Benchmark: Reflection of Professional Development Session

Danielle Eastman

Grand Canyon University: Developing Professional Capacity

10-19-2022
 My professional development was very successful and had many compliments

especially with how much the information related to specific students in our school. My

presentation focused on how to interact with students who are autistic and emotionally

impaired. Along with including basic information about these disabilities, I connected it with

specific students who attend our school without using names. There is a specific emotionally

impaired student who can be dangerous and many of the teachers have encountered his

behavior and did not handle it well, which ultimately escalated this student’s behavior. One

improvement my mentor teacher mentioned was my pace while presenting. I have always

struggled when presenting information to a small group of people and start to speak a little too

fast.

Data used to create this professional development was the number of referrals,

suspensions, and data collected from the student and teacher to help identify the cause of

student meltdowns or episodes. A majority of the data was collected through administration

and the special education teacher that supports autistic and emotionally impaired students.

“Students identified with Emotional or Behavioral Disorder (EBD) have problematic behavior

and impaired social skills that interfere with developing friendships, but these same challenges

also lead to negative impacts on student learning and academic achievement” (Virginia J. Voigt-

Zabinski, 2017). Not only are students who are emotionally impaired struggle forming

friendships with peers, they struggle forming any type of relationship with some of our staff

which ultimately sets them up for failure because of their reactions to staff. Emotionally

impaired students who are supported and feel a sense of belonging will help themselves and

students in their classes. The goal is to eliminate the number of outbursts in class and regulating
our feelings and emotions. In order to do this, as a staff, we need to understand how to intact

with these students.

Greyhound intermediate school’s mission and vision revolves around a school

environment that is safe and comfortable for students and staff. Our climate is driven to create

motivation and success within all students by reaching all student needs and supports. The

professional development I created focused on students who are autistic and emotionally

impaired, but could reach more than just those students. Learning how to interact and engage

with emotionally impaired students who are going through an episode that could result to

dangerous behaviors, could keep all students safe by understanding how to interact with these

students. It will promote student learning by lowering the number of episodes from students or

meltdowns which will support all students in the classroom. For example, my emotionally

impaired student who suffers from a variety of mental illnesses can get support through better

interactions with adults which will lessen the number of episodes he will have in class. This

student goes through PTSD episodes when students walk behind him or speak to him in a rude

way, so I have him work in an area where he is comfortable and on his own unless he is having

a good, social day. By understanding how to support and interact with this student, I am setting

this student and their class up for success!

As a future principal, I would be sure that all my staff understands the expectations of

interactions with students are understood and must be followed through. Teachers must know

and utilize all the protocols provided in the slideshow and will have access to them through our

school Google drive. I will attend the grade level meetings to identify if there are any teachers
or grades that need extra support especially those who interact more with students who are

autistic or emotionally impaired. It is also an expectation that teachers are expected to fill out

their accommodation trackers for students that they see with IEPs and that their

accommodations are being used every day. This will keep track of how this IEP is supporting

their students, if they need more support, or if they need less support. This will also protect my

staff and prove they are following their students IEPs. Lastly, I would informally observe

teachers with students who have IEPs to be sure everything is being followed through

correctly. This would not be counted towards their formal observations, but to make sure

teachers are utilizing the IEPs correctly or if they need any extra support.

When working in the education field, there are so many new emerging trends and

initiatives. There are two ways I want to stay up to date with all the new trends. The first way

is social media which will include Twitter, Instagram, blogs, and podcasts. This is an amazing

way to learn about different trends that are successful in school or if they are not a huge

success. “It can enhance your network of contacts, engage you in important discussions, extend

your own learning and even provide a platform for class projects” (Gallagher, 2021). A lot of

educators are willing to share and staying up to date with emerging trends and initiatives

through social media is simple and free. The second way I will stay up to date with trends and

initiatives is through the National Association of Secondary School Principals through their

monthly magazine subscriptions. Last year, my principal mentor has been giving me all of his

issues so I can stay up to date with leadership skills and what its like to be an administrator,

and I must say, I love this subscription!

I always prepare for presentations by practicing on my free time, making sure I know

my material, and if the videos I attached worked. I have always been a nervous person when
presenting, even if I know my presentation by heart. I have always been nervous of being

judged. The school I am in has helped prepare me because of the connections I have made with

my coworkers and principal mentor. I am more comfortable with them and was able to share

my presentation with no errors. I felt pretty confident with my presentation and knowing my

material, but I was still nervous and presented just a little too fast. My voice always speeds up

when I begin to get nervous. With time, I know it will get easier for me the more I present to

my colleagues.
 References

Gallagher, K. (2021, December 22). Educator’s Guide to Social Media. ConnectSafely.

Retrieved October 19, 2022, from https://www.connectsafely.org/eduguide/

Virginia J. Voigt-Zabinski. (2017). Evidence-Based Interventions for Elementary Students with

Emotional or Behavioral Disorders. St. Cloud State University.

https://repository.stcloudstate.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1055&context=sped_etds