1. The Expanded Core Curriculum: Finding the Time
Kathleen M. Huebner, Ph. D.
Pennsylvania College of Optometry
KMH/PCO CORE CURRUCULUM

2. A Quick Review of What is Included in the Expanded Core Curriculum
Compensatory Skills (Braille; listening skills; handwriting skills; abacus)
O&M
Social Skills
Independent Living Skills
Recreation and Leisure Skills
Career Education
Assistive Technology
Visual Efficiency Skills (NA-1995)
Changes Additions: compensatory or functional academic skills, including communication modes
And self-determination
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3. KMH/PCO CORE CURRUCULUM
What Itinerant Teachers Report as Most Time Spent on Expanded Core (CO)
Braille Reading and Writing (listed on survey)
Nemeth Instruction
Braille Preparation
Independent Living Skills
O&M
Vision Utilization (not listed on survey)
Technology Training
Materials Adaptation
Large Print Production (Suvak 1999)
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4. KMH/PCO CORE CURRUCULUM
What Itinerant Teachers Report as Most Time Spent Teaching NON-Expanded Core (CO)
Math
Language Arts (Suvak 1999)
KMH/PCO CORE CURRUCULUM

5. Additional Responsibilities and Time Consuming Activities
Communication-Teachers-Parents-Administrators
Travel
Report preparation/paperwork
Assessment
Reinforce students’ other needs--MH
Other Expanded Core areas-social skills, career education, recreation/leisure
Materials ordering
Professional development
AND… MEETINGS
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6. Current Concerns of 70 Experienced Teachers (TX)
Keeping up with required paperwork
Arranging a balanced schedule
Keeping up on morale and confidence
For a long time there has been concern about the feeling of isolation that may be experienced by service providers who work on an itinerant basis.
What are you going to do to keep your morale up?
Stay in contact with others
USE your MENTOR
Collaborate with peers and other disciplines
Cell phones are a blessing and a burden – easier to be connected but adding more complications
KMH/PCO CORE CURRUCULUM

7. Another Suspected but Unreported Time Eater
TUTORING !
This is a very difficult concept for many of us.. We believe in intervention, we believe in helping, and we want our student to do well
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8. How to Make the Best of the Time We Have
KMH/PCO CORE CURRUCULUM

9. Strategies to Make Best Use of Limited Time
Teach Only Expanded Core
Do Not Tutor
Examine Your Strengths and Weaknesses
Develop Appropriate and Shared Responsibilities-- Other Teachers/ Aides/Parents
Increase Team Effectiveness
Examining your strengths and weaknesses is critical. You must evaluate yourself and remediate your weaknesses …don’t teach to your strengths and avoid what your not comfortable with. Co-teach or link activities across disciplines to facilitate meeting ECC goals. A lot of people feel this is one of the pitfalls of dual certification – that you end up teaching one discipline (or area) in lieu of the other
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10. Teach Only Expanded Core
Be convinced
Be determined
Be resourceful--in other words YOU have to make it happen
Be firm
Keep records – document/plan/and evaluate progress in areas of ECC
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11. KMH/PCO CORE CURRUCULUM
Avoid Tutoring
Ask the question-- Does student need help because the visual impairment is impeding learning?
If yes--teach
If no--defer to other teacher, personnel, peer tutor, parents
Realize that deferring to other may take time….giving training, practical examples, providing necessary materials, etc but will benefit the student in the long run. The student will be able to befit from quality instruction on a daily basis..not just when your there
KMH/PCO CORE CURRUCULUM

12. Examine Your Strengths and Weaknesses
Be honest with yourself--Identify your weaknesses--its between you and yourself--not the world
Weaknesses result in lack of confidence, slowness to accomplish tasks, and defensiveness
Weaknesses result in inefficiency and ineffectiveness
Identify to me always meant either writing it down or saying it…….and then making a plan to remediate
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13. Change Weaknesses into Strengths
Develop strategies and a plan to change weaknesses into strengths
Seek out constructive ways to strengthen your skills and professionalism
Work independently and seek out support where needed
ASK FOR HELP- Mentors, Respected co-workers, ESC personnel
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14. Weaknesses Changed into Strengths
Recognize your improvements
Note that tasks now take less time
Note that you now have more confidence in your decisions and the quality of your work
Note that you no longer procrastinate or resist doing what used to be weaknesses
Recognizing your improvements is also very important. As you change your weaknesses into strengths you also move from services to programming
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15. ADD OTHERS TO YOUR TEAM Reauthorization of IDEA (1997)
Parents as members of the team
Participation of regular educator
Parents are the expert on that individual child
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16. KMH/PCO CORE CURRUCULUM
Develop Appropriate and Shared Responsibilities-- Other Teachers/ Aides/Parents
Model--teach in the regular classroom
Provide positive reinforcement
Observe students in their regular classes…even snippets of time can tell you a lot
Provide formal and informal training
Teach your students to direct others for meaningful information-self advocate
KMH/PCO CORE CURRUCULUM

17. Appreciate Other’s Diversity
Culture
Education
Socio/Economic Status
Response to having a child with a disability
Confidence
Trust
Lifestyle
Responsibilities
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18. Keep an OPEN MIND and HEART
Don’t bring old baggage into the relationship
Approach each new relationship with parents with a positive approach
Find out parents’ perspectives, beliefs, strengths, realities of lifestyles
Have high--yet realistic--expectations for not only your students but their families as well
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19. Facilitate Parent Participation
Keep an OPEN MIND and HEART
Consider parents’ individuality/diversity
See parents as child’s mentors/teachers
Consider parent’s perspective
Give information to the parents through various means and modes
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20. Parents as Teachers/Mentors
“When my son was born blind, I didn’t get enlightened as to how to teach him everything, but he is my fourth child, I know some things about raising children. Respect me but help me.”
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21. KMH/PCO CORE CURRUCULUM
Parent’s Perspective
“Teachers are not always hearing what I’m saying. I see my child at home and I know what he can do and can’t do. Why don’t the teachers believe me when I tell them I see things they don’t?”
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22. Give Parent’s Information
“Don’t just tell me to do it, explain how.”
“Taking classes made me feel better, like I know something.”
“Parents need resources too!”
“You have no idea how good it made me feel when you asked me to help teach the mom of the new VI child at the school.”
KMH/PCO CORE CURRUCULUM

23. Increase Team Effectiveness
Build & maintain positive relationships
Maintain close contact
Communicate a sense of teamwork
Don’t complain
Be a good listener
Neither intimidate nor be intimidated
See others’ perspectives
Ask questions
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24. KMH/PCO CORE CURRUCULUM
Team Goals
Group move toward common goal
Each member needs a clear purpose
Team members directed toward a goal that may not be clear to others
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25. Support Comes From Many
Within yourself (UP TO YOU)
Family and friends (90%)
Students (80%)
Special education teachers (61%)
Other Vision Teachers (53%)
Parents (52%)
Administrators (46%)
Regular Classroom teachers (40%)
Community (26%) (Seitz, 1999)
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26. TAKE PRIDE IN YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS AND ENJOY YOUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS
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