Professionalism in Special Education (150 points)
Instructions and Grading Criteria
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As a candidate in the teacher preparation program, the speech and communication program or
other professional track, it is important to recognize that your commitment to the profession, and
to students with disabilities, begins now, and can lead you to a very successful and rewarding
career.
You will read two documents, depending on your professional track (see Course outline), that
examine standards of practice and ethics for professionals who work with students who have
special needs. Then, you will explore your own philosophy and goals related to serving
students with disabilities in the context of these readings. The final product of this reflection will
be an essay that describes in what ways you exemplify ‘professionalism’, how you intend to
maintain the perspective, attitude and deportment of a special education professional, and how
you intend to continue your commitment to serving students with disabilities throughout your
career.
Each class member will read the CEC, ASHA or the NAEYC Code of Ethics, depending on your
intended professional track. You will also read standards for practice from one of the documents
provided, specific to your intended professional track. This may include the INTASC Model
Standards, the CEC Standards for Beginning Teachers, the standards for certification from
ASHA, or the standards for licensure from the national Association for the Education of Young
Children (NAEYC). For others enrolled in this course, please see me regarding your intended
professional track.
The essay will be evaluated for how well it incorporates detail from the readings with the
personal reflection of your own philosophy and values, on how well it is organized, on it’s
fluency and mechanics, how it demonstrates your commitment to your career goals, and on how
well it represents you as a professional.
1.
Reflect on your teaching philosophy (whether you have written one, or not), including
what you believe about...
special education and its role in a school system
your role as a teacher or related professional
your ethical obligations as a teacher or related professional toward your:
students,
students’ parents,
school, and
community
2.
Identify what you believe to be the key dispositions, values, and beliefs that your
philosophy represents,
3.
Summarize these dispositions, values, and beliefs into a clear and cohesive statement to
begin your professionalism paper,
4.
Review the code of ethics and standards of professional practice for your chosen career
(readings on next page),
5.
Identify and note specific references within the documents for:
a.
one aspect of the code of ethics with which you believe you are highly prepared,
b.
one aspect of the code of ethics with which you are concerned or unprepared,
c. three aspects of the standards of professional practice with which you feel highly
prepared,
d.
three aspects of the standards of professional practice with which you are
concerned or unprepared,
6.
Establish connections among all of these elements of the code of ethics and standards
for professional practice and the dispositions, values, and beliefs you have identified as your
philosophy,
7.
Formulate a clear and detailed plan for how you will respond to those areas where you
have a concern or feel unprepared, including specific activities, timelines, organizations classes,
etc., that will facilitate your plan,
8.
Compose your paper, in the following order:
a.
A title page, including your name, date, and class (ESE 424),b.
A summary of your
values and beliefs;
b.
an explanation of those areas within the code of ethics and standards of professional
practice with which you feel highly prepared, and why;
c.
an explanation of those areas of the code of ethics and standards for professional
practice with which you feel unprepared or concerned, and why;
d.
a description of how your strengths and needs (as identified in the two preceding
sections relate to your values and beliefs (i.e. how does your philosophy justify further education
and training?);
e.
your plan for addressing your specific areas of need, and how this plan will meet those
needs;
f.
a conclusion that brings your paper together; and
Professionalism in Special Education
Readings
Please choose one reading from Column A and one from Column B for your chosen professional track. Read each and take notes on
those sections that relate to the above criteria. Be sure to note the page and/or section from which important text is taken.
Field of Professional
A
B
Practice
Code of Ethics
Standards for Professional Practice
Special Education
Council for Exceptional Children (1997). CEC Code Council for Exceptional Children (1997). CEC |
(including early childhood
of Ethics for Educators of Persons with
Individualized General Curriculum
special education)
Exceptionalities. Retrieved on November
Referenced Standards. Retrieved on
12, 2006, from:
January 3, 2006 from
http://www.cec.sped.org/Content/NavigationMenu/P http://www.cec.sped.org/Content/NavigationMenu/P
rofessionalDevelopment/ProfessionalStand
rofessionalDevelopment/ProfessionalStand
ards/EthicsPracticeStandards/default.htm
ards/EthicsPracticeStandards/Individualized
_General_Curriculum_Referenced_Standar
ds.htm
Speech Language
pathology
American Speech-Language-hearing Association
(ASHA) (2001). Code of Ethics. Retrieved
on January 2, 2008, from
www.asha.org/NR/rdonlyres/F51E46C53D87-44AF-BFDA346D32F85C60/0/v1CodeOfEthics.pdf
American Speech-Language-hearing Association
(ASHA) (2006). Standards and
Implementation
Procedures For the Certificate of Clinical
Competence. Retrieved on November 12,
2006, from:
http://www.asha.org/about/membershipcertification/handbooks/slp/slp_standards.ht
m
Early childhood Education
(not in special education)
National Association for the Education of Young
Children (2004). Code of Ethical conduct
supplement for early childhood adult
educators. Retrieved on August 16, 2007,
from:
http://www.naeyc.org/about/positions/pseth98.asp
National Association for the Education of Young
Children (2001). NAEYC standards for
professional preparation. Retrieved on
August 16, 2007, from:
http://www.naeyc.org/faculty/pdf/2001.pdf
Professionalism in Special Education
Grading Criteria and Rubric
Please use the following criteria to guide the writing of your essay. The essay must be submitted via e-mail attachment, in MS Word
2003 (or earlier) or Rich Text format (RTF) by class time on the date due.
