Remediation Reflection/Growth Statement

Writing my own IEP based on data I collected and analyzed from last semester was very
helpful. While I student taught in an inclusion classroom, I had never actually gotten a close look
at an IEP. I flipped through one very quickly during my time in a sixth grade classroom but that
was the most interaction Id had with an IEP. It helped to actually write an IEP based on real data
I collected. On first glance of the sample IEPs, it seemed very difficult, complicated, and
confusing. However, being able to write one based on a student I knew and had collected data on
made it real. This is a skill I will definitely need at one point in my career. While Im sure I will
need more practice before I can write a good IEP, it helped to have my initial practice before I
am in a situation where I am required to write one for a student who truly needs it. Being able to
use the template and see all the aspects involved was a huge help. It gave me a better
understanding of what an IEP actually entails. I feel more prepared to write an IEP and
explain/analyze what is written in an IEP. Further, I feel confident in creating SMART goals.
The paragraph above is what I wrote in my final growth statement after having written
my IEP. Now that I have been teaching for a year and a half, I have become more familiar with
IEPs. While I have not had to write one, both this year and last year Ive had up to six students in
my class who have IEPs. However, I stand by what I said in the earlier reflection. Having the
experience of actually testing a student and then writing an IEP made a huge difference when I
started teaching. I was already very familiar with the different parts of an IEP and I knew what I
was looking at when I received the IEPs of my prior students. Now having been in the field and
having had the practice of writing an IEP, I feel more confident in my abilities to write one,
should it come up in the future.