Research Topics: Career Management Example Portfolio

A Career In Nursing (RN)

A Career in Nursing (RN)   A nursing career is a serious endeavor that requires certain qualifications before someone can become a Registered Nurse (RN); there are some important steps in order to qualify as a Registered Nurse, as well as before   applying for nursing entry level positions.  First, there is a need to take a Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing (BSN).  Normally, Chemistry, Nutrition, Anatomy, Psychology, Microbiology, Behavioral Science and Nursing are common major subjects that are needed to take in nursing course. Second, after earning the nursing degree, there is an additional need to complete an Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN), meaning, there is a need to take a Diploma Program in a hospital. Furthermore, student nurses are required to take nursing training in the hospital.  They must be supervised in a hospital department. This   student nurses training in the hospital is usually a rotating activity from different departments such as pediatrics, psychiatry, maternity and surgery.   Those nurses who have already taken the Associate Degree,  have an option to enter a Bachelor’s program; this allows nurses to have   great opportunities in their nursing education and  career in the future. However, some universities offer Bachelor’s of Science Degrees in Nursing programs to other individuals who have already earned their primary degree in other fields.  The school credits all the subjects that were taken already from the other degree.   Transfer credits from the other school or university depends largely on the policy of the   current nursing school. (http://www.learn4good.com/nursing/how_to_become_a_nurse.htm)   Nursing career is the field of giving protection, promotion, as well as to optimize health and abilities of the patients in preventing illnesses and injuries.  In similar way, it is also a medical area where nurses are there to help to alleviate the sufferings of the patients with the diagnosis and treatment on various diseases.  Likewise, one of the jobs of the nurses is to help the patients to   act and response positively   to the idea that they are sick and need to be treated regularly in the hospital. Giving a support system to the patients, their families, and the entire communities is very important task of the Registered Nurses.  The nurses are only allowed to work in the   other countries or states if they will take additional license examination which is known as The Nurse Licensure Compact Agreement; this agreement allows nurses to work in another member state.  Today, after obtaining a nursing diploma, and passing in the board examination,   the nurses still need to go to more advanced educational program in nursing.  This is to be able to become competent in the nursing field; there is a need to qualify again in the national licensing examination called NCLEX-RN.  This measures the skills,   knowledge and potential of the nurses by giving them number of questions.  It is a computer based test, the more questions a nurse gets the faster he or she can proceed to the next level of the exam.  (http://www.learn4good.com/nursing/how_to_become_a_nurse.htm)  Moreover, nurses have very serious responsibilities in the clinical healthcare industry.  Nursing career offers diversified jobs.  In fact, there are many different kinds of nurses, as well as different ways in obtaining nursing jobs.  Typically, nurses work hand in hand with the doctors; they work as a team. The doctors are in charge for the major decisions regarding the diagnosis, treatment and medication of the patients.  On the other hand, the nurses play the role of administering patients with health care in a regular and continuous manner. This is in order to ensure the successful and fast recovery of the patients.  Nurses have a major role in the recuperation and positive disposition of the patients; they are the one who regularly interact with the patients, give them comfort and oversee the entire well being of the patients while under diagnosis and treatment. In addition, nursing career offers very stable job and compensation, at the same time; it provides a flexible schedules, locations and varied levels of   responsibility. Many nurses   experience a very rewarding job. The average compensation for a nurse ranges from $ 43,000 up to $ 63,000. But, for the head nurses, they earn more than $ 75,000.  In the negative side, there has been shortage of nurses all over the world, that is the very reason  of burn-out  among the nurses; which caused by stressful hours and environment. Being a nurse require for a person to work even nights until  the next day, weekends  or holidays.  In the same way, nurses are also prone to various contagious diseases in the hospital, since they are working with sick people. Therefore, nurses have the strong stamina, strong personality, and must have the drive to deal passionately with sick people. (http://healthcareers.about.com/od/healthcareerprofiles/p/Nursing_Career.htm) References: http://www.learn4good.com/nursing/how_to_become_a_nurse.htm http://healthcareers.about.com/od/healthcareerprofiles/p/Nursing_Career.htm Credit:ivythesis.typepad.com

A Career In Nursing (RN)

A Career in Nursing (RN) A nursing career is a serious endeavor that requires certain qualifications before someone can become a ...

