Individualized Learning Plan

SPED 235
SECTION 1 INFORMATION

Candidate: Rebecca Demmers Credential Area of Emphasis: Mild/Moderate

District: Firebaugh Las-Deltas Unified School District School: A.E. Mills Intermediate School
Content Area: All academic areas (ELA/Math/Science/History) and behavior
Teaching Assignment: 3rd-5th Grade SDC management

SECTION 1.1 FOCUS OF THE INQUIRY: Determining what I need to know and be able to do
Based on data (i.e., self-assessment on the Continuum of Teaching Practice, observations, student work samples, etc.) collected during the Context
for Teaching and Learning and Assessment of Teaching and Learning modules, determine the focus area(s) for this semester.
The focus of this semester will be to adapt the strategies I use during my math lessons so that my students’ needs are met to benefit them making progress
towards their IEP goals.

Which CSTP element(s) will be addressed? 1.4 Using a variety of instructional strategies, resources, and technologies to meet students’ diverse
learning needs.
1.6 Monitoring student learning and adjusting instruction while teaching.
What is your focus question for this semester? How can I interpret formal and informal assessments to make beneficial decisions to improve my
instruction in the area of mathematics that increase the successful demonstration of understanding of the content being taught to my students?

By the end of the inquiry and as a result of your action research and plan, what changes would you expect in student
achievement? Write as in observable, measurable terms . By December 2020, when my current students are given a pre and post assessment
including 10 content specific math problems that aligns to their specific IEP goals they will show improvement of understanding of the math concepts by
increasing their performance scores by a minimum of 20% (increase of at least 2 more problems solved successfully) for 6 of my 9 students.

SPED 236
SECTION 2: ACTION PLAN: Examining research related to my focus question and applying new learning in my instructional
setting
Dates of Research: Describe resources used Application: Describe Measurable Results: Describe the
research (e.g., talked to colleague. researched online. implementation of new knowledge impact on student achievement
other)

Copyright © Commission on Teacher Credentialing and the California Department of Education Page 1 of 6
Formative Assessment for California Teachers (FACT)
  
This meeting was able to provide step by step This webinar has provided valuable
August 2020 Attend Zoom Meeting for Education details about what capabilities Zoom has and information on how to utilize Zoom. There
(Educators and Students) Webinar hosted by how it could be a beneficial resource for are several components that you can use that
the Zoom company to educate users how to instruction. This meeting first discussed how are not always obvious with this platform. I
properly utilize Zoom as well as show the use to set up Zoom for your individual needs. It found being on the student end of the Zoom
of Zoom from the perspective of the student. explained how to download the app on most screen was very beneficial because it allows
This resource will provide me with more devices including chromebook. It explained for me to keep in mind how the information I
information on how to properly use Zoom and how to walk your students through am sharing is being portrayed to my
understand how the student feels when using downloading the app or to utilize it as a web students. It is not always a direct image
it. I want to be able to utilize online resources page. It demonstrated how the Zoom app can being pushed through. It also allows me to
that benefit my students, not overwhelm have access to your google calendar in order better instruct my students and their families
them.      to update both schedules at the same time. on how to utilize Zoom. For example, I can
By going to your google calendar you can now show them how to share their screen
also add guests, which is how you can verify with me, explain how to unmute themselves,
students are receiving invites and Zoom or how to allow video to come through. If I
meeting information. It went through all the was not provided this information, or had not
settings you can change for meetings, such attended this webinar that information would
as allowing video or not. not be common knowledge for me. This
webinar was very beneficial in contributing to
Once the set-up portion was completed then my professional growth goal because I now
they continued to describe the settings feel comfortable using Zoom to its full
available for your screen such as mirroring, capability as well as instructing others (peers
automatically muting yourself when you enter and families) on how Zoom can be utilized to
a classroom, how to set up different speaker provide significant direct instruction. This is a
options, using headphones, and how to great technology tool to help provide distance
change the host as needed. Each of these learning for my students.
components were very useful to learn about
because I was not sure how to explain these
items to my students or their families.

