Capella University Problem of Practice Response Discussion

“A problem of practice presents itself as a performance gap between what educators define as the “ideal” or desired outcomes and the current “reality,” that is, what currently exists” (Carnegie Project on the Education Doctorate, n.d.). In identifying a problem of practice in my professional setting, I am reminded of the first of many concerns as I was preparing to complete this current academic year with my second grade students remotely due to the Covid pandemic. Taking my prior professional background as a Special Education Resource teacher into account as I considered the challenges my current SPED students were already facing, I became increasingly distraught as I anticipated the exaggerated challenges of my SPED students while learning remotely. How were they going to receive the accommodations and modifications as mandated on their IEP’s while learning remotely? How can they be successful learners? I decided that I would focus on Instructional strategies for Special Education students while learning remotely.

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I was fortunate again this year to have the special education cluster and as we transitioned to remote learning, many of my SPED cluster’s attendance quickly declined. With the decision being made by our district, it was released publicly that all students would be promoted to the next grade regardless of their participation and attendance during Covid remote learning. As a teacher of second graders, the attendance was more due to the parents not enforcing their child’s attendance or participation. During parent communications, I was informed repeatedly of concerns of implementing the child’s IEP. How would they receive the much needed support? What learning strategies are being implemented to help them to be successful? I discussed the concerns with administration and my instructional coach. These were definitely valid concerns, however, due to the abrupt manner these changes occurred there were no immediate answers in these times of uncertainty. The remaining weeks of the school year yielded very little participation from this cluster of students. The lacking parental accountability was disheartening as numerous learning opportunities were disregarded. I think this is a definite problem of practice in my professional setting at the current time.

Reference

The Carnegie Project on the Education Doctorate. (n.d.). The CPED framework ©. Retrieved from https://www.cpedinitiative.org/the-framework