Prep time/IEP writing/evaluation time?

I feel your pain. I have been doing my best to try for an aide because it is so hard to get it all done.

I have an IEP template for my computer. I put everything on there, the goals I might use, my programs I use, some typical behaviors, my name and all my info etc… I type it on the template. Then I go in and tweak it. I get rid of subjects that kid is not in for. I can write an IEP in 15 minutes. I take time when kids are at assemblies to get ahead and put stuff in IEPS for future dates like test data, and old IQ data that won’t change. So when the IEP comes up it won’t take long. I have 23 students and no aide.

I teach a ton a stuff. I pick as few goals as possible for documentation. I pick fast goals to assess with so I can get back to teaching as soon as possilbe.

I no longer make long progress reports that were rarely read or made it home. I write notes in the studnents planners. I have stickers that I bought from a return address label company saying things like…. Your child is doing great in Mrs. N’s class. or…Your child is not returning homework. I even make my own stickers larger ones with my rules.. Your child broke this rule today: with little boxes in the front.

I have a lesson plan book which is a template. I teach two math groups. I try to keep them on the same pace. So in my lesson plan book, I even have a sentence that says, “If circled, follow Math group 1’s lessons. Same for language.

I have a very detailed sub plan in place. I have it stuffed with extra activities for emergency in case the sub can’t follow my plans from my lesson plan book. My lesson plan book is not too detailed. It will say, Math U See lesson number 4. I put all the things in my sub plans like multiplication practice, where all my manuals are etc. So in my lesson plan I just basicaly write the number and I’m done. For language I bascially write the topic. For reading, I know where I am and have posted notes in my materials but for a sub….they have a different plan. So, I don’t stress over it. I know exactly where I am.

I have a special phone list of teachers who I work with. I can voice mail them directly all at once with directions instead of note in box when possible.

I am very efficient. I train the kids to do as much as possible. I have the answer book out for kids to self correct. I have pens ready. For daily work they self grade, for tests I grade. I like the immediate feedback. I hate grading papers. I train kids to answer phone. I have a copy machine in my room that I paid about one hundred bucks, great time saver. I coppy ahead of time all the things I think I’ll need on the big machine. At the beginning of the year I take a lot of time to set up, then I coast beacuse I can. I still work hard but it is on the kids, not the JUNK we have to do.

I have the kids self graph reading and math to show growth.

I worry about the teaching more than anything. I worry less about the paper work. It will kill you. And you know what, hardly anyone reads it anyway. All that work………it is hard to see. I so understand what you are going through. Perhaps you could find someone very experienced and respected and see if your boss will let you swap for the day. That teacher takes over for you, you take over for that teacher. See how someone else does your same job. No sub is needed and you might get some great tips.

Good luck,
Michelle

Mitch,

Unfortunately, there will continue to be high turnover in special ed. due to this kind of workload. It’s almost impossible to do everything in that instance. In our elementary schools, special ed. teachers do get one-half day a week for paperwork. High school teachers have a block schedule and get a 90 minute planning each day. So you definitely have a tough situation. I personally hope to get oit of the schools pretty soon and tutor reading privately because I think I can make real progress that way. But I do have the luxury of my income being a second income, which helps me to be able to do that.

Janis

I assume you are secondary. OK, I just switched to high school from elementary.

We have a 6 period day. We have a prep. period (in our contract) and a monitoring period. This gives me two periods per day to use to test and monitor. It is still hard, but not impossible.

We are fighting to hang on to our monitoring period. Our director of Sped. (elem. background) must cut budgets, so he is looking at our monitoring and has threatened to take it.

Here is our strategy:

Do you have a contract that assures you a prep. period? If you do and if you currently use ALL of your prep to do your job, that is to test and monitor, then you do NOT have a prep. period, but the other teachers do. My district pays teachers who give up their prep. period something like 1/6 of their salary, for experienced teachers this $10,000 per year and more to teach a sixth period and do all prep on their own time. If your district assures you a prep. period and if teachers who give theirs up get $$$, then you need to go to your association.

We have tentatively all agreed to do this if they get serious about snatching our monitoring period.

Good luck, I can scarcely get around to all my monitoring even with a monitoring period. I have SOOO many students who don’t do any work in several classes and are failing (rarely because of difficulty, but more behavior, this is taking all my time and then some). I e-mail fellow teachers, then print the e-mail and file in my monitoring binder, as one portion of the monitoring I do. My district e-mail is set up so I can access it from home, so I send e-mails evenings and weekends to get feedback on certain students, to try to make deals with teachers to accept late work, etc. It helps.

I understand exactly how you feel. I teach elementary LD and have no planning period at all. During the day I get a 30 min lunch break and that is it. I am overwhelmed with the increase in the amount of paperwork this year. I work constantly at home-and my own children lose out. I am seriously considering leaving teaching because of this. I don’t think I can do this much longer. I know this won’t help you find a solution, but it will let you know you aren’t alone. Good luck!

Are there any parents out there reading this? This job is relentless. This kind of stuff—insisting that we can do it and do it all—is what keeps special ed. kids from attaining the levels of achievement we all want for them. There simply isn’t enough hours in the day or dollars in the budget to provide the level of service that the federal government makes us “promise” in IEP’s. It is a farce and the game that we play sadly enough. Personally, my paperwork is out of compliance as far as governmetal standards but my kids get 98% of everything I have to give. I figure that is a pretty good trade off.