A poem for Easter 2019

by Dave Bentley

He spoke of His Body in the bread

Broken before their eyes

He spoke of blood, crimson red

Shed before their eyes

They jockeyed for position

They fretted over promotion

While He lived before their eyes

He prayed for a different way

While they closed their eyes

He sought a way of escape

While they closed their eyes

But He would yield to His will

The promise of God would be fulfilled

He was seized before their eyes

He bore the stripes of every lash

Beaten bloody before their eyes

The cross lain heavy on His back

As He was led before their eyes

To a hill outside the gate

The price of sin would now be paid

He died before their eyes.

He breathed his last hung on a cross

Suffering there before their eyes

His life would satisfy the cost

Sacrificed before their eyes

The crowd would turn away

As darkness covered the day

It is finished before their eyes

The tomb, the guards, the heavy stone

Sealed before their eyes

The body lain, cold and alone

Dead before their eyes

The garden laying still and quiet

The fading sounds of the crowds and riot

As everyone departed with tear filled eyes

The day of rest had ended

As they opened in their eyes

The stone had been upended

As they saw with their own eyes

And the tomb was cold and bare

The broken body was not there

And they would see Him risen with their own eyes

—“Eyes Have Seen”

Dave Bentley (2019)

For all students, typical or disabled, differentiation involves process, the teaching, and product, the pieces of assessment that demonstrate  proficiency. In looking at this over the past few days I found copious resources in a variety of formats. One particularly useful items is the powerpoint linked here (Differentiation Slides).  It is concise and informative and provides examples of differentiation for a variety of subjects.

Interestingly, our PD for the school year has been focused on PBGR (Proficiency Based Graduation Requirements) and I have been part of the team looking at differentiating instruction and assessment.  As a Special Educator working as a co-teacher, this training has been more informative and useful that other PD I have been part of in our district. Between the PD, the IRIS module, and the other resources I’ve been exposed to recently, I feel I have a much better grasp on differentiation in the classroom.

Preparing for Differentiation

Preparing students for differentiation means gradually introducing the process, teaching and learning practices, and providing scaffolding as they learn the system.  Most of what I have read and heard relates that a key part of the process is getting to know the students in the class. What do they possess for prior knowledge? What are their learning styles? Where are their skills and challenges? What is their level of interest?  These steps take time and effort, and in a field where both come at a premium, it is easy to try to shortcut and skip steps. The result of effective planning for differentiation is the potential for successful differentiation. Failing to strategically plan will result in a failure to effectively differentiate.

All it Takes is Time

As a co-teacher in ELA and Math classes I realize that the one thing that I can never seem to have is time.  I have resources, information, texts, and the availability of technology and applications, but carving out time to plan with the content teacher is next to impossible.  We have had to sacrifice and deliberately set time aside to do this effectively. Even with that, however, we still struggle to be as strategic as we would like with differentiating in the classroom.

What does Differentiation Look Like for LD?

I know what differentiation is not, that is the addition of novelties to the classroom intended to substitute for systematically and strategically planned instruction and assessment.  Several years ago I was observing a class as part of my teacher coursework and was very interested in the number of ways technology was used in the classroom. At the time it seemed that the teacher had found ways to keep everyone in the class engaged.  Later, however, I learned that it was frequently done in that class to substitute for poor or absent planning. The philosophy was that keeping the kids engaged on devices at least looked like learning.

This is not to say that a differentiated classroom would be absent of technology, on the contrary the devices may be an integral part of using assistive technology for learning.  However, without meaningful inclusion they are little more than window dressing intended to mask a lack of differentiated instruction.

One class that I observed had students working in stations.  That class provided differentiation through a variety of activities.  There were students working with their hands, students listening to the teacher, students writing or drawing responses to a story, and students talking to each other in a lit. circle.

In the slide show I referenced earlier the presenter shows what differentiation in Math and Reading would involve.  In a nutshell:

• Variety of Materials (based on level and learning preference)
• Variety of Levels of Support and Scaffolding
• Variety of Sensory Opportunities
• Variety of Interaction Opportunities (Inquiry, Sharing)
• Variety of Means to Demonstrate Learning

References:

The IRIS Center. (2010). Differentiated instruction: Maximizing the learning

of all students. Retrieved from https://iris.peabody.vanderbilt.edu/module/di/

“What If”

Dave Bentley (1967-)

What if all the stories we’ve been told

Fairy tales and nursery rhymes

Were played out on the world stage

Not just imagined in our minds

And the characters, heroes, and villains

Lived among us every day

What a remarkable world we would live in

It would be a wonderful place

There’d be star crossed lovers

Holding hands across the street

Kissing beneath the moonlight

Whispering words that are so sweet

While evil henchmen hunted

For some treasure they could steal

’til the brave hero captures them

A life of fantasy, a life that’s real.

