IEP goals are set for a reason. Continuous monitoring of these goals is necessary to guide the teaching of the student. This is a sure way to be accountable for doing your job as a teacher. In order to determine what successes you have had with meeting these goals, you must look at them periodically. Monitoring the goals also makes the teacher responsible for stepping up the game and providing interventions to help these children get caught up if they are struggling with meeting their goals.
Cook, Ruth E., Klein M. Diane, & Tessier, Annette. (2008). Adapting Early Childhood Curricula for Children with Special Needs (7th Edition). Columbus, OH: Pearson Prentice Hall.
Regina, I liked your phrase "stepping up the game". It is up to the teacher to put the work in to ensure no child slips through.
ReplyDeleteI do think it is important to be accountable for making sure that services are provided and those services are meeting the child's needs. Monitoring progress provides evidence of how the child is progressing.
ReplyDeleteTeachers do need to be held accountable for providing progress notes. As a teacher I want to be able to provide information stating what interventions are being tried to help the children, if the child is just not learning the goals then I want to make sure I have proof that it isn't from the lack of trying. Teachers also have to watch out for parents who always think they could do the job better. As professionals, we all know that it happens!
ReplyDeleteGood point about the teacher taking responsibility for "stepping up the game". I agree the teacher has to be the one to monitor these goals and make sure they are being met. We all know as teachers sometimes (often, actually) the first technique we use might not work, the child might not connect with it. We have to try SO many different strategies, but when that child does connect, it is magical!
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