In my Individualized Learning Plan I stated at the beginning of the year:
Students today are going to be entering a workforce that is very different from what their ancestors have dealt with. While they need the foundational knowledge that is covered by the standards, they also need to develop characteristics like innovation, motivation, and determination. My goal is to incorporate at least one activity for each of my high school students that will help them develop at least one of these characteristics.
I feel I have met this goal. Here are some examples from my students that are graduating…
I have one student that wanted to graduate early. His grades weren’t great last year and he had problems with time management that he was having a hard time overcoming. I was able to facilitate his attendance to a student conference where he learned several strategies to help him reach his goals. It was a struggle but he had the determination to get through.
Another one of my graduates has also been having a hard time. She come to me because she was flunking out of school. We had to figure out what motivated her in order to help her finish the classes she needed in order to graduate. We weren’t sure she would make it but she did. I’ve very proud of how she learned about herself and figured out how to overcome setbacks.
Innovation is something that many times we have a hard time providing opportunities for in a classroom. I’m grateful I don’t have that limitation. With the freedom homeschooling allows, one of my students has been able to take several engineering classes and study 3-D printing. He has already started his own business and has several paying clients.
All of my students have to meet the state standards. State standards don’t always help you be successful in the real world. I know my students will be better prepared because we worked not only on the standards but also the characteristics of innovation, motivation, and determination throughout the year.
CSTP
I feel I have grown the most in the area of meeting the individual needs of my students. This year I have been meeting individually with several of my high school students on a weekly basis to help them meet their goals. It has enabled me to really get to know them and adapt their curriculum and assessments to meet their individual needs.
I feel the area that I need the most growth is working with ESL and SPED students. I have had ESL students in the past and have worked with them successfully but I was not able to effectively communicate with their parents so it was challenging. I have several SPED students on my roster and each one has different challenges. It is an ongoing project to learn to navigate the IEP process. I have gotten better at it this year but this will be ongoing.
This year I have really been working to not get frustrated with the bureaucracy that is involved in academia. In many ways I have been successful and have been able to work better with my students, families, and colleagues. With the current pandemic it has been challenging. It is not the fault of the school or its administration. The unknown has been hard on teachers and students – even those that were homeschooling before.
What I am most proud of this year is how I’ve been able to develop closer relationships with the families that I work with. The parents are willing to call me for advice and we work well together.