Self Management

Self Management Introduction             Many characteristics may make up a person’s management skills. In this paper, we shall discuss certain aspects of managerial skills a person may acquire. Discussion             A career is described as lifelong sequences of role-related experiences. Against this highly subjective standard, careers are viewed as individual representations of personal experiences within the job sequences. A career is also tied with profession and advancement ( 1991).             People are usually influenced about their career decisions. These start as early as childhood. But an ideal time to present career information is when students are in middle school. At this time of their lives they are looking at their interests and skills and determining what they might like to do “when they grow up.” Organizations, parents, peer group or other factors could present many professions as a viable career choice to middle school students ( 2006). These kinds of presentations show the students that there are a variety of options available to them. Career choice and development are profoundly affected by broad, cross-national differences in the structure of education and work and the connections between these institutions. Educational systems can be characterized by the extent to which they (1) are differentiated by the distinct occupational futures of students and (2) offer vocation-specific credentials (2002). University career professionals frequently lament their inability to get undergraduate students to take seriously the importance of designing a career plan during their initial college experience and then refining that plan throughout their college and subsequent careers. Four roadblocks stand between many students and career success: procrastination; rationalization; unrealistic expectations; and lack of understanding of how their academics, extracurricular activities, and work experience relate to their ability to compete successfully for a job that meets their professional and business needs (2005). To prepare for the business world’s challenges, every professional does well to formulate a career plan that clearly relates actual performance to his or her desired personal and career success. For the informed and well prepared professional, there are many strategies available to expand the frontiers of personal and career success (1993).             The increase in the attention provided the concept of career management at the level of the organization over the last few years has been impressive. Until most recently, writings and guidelines on career programs have been for the most part tailored to individual planning and decision making. The reason for this internally focused, somewhat personal emphasis seems to be associated with an apparent lack of concern for a number of “external” or “environmental context” factors that now are seen as affecting an organization’s career management system (1991).             Sometimes, there are instances when one has to decide about his or her career. These are turning point and career decisions are not simple. There are many different types, and they happen throughout our careers. Career decisions occur within the context of a complex life space influenced by individual characteristics, organizational circumstances, and conditions outside the organization (1991).             There are many strategies and techniques available for expanding the frontiers of one’s personal and/or career success (1993). However, these are usually specific to the kind of career one is in. Say for example, business managers can benefit from one group of strategies while health care professionals can benefit from another group of strategies. What is usually common and works well for any profession and career path is continuing education in the form of graduate studies or training and development programs and courses. Such programs are excellent sources for use in an organization’s or individual’s career development. Strategies and techniques can help expand the frontiers of one’s personal and career success. When these strategies are combined with the recommendations of a good mentor, support group, and/or career counselor, the possibilities for enhancing one’s career success improve.             In the area of management, certain skills are required in order to be successful. Not anyone can be a manager. Managers, by inclination and necessity, are people of action. While they may experience periods of vision and contemplation, the urgencies of the jobs they perform continually keep their attention focused on the practical and on the demand for results (2000). Six fundamental skills are needed to become a manager: writing, public speaking, interviewing, relating to others, personal computing, and information searching. These are tied together with an emphasis on learning as a lifetime endeavor. However, these skills are also requisites in other career paths. Unfortunately, the tendency to ignore these basic skills is commonplace. They may seem so fundamental that they are taken for granted and no attention is given to them or no special effort is made to improve them (1991).             One of the most critical requirements of successful managers is they possess the skill of being insightful. “Insight” means the ability to see into both persons and situations. In this sense, insight is synonymous with understanding and discernment. Yet, astute persons frequently have blurred understanding or fail to use insights available to them. Some mediocre managers, on the other hand, have sharp or intuitive discernments (2000).             It is an exciting time to be in the management career, if only your heart is really into it. The opportunities open for a management career are limitless. But this is actually true for any other profession. In any profession and career, dedication to that chosen path is the most important determinant for one to be successful. Leadership             Leadership is the capability of the person to move one’s followers to doing one common goal of the group. It may even be the ability to modify and revise how other people perceive and view a certain issue. As professionals, it is important to acquire the necessary knowledge and competencies that ultimately allow people to practice their profession. Regardless of the type of setting that these professionals work within the organization, each individual professional is responsible for using organizational resources, participating in organizational routine while providing care to other members, using time productively, collaborating with all members, and using certain leadership characteristics to manage others.             Leadership in the organizational context may refer to shifts in the leadership role and the subordinates may also take part as the leader. Shared leadership helps the subordinates act independently but is still able to maintain and accomplish he common goal. Shared leadership may also mean that the subordinates’ leadership skills can also be honed and sharpened so that in the times to come, they may also exhibit good and quality leadership.             