WAP: Assistive Technology
I recently got a job as a kindergarten paraprofessional in Salem. We have thee students in the class who the teacher classifies as “high needs.” Because it’s only November referrals are only just now being made for testing and IEPs and 504s. However, I’d like to focus on one student we have and the ways we support him throughout the day, and how I might support a similar student in my future classroom.
Derek (not his real name) seems to have had trauma in his background. I don’t know the specifics, but have heard that his family has some challenges. While I don’t know the specifics of what has happened (or is happening) in his life, it’s clear that he is dealing with complex trauma and is bringing it into the classroom. Children who suffer from complex trauma have many challenges. It can cause “social, psychological, cognitive, and biological issues, including difficulty regulating their emotions, paying attention, and forming good relationships—all of which make it very difficult for a child to succeed at school” (Greater Good). In a school system such as Salem, we have a lot of students from low-SES backgrounds. Some students are not having their most basic of needs met: food, clothing, housing, sleep...There will be many students who struggle behaviorally and academically because of this. I think it behooves us as educators to understand that even students without a specific diagnosis can have complex challenges, and to learn how we can help them in the classroom when their home life is not ideal.
For Derek, the problems at home manifest in many ways: emotional outbursts (seemingly out of nowhere), getting physically aggressive with other children, not completing school work, saying rude things to classmates or teachers - basically doing whatever he can to “act out” in the classroom. Over the past two months, the teacher, the student teacher, and I have learned strategies to deal with this and what accommodations (non-tech) we can make in order to help Derek have a successful day.
-We begin with morning meeting. Times like this can be challenging for him because it requires sitting still. During this time, or any time like it, he is allowed to sit at a desk near the circle and play with kinetic sand. It seems that doing something tactile helps keep him calm.
-After morning meeting it’s time for Fundations. This is important for him to learn, so he has to be part of the learning. In the past, he would often stand in the middle of the circle doing things to distract the other students - he wanted attention. We found that having him stand next to the teacher and be the “card holder” has really helped. He is learning the information and isn’t disrupting the class.
-Next we move into writing practice. Derek focuses much better when we work as a group, so we do that rather than sit at desks for this. We let him sit in one of our laps. That way we are able to give him the one-on-one attention he needs. I’ve noticed that he doesn’t need this one-on-one all the time, but when it’s been a while without it, that’s when he acts up.
-Snack time can be incredibly challenging. It is noisy and slightly chaotic - a situation which usually sets him off. So he is actually allowed to go into the other kindergarten rooms and see his friends, talk to the other teachers, etc. Basically to give himself a break when he needs it.
-Finally, it’s time for specials. The plan is different for each special, but basically I try to be with him most of the time to give him positive feedback and attention. He is very attached to his classroom teacher, and the transition can be challenging. I’ve tried to bond with him so that at least he has one person he is close to when we leave the classroom, and I think it has helped. However, I would say that is still the most difficult time. If he is going to have an outburst, it really is usually in specials. One thing I do that works is when I have to take another student to the bathroom, I ask him to come with us. Being able to go for a walk and get a break really seems to help.
I leave after specials, so I can’t speak to the rest of the day, but here are the general things we've noticed and how we've modified and dealt with them:
-If we notice Derek starting to get “ramped up” (like if he is moving around a lot, annoying another student, making strange noises) and we can see he is likely going to have an incident, one of us takes him to help us do a job. It can be something like copying papers, delivering a note, anything like that. He likes to feel connected and important, and that alone can sometimes diffuse the situation.
-Derek really thrives when he is the "helper." He is really kind, and when he has opportunities to show that, he excels. If a student needs a band-aid or ice, I will ask him to come with me to the nurse's office to get those things. Or if a student in another kindergarten is upset, we send him to help console them.
-He seems to act out the most during transitions. I read that students with trauma often behave this way because their life is so full of anxiety, any sort of change can trigger a challenging response. We try to give him extra warning when something is happening (“Derek, remember, after we have snack we’re all going to line up and go to PE”).
