Professional Development & Resources
Alignment with State and National Initiatives
TECC 5-Year Strategic Plan
Obj. 3: Provide Meaningful Incentives for Recruitment and Retention
3g. Create greater opportunities for teacher-teams to identify professional development needs
Obj. 6: Improve Special Education Teaching Experiences
6a. Review current training, coaching, and professional development opportunities available for special education teachers
Promise Plan
EMPOWERMENT:
Design and implement a Hawai‘i teacher leadership framework to empower teacher voice and increase leadership capacity at the school level
Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP)
Season 1 Outcomes (Nov. 2020 - May 2021)
Project Activities
Lead Coordinator: Derek Govin
Professional Development Outcomes
Develop and Train in Areas Identified from Needs Assessment and Focus Groups
Focus Group Training
Derek Govin trained the PD subgroup of speducators in how to conduct focus groups. First, Derek led two focus groups with the SPEDucators as a model, then he had the PD group lead a series of focus groups with current HIDOE special education teachers and UH Manoa teacher candidates over the following two months. SPEDucators switched roles each session, either leading as moderator or notetaker.
SDI Video Request
Exceptional Support Branch
On January 28th, SPEDucators were tasked from the Exceptional Support Branch with the objective of creating a video demonstrating specially designed instruction (SDI) within the classroom. This request was given to the SPEDucator Resource subgroup to lead. Because of the collective skill sets across grade and placement levels, we were able to develop five videos demonstrating SDI across multiple grade and placement levels. In these videos, you will see SPEDucators working with their students using various supports, different levels of support staff, and varying accommodations that demonstrate that students receiving special education services learn in a different manner compared to those receiving general education. Videos submitted March 24th.
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SPEDucator & Gen. Ed. Teacher
Elementary Inclusion Setting
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SPEDucator & EA
Elementary Inclusion Setting
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SPEDucator & RBT
High School CBI Setting
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SPEDucator & Gen Ed Teacher
Preschool Setting
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SPEDucator
Preschool Setting
Donors Choose Training
Leads: Natalia Sandoval and Liz Light
Natalia and Liz provided training to all the SPEDucator on how to create donors choose projects to support their classrooms and students.
Grand total raised by Speducators since March 6th Training: $7,830
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Data Collection Training
Leads: Derek Govin and Janet Kim
For our data collection training, we provided a presentation on how these data sheets have been used and implemented in the classroom and in IEP meetings. Then, as a whole group we demonstrated how to create a data sheet from scratch ("I do"). Then we broke out into two groups; Derek led the preschool and FSC/CBI teachers who often work on non-academic goals and objectives and Janet led the inclusion and resource teachers who often focus on academic goals and objectives. In the small groups we worked on creating data sheets together ("We do") and then at the end each SPEDucator had the opportunity to test out what they learned using their own IEP objective ("You do").
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Data Sheet Demo "I do"
Academic Objective - Letter Identification Example
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Data Sheet "We do"
Academic Objective - High School Math (PEMDAS) Example
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Creating a data sheet
Introducing the usage of an online data sheet to obtain substantial data that is clear, aligned with objective, and is transparent with the entire IEP team for data review.
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Domestic skills
Demonstrating how to use an online data sheet to break down a data sheet to align with a task analysis with level of support prompt needed to accommodate student success.
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Vocational skills
Demonstrating how to use a vocational data sheet to drive instruction and promote student success to advocate for post high school transition services.
HĀ Framework Training
Ka‘anohi Kalama-Macomber, Office of Hawaiian Education
Ka‘anohi Kalama-Macomber came to present the SPEDucators about the HĀ Framework and how it can be applied to special education. In addition, two SPEDucators, Jessie Ford and Pamela Walencewicz, shared their own stories and experiences and emphasized the need for more Native Hawaiian culture and identity in special education.
Assess learning environments instead of the learner
Creating space within the school environment to celebrate host culture
‘Aina-based education
Assessment in the form mo‘olelo
Leadership & Empowerment
#exceptionALLY
Each month, we had guest speakers and leaders in education join our convenings to share, collaborate, and discuss issues of interest with our SPEDucators.
