As an educator with over 20 years of experience, including 15 years as a special education teacher, LauraMarie Coleman is an instructional coach, professional development specialist, and a parent of two children with disabilities. She specializes in supporting teachers as they design and implement instruction so that all students can access grade-level content.
“She just needs to focus. Then, she could get her work done on time.” Such a benign quote probably doesn’t cause seething anger to burn… Read More »When Effort Looks Like Failure: Seeing the Struggle Behind Student Work
When teaching mathematics, the most basic concepts are often the most challenging. For example, I had students in my special education class working on counting… Read More »The Number Core: Counting is About More Than Just Counting!
Concrete, pictorial, and abstract representations should be central to every mathematics classroom. No matter what grade level you teach, these three words are the key… Read More »Concrete-Pictorial-Abstract Learning Progression
I recently had the opportunity to meet with a fourth-grade teacher to review student work from her most recent formative assessment. When the teacher entered… Read More »Don’t Let Deficit Thinking Hold You Back
“In order to empathize with someone’s experience, you must be willing to believe them as they see it, and not how you imagine their experience… Read More »Behavior is Communication. Are You Listening or Empathizing?
My family’s “in-laws” always note that we never drive anywhere in my hometown taking the same route twice. The route changes entirely depending on who’s… Read More »Who’s Driving: Finding the Best Path to Success
Anyone who cares for someone with a disability knows life is full of both beautiful and trying moments. Is it possible to balance life by appreciating both equally?