Aside from shared leadership, the transformational leadership theory can be employed within organizations. A charismatic can do more than expect good results from followers. In the organizational context, the leader can practically inspire all the leader’s followers to meet and do higher and better than was planned. Charismatic leaders can be certain that one’s followers would do their part properly since they are really emotionally linked with the leader. It’s a strong moral bond that can ensure the success of the undertaking. Motivation Herzberg developed this theory from his research in the 1950’s when he and his associates conducted interviews on the problem of attitudes with two hundred engineers and accountants who worked for eleven different companies in the Pittsburg area. Herzberg asked his subjects to tell about the times when they especially liked their jobs and listed the incidents that they mentioned. Then he asked the same people to tell him about the times when they strongly disliked their jobs and, again, he listed the circumstances they mentioned.             After the data gathered from the interviews were analyzed, Herzberg concluded that people have different categories of needs that were essentially independent of each other and which affect them in different ways. He classified these into two groups; the first group he termed Motivation Factors. These factors were found to be important in motivating employees to superior performance and in improving productivity. The findings indicated that when the employees felt good about their jobs they were motivated to work because they found the job challenging and satisfying with the expectation of accomplishment and rewards (1991).             The following factors were found to motivate employees to do superior performance: 1.    Achievement – a feeling of personal accomplishment or the feeling of having done a job well. 2.    Recognition – being recognized for doing a job well such as being complimented by the boss or receiving a company reward, promotion, or salary increase. 3.    Participation – being personally involved in one’s work; having some responsibility for making decisions about one’s job. 4.    Growth – challenge of the job itself; and the chance to learn skills, acquire knowledge, and achieve development and advancement. As more varied tasks are included in the job under the job enrichment program, the work is made more interesting and challenging, the job becomes more satisfying and the employees more productive. With the second question which asked about the times that the subjects felt they were dissatisfied with their jobs, Herzberg arrived at a second list of factors which he termed hygiene or maintenance factors because the presence of these conditions only maintained current levels of efficiency and production or to better job performance. Said conditions concern the environment in which they were working such as company policy, supervision, salary, interpersonal relations, and working conditions. Since people feel dissatisfied with these conditions or factors were not satisfactory, they are also called dissatisfiers. Thus, if the employee’s salary, fringe benefits, and working conditions, and the company policies are inadequate, the workers will feel dissatisfied. In other words, when the hygiene or maintenance factors were not satisfactory, productivity decreased. Examples would be when people felt they weren’t paid enough, didn’t like their supervisors, were not happy about their working conditions or were insecure in their jobs. However, if they felt that the maintenance factors were satisfactory, that is, their pay and other working conditions were good, they only maintained current levels of production and efficiency. The best form of motivation is self-motivation with proper attitudes toward his or her work, co-workers and the management because this comes from within the individual. An individual’s own motivators and rewards are his or her own personal drives to achieve his ambition and goals. An individual could reward himself or herself with a vacation for a job well done as an intrinsic motivator. The company may provide the necessary motivations such as good pay, excellent benefits, and good environment but if he or she lacks personal drive, or the will to forge ahead, no amount of motivation will make him strive to great achievement. The employee needs personal initiative and motivation to achieve superior performance. Management should develop in the employees good work attitudes and proper behavior through seminars, conferences, workshops, and consultations. There are many positive factors in motivating people, among them is the utilization of extrinsic rewards. Extrinsic rewards can come in many forms like monetary incentives, job security, praise and recognition, sense of belonging, employee participation, and competition among many others (2002). It is up to the management to carefully balance their application because overdoing the use of any can also bring bad results.             The most commonly used incentive to stimulate the worker to greater production and efficiency is monetary renumeration. Money is unquestionably the single most powerful extrinsic motivator for most people (1992). Unions usually ask for increased pay as a part of their bargaining demand knowing this is what the employees want. While money is important for providing what people need in everyday life, its effect upon work does not last long.             Several research studies showed that workers do not work harder just for the purpose of making more money alone, but are motivated also by intrinsic rewards such as the desire for accomplishment and success in their job. In other studies, majority of workers feel that they will be most motivated to do their best by monetary rewards.             Another extrinsic reward as motivator is praise and recognition. Whenever an employee accomplishes a good job, it is good that management recognizes such accomplishment by praising or rewarding the employee so that he or she would be motivated to always do a good job.             If an employee feels that he or she does not belong to the group, he or she will get dissatisfied and disappointed instead of being motivated. Thus the importance of the sense of belonging within an organization so as an employee will feel motivated. The induction or orientation of a new employee in an organization will make the new employee welcome and make him feel that he is part of the group and that the group accepts him as a member of the team. Any employee who works in an environment where he or she doesn’t feel welcomed will definitely not have the motivation to do their job.             Making employees participate in meetings, conferences, and work in committees are forms of employee development and can be a string motivator. Participation in decision making stimulates the interest of the employee for greater production, provides job satisfaction, and creates in him or her the feeling of importance. Competition, although it sounds like a monster, is also a good extrinsic motivator. When done properly, competition can be a good motivator for the employees because it encourages them to use creativity, initiative, better performance, and improved production. With the use of records and charts, management can encourage their employees to work harder to beat their previous records of performance.   Credit:ivythesis.typepad.com

