Every teacher knows the feeling: a student walks into your class with a complex story, and you need to understand them quickly so they can learn, connect, and succeed. This challenge sits at the heart of my role as a Deputy Principal leading Students at Educational Risk—and it’s why I created a simple tool to help teachers get to know their learners faster and more meaningfully. Across our school, we use a Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS) to ensure students receive universal, targeted, or intensive support depending on their needs.
To strengthen this process, I’ve created a One Page Profile template that teachers can use to gain immediate insight into a student’s strengths, needs, triggers, and support strategies. It is designed to promote relational trust, reduce barriers to participation, and give students a voice in shaping their learning.
Why One Page Profiles?
Research around MTSS, UDL, and trauma-informed practice is clear:
- Students engage more positively when adults understand their emotional and learning needs.
- Clear, consistent shared strategies reduce cognitive load—for both the student and the teacher.
- Strength-based documentation helps shift the narrative from “what is wrong” to “what works.”
By combining these ideas with the accessibility and creativity tools built into Apple devices, teachers can support students in contemporary, dignified ways.
This template helps teachers capture:
- About me: strengths, interests, communication preferences
- Likes and dislikes: including sensory needs and anxiety triggers
- Current goals: linked to IEPs, IBSPs or allied health recommendations
- How to support me: practical, evidence-informed strategies that are already working
- Use of Apple tools: where features like Speech, Live Text, Visual Accessibility, and communication supports can be added directly into the plan
Teachers can create and update the profile easily on iPad or Mac using Pages, and many use it alongside accessibility features to co-construct the profile with students—particularly those who find writing or verbal expression challenging.
How it fits within MTSS
- Tier 1: Used universally to build positive relationships and support transition points
- Tier 2: Enables targeted teams (teacher, parent, leadership, therapist) to align strategies quickly
- Tier 3: Simplifies complex case management, giving all staff a clear and consistent reference point
Impact so far
- Improved teacher confidence in supporting students with anxiety and regulation challenges
- Students more willing to express their needs using camera, audio, and speech-to-text
- Smoother handover between staff, relief teachers, and specialist programs
- Stronger partnerships with families through shared language and shared strategies
Feel free to download the template and trial it with one student or class team. Let me know what you notice—what worked, what surprised you, and what you’d like to see in future versions. Your insights will directly shape the next update.
Attach up to 5 files which will be available for other members to download.