1 Interview
Experience Interview
Andrea Crawford
March 1, 2017
Education 521
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Part 1: Demographics
Interviewee: Renee McCardle
Individual with Disability: Hannah McCardle
Describe the disability: Other Health Impairment- ADD/ADHD
Age of the individual with the disability: 12
Describe the relationship between the family member and the individual with the disability:
Renee is the mother to Hannah.
Part 2: Questionnaire Interview
1.How did you learn that Hannah has a disability? (Who was present? When did this
happen?) If you were giving advice to professionals who need to explain to a parent that
his/her child has a special need, what would that advice be?
The mother stated her degree is in developmental psychology and she noticed she
was not developing math and reading. Also, noticed deficits in her writing. The mom
has dyslexia as well and she started to notice the same tendencies she had as well.
Then she decided to ask more questions at school and called for the case study team
to meet. From there they developed an evaluation and then an Individualized
Education Plan.
Renee stated that honesty and specifics are needed when explaining to a parent who
has just been diagnosed with a special need. Clarity is also needed. Have the parent
repeat back what was said, so you can make sure they are understanding.
2.How did you feel when you received the diagnosis?
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3.Have your feelings changed since the initial diagnosis? Describe.
The diagnosis is kind of a new normal for her. Things have changed on how they go
about doing things at home. She and Hannah have more confidence because they
know they can do to give her the best chance.
4.What have been the positive aspects of having a child in the family with a disability?
It has opened her husband’s eyes to see that kids all grow and learn differently and
that it is okay. He saw the change in her once she was diagnosed it changed his
education and manner. He seemed to have a harder time with the diagnosis than her.
They know see people as equal and just because they are diagnosed with a disability
doesn’t mean they cannot learn.
5.What have been the problems or challenges you have experienced having a child with a
disability?
Hannah’s frustration level and hers as well. Sometimes communication is
inconsistent between her and the general education teacher. Mom may state things
differently and Hannah when she gets things set into her head she clings to it. It
She felt good and better. She felt like she understood and it was something she could
research. A part of her felt sad as well because she knew what she was going
through. Hannah had been going through that for years. Hannah was noticing she
was different from her friends and it bothered her. She had signs of impulsive
behaviors. Mom was just so thankful for the clarity.
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seems to be difficult to be consist on how you present things to Hannah across the
board.
7.What kinds of support have been most helpful to you (family members, parent groups,
neighbors, other)? How would you prioritize your family needs and the areas in which
you feel that you need more assistance?
The school has been very helpful. The Special Education teachers and School
Counselor have helped to clarify any needs and supports that need to be placed for
Hannah. It is great that the mom has them to talk to because others in their family
are not very supportive and do not believe in disabilities.
They receive a lot of support from friends and parents a lot. People have helped with
time management and that is seen to be an area of strength. They struggle most with
6.How did your other children react to learning their brother/sister had a disability? What
impact has Teagan had on them? (if appropriate)
Teagan the sister also has a similar diagnosis and was diagnosed around the same
time. The parents used it to help them understand each other more and to ease them
both. Teagan seems to be more relaxed now that she understand they are different in
their ways. Hannah is more impulsive and Teagan has more of the inability to focus.
They discussed the differences and similarities between the two.
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9.How could the school help your child transition to adulthood?
Life skills support would be very beneficial for transitioning to adulthood. Keeping
their cubbies, desks, lockers neat. When your life is organized around you, it helps
your brain to focus more.
8.What have been your experiences in working with school personnel? What have they
done that has been most helpful? What have they done that was least helpful or even
harmful?
The most helpful is their willingness to make sure the mom understands, what is
being talked about, and what is happening at school. Hannah has had great teachers
and communication has been key. It has remained consistent in helping Hannah be
successful in the classroom. Least helpful and harmful has been that it took so long
to get services in place. Mom started to ask questions in second grade and she never
got to receive services until this year in fifth grade. It finally got heard and this was
mainly an administration process and how long it takes within case study. Mom feels
like she lost so much time and could be moving further along.
organizational skills and homework study skills. Then she stated how time would be
beneficial, but of course no one can help with that.
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10.If I were to be Hannah’s teacher next year, what advice would you want to give me so
that he/she has an optimal learning experience?
The advice she said she would give me would be to have patience and to just take a
breath and take a step back. When she is being defiant, call her on it. Refocus her
and she is great at following redirection. Also to be consistent and have structure.
12.I am just learning about students with disabilities and how to work effectively with them
in my classroom. What other information would you like me—and my classmates—to
know about working with children with special needs?
Be sure to have routine and the same schedule every day with few exceptions. Be
consistent with your students and thorough with them as well.
Part 3: Summary of Research-Based Strategies
11.What would you want me to do/not do in terms of my interactions with you if I were
Hannah’s teacher?
She would want me to be honest and clear with her about Hannah. She would like to
know what I do with Hannah that works and how we could make it consistent. It is
almost like we are co-parenting together and be supportive of each other
She would not want me to use humiliation as a tactic, she has seen this previously. It
is hard to understand and can be taken so wrong.
