Collaborating to
Accommodate Performance
Pat Bergstrom
Scott Johnson
Susan Senger
Special Education Teacher
Regular Education
Teacher
MSU-M Intern 1998 -99
Centennial Senior High School
Centennial Senior
High School
Centennial
Senior High School
Circle Pines, Minnesota
Circle Pines, Minnesota
Circle Pines,
Minnesota
Collaborating to accommodate
Performance Standards was developed by the Minnesota Department of Children
Families and Learning. It has been implemented at Centennial Senior High
School by Ms. Pat Bergstrom and Mr. Scott Johnson to assist special needs
students in the successful completion of the Minnesota High Standards. The
school counselor can assist with the identification of students in need of
accommodations and help facilitate the process of adapting the performance
package.
There is a five step process for
Collaboration
When working with students on the High
Standards, there are some definitions of terms that must be understood.
Adaptation:
the process of changing the performance package to meet the curricular,
resource or student learning needs.
Accommodation:
changing the topic, product, activities, or feedback checklist without
lowering or changing the standard.
Modification:
lowering or changing the standard to better meet the instructional needs of a
student with an IEP or 504 Plan.
Exemption:
not requiring a student with an IEP or 504 Plan to complete a particular
content standard but work toward an individual goal.
Any teacher may adapt a
performance package to meet curricular demands, resource availability or
learner needs. For example, if there is a package which uses a topic not
required by the district curriculum the topic may be changed to a required
topic. In another instance a department or grade level may choose to alter a
task activity to use the equipment available in place of the equipment
suggested in the package. Another example could be changing the package
product while maintaining the standard because the students have skills in
technology which were not demonstrated by the original product.
Each teacher should consider adapting
the performance package to accommodate the learning needs of any
student. The result is the student’s work is evaluated using the established
rubric and recorded on the cumulative report using the typical procedures.
Altering the expectations by modifying
the standard may also be considered. Modifying the standard is a team decision
and requires and IEP or 504 Plan documentation. Modifications may be the
elimination of the requirements of a portion of the content standard, or
reducing the rigor expected by the performance package. The result is the
student’s work is evaluated using an individual rating procedure and
recorded as "pass at the individual level" on the cumulative report.
A student is exempt from a
content standard when personal needs prevent success. Exempting a student from
a standard is a team decision, requiring an IEP or 504 Plan documentation and
identification of a different content standard or personal goal to be attained
in place of the standard. The result is documentation of the exemption on the
cumulative report and documentation of the individual goal and level of
achievement in the special education or 504 personal file.
The following Performance Package
Review Worksheet can be used to help the classroom teacher and the special
educator plan and identify areas in which accommodations could be suggested.
The Accommodation Plan Worksheet can be used for tracking the success of
accommodations that have been implemented.
Each educator brings special skills
and knowledge to the collaboration process. The classroom teacher brings
extensive knowledge in content, curriculum objectives, curriculum materials,
content resources and content development. The special educator brings
knowledge of various disabilities, learning styles, learning strategies,
adaptations of curriculum and changes to the learning environment. The
counselor can help identify the students who need help, whether they are
special education or regular education students.
The collaborative process can help the
student be academically successful and address social and emotional needs. It
can also enhance the teaching experience by providing opportunity for shared
teaching, team problem solving, improved communication skills and program
evaluation.
Connection to Minnesota High
Standards
The collaboration process was
developed to address the needs of special education students in the
achievement of the Minnesota High Standards. However, this process can be used
with any student that is not experiencing academic success. The school
counselor can assist with the identification of those students in need and
help facilitate the collaboration process.
References & Resources
Minnesota Department of Children
Families and Learning, Barbara Stahl
Building Collaborative Classroom, Lynn
Walz
Performance
Package Review Worksheet
Names:__________________________
____________________________________
Grade(s):_________________________
Area of
Learning:______________________________________________________________
Performance
Package:__________________________________________________________
Summary Statement of Content
Standard:___________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
What are the Tasks the students
will complete?
Specifications - What will the
students Know and be expected to Do when completed with this
performance package?
Does this match the rule?
What product(s) will the students
create during this performance package?
Find the task description (lesson
plan). Read through the presentation.
Are there special notes? If so, what
are they? How might they be helpful to you?
How does the performance criteria:
feedback checklist match the other components?
What preteaching will promote success
in this performance package?
I plan to do this package in
_____________________________(course name) and it will probably take
_____________________________________(time) to complete.
Accommodation
Plan Worksheet
Grade _____________
Teachers __________________________ ___________________________________
Standard
____________________________________________________________________________________________
Performance Package
__________________________________________________________________________________
Task (circle)
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Students
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Characteristics
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Topic
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Product
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Activities
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Preteaching
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Feedback Checklist
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Evaluation Criteria
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