Self Management

Self Management Introduction Many characteristics may make up a person’s management skills. In this paper, we shall discuss c...

Building Productivity for the Real Estate Professional

Building Productivity for the Real Estate Professional   Generally, the job of a real estate broker is to act as a middle person between the sellers and the buyers on the real estate property that is being negotiated about by two parties.   Similarly, he or she is also the one who finds sellers who wish to sell and buyers who wish to buy properties.   In the United Kingdom, a real estate broker is otherwise known as estate agent.  He or she is the one who markets real estate on behalf of the clients. However, there are significant differences between the actions and liabilities of brokers and estate agents in each country. Beyond the United States, other countries take markedly different approaches to the marketing and selling of real property. In this country, real estate brokers and their salespersons (commonly called “real estate agents” assist sellers in marketing their property and selling it for the highest possible price under the best terms.  And, with a signed agreement, they assist buyers by helping them purchase property for the lowest possible price under the best terms. Without a signed agreement, brokers may assist buyers in the acquisition of property but still represent the seller and the seller’s interests.  A real state broker must have first a license before he or she can receive payment for the services being rendered.  Unlicensed   real estate activity is considered illegal, but buyers and sellers acting as principals in the sale or purchase of real estate are not required to be licensed.   They are allowed to handle real estate sales for compensation without being licensed as brokers or agents. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Real_estate_broker) Furthermore, real estate legislation allows the real estate brokers to work or deal with their buyers or customers with a legal written agreement. In the same manner, the state law also permits the real estate broker to sign a contract with buyers.   A buyer client is someone you sign a contract with, agreeing to do everything possible to help her secure the best price on a property and get it to closing. On the other hand, a customer is someone that the real estate broker works with more informally, facilitating the transaction, but without a contract and without as much personal involvement. Correspondingly, most real estate agents are required to make a written or verbal disclosure during their first contact with buyers, providing them with facts about whom they legally represent. Buyers who deal with    seller’s agent are customers; therefore, they must be treated with honestly and fairly.  Somehow, the role of the real estate broker may change the decision of the buyers.  Some states allow real estate brokers to work as facilitators.  People who bring the parties together and help them get to close the business deal. (http://www.netplaces.com/real-estate-agent/working-with-your-buyers/buyer-clients-vs-customers.htm) Accordingly, there are many success stories in real estate brokers.  Let us take for instance, the story of Michael Tornabene; he graduated last May from the University of Southern California.  And, now he is working for Msheireb Properties in Doha, Qatar.  Another inspiring story is the Shawn Amsler, a 37 year old student in Columbia University master’s program.  He is already negotiating to various Brazilian companies about his interest in working after graduating.  Majority of the real estate brokers and sales agents must have a thorough knowledge of the real estate industry. They should know which neighborhoods that will best their clients’ needs and budgets. (http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703703304576299370641709308.html) One of the most complex and significant financial events in peoples’ lives is the purchase or sale of a home or investment property. Because of the complexity and importance of this transaction, people typically seek the help of real estate brokers and sales agents when buying or selling real estate.  In the same way, they must familiar with the local zoning of the tax laws, and know where to obtain financing for the purchase of property. Both real state brokers and agents do the same of work, but brokers are licensed to manage their own real estate businesses. Agents must work with a broker. They usually provide their services to a licensed real estate broker on a contract basis. In return, the broker pays the agent a portion of the commission earned from the agent’s sale of the property. Brokers, as independent business people, often sell real estate owned by others; they also may rent or manage properties for a fee.  They work long hours, even work during evenings and weekends for the benefit of the clients. Even that is the case, the real estate brokers and agents have a very flexible time schedule compared to the employees who are stuck in the office for the whole day. (http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos120.htm)   References: (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Real_estate_broker) (http://www.netplaces.com/real-estate-agent/working-with-your-buyers/buyer-clients-vs-customers.htm) (http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703703304576299370641709308.html) (http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos120.htm)   Credit:ivythesis.typepad.com

Building Productivity for the Real Estate Professional

Building Productivity for the Real Estate Professional Generally, the job of a real estate broker is to act as a middle person betwe...

