Caroline Woody

SPED854

Module 5: Reflection on the Broken Arm Case Study

1. Throughout the case study, I learned that both Mary and Helen were not open to

collaborating and communicating with each other. Each teacher had different teaching

styles, but they did not communicate with each other in order to find a compromise that

would work for their students. Mary, who was more reserved and realistic in her

expectations, was likely motivated by the fact that she considered herself the expert on

co-teaching at Crossroads High School. She clearly had found a good balance with her

previous co-teacher and wrongfully assumed that the incoming teacher would be open to

the same experience. Helen, however, had a very different approach to teaching. While

she did not seem as compassionate as Mary, she was motivated by the growth her

students made each year. She thought high standards were important for her students and

was motivated by testing and post-secondary achievement.

2. There are many reasons why the co-teaching experience between Mary and Helen was

not successful. First of all, they did not communicate effectively. This hindered their

ability to collaborate. Effective co-teachers plan ahead of time. Even though Helen was

hired on short notice, the planning sessions could have been more productive. When

Helen and Mary met, Mary did not voice her concerns. This would have been the

appropriate time to share her concerns about the spelling grade. Additionally, Mary did

not communicate throughout the class. She knew Jim was struggling on the weekly

spelling tests, and should have brought that to Helens attention after the first week.

Together, they could have found a solution for Jim. Waiting until the last minute
 undermines the severity of the problem. Effective co-teachers are involved throughout the

planning, instruction, and assessment process. It was clear that Mary and Helen were not

on the same page from the start. They had different expectations for their students and did

not use assessments to guide their instruction. Ultimately, this lack of collaboration and

communication had devastating results for their students, particularly Jim.

3. The special education teacher and general education teacher should work together to

determine what students require accommodations and modifications. They should also

explicitly explain what those accommodations or modifications are and who will be

responsible for implementing them. If a student has accommodations or modifications

listed on their IEP, they must be implemented in the classroom. A special education

teacher may decide to try out an accommodation or modification if a student shows a

need for more support in an area or skill. For example, they might work with the general

education teacher to provide a copy of guided notes if a student seems to be struggling

with writing information down. If this is successful, it will likely be added to the IEP.

Mary tried to support Jim by chunking the spelling lists each week. This is an

accommodation because he was still expected to spell the same words as his peers. Mary

also tried providing study strategies for Jim. Other accommodations included a computer,

spell check, and grammar guides. These accommodations were not effective and did not

result in progress for Jim. Mary ultimately decided a modification would be better suited

for Jim based on his needs in the area of spelling. Her solution was to have Jim select the

correct spelling from a list rather than produce the correct spelling by hand. The

effectiveness of this modification is unknown as Helen did not agree to implementing it.
4. Collaboration and communication are essential in the process of co-teaching. General

education teachers and special education teachers must communicate with each other in

order to effectively teach all students. Additionally, they should be willing to

communicate with administration and other school personnel when needed. For example,

they may need to request coverage in order to find time to plan for upcoming lessons.

Most importantly, communication and collaboration is essential because of the

experience it provides students and families. Co-teaching can be a great way to

incorporate students with special needs into the general education setting. Inclusion has

positive benefits for all students. However, students and parents will be frustrated if they

do not feel like their needs are being met appropriately.