November 20, 2020
Rockey Knox
UH Manoa Assistant Professor
Focused on social emotional health of special education teachers during the pandemic. Led discussion on burnout and dimensions of self-care.
November 21, 2020
Kai Media
Kai Media Marketing
Shared about the power of storytelling and why it's needed to help create change in the public eye.
December 4, 2020
Ashley Mika-Ito
Hawaii Distance Learning Forum
Importance of community. Shared about the forum and provided a confidential space for special education teachers to share.
December 5, 2020
Kristen Brummel
Hawaii State Teacher Fellows
The value of professional learning networks. Empowered SPEDucators to see themselves as leaders and shared stories and outcomes from HSTF.
December 5, 2020
UH COE & DOE Leadership
Amelia Jenkins, Annie Kalama, and MaryJo Noonan
SPEDucators shared back findings from initial focus groups on recruitment and retention of special education teachers.
January 8, 2021
Nicole Dolor-Bala
Senior at Farrington High School
Shared personal experience and journey, being a student with disabilities in the Hawaii public school system. Advocate and wants to create awareness for students with disabilities.
January 9, 2021
Mili Laffin
Social Media: Usage of Twitter
Shared tips and recommendations for using twitter for community building, recruitment, and support.
February 5, 2021
Exceptional Support Branch
Annie Kalama and Krysta Bellevue
HIDOE special education budget transparency presentation.
February 6, 2021
Policy Talk
Corey Rosenlee and David Miyashiro
Internal and external approaches to making change through policy and research.
February 6, 2021
Cindy Covell
SPEDucator Retention
Sharing findings related to what makes special education different and the role of mentoring and community in retention of special education teachers.
March 5, 2021
SPED Task Force
Corey Rosenlee, Dale Matsuura, Jessica Alipio, and Justin Hughey
Reviewed the Sped Task Force Report and shared insight and feedback from the perspective of special education teachers.
April 9, 2021
Ka‘anohi Kalama-Macomber
Office of Hawaiian Education: Hā Framework
Spoke to SPEDucators about how to become cultural advocates and implement the Hā framework in special education.
SPEDucator Professional Bios
One of the first leadership initiatives for the project was to have each SPEDucator write up their own professional bios, showcasing their experience, educational background, and area of passion in the field of special education. Professional bios provide a quick and easy way for each SPEDucator to establish themselves as professionals in the field.
SPED 445 Social Justice Action Project
Students from the SPED 445 course reached out to the SPEDucators to share personal experiences and examples regarding destigmatizing special education and students with disabilities. SPEDucators were also asked to give words of advice to others who would like to take action on this topic. Four SPEDucators participated in this class project. The students from SPED 445 then gave a presentation to high schoolers at Waipahu High School.
Caseload Policy
Our Policy subgroup focused on issues around caseload and class sizes as an issue of special education teacher burnout and retention. SPEDucators researched other states to see what policies and practices already exist. Twenty-eight states were found to have policy around caseloads, however Hawaii is one of the states having no policy on this issue.
SPED Task Force Report Input
Upon request, the SPEDucators were asked to review the Sped Task Force Report and provide input and feedback from the perspective of being classroom special education teachers. For each report reocmmendation, the SPEDucators shared their initial thoughts, followed by their input and proposal for next actionable steps to support the state's initiatives moving forward.
Season 2 Proposed Outcomes (Nov. 2021 - May 2022)
Proposed Next Steps
Lead Coordinator: Derek Govin
Professional Development
Content Area Specific Training - Partner with UH SPED Dept Faculty
Create repository/website of resources with trainings, to share with other SPEDucators
Host Peer-to-Peer Sessions on SPEDucator Topics
Host the SPEDucator Connection Event to support community on special education related topics
Leadership & Empowerment Opportunities
Policy: Write legislative bill on caseload and class size for special education, modeled off of HB723 HD1: Schools our Keiki Deserve Act
Support SPEDucators in pursuing and engaging in their own passion projects
Collaborate and host the Hawaii CEC annual conference, including help build membership of more special education teachers and parents.
Elevate SPEDucator voice through other avenues (i.e. HIDOE's Ho‘oha‘aheo newsletter)