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There are a few different strategies I would use to help the McCardle family. The three
main ones that I would use would be self-monitoring, scaffolding, and mnemonics. These
strategies have shown to be effective in students with disabilities.
Self-monitoring “allows children to manage their own behavior, often by using visuals, to
gain independence.” [All14] This would be greatly beneficial for students with ADHD to help
them to monitor their impulsive behaviors. The first step in self-monitoring is to choose the
target behavior. Then you will determine what kids of checklist the student may need for each
class or if they all can be a same checklist and develop questions for the checklist based on their
specific needs. Determine whether or not the student will benefit from check boxes, tally marks,
etc. Finally discuss the benefits of self-monitoring with the student, teach them how to use it,
and then the student can begin.
The next strategy is scaffolding. Scaffolding consists of a “systematic sequence of steps
with support so that a child can complete a task. With scaffolding, children receive assistance to
complete a task until they are able to complete it independently.” [All14] As the students begin
to learn the new skill, the assistance they are receiving gradually gets taken away. With this type
of instruction they become more responsible for their learning and eventually become more
independent. There are specific elements for scaffold instruction and they are the teacher
models or does it, the teacher and student do it, then the student does it on their own. When
implementing this strategy, “it is important to create an environment in which the student feels
free to take risks with learning.” [All14]
The next evidence based strategy is mnemonics. This can be used to teach academic
content to the student. It can assist in assignment completion. There are six steps to this
strategy. The first step is to prepare the forms, have the child fill in assignment due dates. The
students
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Part 4: Conclusion – Reflection and Discussion
This interview process really impacted me and changed the way I think about my
interactions with parents. I always have known parent communication is crucial when teaching
special education, but to hear a parent’s response and how they view it was life-changing. Their
needs matter and they have a voice. One thing that Renee stated that really caught my attention
was the eligibility process and how time consuming it can be. Our goal as educators is to start
will also develop a weekly assignment/study schedule to “chunk” the assignments. In step two,
the teacher records and asks. This is where the student receives the assignment and records the
appropriate due date. This is also where the student can ask for any clarification on the specific
assignment. In the third step, organization comes in. The student will organize and prepare the
materials needed to complete the assignment. Steps four through six are for the completion of the
assignment. Step four encourages the student to begin the assignment. Step five engages the
student within the work. “Students are encouraged to ask for help from all parties involved”.
[All14] Step six is where the student will check their work. They will review their completed
assignments and make sure it is fully accurate. This is also a chance for the students to ask for
feedback. Then the student will finally turn in their work. This helps students to break down
assignments into parts and is beneficial for those who have attention difficulties.
Another strategy that benefits students with ADHD is teaching social skills. Sometimes
they can be different in how they interact with others. Through the use of social stories, students
learn how to interact with other in appropriate mannerisms. This helps to give them more
confidence. [Sam151] Gaining confidence will help students with ADHD to believe in
themselves and to believe in their learning. This will help them to be more successful.
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interventions as early as possible for those in need. It disheartened me to hear that it took from
second grade to fifth grade to help Hannah receive services. Especially after hearing the impact it
has had on her life and the positive outcomes that have come from receiving the diagnosis. Early
intervention is important. Help the parents to know the resources available to them and anything
you can do to give them clarity and understanding.
Since communication is so important, the communication log as I stated above as a
strategy is great to implement. It helps all involved to be more aware of what the students’ needs
are and what their day may have looked like. When practicing the self-monitoring, scaffolding
and mnemonics strategy, let the parents know the interventions that will take place. They could
also use some strategies with homework and organization so it will be consistent.
It is amazing to hear how much someone’s life can change for the better once they start
special education services. This is one main reason why I love my job. I love to impact and to set
the stage for the rest of their learning. I want them to believe in themselves and know that they
can do anything they put their mind to. It is so important to not only make a good impact on the
child, but on the parents as well.
Having clarity is also crucial when working with parents and students. Make sure both
are aware of their disability and know the affects it may have on the child. Being honest with
parents and allowing them to be a part of the whole process helps to promote trust between the
two. I believe the relationship needs honesty and trust before you are able to be consistent across
the board.
Listen to the parents and the input they provide and the advice they give. They know their
child more than anyone usually and can help to provide a better understanding. Also, make sure
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that the instruction you provide reaches the needs of all learners. Do not discipline in a manner
that may scar or ruin a child. Discipline them in a way that will leave an impact, but allow them
to know that you care and do not wish to harm them. After conducting this interview, I believe it
would be great to complete parent surveys each year for my class, so the parents have a voice
and can provide feedback in areas where they feel. It would help to make your classroom more
effective.
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Allison Walker, T. C. (2014). Homework Supports for Children with Learning Disabilties. Focus on
Exceptional Children, 319-322.
Samuel Kirk, J. G. (2015). Educating Exceptional Children. Stamford: Cengage Learning.
References