Category
PHILOSOPHY
STATEMENT
Does Not Meet
1
0-15
A philosophy statement is
present, but is limited or
ambiguous;
A philosophy statement is
missing;
The philosophy statement does
not give a clear perspective on
dispositions, values, or beliefs;
The philosophy statement is not
related to your field;
The philosophy statement does
not explain ethical obligations,
as descried in the instructions
Meets
2
16-18
A philosophy statement is
provided within your paper, and
reflects general dispositions,
values, and beliefs toward
special education;
Most or all of the ethical
obligations identified in the
instructions are completely and
accurately described;
The philosophy forms a solid
foundation for the remainder of
the paper;
Exceeds
3
19-20
A concise, coherent, and
cohesive statement of your
philosophy is provided at the
beginning of the paper;
The philosophy forms a strong
foundation for the paper;
The presentation of your ethical
obligations, dispositions, values,
and beliefs are completely and
clearly identified, and are wellsupported with examples,
references, or other relevant
evidence
Score
PROFESSIONAL
STRENGTHS AND
NEEDS
0-31
Your strengths and needs are
described, but lack detail;
Your strengths and needs are
not connected to your
philosophy statement;
Your strengths and needs are
present, but do not relate to the
readings, or are not cited as
such;
32-37
Your strengths and needs are
described completely;
You identify strengths and needs
in both areas of ethics and
standards for knowledge and
skills;
The strengths and needs you
identify are connected well to the
readings on ethics and
standards;
Connections are made to your
philosophy statement, but may
be general or incomplete;
Your strengths and needs are
accurately referenced to the two
readings
38-40
Your strengths and needs are
clearly and fully descried, with
supporting examples,
justifications, and other relevant
evidence;
Your strengths and needs are
connected effectively to the
philosophy statement with
examples, justifications, and
other relevant evidence;
Your strengths and needs are
fully, accurately, and clearly
referenced to the readings;
PROFESSIONAL
GROWTH PLAN
0-15
No plan for remediating your
needs is present, or one is
present and lacks relevant
information or details;
Limited or generic activities are
identified;
A general or ambiguous timeline
is provided
16-18
A plan for remediating your
needs is provided;
The professional growth plan
provides specific examples for
how all identified needs will be
addressed;
A clear timeline for professional
growth activities is provided
19-20
A plan for remediating your
needs is fully outlined;
The professional growth plan is
clearly and solidly connected to
all identified needs;
The professional growth plan
contains clear, detailed, and
extensive ideas for how to
address all identified needs
A realistic, but specific, timeline
for professional development
activities is provided
ORGANIZATION
0-15
The paper does not include all
required elements of the
assignment;
The paper does not transition
effectively between or within
paragraphs;
The flow of the paper is
awkward, repetitive, or confusing
16-18
The paper includes all required
elements;
The paper uses effective
transitions between paragraphs;
The flow of the paper is unclear
or repetitive
19-20
The paper includes all required
sections and topics;
The paper demonstrates
effective use of organizational
strategies, including effective
transitions within and between
paragraphs, effective paragraph
construction, and fluency of
thoughts and ideas;
WORD CHOICE
0-7
Word choice is general,
simplistic, and uninteresting;
Word choice is repetitive or
ambiguous;
Multiple instances of non-person
first language or
handicapisms/ableisms exist
8-9
The paper uses effective word
choices, including those
appropriate to the context and
purpose of the paper;
Word choice is not repetitive or
ambiguous;
Minor instances of non-person
first language are evident;
No handicapisms/ableisms exist
SENTENCE
FLUENCY
0-7
Sentences are simplistic and
uniform;
Sentence styles are complex,
but poorly or inappropriately
used
8-9
Sentence styles are simple, but
clear and effective
10
The paper demonstrates
thoughtful and effective choice of
language to its context and
purpose;
The text of the paper is not
repetitive, simplistic, or
ambiguous;
Person-first language is used
effectively and exclusively, and
handicapisms/ableisms are not
present
10
The author makes excellent use
of diverse sentence styles and
complexities;
Sentence styles are used
effectively and appropriately
VOICE
0-15
The assignment demonstrates
limited or no commitment to the
topic;
The assignment is not engaging
or interesting;
Little or no sense of the author’s
character, personality, or
individuality is evident in the
assignment
16-18
The tone of the paper
demonstrates commitment to the
profession and students with
exceptionalities;
The paper is clearly written, but
does not fully engage the reader,
is not interesting, or does not
evoke the character, personality,
or individuality of the writer
CONVENTIONS
0-7
The assignment contains
multiple errors in standard
writing conventions, including
spelling, grammar, or
punctuation;
The assignment is not submitted
in the appropriate format;
Key identifying information is
missing, such as name, course,
or date
8-9
The assignment demonstrates
effective use of standard writing
conventions, including minimal
errors in spelling, grammar, or
punctuation;
The paper is submitted in the
appropriate format;
The assignment includes
identifying information, including
name, course, and date
19-20
The tone of the paper provides
strong and compelling evidence
of commitment to the profession
and students with
exceptionalities;
The tone of the paper is
engaging and motivates the
reader;
The assignment evokes a clear
sense of the author’s character,
personality, or individuality
10
The paper demonstrates skillful
use of standard writing
conventions and grammar;
The paper is submitted in the
specified format, and includes
the author’s name, course and
section, and date;
References are clear and
consistently formatted, with
appropriate detail
TOTAL