Reasons Why Your Learners Are Not Making the Progress They Deserve
Feb 21, 2022
As support staff in the education system, we know the stakes are high. We are often expected to be the experts in fostering independence in our learners. But here's the thing: our learners are only with us for about 1% of their waking hours. In the case of Braille instruction, maybe that number rises to 2%. Yet, we're tasked with being the ones who equip them for independence, a challenge when they spend the other 99% of their time with others or on their own.
How does that even compute? How can we expect to master their independence when they are surrounded by different environments, people, and circumstances? If your learner isn't making the progress they deserve, let’s explore why. If they are excelling, let's dive into ways to elevate your teaching even more.
The Burnout Dilemma: Teaching Without Exhausting Yourself
Have you ever met a burned-out teacher who is still making a significant impact? Likely not. It’s like asking someone to build a house using burnt trees—there are just too few resources and too much energy expended. The goal isn’t just to keep teaching—it's to keep you energized and motivated to continue helping your learners grow without burning out.
When overwhelmed, we tend to push the same approach over and over, hoping that the results will change. But what if the pressure to "look good" and prove ourselves as good teachers is what’s driving us? How many times have we forced a specific skill, even when the situation didn’t seem to support it? The pressure to meet goals can sometimes cloud our judgment.
If this resonates with you, I encourage you to take a deep breath. You’re not alone. Many teachers feel this way, especially when the weight of progress reports or IEP goals feels impossible to meet. But maybe it's time to step back, assess the situation, and consider a new approach.
Understanding the Root Causes of Stagnant Progress
When your learner isn’t progressing, it’s helpful to look at three key areas:
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Their Skills Are Not Fully Developed Sometimes, the skills we're focusing on are too advanced for the learner’s current developmental stage. Motor skills, for instance, are complex and interconnected. Without the foundation of sensory integration and body awareness, it’s difficult for a learner to perform specific tasks, such as moving a cane in an O&M session.
As teachers, we often push our students to perform before all the components are in place. But have we stopped to evaluate if sensory development and proprioception (body awareness) are holding them back? Sometimes going back to the basics can make all the difference. Proprioceptive awareness, for example, is vital in tasks that involve mobility—does the learner understand where their shoulder and arm are in space? If not, it may be time to build those foundational skills first.
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They Aren’t Generalizing Their Skills Another potential roadblock is generalization—the ability for learners to apply skills beyond your lessons. This issue typically falls into two categories: intrinsic motivation and teamwork. If learners don't see the value in the skills they’re learning, they won’t practice them outside your sessions. It's critical to help them understand how the skills fit into their life goals, like grocery shopping or navigating public spaces.
On the flip side, how do you involve your team members (teachers, aides, family) in supporting your learner’s development? It’s not enough to simply tell them what to do. Building relationships with team members is crucial in ensuring that everyone is on the same page. After all, they are spending most of the learner's time with them, and their support is key to reinforcing independence.
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Your Lesson Plans Aren’t Hitting the Mark Sometimes, the issue isn’t the learner—it’s the lesson plan. Are your lesson plans aligned with the student’s goals? Are they effective, motivating, and adaptable? It’s easy to get stuck in a cycle of rigid checklists that don’t always match the learner's needs.
It's important to move beyond the surface and create lesson plans that align with the learner’s life goals, not just what the checklist says. Take a holistic approach and consider their future independence, then build lessons that lead to that end goal.
Shifting Perspectives for More Impact
If you find yourself in a rut or struggling to push progress, it’s time to shift your perspective and look deeper. Could sensory integration or body awareness be the missing link? Do your learners understand the value of what they are learning? Are your lesson plans truly advancing their independence, or are they too narrow?
In Impacting Independence, we offer strategies to help you craft goals that align with your students’ actual needs, creating a domino effect that leads to real progress. We also provide done-for-you lesson plans, customizable in five minutes or less, to ensure you spend more time teaching and less time preparing.
If you feel like you’re pushing the same barrel up a hill, remember to step back, look at the bigger picture, and consider new strategies.
Next Steps: Small Changes, Big Impact
As we wrap up, here’s a quick review of what to look for if your learner isn't progressing:
- Skill Development: Look beneath the surface—are you addressing foundational skills like sensory integration and body awareness?
- Generalization: Are your learners motivated? Are your team members on board with supporting their growth?
- Lesson Planning: Are your lesson plans aligned with your learner’s goals? Are they truly helping move the needle toward independence?
Remember, no one is perfect. Everything we’ve discussed is a normal part of the teaching process, and there’s always room for improvement. Lean into these insights, and you’ll be on your way to becoming an even better teacher.
You're already doing amazing work, and I can’t wait to see where these tips take you.
