Thank you so much for supporting teachers of kids with disabilities!

Fall 2023 - Eyes on Pete

$1,769
35%
Raised toward our $5,000 Goal
14 Donors
Project has ended
Project ended on November 30, at 11:59 PM CST
Project Owners

Eyes on Pete - Meeting Our Teachers Where They Are

Facts

Special education (SPED) refers to specially designed instruction to meet the unique needs of students with disabilities. In SPED, we have worked to design our programs around the growing needs in our state. We strive to address the needs of students in the state due to the critical shortage of well-trained SPED teachers. We do this through teaching and mentoring students at the undergraduate and graduate levels in online learning communities. In addition to traditional pathways to teacher certification, Oklahoma HB 1233 provides an alternative pathway to the SPED classroom through the completion of provisional intensive preparation and university coursework. As a University Partner with the Oklahoma State Department of Education, this online Boot Camp is designed for education professionals who already hold a minimum of a bachelor's degree and are seeking a career in SPED. This Boot Camp program is delivered via three online graduate courses and a supervised field placement. To enhance their learning, given the online nature of our program, we are seeking state-of-the-art equipment to better provide quality supervision and mentorship in their fieldwork experiences. 

Purpose

PivoPod is an auto-tracking AI-powered tripod mount. The PivoPod pairs to a smartphone via Bluetooth and follows the teacher’s movements. PivoPod has 360-degree rotation and automatic zoom, making it effortless to capture videos of teachers in action. The PivoPod tool will be used in concert with a free application designed by Michael Kennedy at the University of Virginia - COACHED.The purpose of the supervised fieldwork experience is to help teachers recognize areas of strength and need while instructing students with disabilities. The Capturing Observations And Collaboratively sHaring Educational Data (COACHED) app was built to facilitate effective feedback from coaches, administrators or other leaders in an effort to improve the quality of teaching for all students, including SPED students in inclusive classrooms. The free app provides a template to guide a teacher’s observer to look for specific teacher actions and practices during a lesson and then turn that data into usable feedback. The observer watches the teacher in real time or on video. The time stamped feedback aligns with specific moments during the teaching segment. At the conclusion of the observation, the app automatically creates a report from the data entered by the observer.


Donor Impact

To improve post-school outcomes, it is essential for well-trained SPED teachers to develop skills needed to support students with disabilities and their families. Frequent supervision, feedback and mentoring is essential to developing these skills. Providing this frequent supervision and feedback in an online program requires technology. All funds raised will be used to purchase Pivo Pods and ship them to OSU graduate students pursuing teacher certification in SPED. Pivo Pods will be used during their coursework and field placement experiences and will remain with the students after graduation to allow them the tools necessary to continue to self-observe and reflect on teaching practices.

 Use this QR code to find out more about OSU's special education options!


Thank you for your support! 

Levels
Choose a giving level

$10

Least Restrictive Environment

Special education (SPED) services are delivered in the least restrictive environment (LRE) which places the student with their age peers to the maximum amount possible. We will be delivering supervision and mentorship to Bootcampers in their schools (their LRE). $10 will pay for a flat rate box and the postage to ship a Pivo Pod to a Bootcamper in their LRE! Show your support by donating $10 to deliver a Pivo Pod to them that they can use to make videos and livestream with their instructors and mentors. Honor a past or present special education teacher by making your donation “in honor of” or “in memory of” a special education teacher.

$19.75

It all Started in 1975

1975 was the year that PL 94-142 was passed. The law now know as the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) mandates a free and appropriate public education in the least restrictive environment for students with disabilities. Show your support by donating 19.75 to help our continued efforts to train the next generation of special education teachers. Honor a past or present special education teacher by making your donation “in honor of” or “in memory of” a special education teacher.

$55

Half a Century of Progress

It has been almost half a century since laws mandating special education in schools were passed. Just $55 will pay for half the cost of a pivo pod. Show your support by donating $55 toward the purchase of a Pivo Pod for a Bootcamper learning to be a great special education teacher. Honor a past or present special education teacher by making your donation “in honor of” or “in memory of” a special education teacher.

$110

One Student at a time

Special Education is known for meeting the needs of one student at a time. $110 is the cost of one Pivo Pod. Show your support by donating $110 to purchase one Pivo Pod for a Bootcamper to help them have the technology for supervision and mentorship. Honor a past or present special education teacher by making your donation “in honor of” or “in memory of” a special education teacher.

$220

Planning for Future Work

Special Education includes purposeful planning for the student’s transition to a world of work. We are planning with our Bootcampers for their growth in their work as SPED teachers. Double your impact! Help us meet our goal to train knowledgeable SPED teachers by donating $220 toward the purchase of 2 Pivo Pods. Honor a past or present special education teacher by making your donation “in honor of” or “in memory of” a special education teacher.

$2,004

Present Day Progress

The most recent reauthorization of IDEA was in 2004. It requires SPED teachers to be highly qualified in the subject areas that they teach. For many SPED Bootcampers, this means learning a new set of skills. Supervision, frequent feedback, and mentorship is needed as they learn how to deliver direct instruction to the students with disabilities they are serving. Show your support for our SPED Bootcampers by donating $2004 toward purchasing the Pivo Pods we will use to offer frequent supervision, feedback and mentorship as they practice their newly learned instructional skills. Honor a past or present special education teacher by making your donation “in honor of” or “in memory of” a special education teacher.

Our Crowdfunding Groups