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Lydia · Web view2019. 9. 9. · Lydia lives with both of her biological parents and currently...
Transcript of Lydia · Web view2019. 9. 9. · Lydia lives with both of her biological parents and currently...
Lydia
Fall 2013
Jessica Stanton
Case Study
Bradley University – ETE 443
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Introduction
This document is a compilation of information, which was obtained from sources
including parent questionnaires and direct classroom observation and assessment, about a four
year old child named Lydia. Lydia is placed in the preschool classroom where I am the
classroom teacher. Data was collected over the course of several weeks in the child’s normal
classroom environment, as well as in individual sessions outside of the normal classroom day, in
order to provide comprehensive and authentic assessment information. Permission for all
assessment was obtained from the child’s parents prior to the study.
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Table of Contents
Introduction.............................................................................................................................................2
General Information...............................................................................................................................2
Background Information........................................................................................................................2
History and Milestones.......................................................................................................................2
Family Information.............................................................................................................................2
Educational Experiences....................................................................................................................2
Assessment...............................................................................................................................................2
Observations ...................................................................................................................................2
Assessment Data..................................................................................................................................2
Results of Appropriate Assessment Measures...............................................................................2
Instructional Recommendations and Educational Goals..................................................................2
Environment.........................................................................................................................................2
Individualized Teaching.....................................................................................................................2
Communication Plan for Sharing Results........................................................................................2
Summary Report..............................................................................................................................2
Documentation Panel......................................................................................................................2
Reflection..................................................................................................................................................2
Appendix...................................................................................................................................................2
Appendix B Classroom Photos...........................................................................................................2
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General Information
Lydia is a four year old student who attends full day preschool in a mixed-age, faith-
based early childhood classroom at Northminster Learning Center. She is a second year
preschool student in a classroom containing 19 students aged 3-5 years, with a lead teacher and
associate teacher. Lydia also attended a toddler program two mornings a week as a two-year-old
in her year prior to attending the preschool program. Lydia is an English language speaker and
there are no other languages regularly spoken in her home. Lydia attends before care and after
care at her center.
The learning center where Lydia attends is based in the philosophy that children learn
best through active, engaged, and meaningful play. It is believed that children’s natural curiosity
to explore and manipulate their world should be supported through opportunities to use their
senses, manipulate real objects and work together with other children and with adults. The
learning center implements the Project Approach where students and teachers embark on in-
depth investigations of topics motivated by the interests of the children.
Lydia is engaged in her classroom environment, and, being a second year student
returning to the same classroom, is a leader for her peers. Lydia’s parents support the learning
center’s efforts, maintain ongoing contact with me as Lydia’s teacher, and partner with me in her
learning journey.
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Background Information
History and Milestones
Lydia was born to healthy parents after a normal pregnancy. Lydia is a typically
developing child who has reached developmental milestones within average guidelines. Lydia
has a primary case pediatrician that she sees regularly for developmental physicals and well child
visits. She is a child in good physical health with no history of chronic illness or disease.
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Family Information
Lydia lives with both of her biological parents and currently has no siblings. Her home is
a literacy-rich environment in which both parents support Lydia’s literacy development. Her
parents read to her regularly to foster emergent literacy skills, provide books and other print
materials at her level, and offer writing and drawing materials for her to practice written
language. Lydia’s parents are both educated individuals who value the learning process and take
an active role in their daughter’s education by staying abreast of the best practices in early
childhood education and by maintaining consistent contact with Lydia’s teachers. As an
elementary school principal, Lydia’s mother is aware of the expectations facing Lydia as she
enters primary school next year and both parents strive to prepare their daughter for her next
learning experience.
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Educational Experiences
Lydia’s current preschool placement is an environment which supports the need for
children to actively explore and investigate as they learn through meaningful play. As Lydia’s
classroom teacher, I strive to create an ideal classroom environment where all children can feel
nurtured, accepted, and successful. In order to achieve this, I work to maintain an environment
that is warm and welcoming, organized and adaptive, and effective and purposeful.
Lydia’s classroom environment is a mixed-age classroom where she shines as a second
year student. Ample opportunity is provided for Lydia to demonstrate her awareness of what it
means to be a leader as she models for other students the skills she has mastered. Lydia is
challenged through instruction that is differentiated for her skill level, building upon
foundational skills she has learned both from her home environment and previous preschool
experiences. A daily schedule is provided on the following page. It illustrates the diverse
experiences offered to Lydia each day with a balance of active and quiet times, as well as large
group and small group experiences.
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Daily Schedule currently in use in Lydia’s full day preschool classroom
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AssessmentObservations
Lydia is observed throughout the day as she plays and works in the classroom. I have had
the opportunity to observe Lydia in the classroom daily over the last few months as her preschool
classroom teacher. I link daily lesson plans with the Illinois Early Learning and Development
Standards. This necessary step helps me to complete ongoing assessment by taking anecdotal
notes throughout the classroom day as lessons are presented, by completing a developmental
checklist that is tied to the standards, and by collecting samples of Lydia’s work. Observations
are collected in a folder which I regularly cross reference with the standards included in my
lesson plans and with Lydia’s developmental checklist in order to ensure that I am observing
Lydia in all domains and that I am seeing progress over time.
