10-20-2009, 12:02 PM
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*I hope when I become a grad student someone will take the time to help me out. I teach K-3 pull-out. I service students with learning disabilities, behavioral disorders and autism.
1. How is your relationship with the regular education teacher you work with?
I work about 16 different teachers. I make sure to help when I can to ensure a strong
"working" relationship, communicate my expectations for classroom inclusion and offer to
help on assignments the students may need extra support on. I also brag as often as I can
to build that student up in the teacher's mind. That way they will have the same expectation that I have.
2. What strategies do you use when planning instruction?
All of our grade levels plan as teams. I try to incorporate things they are doing in conjunction with the intervention programs I'm using.
3. How do you divide up responsibilities between you?
I take care of reading and math instruction for my students. They take care of the rest.
4. What modifications do you use as a special education teacher?
Everything. Modifying the form of presentation, incorporating tons of models, hands-on experiances, positive reinforcement, explicit directions, pacing, ect.
5. What modifications do you see general education teachers using to help you?
Many are willing to modifiy assignments based on the students level of performance. For example if a 3rd grader is expected to write a five sentence paragraph they might modify it to be a 3 sentence paragraph. If they are taking a science test, the teacher might read the entire test to the student.
6. What are some accomodations that need to be made? Not all teachers are aware of the accomodations that need to be in place. This is really more of a job of providing the professional development and examples of how this can be done.
7. What is the most rewarding aspect of your job as a special education teacher?
Watching the progress students make from year to year. It does require a longer term prespective. I love the gen. ed teachers that are willing to work as a partnership and not just isolate the students as "mine."
8. What do you feel is your greatest challenge? Time and paper work
9. How does parent communication affect or benefit what you are trying to accomplish? For parents with the resources to assist it makes a huge difference. However, the majority of the students I'm working with have parents that are low functioning themselves and may not be able to provide the assisstance they need. If we had training programs for these lower functioning parents as to strategies or even resources that are available that would be wonderful.
10. What is the make-up of your classroom like? We service students in grades K-3. They come at various times through out the day. There is 1 teacher and 2 paras. We actually have two rooms to work in this year because we felt the noise level was getting alittle loud and due to budget cuts/lay-off there was an extra room available.
11. ANYTHING ELSE YOU FEEL IS NECESSARY TO SAY ABOUT BEING A SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHER WOULD BE FANTASTIC!
Anyone considering spec ed. must be organized, be willing to fight for their students and also willing to realize that a large part of your job is to maintain positive relationships with your peers and knowing when to be flexible.
Let me know if you have any other questions. I apologize for the typos. I tend to think faster than I type.
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