SELF-EVALUATION
Throughout this case study I have learned many things. It was a struggle to work one-to-
one with a student this semester due to the constant changes happening with covid. Through
these struggles, I have realized that even though something is planned ahead of time that does
not mean it will go exactly according to plan. The student may be absent or not answer the way
that is expected. This student was patient and eager to work with me throughout this semester
and I am grateful I had the opportunity to get to know her and work with her.
There were several strengths I had throughout this process. The student was very quiet
and shy at the beginning of the process. I had the ability to make it as comfortable and
encouraging as I could for her to open up. I kept her engaged and attentive throughout each
interaction and intervention. Outside of the interventions, I had the opportunity to teach the
whole class. She was willing to answer questions and read parts of the story out loud. Another
strength that surfaced was the ability to improvise and be light on my feet when things did not go
as planned. There were days that the interventions were written to include multiple students but
some days the student I worked with was the only one present. I altered my lesson so that I could
still work with the student towards her instructional goals even though the activities had to be
changed. I find that one-to-one instruction is difficult to find time for but is worth it. This student
needs individual attention due to her lack of confidence and quiet personality. The other students
in the class overpower her with their voices and behaviors. I have the strength of noticing these
quiet patterns of behavior and allowing these students to have equal opportunities to learn and
participate.
A weakness that came to light during this was my inability to allow wait time for an
answer. I should allow the student longer time to think of an answer before I offer help. I do not
want the situation to be awkward or uncomfortable for the student. A goal I am setting for
myself is to normalize wait time for students to allow them longer processing and thought time.
Students with disabilities need longer time to process questions and come up with answers. I
need to practice allowing more time for them to think. Along with this, I need to ask questions
that get students thinking instead of leading them right to the answer. I want my students to
become problem-solvers and use their brains. If I also lead them straight to the answer without
allowing them the opportunity to get there themselves, they will never be independent readers.
Another weakness I have is recording progress on student’s learning goals. I get more focused on
the student and the lesson and forget to record how they are moving towards their goals. I need
to come up with a process where I can record their progress as I am working with them.
This reading intervention has taught me many things about struggling readers. These
readers are less confident when reading and this leads to less participation or willingness to read.
The student I worked with was willing to read for me, but she lacked confidence as a reader. Her
struggles with reading have caused her to hesitate while reading. Having the opportunity to work
with this student and spend time building her up has helped her confidence. She can more
confidently read out loud during class in front of her peers than she could at the beginning of the
school year. I have learned that these struggling readers all read at different levels. The two
second-grade students in my classroom read at a first-grade level while the two first-grade
students are unable to read. It was a challenge to differentiate lessons for these students, but it
was a challenge I am thankful for. These students have unique learning styles. Some need
repeated lessons while others may need to complete the activity on their own to learn.
Even through this crazy and different semester, I had the amazing opportunity to work
with excellent students. I have learned a lot about struggling readers and the instruction needed
to help these readers. There is a lot of time and effort needed to teach these students, but it is
required. These students deserve the opportunity to read and be taught by a teacher who works
hard to accommodate to their learning needs. I have always enjoyed reading since I was younger,
and I want my students to have the opportunity to experience that same enjoyment by teaching
them to read.