As Lydia participates in language lessons throughout the day, and in activities which
support this development, she demonstrates phonemic awareness skills, alphabet knowledge, and
reading readiness. Lydia identifies and names all upper and lower case letters of the alphabet and
makes letter-sound connections. Lydia successfully participates in phonemic awareness lessons
presented to her in the classroom through the Haggerty approach. She recognizes several high
frequency words and sight words in classroom language arts activities. These observations are
what supported the use of the Woodcock Reading Mastery Assessment included in this study.
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Assessment Data
To better assess Lydia’s development in the domain of Language and Literacy, the
Woodcock Reading Mastery assessment was conducted. In addition to this assessment, a basic
evaluation of letter knowledge was completed as well as benchmark reading passages and
running records using leveled readers from www.readinga-z.com. A sight word assessment was
also conducted using the pre-primer and primer Dolch sight word lists rom
www.atozteacherstuff.com. These assessments, along with anecdotal records from classroom
observations and a developmental checklist, make up the assessment data included in this case
study.
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Results of Appropriate Assessment Measures
Lydia was administered the first three assessments included in the Woodcock Reading
Mastery. The portions that were age appropriate for Lydia included Visual-Auditory Learning,
Letter Identification, and Word Identification. In the first administration of the assessment, Lydia
scored in the 99th percentile in the Visual-Auditory and Letter Identification portions of the
Woodcock Reading Mastery. She scored with a grade equivalent of 1.2 in the Word
Identification portion of the evaluation. Lydia was four years and two months old at the time of
the assessment. The tool was designed for the use of children ages five and up who are in
kindergarten, however, skills Lydia demonstrated in the classroom prompted the use of the
assessment. Her results are included in the following pages. The word identification portion of
the test was administered again approximately six weeks after the initial assessment, concurrent
with a re-administration of the Dolch sight word assessments. Lydia’s scores on both
measurements illustrated improvements in her ability to recognize common sight words.
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Instructional Recommendations and Educational Goals
Environment
Assessment data for Lydia indicates that she is strong in the domain of Language and
Literacy and that she can benefit from additional resources which challenge her abilities. In the
classroom environment, providing additional resources for Lydia to access common sight words
as well as continued use of additional high-frequency words in classroom literacy lessons will
build upon Lydia’s emergent reading skills. The addition of leveled readers at Lydia’s reading
level to various locations in the classroom will offer her additional opportunities to practice
reading and language decoding skills.
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Individualized Teaching
In order to provide differentiated instruction for Lydia in the Language and Literacy
domain, individualized reading groups can be formed where Lydia and other emergent readers
can support one another in their skill development. Leveled readers can be determined using
benchmark passages and appropriate early reading books can be provided. Monitoring Lydia’s
reading level and providing individualized instruction in smaller groups can support and
encourage her emergent skills and build her confidence as a reader.
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Communication Plan for Sharing Results
In order to establish a strong relationship with families, it is important to have a
communication plan in place (see Family Connection Plan example below). From the very
beginning of the school year, important connections are made with parents. Being accessible to
them and offering a straightforward approach to my expectations of their child, offers a mutual
respect that parents appreciate. The connection plan I have in place includes strategies for
connecting with parents on a regular basis through weekly newsletters, parent nights, parent
teacher conferences, and behavior plans. An orientation packet for parents proves helpful for
dispensing information about classroom routines and procedures. Results of assessments are
shared at the time of assessment, at parent-teacher conferences, or at meetings scheduled to
discuss plans for what steps to take with the information collected.
Information about Lydia’s progress is shared with her parents as necessary, as they
inquire, and at parent-teacher conferences. Her progress is also shared through ongoing
documentation displayed in or near the classroom. At parent-teacher conferences, I share a
portfolio with Lydia’s parents which includes samples I have collected of Lydia’s work in
several learning domains, including: Language and Literacy, Mathematical Thinking, Scientific
Thinking, Social Studies, and Fine Arts. I also share a summary report which I have written as a
compilation of my observations, supported by the developmental checklist I have completed for
Lydia. In addition to the above, I also plan to provide Lydia’s parents with a copy of this case
study, discussing with them my further assessments of their daughter and my educational goals
for her.
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Family Connection Plan
Beginning of the school year:
Early Childhood Home Visits
For children just entering school in a preschool setting, home visits provide the opportunity for
teachers to introduce themselves to the child and to the family in a setting most comfortable to
the child. Calming the child’s fears and offering a home-school connection before the child
enters school sets the stage for a positive “first day” experience for the child, the parents, and the
teacher. At the home visit, teachers can introduce themselves, and give the child an impression of
what school will be like by bringing sample materials with them from the classroom. An
introductory teacher-made booklet with photos of the school building, the classroom, and the
child’s teachers, helps the child to know more about what to expect when they arrive at school.
