Supervising and Coaching Special Education Teachers

In the coaching cycle, the pre-conference sets the tone for the teacher coaching and development process. It is during the pre-conference that expectations are made clear and the details of the process are discussed. Thoughtful principals will prepare ahead of time for the pre-conference, to consider the unique needs of the teacher with whom they will be meeting.

In this topic’s field experience, you will be conducting a pre-conference with a special education teacher. Before the pre-conference, write a 500-750 word summary developing the following questions. For each question, describe the responses you would expect to receive from a special education teacher, and how you might coach that teacher during the pre- or post-conference.

• What questions might you ask about their lessons (i.e., objectives, state standards being addressed, activities, assessments, and materials)? What questions might you ask that would provide you with information about the students’ IEPs, accommodations, specific disabilities, etc.
• What questions might you ask to identify the teacher’s plan to differentiate instruction?
• What questions might you ask to identify areas where the teacher believes students struggle, and how the teacher will address these areas?
• What questions might you ask to determine the teacher’s understanding of students’ prior knowledge and how, if at all, it has guided the instructional planning for this lesson?
• What questions might you ask to determine the teacher’s classroom management plan and any behavior intervention plans for individual students?

Provide a minimum of three scholarly resources to support your response.

Supervising and Coaching Special Education Teachers – Rubric

Lessons and Student Needs 9 points

Criteria Description

Lessons and Student Needs

5. Target 9 points

Questions and expected responses thoroughly address the lesson components and

information regarding the students’ IEPs, accommodations, and specific

disabilities.

4. Acceptable 7.83 points

Questions and expected responses appropriately address the lesson components

and information regarding the students’ IEPs, accommodations, and specific

disabilities.

3. Approaching 6.66 points

Questions and expected responses minimally address the lesson components and

information regarding the students’ IEPs, accommodations, and specific disabilities.

2. Insufficient 6.21 points

Questions and expected responses inadequately address the lesson components

and information regarding the students’ IEPs, accommodations, and specific

disabilities.

1. No Submission 0 points

Di�erentiated Instruction 9 points

Criteria Description

Differentiated Instruction

5. Target 9 points

Questions and expected responses insightfully address the teacher’s plan to

differentiate

instruction.

4. Acceptable 7.83 points

Questions and expected responses significantly address the teacher’s plan to

differentiate instruction.

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3. Approaching 6.66 points

Questions and expected responses superficially address the teacher’s plan to

differentiate instruction.

2. Insufficient 6.21 points

Questions and expected responses fail to identify the teacher’s plan to differentiate

instruction.

Struggling Students 9 points

Criteria Description

Struggling Students

5. Target 9 points

Questions and expected responses professionally identify areas the teacher

believes

students struggle and how the teacher plans to address these areas.

4. Acceptable 7.83 points

Questions and expected responses effectively identify areas the teacher believes

students struggle and how the teacher plans to address these areas.

3. Approaching 6.66 points

Questions and expected responses inexplicitly identify areas the teacher believes

students struggle and how the teacher plans to address these areas.

2. Insufficient 6.21 points

Questions and expected responses ineffectively identify areas the teacher believes

students struggle and how the teacher plans to address these areas.

1. No Submission 0 points

Not addressed.

Prior Knowledge

9 points

Criteria Description

Prior Knowledge

5. Target 9 points

Questions and expected responses thoughtfully determine the teacher’s

understanding of student’s prior knowledge and how it guides instructional

planning.

4. Acceptable 7.83 points

Questions and expected responses successfully determine the teacher’s

understanding of student’s prior knowledge and how it guides instructional

planning.

3. Approaching 6.66 points

Questions and expected responses minimally determine the teacher’s

understanding of student’s prior knowledge and how it guides instructional

planning.

2. Insufficient 6.21 points

Questions and expected responses inadequately determine the teacher’s

understanding of student’s prior knowledge and how it guides instructional

planning.

Classroom Management 9 points

Criteria Description

Classroom Management

5. Target 9 points

Questions and expected responses skillfully determine the teacher’s classroom

management plan and any behavior intervention plans for individual students.

4. Acceptable 7.83 points

Questions and expected responses competently determine the teacher’s classroom

management plan and any behavior intervention plans for individual students.

3. Approaching 6.66 points

Questions and expected responses superficially evaluate the teacher’s classroom

management plan and any behavior intervention plans for individual students.

2. Insufficient 6.21 points

Questions and expected responses fail to determine the teacher’s classroom

management plan and any behavior intervention plans for individual students.

1. No Submission 0 points

Not addressed.

Documentation of Sources 3 points

Criteria Description

citations, footnotes, references, bibliography, etc., as appropriate to assignment and

style

5. Target 3 points

Sources are completely and correctly documented, as appropriate to assignment

and style. Format is free of error.

4. Acceptable 2.61 points

Sources are documented, as appropriate to assignment and style, and format is

mostly correct.

3. Approaching 2.22 points

Sources are documented, as appropriate to assignment and style, although some

key formatting and citation errors are present.

2. Insufficient 2.07 points

Documentation of sources is inconsistent and/or incorrect, as appropriate to

assignment and style, with numerous formatting errors.

1. No Submission 0 points

Organization 6 points

Criteria Description

Organization

5. Target 6 points

The content is well-organized and logical. There is a sequential progression of ideas

that relate to each other. The content is presented as a cohesive unit and provides

the audience with a clear sense of the main idea. The summary is within the

required word count.

4. Acceptable 5.22 points

The content is logically organized. The ideas presented relate to each other. The

content provides the audience with a clear sense of the main idea. The summary is

within a reasonable range of the

required word count.

3. Approaching 4.44 points

The content is not adequately organized even though it provides the audience with

a sense of the main idea. The summary may not be within a reasonable range of the

required word count.

2. Insufficient 4.14 points

An attempt is made to organize the content, but the sequence is indiscernible. The

ideas presented are compartmentalized and may not relate to each other; or the

summary is widely outside of the required word count.

Mechanics of Writing 6 points

Criteria Description

includes spelling, punctuation, grammar, language use

5. Target 6 points

Submission is virtually free of mechanical errors. Word choice reflects well-

developed use of practice and content-related language. Sentence structures are

varied and engaging.

4. Acceptable 5.22 points

Submission includes some mechanical errors, but they do not hinder

comprehension. Variety of effective sentence structures are used, as well as some

practice and content-related language.

3. Approaching 4.44 points

Frequent and repetitive mechanical errors distract the reader. Inconsistent

language or word choice is present. Sentence structure is lacking.

2. Insufficient 4.14 points

Surface errors are pervasive enough that they impede communication of meaning.

Inappropriate word choice or sentence construction are used.

1. No Submission 0 points

Total 60 points