-Letting him regulate when he needs a change. If we are working on something, he is free to get up and go read or play with the sand. He is very bright, and so far, this doesn’t seem to be affecting his learning. He does have trouble completing assignments because of this. I’ve noticed that many of the projects, worksheets, etc that the teacher would likely use as an assessment are not done for him. I don’t know how she will handle it, but thinking ahead to my own classroom, I would imagine that doing these things one-on-one would be best for a student like Derek. With an app like SeeSaw (which I’ve highlighted in a past blog), teachers can quickly take photos or recordings of his work, even when it’s not being done at the same time as other students.
-Giving positive feedback frequently. According to the Child Mind Institute, “Kids who have experienced chronic neglect tend to be better at getting attention by provoking the adults they depend on than by complying with expectations. Negative attention is fast, predictable and efficient. We need to make positive attention as fast, predictable and efficient.” This has certainly helped Derek. When we see him doing even a small thing “right,” we quickly praise him for it.
As far as assistive technology, I believe that down the line, apps that promote positive behaviors or track them would be useful for a student like Derek. My daughters’ teacher uses ClassDojo. ClassDojo allows teachers to quickly connect with families or guardians. Also, you can award “points” for positive behavior using ClassDojo. A few drawback to this is that sometimes students with a hard home life may not have parents who are able to be as connected for it to be useful. However, the teacher could still use the points in order to reward good behavior. One of my main concerns with Class Dojo is that I have seen teachers use it and I sort of think it causes teachers to be on their phone more than they should be (which, I believe, is not at all). This might be something to look into when he is older.
Primarily, apps that promote relaxation would be beneficial not just to Derek, but to all classroom students. In this case in particular, we could use one of these programs before transition time to try and calm things down ahead of time. I really like Calm Classroom. Calm has started the Calm Classroom Initiative, giving teachers free access to their paid subscription library. They have a specific kid-friendly meditations that are only 3-5 minutes.
Here's an example of a short meditation I may do with Derek and definitely with the whole class:
I also think having a few calming games would even be helpful for students like Derek. Sometimes when he needs a break, having something quick and relaxing for him to do for 5 minutes may help. I love this one, Toca Nature:
In closing, here are a couple of articles about trauma that I came across that would be helpful for any teacher. It's essential that teachers know the tremendous effects that trauma can have on their students and how they may be bringing these problems into the classroom:
https://childmind.org/article/how-trauma-affects-kids-school/
https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/the_silent_epidemic_in_our_classrooms
Derek (not his real name) seems to have had trauma in his background. I don’t know the specifics, but have heard that his family has some challenges. While I don’t know the specifics of what has happened (or is happening) in his life, it’s clear that he is dealing with complex trauma and is bringing it into the classroom. Children who suffer from complex trauma have many challenges. It can cause “social, psychological, cognitive, and biological issues, including difficulty regulating their emotions, paying attention, and forming good relationships—all of which make it very difficult for a child to succeed at school” (Greater Good). In a school system such as Salem, we have a lot of students from low-SES backgrounds. Some students are not having their most basic of needs met: food, clothing, housing, sleep...There will be many students who struggle behaviorally and academically because of this. I think it behooves us as educators to understand that even students without a specific diagnosis can have complex challenges, and to learn how we can help them in the classroom when their home life is not ideal.
For Derek, the problems at home manifest in many ways: emotional outbursts (seemingly out of nowhere), getting physically aggressive with other children, not completing school work, saying rude things to classmates or teachers - basically doing whatever he can to “act out” in the classroom. Over the past two months, the teacher, the student teacher, and I have learned strategies to deal with this and what accommodations (non-tech) we can make in order to help Derek have a successful day.
-We begin with morning meeting. Times like this can be challenging for him because it requires sitting still. During this time, or any time like it, he is allowed to sit at a desk near the circle and play with kinetic sand. It seems that doing something tactile helps keep him calm.
-After morning meeting it’s time for Fundations. This is important for him to learn, so he has to be part of the learning. In the past, he would often stand in the middle of the circle doing things to distract the other students - he wanted attention. We found that having him stand next to the teacher and be the “card holder” has really helped. He is learning the information and isn’t disrupting the class.
-Next we move into writing practice. Derek focuses much better when we work as a group, so we do that rather than sit at desks for this. We let him sit in one of our laps. That way we are able to give him the one-on-one attention he needs. I’ve noticed that he doesn’t need this one-on-one all the time, but when it’s been a while without it, that’s when he acts up.