The last portion of this meeting was to

provide the opportunity to see the student
end of things when a Zoom is occuring. When
each change was made on the administrators
side, we as attendees, saw what the student
would see when those changes were made. It
made me aware of how big the screen is,
what is well visible and what isn’t. They held
up different items to make us aware of
potential glare. One of the key items I was
able to see was the share screen. It made me
 aware of what exactly students could see and
how to adjust what they saw based upon a
variety of tools Zoom provides. They
demonstrated a brief interactive lesson by
utilizing screen share, it also showed how to
play a video for a student and to make sure
the sound was able to be heard to all parties
attending. Each of these demonstrated pieces
of Zoom was very beneficial to my overall
understanding of the platform and how to use
it in an appropriate way for my students
during distance learning.

Observed a 3rd grade teacher giving a math Throughout this observation I was able to
September Going to observe a 3rd grade teacher utilizing lesson focusing on addition with regrouping grasp several different instructional strategies
2020     Google Meets and setting up academic through Google Meets. This teacher used a to use when teaching math at a distance.
lessons for their students. A math lesson will combination of a color coded anchor chart, One of the key things I took away from the
be observed for 3rd grade students to see white board, drawn dots, tens blocks, and observation was that a combination of
how to keep the students engaged and what detailed explanations of the addition problem manipulatives (sent home prior to the lesson)
manipulatives work best when using distance to assist their students throughout the lesson. as well as visual charts can be just as
learning. By observing another teacher The students clearly struggled with effective to use via distance learning as it is
utilizing a distance learning resource such as understanding the concepts of what numbers in the classroom. When I think about what
Google Meets I can see what might work well are added together in the ones and tens skills my students have and what skills they
for instructing my students through distance place. In order to make sure the student are still developing I further understand the
learning. remained focused the teacher would repeat importance of repeating the same math
instructions as needed and point to the problem, instead of just trying another. When
anchor chart for both verbal and visual the students were able to successfully solve
instruction to occur simultaneously. They the problem they were originally struggling
would then ask the student to write down with it built their confidence and they seemed
what the student heard and have the student to retain more of the problem solving
explain the problem to the best of their concepts.
ability. At that point the teacher was verifying
the students understanding of the task and
could determine if the problem needed to be
repeated or if the student could move on to
the next task. The use of the tens blocks for
the student (while at home) seemed to be
very beneficial because they could hold

FACT System 2011 – Page 3

 something that served as a number value
instead of just having the concept in their
minds. It made the values much clearer to
them.

September  Complete an Iris Module titled, “Classroom This module went into great detail about In my classroom I chose to use three
2020 Assessment and Monitoring Achievement”. what the purpose and use of progress different ELA probes to use during my three
This module will support CSTP 1.6 in regards monitoring is. The module stated that the different leveled groups within my classroom.
to building my skill set in checking for purpose of progress monitoring is to When using these probes I structured my
understanding demonstrate growth over short periods of groups to begin the lesson with explaining
time, identify if changes need to be made the expectations of each probe for my
from their current instruction, and overall groups. Letter sound fluency, word
how effective the instruction is for each identification fluency, and passage reading
student. The types of progress monitoring fluency probes were administered. Based
that were discussed included mastery upon the probes administered I graded the
measurement (MM) and curriculum based probes and determined that each of my three
measurement (CBM). When using the original lesson plans needed to be altered to
mastery measurement the lessons are better support my students' needs.
focused into being broken down into subset Therefore, the results of the first probe
skills. Once the student has met the criteria administered gave me a baseline to rearrange
for mastering that skill the next lesson in the the content that was taught that week during
unit is taught. Each skill that is mastered will the lessons. I readministered the same
continue to build until they progress enough probes the following week once the content
to be introduced to a new skill. When using a was covered in small groups. Growth was
curriculum based measurement probe it is made, but it made me aware that the probes
focused on what skills the students have from can allow me to alter my teaching which is
the entire school year, not just one skill at a how I can check for understanding over short
time. The steps listed to complete a and long term instruction periods.
curriculum based measurement included; 1)
create or select appropriate tests, 2) This contributed to progress towards my
administer and score the probes, 3) graph professional growth goal because although
the scores, 4) set goals, 5) make instructional this is not appropriate to use during every
decisions, 6) communicate progress. This lesson it does provide me with the ability to
allows for a more detailed and focused refocus my lessons and teach more
progress to be monitored. Being in the effectively because I checked what my
special education setting have data that can students understood before starting lessons.
be used as evidence during annual and This will make my lesson structure and
triennial IEP’s is more beneficial for both the content more relevant and appropriate for
student and myself. Being able to show long each of my students. Without the data from
term growth through probes administered administered probes I would not know what
frequently to meet short term objectives as the specific needs of my students.
 well.

