"The truth is in the details" is a quote by famed author, Stephen King. Even though I'm not much for scary books and movies, I am definitely a fan of this quote. It captures one of the trademarks of our profession. As educators, we live in the big picture and in the details. For example, as a third-grade teacher, I need to constantly have end goals in mind. Where should my students be academically by the end of the first, second, and third trimesters? Am I adequately preparing them for fourth grade? In addition, I need to keep the state test at the forefront of my teaching. No. It is not about teaching to the test. However, it is about ensuring that I expose my students to the rigorous CCSS that they will be tested on. There is a deadline that I am working towards. I only have these students until May 25th so it is imperative that I utilize my time, their time, wisely.
While I am keeping my eye on the big picture, I need to also pay attention to the details, especially for students who are struggling. Having attended numerous S.S.T. and I.E.P. meetings, I am keenly aware of how specific I need to be at these meetings with my input and the information I share about my students. Here are some sample responses to questions that are likely to be posed at an S.S.T. or I.E.P. The answers on the left are not wrong, per se, but it is always best to be as detailed and specific as possible when considering students' next steps.
General Responses Specific Responses
The student is having a hard time in math. The student has not mastered addition with regrouping.
The student is zoned out. The student is having a difficult time focusing during...
The student is a good reader. According to the latest iReady Reading test, the student is scoring.......
The student misses a lot of school. According to our records, the student has been absent.........days of school.
Want more ideas about how to phrase things for SSTs? Click HERE for more examples!
Although these examples are fresh in my mind since I attended an I.E.P. just this morning, collecting details regarding all of my students is crucial. If my intent is indeed to move all my students forward academically, then I need to know at what level each of them is functioning.
Keeping track of all those levels and details can be daunting. That's where organization comes into play. Every school site has their own way of collecting data, but we as teachers need to be prepared before the meeting. We need to have all the information.
Many teachers create a document with all the pertinent data in one easily accessible place such as this:
Click here to get the full document
Others may use documents that track each child's interventions and referral information, such as this:
Click here to get the full document
Whatever path you choose, just remember THE TRUTH IS IN THE DETAILS.
Still living the dream,
Lola Jollie
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