Nicole Smith

Valley View Elementary School

2200 True Lane
Green Bay, Wisconsin 54304
2nd grade Special Education
37.50 hours
Stephanie Skinkis
920-492-2935 Ext. 3104
sskinkis@ashwaubenonk12.org
9-27-2021 – 10-01-21

Sequence of Events:
This week my second-grade students are focusing on reviewing skills learned in first grade. In
writing the students are reviewing how to stretch a story out. In math, they are reviewing math
mountains and doubles facts. In phonics, they are practicing different vowel sounds and what indicates
if a vowel should be short or long in a word. Finally, in reading they are working on their stamina and
sight words. As a special education associate in second grade, I work with nine students across two
different classrooms. I support the students both in the classroom and for intervention in the special
education classroom. Throughout the day I support students in the classroom during math, phonics,
reading, lunch, recess, art, gym, Spanish, and music. At the end of the day, I work with two students for
their reading intervention.
Significant Events:
This week I learned many different strategies for handling students with challenging behaviors.
The student that I want to focus this week is Alan (the students name has been changed to protects his
privacy). Alans’s disability is categorized under OHI (Other Health Impairment). Alan has strong
academics but has behavioral problems which requires a behavior intervention plan. This week proved
to be a very challenging week for him. This week we had to use nonviolent crisis prevention to restrain
Alan to get him into a safe space where he was not a harm to himself or others. I learned many different
strategies to help de-escalate Alans’s behavior. Alan works with Macht Village when behaviors cannot
be controlled. This week Alan was able to deescalate himself by speaking with his case manager at
Macht. Alan responds better to males so talking with his male case manager helped change his behavior
quickly. Alan can recognize that his actions are wrong but does not have the skills to regulate his own
behaviors. My win this week was learning how to identify Alans triggers before they become out of
control, so I was able to remove Alan from the classroom and into a safe space until he was able to
regulate his body and reenter the classroom.
Awareness and Growth
Talents of teacher
Working in two different 2nd grade classrooms has given me the opportunity to see different
teaching styles. One classroom I work in is a very calm and soothing environment. Most of the day the
main lights in the classroom are off and the room is lit with ambient lighting. Even as an adult I feel more
relaxed, welcomed, and calm in her classroom. The teacher has one of the sweetest and calm
personality and is well respected by all students. The other classroom I work in is the complete opposite.
The lights are always bright florescent lighting, and the classroom is more of a ridged environment. This
teacher is strict and expects students to do most things perfectly. Sadly, developmentally many students
do not have the skills to meet her expectations. I even feel more tense walking into this classroom. I see
the teacher in the calm environment as a role model of how I want my students to feel when I am
around them. Overall, there are lessons to be learned from both teaching styles.