Quote of the Week

Never say you are "just" a teacher. That's like saying Clark Kent is "just" Superman.

Thursday, January 7, 2016

The Role of MAP and How MAP Teachers and Home School Teachers Can Collaborate for More Effective Transition – Shaun Caven, Special Education Teacher at MAP Academy

MAP stands for Modified Academic Program. Several years ago, MAP was mostly for students with behavioral issues, inside a regular classroom setting. With the introduction of CIP classes in regular schools, MAP rarely has students with behavioral issues, unless the student’s behavior becomes such that the regular school cannot handle them. In recent years, MAP has seen more students who have either gotten in trouble with the police and/or have been willful and persistent in their school violations in a regular school setting. MAP is predominately made up of students that have made a series of poor decisions, or committed one zero tolerance offense, and been made to leave their regular school. The primary goal of the staff at MAP is to help students learn to manage their decisions and/or behaviors that ultimately got them sent to MAP, in the first place.

The most effective way for teachers in two schools to work together is through an open line of communication. When students come to MAP, it is very helpful for the teacher at the home school to communicate with the MAP teacher about the things they have already covered in class and/or things that need to be covered again. Many students would choose to get in trouble overlooking “dumb” in class. Unfortunately, many of our students have holes in their education and have missed key portions of information. Because they would prefer not to look “dumb” in front of their peers, many times, they act out to divert attention away from the original problem—they do not know how to answer the teacher’s question, because they lack the educational background to make an informed decision.

When a student comes to MAP, communication with the teacher at the home school is key. In the same train of thought, communication is definitely needed when a child returns to their regular school. Students often have a behavioral “target” on them, when they return to their regular school. If MAP teachers email the regular teacher and make them aware of the student’s progress, grade average, behavioral concerns, and potential ways they can prevent behavioral outburst, it will only bridge the gap, when a child returns so they don’t feel so out of place. For 9th grade students who do not start the year at a regular school, it would also be beneficial if a staff member from MAP could accompany them to their regular high school. Transitioning into high school can be hard enough for a child, but when they have been in an alternative school setting, it can make it even more difficult.

Both the regular and MAP teacher should make every effort to follow the pacing guide for subjects, so a student will hopefully be within just a few days of where they are (or were) at the school they are transitioning from. If the county’s pacing guides are not followed as closely as possible, it makes student transition excessively hard.


A student may succeed at MAP without any communication between the regular and MAP teachers. However, with effective communication between both the regular and MAP teachers, the transition for the student becomes easier for everyone involved. The goal for both the regular school and MAP should be for student success. With collaboration, in terms of communication and staying in line with the county’s pacing guides, we can almost guarantee a more effective transition for students. 

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