maria pairitz's
community of teachers portfolio
xii. school and community specialists
As an educator, it sometimes feels like we are expected to know everything. We are expected to have a deep knowledge of our subject matter, develop engaging and developmentally appropriate curriculum, maintain order in the classroom, and be aware of individual needs. So when it comes to facing dilemmas while working with students with especially challenging academic or interpersonal problems, it can sometimes feel like we have to deal with it all on our own. However, it is important to recognize the extent of our own personal and professional capabilities and assist the student to a professional to provide further support. Through the evidence I have collected, I have demonstrated my ability to recognize my own limits and seek out further guidance and support for struggling students.
The evidence I gathered include my Suicide Prevention Training, emails to school counselors, an email to a special education teacher, information on reporting suspected child abuse/neglect to CPS, and my attendance at a Case Meeting.
These experiences have provided me opportunities to collaborate with school and community specialists to provide resources and supports for students. They have helped me to value my role as a guide for students to link them to services they might need. I've come to understand the importance of maintaining good relationships with school and community specialists and not be afraid to reach out to them.
School and community specialists are a huge asset and should not be overlooked. Reflecting on this evidence, I would like to reach out to community specialists in the field of visual arts to invite into my classroom. Overall though, I believe I have demonstrated my ability to involve specialists at the appropriate times. I believe I have achieved Ready to Teach for this expectation.
Suicide Prevention Training
As part of my licensure, I took a 3 hour training on suicide prevention. Before this seminar, if a student were to openly talk to me about suicidal thoughts, or if I suspected suicidal thoughts, I would have immediately gone straight to the school counselor. While the school counselor should get involved, this training helped me understand what I should and should not do when talking to a student.
A few key points I learned:
-
Saying “OMG let’s get the counselor” right when a student opens up is bad as it a. sends the message that they’re in trouble b. sends the message that you can’t/don’t want to deal with it.
-
Confronting a person about suicide does not increase the risk of them committing suicide. It can actually lower anxiety, open up communication, and lower the risk of impulsive act. But be direct in your wording. Ask, "Are you thinking about suicide?" not "You're not thinking about suicide right??"
-
Never promise to keep your conversation with a student confidential. Gradually introduce the idea of involving a school counselor or notify the student that you will have to let someone else know about your conversation.
So while a school counselor will ultimately get involved, it is my responsibility to help bring that student to that solution. They chose to open up to me for a reason, so I should not make it seem like I am passing their problem onto the next person, but I also know that this issue is beyond my personal expertise.
Emails to School Counselors
Student 1
Student 2
Throughout my student teaching I experienced times when students were facing difficulties that were beyond my knowledge and expertise. During these times, I reached out to the school counselors for insight and assistance.
In the example of Student 1, M. had been having difficulty staying engaged in class and turning in work. I believed it was was just typical teenage behavior, but then there was a particular incident (explained further in the email) that struck me as out of the norm so I began to suspect other issues that the counselor might have insight on. So I sent an email detailing the incident and asking for her input. The counselor responded stating that M. did not have any accommodations and was just "low-level" academically. She also mentioned that he came from an IPS School and that he described that he did not get the opportunity to learn much. Not much else was said or done, but I figured that by reporting this to the counselor there is now a record of this student and perhaps it can help him receive the accommodation he needs in the future. Until then, I used my discretion and gave him accommodated work anyway.
In the case of Student 2, D. had a bit of a nervous break down in class. I used my training to de-escalate the situation and allow him space to relax. I spoke with him privately and resolved the situation before sending him to his next class. I decided to notify his counselor as D. mentioned he wasn't hurt by anything I had done but that he was just feeling overwhelmed. His counselor notified me that he was a freshmen and not doing well academically so he might be stressed and that he would check in with D. soon.
In both of these situations, the school counselors helped to provide background and check up on the students to provide further assistance and support.
Email to Special Education Teacher
At Fishers High School, there is a Pass/Fail Program for students receiving special education for a majority of the day. The Pass/Fail Program allows these students the opportunity to attend a class outside of the special education department to practice social and academic skills. Art is a popular subject for these students so during my student teaching I had about 4 Pass/Fail students. S., was one of those students, and when I began noticing issues with her participation in class, I decided to reach out to her special ed teacher, Zach. I described the issue and asked for his insight and what further steps I should take. Zach received my email and spoke with S. privately, addressing the issue I described. This issue is actually touches on a personal development goal for S. so he wanted to handle it.
Zach later came to my class and let me know about the conversation he had with S. and actually invited me to her case meeting later in the semester. I am glad I reached out to a specialist who knew a little more in depth the issues S. was working to improve and who had a closer relationship with her. After their conversation, S. performed spectacularly in class for the rest of the semester.
Child Protective Services
1-800-800-5556
As part of staff training during a professional development day, administration outlined their protocol for reporting suspected child abuse/neglect. They made it very clear that even if we're not totally sure, we must report anything we suspect. CPS will determine if it is of actual concern or not and further investigate the situation. They also made it clear that we were to report immediately to CPS, not administration or the school counselors. After we've reported to CPS, we then fill out an incident report that is given to the counselors and administration.
Obviously, teachers will most often be the first to be aware of any instances of child abuse/neglect, but we do not have the resources or tools to deal with these things. That is why we pass it on to the specialists at CPS.
Case Meeting
I was invited to give a fresh perspective on S.'s progress in her general ed classes at her case meeting. The meeting consisted of several different specialists including her behavior coach, social worker, and special education teacher. The behavior coach was able to provide great insight on some exercises they had been working on and how to continue reinforcing them during the school day. The social worker was a great at helping plan her eventual transition from school to the real world. I honestly was overwhelmed by how much I learned about her and just loved the dedication of these people, all focused on her success. It made me wish that we had a team of adults for each and every student that was just as dedicated to their success. It helped me recognize the importance of bringing specialist in to provide all the support a student requires.