I have begun working with children who are MF- they can’t walk or speak or grasp a crayon. As a substitute teacher without Special Ed Training’ I am having a hard time planning anything. The school really likes me, and knows I don’t have Special Ed training. Each child has a Personal Aide. My daughter remains the same- no news.
Who is the special education case manager for these children? That person should be able to give you assistance.
Good idea- I will check. Thanks.
If you are just coming in occasionally, chances are that the aides can tell you what the routine is. You might not really have to do anything other than clock in and out while the aides take charge for the day. If so, don’t feel bad about it. The aides know that you are just there because the rules say a teacher is necessary. Be gracious, and watch, learn, and assist them in whatever it is they need to keep the class routines going.
Thanks. The school says I just have to be there.
My kids went to a day care with 10 medically fragile students. It was a program run by Children’s Hosp, and one of the main teachers was a qualified PT and also a qualified daycare leader, plus other nurses and aids were there. Most of the kids were able to participate in normal day care stuff. A brother/sister pair had CF and used ‘shaker vests’ throughout the day, but other than that could play and do crafts like the other kids. Several had G-tubes for eating. One was in a wheel chair and NEVER stopped talking. One day she fell out of the chair and they had to take her to the hospital because she couldn’t tell them if she was hurt.
Anyway, they did what they could, they did alternative play if they couldn’t do what the group was doing. I’d just try to have them do whatever they can. Even if they can’t talk, they can listen so you can read books, play music, do a puppet show. If you are a sub, you could just repeat what the teacher did the day before.
My D has a masters in Sped and taught resource room for one year. She is now working as a SEIT (special ed itinerant teacher) with a MF 1 year old. She goes to his home and is working on communication skills with him. He has an OT, a PT, a speech therapist, a feeding therapist as well. She is working on trying to get him to understand word concepts, like showing him a ball, saying the word over and over while showing him the ball and then putting a few different objects in front of him and trying to get him to indicate that he knows which one the ball is. The goal is to improve his receptive language skills, while the speech therapist works on his actual learning to say words.
For the kids in your group, I would talk to the other teachers and therapists and see if there is anything that it would be particularly beneficial to reinforce.
i think you have to reframe the question.
what would the typical age group of kids you work with be learning and how can you modify it for your group?
kids that are medically fragile are kids first. you didnt specify cognitive issue but since each has an aide, i’m not sure it matters on the whole.
so for example, if kindergartners learn the alphabet, the numbers and the weather, how can you make it so anyone can participate (with their individual helpers) and keep them engaged. so if i make a boatload of assumptions here, i’ll go with its not a worthwhile exercise to perhaps write letters on the board and drone on about them and then expect the group to write them independently.
but you could have a letter of the day and use multi-sensory, hand over hand type activities that would be useful. you could, say, cut large letters out of carpet remnants so that they can (hand over hand) tactically trace them. and then after lunch get out the finger paints (i think its more pudding now than paint) and let them trace the letter A using it. and in between there would be (loud) songs with maybe hand instruments about the letter A (see if you can find the Letter People songs) and then round out the day with say, a youtube video with Elmo’s letter of the day.
Calendar/weather lesson? use the overhead (do they have those anymore, lol–use current technology) and have a snowstorm behind you while picking out items from the dress-up box and have them use their switch/comm device to tell you if its right or wrong, and purposely pick wrong to crack them up.
Not really different that how typical kids might learn something, but with a more creative and more engaging focus.
rinse and repeat for anything you want to teach. older kids and biology? hand over hand working with planting things and building and feeling tinker toys built in cell models.
so my point is, think about appropriate learning for the kid in front of you and what techniques can be used to make it work for them.while you may have to consider the developmental age as well as chronological age, dont necessarily assume that its not appropriate to move on to an age appropriate lesson–it just may be a different level of learning. it can be much more difficult due to mixed age ranges, so if that is the issue, think about how you would handle a one room schoolhouse–you would teach to one group and the others would work on their appropriate lessons independently. hence the purpose of the aide–while they shouldnt teach, they certainly can follow through on the lesson.
just some things to consider. approach it from what does X age learn and go from there. once you figure that part out, the modifications will come to you–think sensory, tactile, sound, lights camera and action and any activity that encourages communication enhancement (but for all of the very youngest, move on from turn taking!)
you can do this. its a noble undertaking. its not that its hard, its just that its different.
As a substitute, you should be working under the direction of someone. To be honest, you really should NOT be making any decisions on your own…none. These kids all have educational plans that need to be followed. The case manager for these students should have any information to convey to you. You should,also have substitute plans that clearly state what you should be doing.
Keep in mind also that probably much of the information about these students is confidential information. We gave our substitutes the information they needed to carry out their responsibilities…but they never had access to all of the confidential info.
Thank you for substituting in this situation…sometimes it’s hard to get substitutes. But really…unless you are a long term sub (which usually requires certification in the right area), you should be following whatever plan is in place in writing…for you to follow.
No plans or support. I guess I can ask someone, but there is no interest on the school when I switch classes on a daily basis.
Then go to the administrator in charge on the building. Where I work, sub plans are REQUIRED, and particularly with special needs students.
I will ask for sub plans.
My loved ones who ate teachers ALWAYS have to leave sub plans, even if they are in the hospital. Agree you should have dub plans to follow. Admin should be able to unearth and provide them.
Fauxmaven: no advice here, but so sorry to read that your daughter has not gotten better. Any diagnosis yet? My thoughts are with you and with her.
They are tapering her off the Prednizone very slowly. She is feeling a little better and can do a bit more around the house.
Hugs, fm.
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My loved ones who ate teachers ALWAYS have to leave sub plans,
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FM, I am sorry that your daughter’s health is still concerning.
She has had her dose of Prednizone lowered 1 mg to 6 mg.and she feels fine, so its a start!
what came of her visit to the NIH? No diagnosis from them? Glad she is feeling a little better.