The eyes and ears of little children

Stirred by those Once Upon a Times

To envision worlds of wonder

To transcend the bonds of time

Gazing ahead unto tomorrow

Leaning back toward yesterday

Resting still within the present

Living their story out today

There would be the swoosh of dragon wings

Cutting the silence of the night

And a princess trapped in a tower

Awaiting the arrival of a brave knight

Enchanted mirrors reflecting faces

Of the folks who search for fame

WHile sorcerers and witches gather

In a secret hidden cave

The things that dream are made of

Could be the things that life becomes

If imaginary creatures

Made our world their home

And the cheerful glee of children

Would be heard near and far

As fantasy meets reality

To see things as they really are.

“What If” by Dave Bentley (2016)

Dave Bentley – Emotional & Behavioral Issues in Special Education

Fall, 2017

This blog post contains resources related to Special Education and working with students who may have emotional or behavioral challenges.  The resources are intended to provide teachers and other staff with links to sites and information that assist in meeting the needs of students, establishing supports for students, and tracking progress of students.  If you are a teacher or administrator please leave a comment with other resources that you have found helpful. 

Positive Behavior Intervention and Support

The Website indicates that PBIS intends to improve the effectiveness, efficiency and equity of schools and other agencies by improving social, emotional and academic outcomes for all students.  While there are benefits for students with special needs, there are also benefits for the school as a whole.

PBIS WORLD – http://www.pbisworld.com/

PBIS World is a comprehensive and invaluable resource of forms and information related to MTSS and the implementation of a PBIS strategy for classrooms and schools.  I encourage people to spend some time exploring the site and learning how to navigate through the materials available for the three tiers of support.

Responsive Classroom – https://www.responsiveclassroom.org/ 

Responsive Classroom is an evidence-based approach to education that focuses on the strong relationship between academic success and social-emotional learning (SEL). The Responsive Classroom website provides links to training, information, and resources for implementing the strategy in the school and classroom.  While primarily employed with younger students, middle level learners also can benefit from the structure and practices of Responsive Classroom.

A Site for Behavioral Forms

 Documents for a Systematic Behavioral Analysis (FBA)

Articles Related to EB Issues:

• Managing Behavior in Middle School
• Classroom Management Strategies
• Sabotaging Classroom Management
• Decreasing Behavioral Referrals

Videos

• Special Education – Emotional and Behavioral Disorder
• Referral and Special Education – Emotional Disturbance
• Supporting Students with Emotional and Behavioral Disabilities
• WHO CARES ABOUT KELSEY

  Dave Bentley is a Special Educator in Springfield, Vermont.

September 14th – THERE IS A QUIZ ON FRIDAY COVERING STATISTICS

• If students can define and find these they will do fine:
  • Mean – average (add and divide the sum by the number of data points)
  • Median – what is the exact middle of the data points when in order?
  • Mode – what data point(s) occurs the most (MODE=MOST)
  • Range – What is the difference between the highest and lowest data point?
  • Statistical and Non-Statistical Questions
    • Statistical – more than one possible correct answer (nosey questions)
    • Non-Statistical – only one possible correct answer (facts)
  • Simple Graphs of data (Histograph, Dot points)

• Dave Bentley
• 6th Grade Special Educator
• Riverside Middle School
• Springfield, Vermont

Many of you may have become acquainted with me through the years as I have worked within the Springfield School District as a substitute teacher.  In addition, I  volunteered for several years alongside my wife, Mrs. Bentley, at Elm Hill in her classroom and with after-school drama programs.  It has been a great experience working with some of the highest quality teachers and Para educators in education.

Last year I completed my Masters Degree in teaching with an internship at Riverside working with the 7th Grade team teaching English with Mr. Vandivere.  This Fall I am honored to rejoin the team at Riverside full-time where I will be working with the 6th grade team as their special education teacher.  

