Reflection and Call to Action by Liz Pyles by

Areas of Focus

elizabethpyles — 2023-12-10 20:08:16 UTC

My areas of focus are SEL and CLRT strategies and bringing them to the classroom. These are a priority to me because I see many students that suffer from trauma, food and housing scarcity, depression, low self esteem, and inability to emphasize with other students. I learned in this program that the research shows that when students are supported their academic performance improves. Classroom behavior improves as a well as their ability to handle stress. Implementing CLRT practices also creates safe and inclusive environments for students feel like they belong. These practices help students move into their learning brain and manage their emotions which supports their learning.

Connections I Made During the Paraeducator pathway.

elizabethpyles — 2023-12-10 20:39:20 UTC

In the first Para-educator Mission, I learned about inclusive practices and the rings of culture. While we don't have a racially diverse school, we do have different cultural identities. Learning about how to include all students in the classroom connected me to the student that I currently work with and looking more deeply into whether our school (and myself) is providing a safe inclusive environment for them.

In the second Mission, I connected with the Social/emotional/behavioral modules on how to identify, data collection, (direct observation), determine function of the behavior, create a functional based intervention, plan for social validity, implement the intervention and evaluating the intervention. This is a tool to help me collect information to better support students. It can be a basis to determine what tier support a student might need.

In the third Mission, I connected with the classroom strategies badge where I learned how to apply flexible grouping to the photography class I am teaching. I didn't know before this how flexible grouping could support and encourage creativity and camaraderie in the classroom.

How my connections align with the CA MTSS Framework, FIA, and Continuum of Support

elizabethpyles — 2023-12-10 20:53:43 UTC

My connections align with the MTSS framework in that collecting data helps to support the Whole child. When behaviors are identified it can help transform social/emotional instruction, determine involvement of admin, supports, family and community and policies.

FIA domain calls for multi-tiered system of support and features inclusive Academic Instruction as well as inclusive behaviors/social-emotional instruction. My connections with the SEL training part of the pathway opened my eyes to seeing the ways I can support students in their identities, culturally and socially and emotionally.

Using UDL in the continuum of support ensure the academic, behavior, social-emotional, and mental health for ALL students in an inclusive and equitable environment. MY connections align with this in that I am more aware of the how universal, supplemental, and intensified support will be used depending my observations of student behavior and the data I can collect. Flexible grouping can be used in any of the levels of support. As I use it more often in the classrooms I work (or teach in) I will become more proficient at determining when and how it can support a student's learning at any level.

Data to be collected to move through the stages of implementation:

elizabethpyles — 2023-12-10 21:13:24 UTC

Student Outcomes:

I would use formative and summative assessments as Data Snapshot to determine the effectiveness of programs. I would collect data on what the greatest progress I have seen is, where are the greatest needs, and is the need an opportunity for growth. I would use progression charts, tracking assessments, observations, and discussions with SEL students to collect data on how they progressing.

Implementation of programs/practices: Data collection for me as a para-educator would come through observation of the programs and practices to determine their effectiveness. I would collect data on the progress of the students in social, emotional as well as academic areas. I think it would be helpful to have this a list of positive and negative observations to determine where our strengths and weaknesses are in the programs and practices.

Capacity of the system and the adults: For a para-educator to collect data on the capacity of the system and the adults, I believe I would do this through listening and supporting the teachers and administrators. If I see that the system is incapable of supporting new programs and practices, I can, through observation and asking questions, help narrow the reasons why teachers may be frustrated with the programs. If they are loving the programs and practices that are implemented then, through listening and observation as well as formative and summative assessment of our students, will be able to compile a list of data to support that our system the teachers are thriving with these new additions.

My Next Steps

elizabethpyles — 2023-12-10 21:47:12 UTC

Here's where I'm really excited! I am currently taking college classes to get my BA in Liberal Arts with an emphasis in Teaching. I plan to go on to become a elementary school teacher or a school counselor. Learning about the tiers in MTSS and how to support students' educational and social and emotional needs has been exciting to learn. I will use the MTSS Framework and the tier support system to better support my students. I learned about trauma informed practices, SEL and formative and summative assessment in my college classes, so I found it refreshing that this was also taught in this program. I feel that I am equipped to a create safe and inclusive classroom to support my students. I have a much better understanding of the tier system and more clearly understand how my district is starting to implement it. As a para-educator, I love helping the teachers anyway I can, and to be able to support students in the tier system just makes everything more smooth and cohesive.

Moving forward, I will begin to engage the families and community more in my classroom. I can do this through my photography class with the projects we make. As a teacher, I will ask for feedback and maintain an open door policy for community partnerships.

As a para-educator, I will I have a better understanding of UDL and will be able to recognize it in the classroom. When teachers are planning their lessons, I will be able to help fill in the gaps to create a more universal designed lesson. I think this can take the pressure off the teachers so they don't have to think of everything. When I am teaching my own class, I will look for lessons that support UDL, SEL and CLRT. Taking this course has taught me that the data on the success of these strategies and programs is validating and the programs work. I will also help support my district to implement these if they are not already.

I found the continuum of support helpful in determining what level of support a student might need. I have worked in schools that did not have these levels and it was more like they were reacting to a student's needs instead of being pro-active. By learning about the levels of support, I will be more equipped to move a student into the appropriate level when they need it most or before. I think this will be very useful when I am teaching in my own classroom. As a para-educator, through observation I will be able to identify students in need and collaborate with the teacher on how to help them.