Identify a
performance problem in your area of work and identify non-instructional
solutions that may help solve the problem.
My classroom has multiple grade levels and each cohort would
follow a specific schedule for going to music, art, PE and lunch all on top of
balancing the need to teach all academic content at multiple academic levels. I have had substantial difficulties
maintaining a schedule for teaching and addressing the schedule for special
classes simply due to having so many schedules to maintain. The solution I designed to address the
schedule was to create a visual and interactive daily schedule and placing it
on each student’s desk. I also had to
group some grades together so that either the instructional aides or I could accompany
students that needed to be monitored. The
students place a marker on the portion of the schedule that they are currently
involved. This has helped immensely as
the students have begun to help keeping on a timely schedule.
Define
performance support systems and explain how a performance support system might
(or might not) help solve the problem you identified above.
I define Performance
support system as the tools that support performers at their time of need as
well as the tool needed to successfully complete the task. The performance support system would help me
in the fact that I have a visual cue for my students and they can maintain
their schedule by moving their cues around as they finish a task and move on to
the next activity.
What
knowledge would help solve the problem you identified above and how would that
knowledge need to be collected and managed to help facilitate problem solving?
First, I gathered all the
scheduling data and compared the schedule matrices side by side so that I might
see conflicts. I tried color coding them
and stacking them, but it did not work so I stayed with the side by side
method. I was working with four
different grade levels ranging from 2nd through 6th. I also gathered information concerning the size
of classrooms, teachers on maternity leave and other issues I might see arising. Next, I started working with these grade
levels to compare which ones were similar in schedule, for example 2nd
grade does not have art but 3rd grade only goes to music one time a
week. I also looked at the amount of
time a specials class would last such as art, music and PE last some classes
lasted 30 minutes while others lasted 45.
Once I gathered all this data I could start putting a schedule together.
Other factors I had to consider were Speech session duration and times per week
not being consistent and if that wasn't enough I had to look at ESL groups.
Steffanye,
ReplyDeleteI thought dealing with one cohort of 23 adults' schedules was challenging!! I cannot imagine the challenges your class faces for scheduling. I like that fact that you have tapped into the idea of using a visual reminder to keep organized. Most folks are "visual" learners/people. Being able to see what is happening now, what has happened, and what will be happening helps keep them responsible and oriented to their personal routine. That is a skill that will be important as they grow and sounds like your idea makes sure that skill is learned...and it helps keep you sane!!
It must be really hard to keep up with all those schedules. I think you are on the right track with the visual schedules for each student. I find it hard to teach all the required curriculum while also attending all the specials my students are required to attend. Teaching is a no joke job.
ReplyDeleteYour visual cues scheduling system is a great tool. I have seen it work successfully in many different situations. This systems helps to lessen students' anxiety about the unknown (what is happening next) and it also reduces the "What do we do next?" disruptive questions. You have great ideas for many issues in your class!
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