Posted: May 19th, 2023

Andrew is a 5-year-old boy in a full-day kindergarten program

Andrew is a 5-year-old boy in a full-day kindergarten program in Mrs. Brown’s classroom. During the first few weeks of school, Mrs. Brown notices that Andrew is struggling to adjust to the kindergarten day. In particular, he has difficulty following directions and making transitions from one activity to the next. However, other children are also having difficulty adjusting, so Mrs. Brown continues to observe Andrew. As the weeks follow and most of the class settles into the daily routine, Andrew’s difficulties seem to increase. Mrs. Brown’s observation notes identify concerns about Andrew’s behavior and development, including the following:

Early Literacy Skills:
Limited expressive vocabulary outside of his areas of interest, which include animals, and especially dogs
Limited sight-word vocabulary for kindergarten
Fine-Motor Skills:
Poor fine-motor skills, especially with cutting
Difficulties using a computer mouse
Poor eye-hand coordination (also noticed by the P.E. teacher)
Behavioral Concerns:
Frequent interruptions, for example, Andrew will ask unrelated questions and change topics during daily group times
Becomes frustrated when unsuccessful with both learning tasks and physical activities
Mrs. Brown also has the following anecdotal notes from her Fall parent-teacher conference with Andrew’s parents, both of whom attended the conference: “Andrew’s father, Mr. Unger, works full time. Since Andrew and his two younger siblings were born, his mother has stayed home to care for the children. Mrs. Unger’s native language is French. She appears to speak and understand English with little difficulty, although, she stated she is more comfortable with email and other written forms of communication. The family speaks both French and English at home. Mrs. Unger explained that Andrew’s experience with group programs before beginning kindergarten was mainly in family-based activities offered by the community, such as at the local library. She also noted that Andrew has always had a lot of energy, as do his siblings. Along with the family’s two dogs, she describes them as all ‘very lively’.”

Mrs. Brown draws on her experience to support and foster Andrew’s growth as best she can. However, after not seeing improvement, she shares her concerns with the school’s special education teacher and asks for a prereferral intervention for Andrew. In turn, Andrew’s parents are notified, and the prereferral process, including forming a Child Support Team for Andrew, begins.

Based on the information in the Case Scenario on Andrew and research-based practices/strategies, use the Collaboration Plan Template document to develop a Collaboration Plan for Andrew’s Child Support Team. Follow the instructions on the template to complete all six parts of the Collaboration Plan.

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A Collaboration Plan for Andrew’s Child Support Team:

Part 1: Team Members

Mrs. Brown, Kindergarten Teacher
Mr. Unger, Andrew’s Father
Mrs. Unger, Andrew’s Mother
Special Education Teacher
School Psychologist
Speech-Language Pathologist
Part 2: Team Goals

To help Andrew succeed in kindergarten
To identify and address any areas of need
To develop a plan of support for Andrew and his family
Part 3: Team Meetings

The team will meet regularly to discuss Andrew’s progress and to make any necessary changes to the plan of support.
Meetings will be held at least once per month.
Meetings will be held at a time and place that is convenient for all team members.
Part 4: Communication

The team will communicate regularly with each other and with Andrew’s family.
Communication will be in writing and in person.
Communication will be clear, concise, and respectful.
Part 5: Data Collection

The team will collect data on Andrew’s progress in all areas of development.
Data will be collected through observation, informal assessments, and formal assessments.
Data will be used to inform the team’s decisions about Andrew’s needs and to track his progress.
Part 6: Interventions

The team will develop a plan of interventions to address Andrew’s needs.
Interventions will be based on the data collected by the team.
Interventions will be implemented in a timely and consistent manner.
The Child Support Team will work together to provide Andrew with the support he needs to succeed in kindergarten. The team will meet regularly, communicate effectively, and collect data to inform their decisions. The team will develop a plan of interventions that is based on Andrew’s needs and that is implemented in a timely and consistent manner. The team is committed to helping Andrew reach his full potential.

In addition to the interventions outlined in the Collaboration Plan, the team may also want to consider the following strategies:

Providing Andrew with opportunities to practice his fine motor skills at home and at school.
Providing Andrew with visual supports to help him follow directions and transition from one activity to the next.
Teaching Andrew strategies for managing his frustration.
Working with Andrew’s parents to create a positive learning environment at home.
The Child Support Team is confident that Andrew can succeed with their support.

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