The Effectiveness of a Special Education Teacher on Meeting the Needs of Students with Disabilities and Meeting the Common Core State Standards: A Self-Study

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to assess my own teaching while planning effectively according the Common Core State Standards and meeting the needs of students with disabilities. This self-study included data collection of lesson plans and reflections, formal observations, and professional development. The self-study was designed to answer three specific questions: whether the lessons were meeting the appropriate grade level Common Core State Standards, were the students with disabilities needs being met, and, lastly, monitoring instructional practices to continue to develop into a more effective teacher. There were no participants in this self-study other than myself to monitor my own instructional practices/techniques and measure the effectiveness of those practices/techniques. The study was conducted during the time period where formal observations had to be completed and the beginning of the year where I could monitor and adjust my teaching as needed.