INDIVIDUAL CAREER MANAGEMENT PORTFOLIO

INDIVIDUAL CAREER MANAGEMENT PORTFOLIO       Having a career is a need of each individuals for them to reach their goals. As part of day-to-day living, people like SPED (Special education) teachers reach office in time for them to teach their children. Employment of special education teachers is expected to increase faster than the average for all occupations through 2014. Although student enrollments are expected to grow only slowly, additional positions for these workers will be created by continued increases in the number of special education students needing services, by legislation emphasizing training and employment for individuals with disabilities, and by educational reforms requiring higher standards for graduation. In addition to job openings resulting from growth, a large number of openings will result from the need to replace special education teachers who switch to teaching general education, change careers altogether, or retire. At the same time, many school districts report difficulty finding sufficient numbers of qualified teachers. As a result, special education teachers should have excellent job prospects.       The job varies by geographic area and specialty. Although most areas of the country report difficulty finding qualified applicants, positions in inner cities and rural areas usually are more plentiful than job openings in suburban or wealthy urban areas. Student populations, in general, also are expected to increase more rapidly in certain parts of the country, such as the South and West, resulting in increased demand for special education teachers in those regions. In addition, job opportunities may be better in certain specialties such as teachers who work with children with multiple disabilities or severe disabilities like autism because of large increases in the enrollment of special education students classified under those categories. Legislation encouraging early intervention and special education for infants, toddlers, and preschoolers has created a need for early childhood special education teachers. Bilingual special education teachers and those with multicultural experience also are needed to work with an increasingly diverse student population.       The number of students requiring special education services has grown steadily in recent years as improvements in identification has allowed learning disabilities to be diagnosed at earlier ages. In addition, medical advances have resulted in more children surviving serious accidents or illnesses, but with impairments that require special accommodations. The percentage of foreign-born special education students also is expected to grow, as teachers become more adept in recognizing learning disabilities in that population. Finally, more parents are expected to seek special services for those of their children who have difficulty meeting the new, higher standards required of students.  As we all know, many students with exceptionalities such as mental retarded, autistic, hearing impaired, visual impaired, cerebral palsy, down syndrome, etc.. may receive more attention and affection in the classroom. According to the Magna Carta Chapter II SECTION 12. Access in Quality Education. The State shall ensure that disabled persons are provided with adequate access to quality education and ample opportunities to develop their skills. It shall take appropriate steps to make such education accessible to all disabled persons. It shall be unlawful for any learning institution to deny a disabled person admission to any course it offers by reason of handicap or disability.       The State shall take into consideration the special requirements of disabled persons in the formulation of educational policies and programs. It shall encourage learning institutions to take into account the special needs of disabled persons with respect to the use of school facilities, class schedules, physical education requirements, and other pertinent considerations.       The State shall also promote the provision by learning institutions, especially higher learning institutions, of auxiliary services that will facilitate the learning process for disabled persons.       Education is now becoming increasingly critical to career success. Therefore, the emphasis on life-long learning and personal development, whether formal through organized seminars, or informal through reading and self-learning, is vital to promote a learning attitude that will continually develop new skills and acquire new knowledge. The (NCLB) No Child Left Behind was signed by George W. Bush on January 8, 2002. Whether a child is normal or has disabilities, he/she should be sent to school by his/her parents. This paper focuses its discussion on the career management of SPED (Special Education) Teachers. This paper attempts to analyze the relationship between the SPED Special Education) Teachers and Special students in the classroom and identifying their strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats they face in pursue of their careers. Included also is a sample of an IEP (Individualized Education Program) and a Teaching priorities of a student who has disabilities. Special Education teachers are exposed to different characteristics of individuals with special needs as well as instructional modifications and behavioral management techniques that assist individuals in the regular education environment. They help to develop an Individualized Education Program (IEP) for each special education student. The IEP sets personalized goals for each student and is tailored to the student individual needs and ability. When appropriate, the program includes a transition plan outlining specific steps to prepare students with disabilities for middle school or high school or, in the case of older students, a job or postsecondary study. They review the IEP with the student parents, school administrators, and the students general education teacher. Teachers work closely with parents to inform them of their child’s progress and suggest techniques to promote learning at home. As schools become more inclusive, special education teachers and general education teachers are increasingly working together in general education classrooms. They help general educators adapt curriculum materials and teaching techniques to meet the needs of students with disabilities. They coordinate the work of teachers, teacher assistants, and related personnel, such as therapists and social workers, to meet the individualized needs of the student within inclusive special education programs. A large part of a special education teachers job involves interacting with others. They communicate frequently with parents, social workers, school psychologists, occupational and physical therapists, school administrators, and other teachers.       Special education teachers work in a variety of settings. Some have their own classrooms and teach only special education students; others work as special education resource teachers and offer individualized help to students in general education classrooms; still others teach together with general education teachers in classes composed of both general and special education students. Some of these work with special education students for several hours a day in a resource room, separate from their general education classroom. Considerably fewer special education teachers work in residential facilities or tutor students in homebound or hospital environments.       Teacher quality research is on the forefront of policy makers minds that teachers can make a difference in student achievement growth value added assessment ( 2003). Exemplary teacher studies (1998;2002). Policy studies employing teaching characteristics ( 1999;  2003). Classroom observation research (2003). It is important relationship between teacher preparation, teacher effectiveness and student outcomes. Novice teachers may have difficulty promoting student engagement in reading curriculum like superficial understanding of how to address individual student needs within broader curriculum, demonstrates difficulties with student discipline, lack strategies to engage students in their work and content specific pedagogical understandings limited ( 1995). Teachers are responsive to students learning and understanding: recognize when student needs assistance, provide specific help when needed, adjust instruction based on student need, reinforce student achievement using specific feedbacks like very good, you’re doing a great job, keep it up! Teachers provide cohesive, well coordinated-lessons: balanced instruction incorporating all elements of reading, fast-paced transitions to new activities and connections between ideas and activities. Teachers create a safe and supportive environment for participation: employ behavior management techniques, arrange and manipulate learning environments to foster participation, use peers to assist student responding and learning. We should learn and know that techniques and structures used to promote engagement demonstrate an integration of what we know from the process-product and motivation literature and that, teachers can foster high engagement even when using highly structured curriculum. Other occupations involved with the identification, evaluation, and development of students with disabilities include psychologists, social workers, speech language pathologists, audiologists, counselors, teacher assistants/teacher aid, occupational therapists, recreational therapists and teacher-preschool kindergarten, elementary, middle, and secondary.       