Early Childhood Classroom Visit Day
Prior to the start of school, a classroom visit day is provided for families where the children can
visit the classroom with their parents. This event is an open house in which families can come
and go at their comfort level. Exploring the classroom with their parent before the first day of
school makes the child more secure in the classroom environment being a safe place for them to
spend time.
Back to School Night
Parents are invited to attend a back to school night where they can meet the teacher and learn
about the plans for the classroom. The teacher is able to share expectations for the children, and
answer any questions the parents may have. This is an excellent opportunity to go over the
school handbook with parents outlining the specifics of their child’s school, classroom, and
grounds. Key highlights of the year can be mentioned at this time, and parents can volunteer to
be involved in upcoming projects and events.
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Ongoing Connection Opportunities:
Parent Board
Inside the classroom, having a small bulletin board for pertinent information offers parents
communication at a glance. School menus, calendars, and volunteer sign-ups are excellent modes
of communication to place here. This board is updated as necessary.
Classroom Blog
The development of a classroom blog allows the teacher a simple, easy way to post messages
and photos highlighting the classroom’s events. Blogging about current curriculum, classroom
happenings, and school-wide events keeps parents informed on a daily basis. Prior to posting
photos of any children, permission must be given by parents who have signed a written
permission form allowing their child’s image to be posted here. Security controls are to be in
place to ensure parent-only access to the blog.
Email and Phone Accessibility
Providing parents with an email address and phone number where they can reach their child’s
teacher is a simple way to extend an invitation for them to share with the teacher any concerns
they have or information they find important.
Weekly Newsletters
Every week, the parents are mailed or emailed a newsletter outlining the past weeks highlights,
and notifying them of upcoming curriculum, trips, or events. Specifics about topics of study and
what the children learned through classroom activities are shared in the newsletter. This keeps
the parents abreast of the classroom experiences and prepares them for what is coming up. The
newsletter also provides an opening for parents to discuss the week’s events with their child at
home by giving them specific classroom experience for them to ask their child about.
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Parent-Teacher Conferences
No less than twice per year for early childhood and primary classrooms, and as necessary at
other times during the year, parents should be offered, and encouraged to schedule, a conference
with the teacher to discuss their child’s progress and address any concerns they or the teacher
may have about the child’s academic or social development. Any screenings, assessments, and
documented work collected in the classroom should be shared with the parents at this time.
Behavior Plans
In the event that a child exhibits behaviors that are not conducive to a healthy classroom
experience for themselves or other children, a conference should be set up with the parents to
discuss a plan for addressing the undesired behavior. The plan should be one that both the
parents and the teacher are comfortable with implementing and should abide by the discipline
policy set forth by the school. Ongoing updates are to be given to the parents via notes or email.
Volunteer Opportunities
Parents should be encouraged to volunteer in the classroom and in the school and ample
opportunities to do so should be available. Parents can share special skills and talents with the
students, assist with classroom library, make play-dough for the classroom, share cooking
activities and projects, and participate as a guest reader. Parents can also take part in class field
trips and special projects, for example, building something new for the classroom or outdoor
environment.
Family Nights
Throughout the year, various family nights can be organized to incite parents to spend time in the
school with their child. Family Literacy Night, Game Night, Movie Night, Open Houses, and
Project Nights are examples of such events.
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Summary Report
Using information collected through anecdotal notes of classroom observations, the
completion of a developmental checklist and other informal assessments, a summary report is
compiled to give an overview of Lydia’s development in the following seven learning domains:
Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, Physical Development and Health, Fine
Arts and Social and Emotional Development. This report is shared with the parents, included in
her student portfolio, and added to her student file. The report written for Lydia is included in
this study following this page.
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Documentation Panel
A documentation panel was prepared to provide a window into Lydia’s learning. During
a woodland animals project, Lydia exhibited new skills which demonstrated her inquisitive and
confident disposition for learning! Using “raw” project documentation which had previously
been shared in a hallway project display, a panel was designed to highlight a specific experience
when Lydia exhibited new skills.
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Reflection
The development of this case study has been helpful for me in organizing what is important to
me as an early childhood educator into a clear, comprehensible and easily accessible format that
I can use in the future. As I develop myself as an educator, create ways to share learning that
happens in my classroom, and as I expand my knowledge and experience in early childhood, I
can refer back to this case study to be sure I am including all of the necessary components.
Assembling this case study has provided me the opportunity to reflect on practices I have used in
the past, assessments I may or may not want to include in the future, and the importance of using
assessment to drive classroom planning to individualize for the children in my classroom. I am
reminded of my philosophy of education and how I need to revisit it frequently in order to keep
fresh in my mind all of the things about teaching that I consider to be valuable.
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Appendix
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Appendix A Classroom Layout Sample
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Appendix B Classroom Photos