Life of a Support Facilitator

  Life of a Support Facilitator – Week 10 “Carry One Another’s Loads” Monday: This week began with an unexpected twist. Fifth grade was supposed to take a Science test, but a nationwide glitch in Amazon’s system took down major platforms — Canvas, Venmo, Zelle, and more. It’s crazy how much we rely on Wi-Fi for our daily needs. With the outage, I spent time creating token boards for students across multiple classes to support behavior. I collaborated with teachers to design systems that would work best for them, knowing that behavior support often involves trial and error. In our county, we focus on positive reinforcement rather than negative consequences. For many neurodivergent students, a token economy system works wonders — typically a board with five stars or symbols leading to a preferred item. Rewards can range from five minutes of computer time, candy, Legos, or a walk, to a photo or special privilege. Once a student earns a star for completing a task, it cannot be taken aw...

🌿  Life of a Support Facilitator – Week 9 “I had a dream… that I would have one week with smooth deliveries and transitions.” That was my hope for this week—and God delivered. Monday We had a teacher workday, and I spent most of it completing progress reports for IEP goals. Each student with an Individual Education Plan can have a  curriculum and learning ,  independent functioning , or  social-emotional  goal that must be updated every nine weeks. Documenting progress takes teamwork—ESE teachers, behavior specialists, general education teachers, and support facilitators all contribute to ensure goals reflect the whole child. I collaborated with the ESE direct-instruction teacher and the K–3 support facilitator to finalize and print reports. Tuesday Our first day back with students went smoothly. I observed how challenging it can be for general education teachers to balance classroom dynamics while supporting students with additional needs. During our fifth-gra...

🌿 Life of a Support Facilitator — Week 8 Theme: Finding Balance and Purpose “When I feel like I am out of options, that’s when God begins the real work.” 💉 Monday: New Beginnings and Responsibilities I began the week still recovering from a cold and started Monday with a 7 a.m. appointment for my annual physical at the new People’s One clinic that recently opened for our county. It was such a positive experience—they completed my bloodwork right there, offered prescriptions with a $0 copay, and even scheduled important follow-ups close to my school. I arrived at work around 9:30 a.m. ready to jump into my day. That afternoon, I led my first IEP meeting as the primary case manager, since I’m the student’s only service provider. The meeting went smoothly, with collaboration from the staffing specialist, ELA and Math teachers, and parent. This student’s area of eligibility is curriculum and learning, which includes ELA and Math goals, along with one independent functioning goal. As I an...

Week 7: Learning, Grace, and Growth Monday was my first collaborative IEP meeting . In previous IEP meetings, I was the primary ESE teacher and service provider because I taught in a separate classroom. However, this year I learned that as a Support Facilitator , I only serve as the case manager when I am the sole provider. When a student receives direct instruction from an ESE teacher, that teacher becomes the primary point person for the IEP. This meeting felt different. I found myself stepping back, listening more, and acting as a mediator between the general education and ESE perspectives. My role was to bring balance and clarity to classroom and behavior data. Even though my input was smaller, I realized that my role is still one of the most important for student success in the general education setting. When students are pulled for direct instruction, such as decoding or phonics intervention, they miss valuable classroom instruction. The benefits must outweigh the costs. That’s...