SAMPLE OF INDIVIDUALIZED EDUCATION PROGRAM (IEP) IEP Development Date:                  Student Name:                                                         Age:                            Sex: Level:             School:                                                          Birth Date:                             ID Number:                           Exceptionality(ies): Evaluation/Reevaluation Date:  Date of Last IEP: Unique Educational Needs, Characteristics, and Present Levels of Performance (PLOPs) (including how the disability affects the students ability to progress in the general curriculum) Special Education, Related Services, Supplemental Aids & Services, Assistive Technology, Program Modifications, Support for Personnel (including frequency, duration, and location) Measurable Annual Goals & Short-Term Objectives or Benchmarks ·         To enable student to participate in the general curriculum ·         To meet other needs resulting from the disability (including how progress toward goals will be measured) Present Level of Social Skills: He lashes out violently when not able to complete work, uses profanity, and refuses to follow further directions from adults. Social Needs: ·         To learn anger management skills, especially regarding swearing. ·         To learn to comply with requests <li class="MsoNormal" style="color: #333333; line-height: 200%"> Teacher and/or counselor consult with behavior specialist regarding techniques and programs for teaching skills, especially anger management. </li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="color: #333333; line-height: 200%"> Provide anger management instruction to him. </li> Services 3 times/week, 30 minutes <li class="MsoNormal" style="color: #333333; line-height: 200%"> Establish a peer group which involves role playing, etc., so he can see positive role models and practice newly learned anger management skills. Services 2 times/week, 30 minutes </li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="color: #333333; line-height: 200%"> Develop a behavioral plan for the child which gives him responsibility for charting his own behavior. </li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="color: #333333; line-height: 200%"> Provide a teacher or some other adult mentor to spend time with him (talking, game playing, physical activity, etc.) Services 2 times/week, 30 minutes </li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="color: #333333; line-height: 200%"> Provide training for the mentor regarding his needs/goals. </li> Goal: During the last quarter of the academic year, he will have 2 or fewer detentions for any reason. Obj. 1: At the end of the 1st quarter, he will have had 10 or fewer detentions. Obj. 2: At the end of the 2nd quarter. The child will have had 7 or fewer detentions. Obj. 3: At the end of the 3rd quarter, he will have had 4 or fewer detentions. Goal: The Child will manage his behavior and language in a reasonably acceptable manner as reported by faculty and peers. Obj. 1: At 2 weeks, asked at the end of class if the child behavior and language were acceptable or unacceptable, 3 out of 6 teachers will say acceptable. Obj. 2: At 6 weeks, asked the same question, 4 out of 6 teachers will say acceptable. Obj. 3: At 12 weeks, asked the same question, 6 out of 6 teachers will say acceptable. Unique Educational Needs, Characteristics, and Present Levels of Performance (PLOPs) (including how the disability affects the students ability to progress in the general curriculum) Special Education, Related Services, Supplemental Aids & Services, Assistive Technology, Program Modifications, Support for Personnel (including frequency, duration, and location) Measurable Annual Goals & Short-Term Objectives or Benchmarks ·         To enable student to participate in the general curriculum ·         To meet other needs resulting from the disability (including how progress toward goals will be measured) Study Skills/Organizational Needs: How to read text Note taking How to study notes Memory work Be prepared for class, with materials Lengthen and improve attention span and on-task behavior Present Level: Carl currently lacks skill in all these areas. <li class="MsoNormal" style="color: #333333; line-height: 200%"> Speech/language therapist, resource room teacher, and content area teachers will provide him with direct and specific teaching of study skills, i.e. </li> Note taking from lectures Note taking while reading text How to study notes for a test Memorization hints Strategies for reading text to retain information <li class="MsoNormal" style="color: #333333; line-height: 200%"> Assign a study buddy for the child in each content area class. </li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="color: #333333; line-height: 200%"> Prepare a motivation system for him to be prepared for class with all necessary materials. </li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="color: #333333; line-height: 200%"> Develop a motivational plan to encourage him to lengthen his attention span and time on task. </li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="color: #333333; line-height: 200%"> Provide aide to monitor on-task behaviors in first month or so of plan and teach him self-monitoring techniques. </li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="color: #333333; line-height: 200%"> Provide motivational system and self-recording form for completion of academic tasks in each class. </li> Goal: At the end of academic year, he will have better grades and, by his own report, will have learned new study skills. Obj. 1: Given a 20-30 minute lecture/oral lesson, he will take appropriate notes as judged by that teacher. Obj. 2: Given 10-15 pages of text to read, he child will employ an appropriate strategy for retaining information e.g., mapping, webbing, outlining notes, etc. as judged by the teacher. Obj. 3: Given notes to study for a test, he will do so successfully as evidenced by his test score. Goal: the child will improve his on task behavior from 37% to 80% as measured by a qualified observer at years end. Obj. 1: By 1 month, the child on-task behavior will increase to 45%. Obj. 2: By 3 months, the on-task behavior will increase to 60%. Obj. 3: By 6 months, he will be on-task behavior will increase to 80% and maintain or improve until end of the year. Unique Educational Needs, Characteristics, and Present Levels of Performance (PLOPs) (including how the disability affects the students ability to progress in the general curriculum) Special Education, Related Services, Supplemental Aids & Services, Assistive Technology, Program Modifications, Support for Personnel (including frequency, duration, and location) Measurable Annual Goals & Short-Term Objectives or Benchmarks ·         To enable student to participate in the general curriculum ·         To meet other needs resulting from the disability (including how progress toward goals will be measured) Academic Needs/Written Language: The child needs strong remedial help in spelling, punctuation, capitalization, and usage. Present Level: The child is approximately 2 grade levels behind his peers in these skills. <li class="MsoNormal" style="color: #333333; line-height: 200%"> Provide direct instruction in written language skills (punctuation, capitalization, usage, spelling) by using a highly structured, well-sequenced program. </li> Services provided in small group of no more than four students in the resource room, 50 minutes/day. <li class="MsoNormal" style="color: #333333; line-height: 200%"> Build in continuous and cumulative review to help with short-term rote memory difficulty. </li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="color: #333333; line-height: 200%"> Develop a list of commonly used words in student writing (or use one of many published lists) for him spelling program. </li> Goal: Within one academic year, he will improve his written language skills by 1.5 or 2 full grade levels. Obj. 1: Given 10 sentences of dictation at his current level of instruction, he will punctuate and capitalize with 90% accuracy (checked at the end of each unit taught). Obj. 2: Given 30 sentences with choices of usage at his current instructional level, he will perform with 90% accuracy. Obj. 3: Given a list of 150 commonly used words in writing, the child will spell with 90% accuracy. Adaptations to Regular Program: In all classes, the child should sit near the front of the class. He should be called on often to keep him involved and on task. All teachers should help him with study skills as trained by spelling/language specialist and resource room teacher. Teachers should monitor the child work closely in the beginning weeks/months of his program. Participants: Special Education Teacher:                                  Regular Education Teacher: Parents:                                                                     Guidance Counselor: Other IEP Team Members:                                     Resource room teacher: SAMPLE OF TEACHING PRIORITIES FOR A CHILD QUARTER WRITING LANGUAGE & COMMUNICATION PSYCHOSOCIAL SKILLS COGNITIVE & ACADEMIC SELF-HELP VOCATIONAL SKILLS 1ST - to copy and trace shapes - to trace letters and numbers - to be able to recognize objects by description - share & take turns w/ reason - to be able to sort objects according to attributes & describe shape/size. - to be able to recognize directional signs & symbols according to shape & color (picture) To be able to identify coins 2ND - to color objects with in the line - to be able to answer basic information about himself: I live in My father is My mother is - to be able to name children in the group playing & identify 2 friends - be able to recognize shape - be able to recognize numerical figures (1 to 5) - to be able to read & understand traffic light signals (green means go, red means stop) - be able to identify coins (centavo-P10 coin)     Strengths & Weaknesses of being a Special Education Teacher 1. Special education teachers enjoy the challenge of working with students with disabilities and the opportunity to establish meaningful relationships with them. Although helping these students can be highly rewarding, the work also can be emotionally and physically draining. Many special education teachers are under considerable stress due to heavy workloads and administrative tasks. They must produce a substantial amount of paperwork documenting each students progress and work under the threat of litigation against the school or district by students parents if correct procedures are not followed or if the parents feel that their child is not receiving an adequate education, although recent legislation that has been passed is intended to reduce the burden of paperwork and the threat of litigation. The physical and emotional demands of the job cause some special education teachers to leave the occupation. 2. School districts do their best to integrate students with disabilities generally; small schools tend to do it better. 3. Fall vision conference provided a good opportunity for parents and service providers. 4. Federal support for students with disabilities. 5. Many sources of information are available. 6. Lack of state assessment data; reading below grade level; lack of student achievement data at the state level; lack of successful outcomes; needs assessment data and outcomes data (valid and reliable). 7. Need more parent education to ensure students are receiving services; communication with parents, birth to age 3,(more categorical programs); lack of parent information resources on a consistent basis; parents don’t seem to know sources for information; specialized. 8. Preparation for life post-school is insufficient; transition resources/career education; post secondary; attitudes and don’t see the need to provide self help, independent living skills, etc. Credit:ivythesis.typepad.com