There are many things that I would like people to know about me, but most importantly I want you to be assured of my commitment to your students. I love working with young adolescents in the middle school and do not take lightly the level of trust that you have placed in me and the school to care for and educate your children.  Having the opportunity to help students entering middle school make the transition to a different school and system of education is both challenging and exciting.  I approach my role as a calling, which is more than a career choice or simply a job.  During these pivotal years it is my goal to provide students with the tools they will need to find success at the middle school and in the years beyond.

Please feel free to connect with me if I can be of assistance to you, or if you have questions concerning your student’s education.  If I do not know the answer to your question I will work with you to find the answers you need.

Looking forward to the Adventure of the School Year,

Dave Bentley

dbentley@ssdvt.org

(802) 885-8490

Pastor Dave’s Notes

Hi Everyone! I pray that the final few weeks of summer will be blessed as we prepare for the coming of cooler weather, and a return to the normalcy that accompanies the school year.  Over the past few days I have spent considerable time praying for the church, for each of you individually, and for myself as we head toward the fall and the kick-off of the various ministries we engage in during the school year.

Make a Note of Things Coming Up

OLYMPIANS MEETING – August 19^th after Church

Labor Day – September 3^rd – will mark the return to our regular schedule with Sunday School at 9:30 and worship at 11:00. (Sunday school will resume the following week).

September 10^th

· Sunday School Resumes

· Olympians Resumes

September 17^th – Back to Church Sunday (more info will follow)

· Begin by praying for people you can invite.

October-November Sermon Series on The End Times

As we continue the series through the Gospel of Matthew we approach Jesus’ teaching on the End Times, commonly referred to as “The Olivet Discourse.” (Matthew 24-25).  These teachings invite a serious look at the state of the world and an examination of our personal relationship with the Lord Jesus.  In addition, the coming events ought to spur us into action as evangelical believers, for the population of people who do not know Jesus Christ as their Savior will face Him as their judge and be sentenced to eternal condemnation.  This series of messages will be a mix of information and passion as we rejoice in our position in Christ and mourn the lost outside of Christ.

With Paul I State:

I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always offering prayer with joy in my every prayer for you all, in view of your participation in the gospel from the first day until now. (Philippians 1:3-5

Blessings,

Pastor Dave

WHY IS THERE SO MUCH VIOLENCE AND HATE?

Bloodshed, violence, hatred, people displaying such horrible darkness, this is what happens when the world turns its back on the God of heaven and earth. We should not be surprised. What we should do…what we must do…is repent and return. Notice what Psalm 68 declares for the people who turn to God and the people who live in rebellion:

Psalm 68:1-6

• Let God arise, LET HIS ENEMIES BE SCATTERED;
• let those who hate Him FLEE before Him.
• As smoke is driven away, so DRIVE THEM AWAY;
• As wax melts before the fire,
• SO LET THE WICKED PERISH BEFORE GOD
• But let the righteous BE GLAD; let them EXULT before God;
• Yes, let them REJOICE WITH GLADNESS.
• Sing to God, sing praises to His name;
• Lift up a song for Him who rides through the deserts,
• Whose name is the LORD, and exult before Him.
• A FATHER OF THE FATHERLESS
• · A father to the fatherless offers protection and provision.
• and a JUDGE FOR THE WIDOWS,
• · A judge for the widows is an advocate for the defenseless
• Is God in His holy habitation.
• God makes A HOME FOR THE LONELY;
• · Home means family, and family is the remedy for loneliness
• He leads out the PRISONERS INTO PROSPERITY,
• · Prisoners who have been held wrongly by strong powers.
• ONLY THE REBELLIOUS LIVE IN A PARCHED LAND.
• · A stark contrast to the promised land and eternal heaven.
• (New American Standard Bible, emphasis added)

Dear people, please turn to God.

• · Turn to Him for Salvation in Jesus the Messiah!
• · Turn to His Spirit for guidance and wisdom!
• · Turn to His Word for revelation and truth!
• · Turn to Him in prayer for daily walking with Him!
• · Turn to His Church for instruction and fellowship!

This Sunday, find a church where you can learn about God and His plan for you. Find a church that preaches and teaches from the Bible. Find a church that calls you to prayer and leads you in worship.

If you are in the area, I invite you to Wallingford Baptist Church in Wallingford, Vermont. We meet at 10:00 on Sundays. We would be happy to welcome you.

Blessings,

Pastor Dave