Choosing a “Hands-on
Transition Curriculum”
The Selection Process
Catherine Moss
Vocational Adjustment Coordinator for Mt. Pleasant ISD
cmoss@mpisd.net
• Born and raised in Mt. Pleasant, Texas – about 2 hours east of
Dallas
• Married for 12 years to high school sweetheart – no kids yet, 5 fur
babies
• 1999 graduate of Mt. Pleasant High School, 2010 graduate of
Stephen F Austin State University - BCIS
• Certifications: EC-6 General, EC-12 SpEd, VAC through TAVAC
• Served as Special Education Paraprofessional for 5 years, SpEd
Bus Driver for 6 years, and currently as VAC for Mt. Pleasant ISD/
Titus County Shared Services Arrangement in Mt. Pleasant
• Hobbies: reading, playing the piano, teaching Sunday school, going
to the gym
Transition at MPISD
• Prior to the 2010-11 school year, student’s
transition progress was monitored via regular
ARD meetings and follow up by diagnosticians.
• Due to lack of programs, curriculum was not
specifically tied to the students transition plan as
much as it was TEKS and TAKS
• It was agreed upon by staff and administrators
that there was a great need for a multi-faceted
curriculum for students’ progress, goals and
transition, thus a committee was formed to
oversee this task.
Forming A Committee
Members of our committee:
•SpEd Director
•Lead Diagnostician
•Transition Coordinator
•VAC
Key Criteria
Must be highly researched and
validated
by the US Dept of Education
• The curriculum selected was researched
for 2 years at 50 different sites before
being approved and validated by the US
Department of Education
Hands-on to reach students of all
ability levels instead of “one size
fits most” computer programs
• The curriculum we selected consists of a wide variety of
topics that contain a minimum of 10 hands-on activities
per title with additional adapted activities and support for
lower level learners that can be taught over a 2-3 week
period or 5-6 week period depending on the level of the
students participating.
• Included are a variety of reading levels to reach the
maximum number of students. For nonreaders the
stories can be read to them; for emergent readers there
are picture stories with accompanying words; 3rd-4th
grade for lower level readers; and 6th grade level for high
level readers.
User friendly to students
as well as teachers
• Our curriculum contains a wide variety of hands-on
activities that can be tailored to our students’ ability
levels with realistic materials and manipulatives as well
as real world scenarios.
• Each unit contains a CD with lesson plans, worksheets,
objectives, flash cards, vocabulary, pre/post assessment
tests, data collection sheets and follow-up suggestions
that can be easily manipulated to meet our needs as
teachers or our students needs.
• Multiple implentation strategies
• Aesthetically appealing
• Provides a consistency for what the teachers are
teaching
Mobility of curriculum for use by
all district SpEd
teachers/classrooms
• Our curriculum is organized in a way that allows
it to be interchangeable between campuses and
teachers with rapid ease, as well as being easily
stored.
• Curriculum can be executed as whole class
instruction, broken into small group instruction or
even as a lab or center/station activity with or
without direct teacher instruction, depending on
ability level of students.
“FIRST LOOK”
• Each unit has a First Look page similar to
a Table of Contents with detailed
explanations of the activities, pre/post
tests, supporting activities, community
resources and additional suggestions for
follow up activities.
• Activities are grouped in suggested order
with available adapted versions’ activities
correlated to each sub-topic.
Special Curriculum for
learners with an IQ of < 55
• Adapted versions of units are also
available for lower level learners.
• I.E. I have used several of these with Life
Skills and Total Communication
Classroom (Austism Unit) students as
vocational activities while silmultaneously
reinforcing academic subjects.
Companion to Hands-on Units for
Higher Level Students
• Also included in the curriculum we chose
was a multimedia set of instructional
booklets and videos aimed specifically for
employed or employment seeking
students.
Academic Integration
• Each unit easily integrates Math, Science, Social Studies
and Reading into the content and activities.
• An activity may be used primarily for one academic
subject while reinforcing others OR may be used as a
vocational training while reinforcing academic subjects,
all the while successfully fulfilling student IEP and
transition goals.
• By being able to teach several subjects in the same
activity, teachers save time and can focus more on
student progress instead of planning multiple lessons.
Ability to correlate to TEKS,
TAKS, TAKS-Alt & IEP’S
• Each piece of the curriculum we use is aligned with TEKS. We were
provided a precise list of which TEKS are covered by which
activities.
• Being aligned with TEKS helps teach our students objectives
covered by TAKS and/or TAKS Alt.
• Since the activities in the curriculum integrate the different academic
subjects, some can be also be used as TAKS-Alt activities, saving
teachers countless hours of time in not having to personalize each
and every activity.
• The activities/instruction of the curriculum should coincide with
students’ IEP goals/objectives.
• Due to the curriculum having multiple integrated academic subjects,
many areas can be used for completion of IEP goals/objectives.
training, support and
upgrades
• Included with the purchase of the curriculum is
on-site training, provided by qualified trainers, to
all staff who will be using the materials.*
• Company customer support includes
knowledgeable, accessible staff willing to
answer any questions you may have.
• If a newer or adapted version of a unit is
produced, you are provided that addition to your
existing curriculum at no additional charge.
Must be cost effective
and
sustainable
• Unlike computer programs that require licensure
per computer/student, the curriculum we
selected can be used multiple times, by multiple
teachers, over and over.
• Materials rarely need replacing; materials that
must be replaced are easily attainable and
affordable.
• No monthly upkeep or maintenance fees –
bottom line pricing.
Choice of products
purchased
•Unlike some curriculums, we were not required to
purchase “the whole enchilada”.
•We were able to pick and choose units that fit our
students, their needs, and their interests.
•We had the opportunity to choose the general version of
a unit and/or it’s adapted companion.
Comparison Chart
Project Discovery
Highly Research Yes
Nat’l Dropout Prevention Network Yes
Model Program
Ability to customize Curriculum Yes
Reading free assessment for lower Yes
functioning students
Correlated to:
TEKS Yes
TAKS Yes
TAKS-ALT Yes
Inclusive hands-on curriculum for Yes
IQ’s < 55
Multiple functional and reading Yes
levels
Comparison Chart
Project Discovery
Computer Required No
On-site Training Yes (by nationally
certified trainers)
Activities 72 career areas with
over 268 activities
and over 3,000 skills
Curriculum Yes
Middle School Materials Yes
High School Materials Yes
In State Sales Representative Yes
Our Success
• 12 out of 16 of my high school students using
the curriculum were employed at the end of the
2010-11 school year.
• Introduced vocational learning/training to junior
high students who had not previously had this
exposure.
• Through the use of this curriculum, helped
students explore their vocational interests and
which courses they could take in secondary or
post secondary education to foster their
interests.
What I personally love
about the curriculum
• Variety
• Attention to detail and organization of the
curriculum
• Ability to dress the curriculum up or down
according to my students’ needs
• Chance to help students towards a successful
transition while reinforcing their core subjects in
a way that is interesting and meaningful to them
• Support from the company
What we chose
• Project Discovery Series with available
Adapted Versions and Multimedia Binders
kit through Education Associates