative to keep track of students progress in order to

make appropriate lessons for them and to address anything that students may be struggling with.

For example, while teaching my students long vowel patterns, I realized some of my students did

not know which letters were vowels and some even struggled with vowel short sounds. Knowing

this allowed me to alter my lesson for the next day so I could include teaching those things my

students needed to learn in order to be successful on the other aspects of the lesson. Keep track

of my students progress also lets me know what teaching methods are working for them or if I

need to try something else.

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With all the lessons that were being made, it was important that I was organized and

knew where to go if I needed certain worksheets or materials for the future or for when a lesson

was not going as intended. For example, if a lesson was too above my students understanding,

being able to readily have other materials that could help the students gain more background for

the lesson is imperative. As well as, knowing what more interactive materials you can use to re-

engage a student who you can tell is losing concentration on what they are learning.

The most important thing overall to do as an educator, is to be aware of my students as

individuals, their strengths and needs, and using that to avoid triggers, breakdown, and any other

inappropriate behaviors. Knowing this allowed me to reinforce my students in a more positive

way and could help bring them back down to a calmer place quicker. I implemented positive

reinforcement in the way of giving verbal praise, creating reward charts that allow them to work

toward a bigger reward, teaching them strategies to help them obtain their goals, giving them

meaningful feedback, along with many other positive reinforcements.

Case manager

As a case manager that first thing I needed to do was organize my students information

that was easily accessible. I did that by creating charts that allowed my see my students name,

IDS, birthdates, IEP dates, classroom number, push/pull hours, and goals. I also color coded my

students based on initials, annuals, and triennials. This allowed me to have an at a glance graphic

organizer that I could easily follow and also helped me to start scheduling meetings and my

students hours of need. I started creating binders to keep track of all the important documents

and needed forms. I created a binder that separated my students into their own sections, this is

where I keep their important documents, students work samples to keep track of their progress,

and any other important information pertaining to my students. I created a binder for IEP
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meeting forms, that way I always had them at the meeting. I created individual work binders for

my students when they were in my classroom and for when they were in general education

classroom. I have my own binder that I keep what I need for the week in it, as well as use post it

to quickly write down something I need to do and put it on my binder. Bottom line, is it is very

important as a case manager to be organized as there are many different moving variables and it

can quickly become a difficult task when things are not organized.

Beyond that, it was important that I established a positive relationship with the general

education teacher who shared responsibility in teaching our students and it was important that we

became a team that can openly communicate, implement accommodations together, and are on

the same page with behavioral management. As a case manager it is my legal responsibility to

make sure that the general education teacher has each students IEP and understands the IEP. As

well as, ensuring that proper accommodations are being implemented to optimize students

learning experience, such a preferential seating that is closer to the board and teacher. It is also

important that the general education feels comfortable in talking with me if they see a student

could use extra supports with anything in the general education environment, as well as the

general education teacher being comfortable with my suggestions. I also needed to make sure

that anyone who worked with my students also understood their goals, including appropriate

behavior management strategies to use if a student had a Behavioral Intervention plan. This is

important, because it allows me access and open communication to keep track of my students

progress toward their goals.

Helping those who work with students with IEP understand their unique needs, allows for

the students to have a better learning experience. This includes, for example informing them if a

student may need more forewarning to changes in routine and giving them a social story they can
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use if a situation like that occurs, or if an individual expresses a concern about a student being

able to give them the knowledge or tools to help them work with that student. With the result of

helping to decrease any disruptive behavior and create more optimal learning.

A final component to being a case manager is creating a strong relationship with the

parents of your students. This serves two purposes, it allows parents to feel more comfortable in

who is responsible for their students education and it allows me to keep parents aware of what

they can do at home to help. This relationship can be built in multiple ways, I started off by

sending parent letters home introducing myself, then gradually introduced myself to parents

when I saw them dropping off or picking up their children. Once, parents knew who I was I

started sending e-mails or text to update them, often times with positive things about their child.

This really brought a great deal of relief for many of my parents and naturally they began texting

me first or asking my advice of what to do at home. My students were also aware of the

relationship I had with their parents and this encouraged more positive behaviors from them, as

they knew we were a team and stood by the same behavioral expectations.

As both an educator and case manager, although they are separate roles, much of we do

overlaps into each role. It is important to be organized, to be in tuned with students unique needs

for various reasons, and to have communication with all parties involved in the students

education, including the students. Overall, as an education specialist, we learn to be aware of our

students individual needs. We are consistently looking at all aspects and trying to understand

what works best for our students. The best way we can help our students is by helping our

students and others become aware of what they need to learn.

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References

Anderson, C. M, & Spaulding, S. A. Using positive behavior supports to design effective

classrooms. Beyond Behavior, 16(2), 27-31

Algozzine, B. Ysseldyke, J., & Elliot, J. (1997). Strategies and tactics for effective instruction

(2nd ed.). Longmont, CO: Sopris West.

CEC. (2008). CECs policy on safe and positive school climate. Teaching Exceptional Children,

40 (6), 41-42.

IRIS Module. (2016). The IRIS Center Peabody College Vanderbilt University. Nashville: TN.

Retrieved from

http://iris.peabody.vanderbilt.edu/module/beh1/cresource/q2/p11/#content

Kuypers, L.M. (2008). A curriculum designed to foster self-regulation in students with

neurobiological impairments. Retrieved from

http://www.zonesofregulation.com/uploads/3/4/1/7/34178767/lit_review.pdf

Ruef, M.B, Higgins, C., Glaeser, B.J.C., & Patnoder, M. (1998). Positive behavioral support:

Strategies for teachers. Retrieved from

http://digitalcommons.calpoly.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1032&context=gse_fac

West, E., Leon-Guerero, R, M, & Stevens, D. (2007). Establishing codes of acceptable

schoolwide behavior in a multicultural society. Beyond Behavior, 16(2), 32-38.

Yell, M. L., Busch, T. W., & Rogers, D. C. (2007). Planning instruction and monitoring student

performance. Beyond Behavior, 17(1), 31-38.