-Snack time can be incredibly challenging. It is noisy and slightly chaotic - a situation which usually sets him off. So he is actually allowed to go into the other kindergarten rooms and see his friends, talk to the other teachers, etc. Basically to give himself a break when he needs it.
-Finally, it’s time for specials. The plan is different for each special, but basically I try to be with him most of the time to give him positive feedback and attention. He is very attached to his classroom teacher, and the transition can be challenging. I’ve tried to bond with him so that at least he has one person he is close to when we leave the classroom, and I think it has helped. However, I would say that is still the most difficult time. If he is going to have an outburst, it really is usually in specials. One thing I do that works is when I have to take another student to the bathroom, I ask him to come with us. Being able to go for a walk and get a break really seems to help.
I leave after specials, so I can’t speak to the rest of the day, but here are the general things we've noticed and how we've modified and dealt with them:
-If we notice Derek starting to get “ramped up” (like if he is moving around a lot, annoying another student, making strange noises) and we can see he is likely going to have an incident, one of us takes him to help us do a job. It can be something like copying papers, delivering a note, anything like that. He likes to feel connected and important, and that alone can sometimes diffuse the situation.
-Derek really thrives when he is the "helper." He is really kind, and when he has opportunities to show that, he excels. If a student needs a band-aid or ice, I will ask him to come with me to the nurse's office to get those things. Or if a student in another kindergarten is upset, we send him to help console them.
-He seems to act out the most during transitions. I read that students with trauma often behave this way because their life is so full of anxiety, any sort of change can trigger a challenging response. We try to give him extra warning when something is happening (“Derek, remember, after we have snack we’re all going to line up and go to PE”).
-Letting him regulate when he needs a change. If we are working on something, he is free to get up and go read or play with the sand. He is very bright, and so far, this doesn’t seem to be affecting his learning. He does have trouble completing assignments because of this. I’ve noticed that many of the projects, worksheets, etc that the teacher would likely use as an assessment are not done for him. I don’t know how she will handle it, but thinking ahead to my own classroom, I would imagine that doing these things one-on-one would be best for a student like Derek. With an app like SeeSaw (which I’ve highlighted in a past blog), teachers can quickly take photos or recordings of his work, even when it’s not being done at the same time as other students.
-Giving positive feedback frequently. According to the Child Mind Institute, “Kids who have experienced chronic neglect tend to be better at getting attention by provoking the adults they depend on than by complying with expectations. Negative attention is fast, predictable and efficient. We need to make positive attention as fast, predictable and efficient.” This has certainly helped Derek. When we see him doing even a small thing “right,” we quickly praise him for it.
As far as assistive technology, I believe that down the line, apps that promote positive behaviors or track them would be useful for a student like Derek. My daughters’ teacher uses ClassDojo. ClassDojo allows teachers to quickly connect with families or guardians. Also, you can award “points” for positive behavior using ClassDojo. A few drawback to this is that sometimes students with a hard home life may not have parents who are able to be as connected for it to be useful. However, the teacher could still use the points in order to reward good behavior. One of my main concerns with Class Dojo is that I have seen teachers use it and I sort of think it causes teachers to be on their phone more than they should be (which, I believe, is not at all). This might be something to look into when he is older.
Primarily, apps that promote relaxation would be beneficial not just to Derek, but to all classroom students. In this case in particular, we could use one of these programs before transition time to try and calm things down ahead of time. I really like Calm Classroom. Calm has started the Calm Classroom Initiative, giving teachers free access to their paid subscription library. They have a specific kid-friendly meditations that are only 3-5 minutes.
Here's an example of a short meditation I may do with Derek and definitely with the whole class:
I also think having a few calming games would even be helpful for students like Derek. Sometimes when he needs a break, having something quick and relaxing for him to do for 5 minutes may help. I love this one, Toca Nature:
In closing, here are a couple of articles about trauma that I came across that would be helpful for any teacher. It's essential that teachers know the tremendous effects that trauma can have on their students and how they may be bringing these problems into the classroom:
https://childmind.org/article/how-trauma-affects-kids-school/
https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/the_silent_epidemic_in_our_classrooms
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