Showcase
My Favorite Pieces
In this section of my portfolio you will find a display of the work I completed during the Master of Arts in Education program at Michigan State University. I chose a specialization in special education and decided on elective courses focusing on autism because I am currently working as a behavior technician in a home, classroom and center setting for children who have autism. Below you will find my work split into two separate categories: supporting children with technology and supporting children in the classroom. I chose a technology focus because I find many different aspects of technology to be effective when working with all children, especially those who have autism. Technology can support children with autism in the classroom, home and in the community. For my second category I chose supporting children in the classroom because although I am not a teacher, I work with students in classroom settings and collaborate with teachers. Children who have autism require extra support in the classroom setting and I work with teachers and parents to provide this support.
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Supporting Children with Technology
In completing this degree, I have come to many conclusions about technology in the classroom and as an assistive device. It is not necessarily the most important tool to use at all times, but after much research I have found many benefits of the power of technology in and out of the classroom, especially benefiting children with autism. In working with all children, I am always looking for the best ways to support them. Technology is one of the ways I have found to support my students allowing them to thrive and learn to their best ability.
1. Finding a Balance with Technology
During my first course at Michigan State University I studied the movie, Whale Rider and analyzed the effects of modernization and technology on a traditional community. I will begin by sharing this work with you because I feel as though it symbolizes the feeling some teachers may have concerning technology and its use in the classroom. Sometimes, technology can work in our favor and be a strong advantage. But other times, it seems like technology is a burden and often overused. This assignment taught me that it is ok to not always use technology and finding a balance is key. Find the paper here or linked above.
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The second piece of work I will share with you is a webpage I created during one of my courses. Assistive technology is any tool or product that is used to improve the daily lives of people with disabilities. Throughout my courses at MSU, I had the opportunity to explore and research many different assistive technologies. This course impacted me in a positive way because I was able to use these technologies to benefit my current clients. Check out this webpage I designed explaining how assistive technology can support students who have autism.
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3. Problem of Practice: Technology Integration
The third piece of work I will share with you is a paper I wrote on technology integration in the classroom. When I was a teacher, I would always be frustrated with the fact that many teachers did not use the technology available to them. When studying this problem, I came across interesting conclusions as to why this was occurring. Through much problem solving, inquiry and research, I created my own theories concerning technology use in the classroom. Technology can be a great benefit to children with autism in the classroom and I am thankful that this course allowed me to explore why some teachers are not using technology. I hope be able to use this knowledge to continue to support children with autism in the classroom. Check out my conclusions in the paper here or linked above.
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The final piece I will share with you analyzes technology and its integration in schools. I discussed my experiences with technology growing up and my experiences with technology now and as a teacher. I also went into detail concerning the positives and possible negatives of technology integration in schools. Again, this paper allowed me to gain a stronger understanding of balancing technology in the classroom. Take a look at my conclusions in this paper or linked above.
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*All images on this page are Wix free stock images
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Supporting Children in the Classroom
Students who have autism and other challenging behaviors require extra behavioral supports. It is our job as educators and therapists to study and analyze to learn how to support these children. Throughout my time at MSU, I studied, analyzed and learned how to support children with challenging behaviors. I was able to use what I learned in my current job and plan to continue to use what I learned in my future. endeavors I have selected 4 pieces of work that show how we can support our children.
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The first item I will share with you is a favorite project of mine. I studied and analyzed a student in the classroom who had very challenging behaviors and then provided the necessary supports. This study took place over an entire semester and included many different parts such as observations, interviews, data analysis and much more. This project impacted me in a very positive way because I was able to learn about and support an actual student I was working with at the time. I can also use what I learned from this project in my future endeavors. Click on the links above or here to read the entire case study or check out a more brief version in a slideshow format.
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2. Individualized Education Plan (IEP) Example
Another item I have decided to share with you is an example of an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) that I created based on a fictional student. It is required that all students with autism have an IEP as discussed and agreed upon by teachers, therapists and parents. An IEP includes necessary supports for a specific child. As a behavior therapist, I often work with schools and join in IEP meetings. It is beneficial for me to have the knowledge on how to appropriately complete an IEP. Please see the link above or click here for the example.
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3. Autism Implications for Parents and Teachers
The third piece of work I will share with you is a webpage I designed that is all about autism. This link will direct you straight to the page on autism implications for parents and teachers but feel free to take a look at the entire website. I linked specifically to this page because it discusses autism in the classroom and what this means specifically for teachers. I often work with parents and teachers to support children with autism. This project allowed me to explore ways to support them and to understand the implications.
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The final piece of work I will share with you is a page from a website I created. Although I am only sharing a single page as related to this topic, take a look around the entire website if you would like! The page I am sharing with you is an observation of a teacher. During this observation, I discussed what was effective and what could be improved concerning Universal Design Learning (UDL). UDL supports the most struggling as well as the most gifted students. This project was very helpful for me because in working with children who have autism I see both struggling and gifted students. Check out my webpage linked above or here for more detailed information.
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