SPRING 2001
Thoughtful, knowledgeable, and
effective educators for a diverse society
SPRING 2001
Thoughtful, knowledgeable, and
effective educators for a diverse society
Special Education Continues Summer Clinic
This summer, Woodring's Special Education Department will be hosting its fifth annual Summer Clinic in conjunction with the Mt. Baker School District. Each July a dozen or more Special Education practicum students teach small groups of children in the basic skill areas of reading, writing, spelling, and math. Limited to approximately 45 children, the popular program filled up last year by June 1, and this year the available slots were already half filled by mid-April.
One of the parents stated, "This is my son's second year to attend the clinic. We were very thrilled with last year's program. Before the clinic, he had a hard time keeping up to grade level and would not read a book. After the clinic, he would always pick up things to read, and when he returned to class in the fall he was above grade level. He now has a desire to read."
What makes the Summer Clinic unique is that each child is individually assessed ahead of time and placed in an instructional group which focuses on precisely the academic skills he or she needs. The small groups are skills-based and highly interactive, using direct instructional materials. The Woodring students-as-teachers write Individualized Educational Plans (IEP) for all the children, and carefully monitor academic progress during the four week session. At the end of the clinic, parents receive a report on their children's progress in each academic area, as well as recommendations to pursue during the next school year. Mt. Baker School District's Director of Special Services, Pat Bieber, voiced her support for the Summer Clinic. "I think it's a wonderful example of service to the community," said Bieber. "It is also a great collaboration between our district and Woodring because it provides good training and experience for Woodring students, while it provides a quality program for our Mt. Baker students &endash; particularly because the Summer Clinic works with the same curricular materials we use during the school year."
Don Crawford
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