Yes We Can! General and Special Educators Collaborating in a Professional Learning Community

by Heather Friziellie, Julie Schmidt, Jeanne Spiller

Design responsive instruction for the success of special needs students. As states adopt more rigorous academic standards, schools must define how special education fits into standards-aligned curricula, instruction, and assessment. Utilizing PLC practices, general and special educators must develop collaborative partnerships in order to close the achievement gap and maximize learning for all. The authors encourage all educators to take collective responsibility in improving outcomes for students with special needs.
Introduction Improving Outcomes for All Students Part Closing the Gap Through Collaboration
Chapter 1: Understanding the History and Reality of Special Education
Chapter 2: Collaborating for All Students
Chapter 3: Developing a Culture of Shared Learning Expectations Part Closing the Gap Through a Focus on Learning and Results
Chapter 4: Establishing What All Students Should Learn
Chapter 5: Designing Standards-Aligned Instruction for Student Success
Chapter 6: Determining Criteria for Assessment
Chapter 7: Planning Goals and Monitoring Progress for All Learners
Chapter 8: Responding When Students Don't Learn Appendix Reproducibles
Appendix Glossary

Genres: Nonfiction, Education

144 pages, Perfect Paperback

Published March 15, 2016

Reviews

[Neil Hepworth · Rating 1 out of 5]

Every idea in this book is presented better and with more depth in other Solution Tree books. The content in this book is very thin with no practical suggestions. In addition, while this book is pitched as helping GenEd and SpecEd teachers to collaborate, 90% of the book deals with GenEd aspects. If you're looking for a guide on how to practically better integrate SpecEd into the GenEd environment, look somewhere else.

I am usually a big fan of the Solution Tree texts, but this book is a major dud.

[Kenzie O’Neill · Rating 2 out of 5]

Read this for school as a group read. This book has a lot of great ideas about differentiating instruction to create equitable outcomes for all students. Unfortunately, none of these great ideas are new to anyone who is currently teaching unless they live under a rock. I felt as though I was reading educational common sense presented as something new and exciting, with as many big words as possible added in for good measure. At least it was nice reassurance that the procedures we have in place are best practices for our kids.

[Nate Balcom · Rating 3 out of 5]

Book #2 of my #30BookSummer Challenge! Yes We Can! General and Special Educators Collaborating in a Professional Learning Community by Heather Friziellie, Julie Schmidt, and Jeanne Spiller. Digging into some professional reading to help me support ALL my students!

[Chris Jakicic · Rating 5 out of 5]

A practitioner's guide to the crucial role of collaboration in helping all students learn.

[Stephen Womack · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this book with a group of educators. It is a good text for driving conversation as the conversations that came from the book were more meaningful than the book itself.

[Christine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Helpful step by step details for PLCs, with specific attention for including special educators.