The module provided several probes for ELA

and Math as well as suggestions for how to
create your own probes as needed and as
appropriate for my students. After looking at
the probes I found several that were
appropriate for my students to use. It gave
me a resource that I can now implement in
my classroom to better check for my
students' understanding during lessons.

September I will complete an Iris Module titled, This module was very insightful in regards to Based upon the information that I learned
2020 “Differentiated Instruction: Maximizing the sharing the importance of students' ZPD and during this module I had students take an
Learning of All Students” for the purpose of sharing different classroom management interest inventory (I used a few due to my
furthering my knowledge of how I can strategies to help appropriately group students levels) in order to get to know them,
differentiate my instruction based upon what students based upon their true academic especially through distance learning. This was
is most beneficial for my diverse student needs. It went into detail about how to extremely beneficial because I could then
populations. assess students' readiness levels with pick lessons and assessments that included
examples. Utilizing differentiated instruction is as many of their interests as possible to get
not just targeted at special education maximum performances out of my students. I
students, but the general education only wanted to get true data and by targeting
students as well which gives me insight on what they have expressed interest in showed
how to use this strategy when I am deciding to be very motivating. I also began to build
how my students should be mainstreamed. student portfolios utilizing assignments
completed asynchronously and paper pencil
One of the main points that resonated with work in order to keep a running record of
me is that you have to focus on supporting their progress.
students across academic areas, but each
area may need very different support. It also Based upon a few readiness assessments
discussed how to scaffold within content (formal and informal) I was able to make
areas based upon identified needs. Another tiered groups for both ELA and Math. It was
key point that is most useful for my very insightful to me to learn how high one of
knowledge is when to provide assessments my students was in Math, but in the lowest
(ex: pre and post) as well as what performing group for ELA. I had a 2nd
assessments can give you the most student who was exactly the opposite. If I
information for the time in which you would have only used a work sample or 1 of
administer them. Sometimes the same the assessment options that information
assessment proves to not be the best would not have been revealed to me. We are
approach. Having flexibility and a variety of not seeing clear progress with this students
assessments can provide the best results that because they are in a more appropriate
benefit the student and your classroom the instructional group.
FACT System 2011 – Page 5
 most.
October 2020 I will be observing an English language  I was able to observe an English language When implementing the fist to five strategy I
development integration class through Google development (ELD) class. One of the main found it very useful to observe how the
Meets. I will be observing and taking notes strategies that were used most frequently teacher focused not just on justifying what
about how the instructors check for was the fist to five process. How the strategy they did understand, but for those who did
understanding amongst their students. Peer was implemented was through an oral not understand trying to gauge where the
input on new strategies will be added to my question was asked stating if they understood students seemed to lose their focus and
teacher toolbox.  to show them 5 and if they do not understanding. When implementing my
understand show a fist. It is a rating system green, yellow, red check for understanding
that the students determine how they boards I only focused on the students who
understand the content being taught. What I understood to make sure they really were
thought was more important to this process is being honest. I did not think to ask the
the teachers asked for those holding a 5 up students who chose yellow or red. I just
to justify their choice. They were asked for assumed they needed to have the lesson
the students to give me an example of their retaught. I could have better gauged what
understanding. When they had a fist to a 2 part of the lesson they did comprehend to be
they would be asked what did you hear, or more efficient in my lesson planning and
what part can I repeat for you? This helped changing my instruction within my lessons.  
keep students accountable for their choices
and for rating their level of comprehension.
Therefore the effectiveness of this strategy
was more reliable, then just using a hand
signal.