BRIGHT SPOTS

Improved Outcomes for Students with Disabilities

This Bright Spot comes from Gina Cerone at Ardsley High School.

What student outcome was achieved?
A student was struggling academically in her chemistry class because of challenges with organization, note-taking, writing down homework assignments, and getting to class on time. Then she started keeping a weekly chart of what she wanted to improve and what she was accomplishing. Both she and her teacher noted major improvements in organization, effort and participation in the class, resulting in both better grades and a more positive attitude towards class!

What instructional practice or systemic change supported this student success?
After attending the RSE-TASC training on Student-Directed IEPs, Gina decided to engage this student in a student-directed IEP process. She worked with the student to help her understand her IEP goals and gave her a binder with a checklist for tracking her own progress. This simple process of engaging the student in monitoring her own progress produced tremendous results.

 

What can we learn from this Bright Spot?

  • Student self-regulation, or the process of engaging students in setting and monitoring their own progress towards meaningful goals, produces greater academic and behavioral  success.
tagline
Our Bright Spot this month comes from Kim Arruda at Hawthorne Country Day School.

What student outcome was achieved?
Students at Hawthorne Country Day are acquiring, practicing, and generalizing critical skills aimed at increasing both their overall levels of independence and personal experiences of success and joy. Through experiential work-based learning opportunities both on and off- campus, students are exploring their interests and developing work-based skills while engaging in a variety of exciting tasks and activities.

What instructional practice or systemic change supported this student success?
Staff have set up five external work-based learning sites, including a state park, a day habilitation center to NY, a social service center, an historical society and a sporting goods store.  Work tasks at these sites range from raking leaves and painting fences to filing to collecting, sorting, organizing and gift-wrapping clothing. On campus students also participate in two student-led enterprises, running a school store affectionately known as “Lunchy Munchy” and shopping for and preparing breakfast each Friday for staff members. Soon there will be additional school-based enterprises, including a campus-wide recycling program, plant care and pizza deliveries to the preschool campus.

What can we learn from this Bright Spot?

  • Student engagement and independence are critical goals that can be achieved through work-based learning both in and out of the school setting.
  • Every school can create multiple school-based work enterprises.  Your creativity is your only limit.

     

SHARE YOUR BRIGHT SPOT








Skip to toolbar