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Special Education Mills Park Middle School Program. Michael McColgan , M.A.T., NBCT. A Guiding Thought…. “Much education today is monumentally ineffective. All too often we are giving young people cut flowers when we should be teaching them to grow their own plant.” John W. Gardner.
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Special EducationMills Park Middle School Program Michael McColgan, M.A.T., NBCT
A Guiding Thought… • “Much education today is monumentally ineffective. All too often we are giving young people cut flowers when we should be teaching them to grow their own plant.” John W. Gardner
Typical 6th Grade Schedule • 7:45 Enter Building to Gym • 7:55 Homeroom • 8:15-9:15 Core Period 1 • 9:20-10:20 Core Period 2 • 10:25-11:25 Core Period 3 • 11:25-11:55 Lunch & SMART Lunch • 12:00-1:05 Core Period 4 • 1:10-2:00 Elective Period I • 2:05-3:00 Elective Period 2 • 3:00 Dismissal
ICR Classes • In-Class Resource • Math and Language Arts • Classes are learning Grade Level SCOS • Students taking Regular EOG tests • Taught by a certified Math or Language Arts teacher with a special education teacher to assist in the room.
Resource Classes • Math and Language Arts • Smaller Class sizes • Students are learning Grade Level SCOS • There is opportunity for more remediation than in ICR Classes • Students take Regular EOG tests • Taught by a teacher with dual certification in Special Education and either math or language arts.
Essentials Classes • Math and Language Arts • Smaller class sizes • Teacher is dual certified in special education and math or language arts • There is a teaching assistant in the classroom to help • Students are not working on Grade Level SCOS • Students working on basic math or language arts skills • Math-Money, time and measurement concepts • Language Arts-Fundamental reading and writing skills • Students are taking NC Extend2 EOG tests
Reading Decoding • For students identified with significant reading delays • Small class size • Research based direct/explicit instructional format to teach reading decoding and comprehension on student’s assessed reading level
Curriculum Assistance • A class designed to assist students on the regular SCOS in regular or ICR settings. • Not used for students served in resource level classes • Class designed to remediate and assist SCOS • Is used in place of an elective • Can be used for one quarter, half year or all year depending on student need • Primary focus is Math and Language Arts grade level curriculum assistance. • Can also work with science and social studies time permitting.
Social Studies and Science • Taught by certified social studies or science teacher • No additional help in room • Large class sizes • The curriculum can be modified to an extent, to help with understanding
Healthful Living • Health and PE class • Very large classes in PE, three teachers worth • Health is one class of 30+ students • All students expected to dress out and participate in PE • Mandatory elective class daily • Health has text book, curriculum and tests
Electives • Meet Daily • Electives: Band, Computer Applications, Technology Systems, Art, Life Skills, Spanish, Dance, Chorus
High School Prep • High school might seem far away, but…. • Everything we do in 6th grade correlates with high school prep • The three years of middle school are necessary to prepare students for independent work necessary in high school • To succeed at the SCOS in high school, we must focus on accommodations that are necessary, not just helpful • The time to be honest and thoughtful about your child’s future education begins now
Accommodations • Only add accommodations a child needs to succeed independently • In middle school we are preparing for independence, do not list accommodations that might help, only that are needed • Middle school students don’t like to be singled out for separate setting • “Read aloud upon request”; use this instead of “read aloud all” when applicable • Avoid accommodations that preclude students from realizing their potential
Accommodations • Testing in the classroom, which has the expert teacher(s) and ambiance of the subject should be first option, not separate setting • Extended time only if necessary, most middle school students can finish on time.
Modifications • Modifications to the curriculum compromise the curriculum • We are preparing for high school which in many cases does not allow changes to NCSCOS curriculum • If a student requires significant modifications then they might need resource or essentials level classes • Examples of modifications….. • Modified tests, modified assignments, pass/fail, dictate to scribe
EOG Accommodations • Extended time not necessary on EOG as they have no time limit any longer • For students served through ESL, please add LEP tests and Modifications to IEP
IEP Notes • Resource Classes not listed on IEP for modifications, can modify as needed • Elective classes are 45 minutes long • Core classes are 60 minutes long • Accommodations on EOG must match what is used in the classroom on a daily basis