INDIVIDUAL CAREER MANAGEMENT PORTFOLIO

INDIVIDUAL CAREER MANAGEMENT PORTFOLIO Having a career is a need of each individuals for them to reach their goals. As ...

INDIVIDUAL CAREER MANAGEMENT PORTFOLIO

INDIVIDUAL CAREER MANAGEMENT PORTFOLIO       Having a career is a need of each individuals for them to reach their goals. As part of day-to-day living, people like SPED (Special education) teachers reach office in time for them to teach their children. At the same time, many school districts report difficulty finding sufficient numbers of qualified teachers. As a result, special education teachers should have excellent job prospects.  As we all know, many students with exceptionalities such as mental retarded, autistic, hearing impaired, visual impaired, cerebral palsy, down syndrome, etc.. may receive more attention and affection in the classroom. According to the Magna Carta Chapter II SECTION 12. Access in Quality Education. The State shall ensure that disabled persons are provided with adequate access to quality education and ample opportunities to develop their skills. It shall take appropriate steps to make such education accessible to all disabled persons. It shall be unlawful for any learning institution to deny a disabled person admission to any course it offers by reason of handicap or disability.       The State shall take into consideration the special requirements of disabled persons in the formulation of educational policies and programs. It shall encourage learning institutions to take into account the special needs of disabled persons with respect to the use of school facilities, class schedules, physical education requirements, and other pertinent considerations.       The State shall also promote the provision by learning institutions, especially higher learning institutions, of auxiliary services that will facilitate the learning process for disabled persons.       Education is now becoming increasingly critical to career success. Therefore, the emphasis on life-long learning and personal development, whether formal through organized seminars, or informal through reading and self-learning, is vital to promote a learning attitude that will continually develop new skills and acquire new knowledge. The (NCLB) No Child Left Behind was signed by on January 8, 2002. Whether a child is normal or has disabilities, he/she should be sent to school by his/her parents. This paper focuses its discussion on the career management of SPED (Special Education) Teachers. This paper attempts to analyze the relationship between the SPED Special Education) Teachers and Special students in the classroom and identifying their strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats they face in pursue of their careers. Included also is a sample of an IEP (Individualized Education Program) and a Teaching priorities of a student who has disabilities. Special Education teachers are exposed to different characteristics of individuals with special needs as well as instructional modifications and behavioral management techniques that assist individuals in the regular education environment. They also make an IEP (Individualized Education Program) for students. The IEP sets personalized goals for each student and is tailored to the student individual needs and ability. When appropriate, the program includes a transition plan outlining specific steps to prepare students with disabilities for middle school or high school or, in the case of older students, a job or postsecondary study. They review the IEP with the student parents, school administrators, and the students general education teacher. Teachers work closely with parents to inform them of their child’s progress and suggest techniques to promote learning at home. As schools become more inclusive, special education teachers and general education teachers are increasingly working together in general education classrooms. They help general educators adapt curriculum materials and teaching techniques to meet the needs of students with disabilities. They coordinate the work of teachers, teacher assistants, and related personnel, such as therapists and social workers, to meet the individualized needs of the student within inclusive special education programs. A large part of a special education teachers job involves interacting with others. They communicate frequently with parents, social workers, school psychologists, occupational and physical therapists, school administrators, and other teachers.       Special education teachers work in a variety of settings. Some have their own classrooms and teach only special education students; others work as special education resource teachers and offer individualized help to students in general education classrooms; still others teach together with general education teachers in classes composed of both general and special education students. Some of these work with special education students for several hours a day in a resource room, separate from their general education classroom. Considerably fewer special education teachers work in residential facilities or tutor students in homebound or hospital environments.       Teacher quality research is on the forefront of policy makers minds that teachers can make a difference in student achievement growth value added assessment (2003). Exemplary teacher studies (1998; 2002). Policy studies employing teaching characteristics (1999; 2003). Classroom observation research ( 2003). It is important relationship between teacher preparation, teacher effectiveness and student outcomes. Novice teachers may have difficulty promoting student engagement in reading curriculum like superficial understanding of how to address individual student needs within broader curriculum, demonstrates difficulties with student discipline, lack strategies to engage students in their work and content specific pedagogical understandings limited (1995). Teachers are responsive to students learning and understanding: recognize when student needs assistance, provide specific help when needed, adjust instruction based on student need, reinforce student achievement using specific feedbacks like very good, you’re doing a great job, keep it up! Teachers provide cohesive, well coordinated-lessons: balanced instruction incorporating all elements of reading, fast-paced transitions to new activities and connections between ideas and activities. Teachers create a safe and supportive environment for participation: employ behavior management techniques, arrange and manipulate learning environments to foster participation, use peers to assist student responding and learning. We should learn and know that techniques and structures used to promote engagement demonstrate an integration of what we know from the process-product and motivation literature and that, teachers can foster high engagement even when using highly structured curriculum. Other occupations involved with the identification, evaluation, and development of students with disabilities include psychologists, social workers, speech language pathologists, audiologists, counselors, teacher assistants/teacher aid, occupational therapists, recreational therapists and teacher-preschool kindergarten, elementary, middle, and secondary.       SAMPLE OF INDIVIDUALIZED EDUCATION PROGRAM (IEP) IEP Development Date:                  Student Name:                                                         Age:                            Sex: Level:             School:                                                          Birth Date:                             ID Number:                           Exceptionality(ies): Evaluation/Reevaluation Date:  Date of Last IEP: Unique Educational Needs, Characteristics, and Present Levels of Performance (PLOPs) (including how the disability affects the students ability to progress in the general curriculum) Special Education, Related Services, Supplemental Aids & Services, Assistive Technology, Program Modifications, Support for Personnel (including frequency, duration, and location) Measurable Annual Goals & Short-Term Objectives or Benchmarks ·         To enable student to participate in the general curriculum ·         To meet other needs resulting from the disability (including how progress toward goals will be measured) Present Level of Social Skills: He lashes out violently when not able to complete work, uses profanity, and refuses to follow further directions from adults. Social Needs: ·         To learn anger management skills, especially regarding swearing. ·         To learn to comply with requests <li class="MsoNormal" style="color: #333333; line-height: 200%"> Teacher and/or counselor consult with behavior specialist regarding techniques and programs for teaching skills, especially anger management. </li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="color: #333333; line-height: 200%"> Provide anger management instruction to him. </li> Services 3 times/week, 30 minutes <li class="MsoNormal" style="color: #333333; line-height: 200%"> Establish a peer group which involves role playing, etc., so he can see positive role models and practice newly learned anger management skills. Services 2 times/week, 30 minutes </li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="color: #333333; line-height: 200%"> Develop a behavioral plan for the child which gives him responsibility for charting his own behavior. </li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="color: #333333; line-height: 200%"> Provide a teacher or some other adult mentor to spend time with him (talking, game playing, physical activity, etc.) Services 2 times/week, 30 minutes </li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="color: #333333; line-height: 200%"> Provide training for the mentor regarding his needs/goals. </li> Goal: During the last quarter of the academic year, he will have 2 or fewer detentions for any reason. Obj. 1: At the end of the 1st quarter, he will have had 10 or fewer detentions. Obj. 2: At the end of the 2nd quarter. The child will have had 7 or fewer detentions. Obj. 3: At the end of the 3rd quarter, he will have had 4 or fewer detentions. Goal: The Child will manage his behavior and language in a reasonably acceptable manner as reported by faculty and peers. Obj. 1: At 2 weeks, asked at the end of class if the child behavior and language were acceptable or unacceptable, 3 out of 6 teachers will say acceptable. Obj. 2: At 6 weeks, asked the same question, 4 out of 6 teachers will say acceptable. Obj. 3: At 12 weeks, asked the same question, 6 out of 6 teachers will say acceptable. Unique Educational Needs, Characteristics, and Present Levels of Performance (PLOPs) (including how the disability affects the students ability to progress in the general curriculum) Special Education, Related Services, Supplemental Aids & Services, Assistive Technology, Program Modifications, Support for Personnel (including frequency, duration, and location) Measurable Annual Goals & Short-Term Objectives or Benchmarks ·         To enable student to participate in the general curriculum ·         To meet other needs resulting from the disability (including how progress toward goals will be measured) Study Skills/Organizational Needs: How to read text Note taking How to study notes Memory work Be prepared for class, with materials Lengthen and improve attention span and on-task behavior Present Level: Carl currently lacks skill in all these areas. <li class="MsoNormal" style="color: #333333; line-height: 200%"> Speech/language therapist, resource room teacher, and content area teachers will provide him with direct and specific teaching of study skills, i.e. </li> Note taking from lectures Note taking while reading text How to study notes for a test Memorization hints Strategies for reading text to retain information <li class="MsoNormal" style="color: #333333; line-height: 200%"> Assign a study buddy for the child in each content area class. </li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="color: #333333; line-height: 200%"> Prepare a motivation system for him to be prepared for class with all necessary materials. </li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="color: #333333; line-height: 200%"> Develop a motivational plan to encourage him to lengthen his attention span and time on task. </li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="color: #333333; line-height: 200%"> Provide aide to monitor on-task behaviors in first month or so of plan and teach him self-monitoring techniques. </li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="color: #333333; line-height: 200%"> Provide motivational system and self-recording form for completion of academic tasks in each class. </li> Goal: At the end of academic year, he will have better grades and, by his own report, will have learned new study skills. Obj. 1: Given a 20-30 minute lecture/oral lesson, he will take appropriate notes as judged by that teacher. Obj. 2: Given 10-15 pages of text to read, he child will employ an appropriate strategy for retaining information e.g., mapping, webbing, outlining notes, etc. as judged by the teacher. Obj. 3: Given notes to study for a test, he will do so successfully as evidenced by his test score. Goal: the child will improve his on task behavior from 37% to 80% as measured by a qualified observer at years end. Obj. 1: By 1 month, the child on-task behavior will increase to 45%. Obj. 2: By 3 months, the on-task behavior will increase to 60%. Obj. 3: By 6 months, he will be on-task behavior will increase to 80% and maintain or improve until end of the year. Unique Educational Needs, Characteristics, and Present Levels of Performance (PLOPs) (including how the disability affects the students ability to progress in the general curriculum) Special Education, Related Services, Supplemental Aids & Services, Assistive Technology, Program Modifications, Support for Personnel (including frequency, duration, and location) Measurable Annual Goals & Short-Term Objectives or Benchmarks ·         To enable student to participate in the general curriculum ·         To meet other needs resulting from the disability (including how progress toward goals will be measured) Academic Needs/Written Language: The child needs strong remedial help in spelling, punctuation, capitalization, and usage. Present Level: The child is approximately 2 grade levels behind his peers in these skills. <li class="MsoNormal" style="color: #333333; line-height: 200%"> Provide direct instruction in written language skills (punctuation, capitalization, usage, spelling) by using a highly structured, well-sequenced program. </li> Services provided in small group of no more than four students in the resource room, 50 minutes/day. <li class="MsoNormal" style="color: #333333; line-height: 200%"> Build in continuous and cumulative review to help with short-term rote memory difficulty. </li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="color: #333333; line-height: 200%"> Develop a list of commonly used words in student writing (or use one of many published lists) for him spelling program. </li> Goal: Within one academic year, he will improve his written language skills by 1.5 or 2 full grade levels. Obj. 1: Given 10 sentences of dictation at his current level of instruction, he will punctuate and capitalize with 90% accuracy (checked at the end of each unit taught). Obj. 2: Given 30 sentences with choices of usage at his current instructional level, he will perform with 90% accuracy. Obj. 3: Given a list of 150 commonly used words in writing, the child will spell with 90% accuracy. Adaptations to Regular Program: In all classes, the child should sit near the front of the class. He should be called on often to keep him involved and on task. All teachers should help him with study skills as trained by spelling/language specialist and resource room teacher. Teachers should monitor the child work closely in the beginning weeks/months of his program. Participants: Special Education Teacher:                                  Regular Education Teacher: Parents:                                                                     Guidance Counselor: Other IEP Team Members:                                     Resource room teacher: SAMPLE OF TEACHING PRIORITIES FOR A CHILD QUARTER WRITING LANGUAGE & COMMUNICATION PSYCHOSOCIAL SKILLS COGNITIVE & ACADEMIC SELF-HELP VOCATIONAL SKILLS 1ST - to copy and trace shapes - to trace letters and numbers - to be able to recognize objects by description - share & take turns w/ reason - to be able to sort objects according to attributes & describe shape/size. - to be able to recognize directional signs & symbols according to shape & color (picture) To be able to identify coins 2ND - to color objects with in the line - to be able to answer basic information about himself: I live in My father is My mother is - to be able to name children in the group playing & identify 2 friends - be able to recognize shape - be able to recognize numerical figures (1 to 5) - to be able to read & understand traffic light signals (green means go, red means stop) - be able to identify coins (centavo-P10 coin)   Strengths & Weaknesses of being a Special Education Teacher 1. Special education teachers enjoy the challenge of working with students with disabilities and the opportunity to establish meaningful relationships with them. Although helping these students can be highly rewarding, the work also can be emotionally and physically draining. Many special education teachers are under considerable stress due to heavy workloads and administrative tasks. They must produce a substantial amount of paperwork documenting each students progress and work under the threat of litigation against the school or district by students parents if correct procedures are not followed or if the parents feel that their child is not receiving an adequate education, although recent legislation that has been passed is intended to reduce the burden of paperwork and the threat of litigation. The physical and emotional demands of the job cause some special education teachers to leave the occupation. 2. School districts do their best to integrate students with disabilities generally; small schools tend to do it better. 3. Fall vision conference provided a good opportunity for parents and service providers. 4. Federal support for students with disabilities. 5. Many sources of information are available. 6. Lack of state assessment data; reading below grade level; lack of student achievement data at the state level; lack of successful outcomes; needs assessment data and outcomes data (valid and reliable). 7. Need more parent education to ensure students are receiving services; communication with parents, birth to age 3,(more categorical programs); lack of parent information resources on a consistent basis; parents don’t seem to know sources for information; specialized. 8. Preparation for life post-school is insufficient; transition resources/career education; post secondary; attitudes and don’t see the need to provide self help, independent living skills, etc.             Credit:ivythesis.typepad.com

INDIVIDUAL CAREER MANAGEMENT PORTFOLIO

INDIVIDUAL CAREER MANAGEMENT PORTFOLIO Having a career is a need of each individuals for them to reach their goals. As ...