School Shadowing Research Paper

I had a good week in the schools this week. On Tuesday, I shadowed Mr. Michael and David. We went through morning meeting and then the three of the five centers before giving David a break in Ms. Lantz’s room. After the break, we went back to his 2nd grade room for snack before gym.

On Thursday, there were a lot of adults in Ms. Lantz’s room. The usual paraprofessionals were there, the high school student, Mr. Michael, and a behavior analyst (Sarah Foreman). Ms. Foreman spent the afternoon shadowing and working with David. David often repeats his schedule out loud (for example: first snack, then gym, then water beads). Many students on the autism spectrum are comforted by a schedule. I never really thought much about this however until Ms. Foreman told him that he needed to say it in his head. Every time he would try to repeat his schedule out lout, she would point to her head and tell him that he needed to say it in his head. She explained that he needed to start saying it in his head, because it is socially inappropriate to repeat it. She said she does not want to take the comfort of his schedule away, but she wants him to learn to internalize it.

We went over his math facts (4 facts total: 2+1, 1+2, 3+1, 1+3) and the he did a worksheet. Anarbek was easily distracted by his surroundings, and often guessed the answers to the facts, so I had him use his fingers to help him. Mrs. Miller, another paraprofessional, says that Anarbek has come a long way since he moved here last year. She said that his old school did not feel that he was capable of doing math and reading like he is now, so they did not try to work with him (she said they basically babysat him). I am also interested in seeing Anarbek’s IEP, because Ms. Miller says that he does not have autism, which surprised me since Ms. Lantz’s room is an autistic support classroom. She said he was placed there however, because it was the best match for his