Special Education Teacher example essay topic

This paper will examine some insights that were gained through an interview with a teacher. She was previously a special education teacher. Since inclusion, which means educating a student with a mental, physical, or emotionally disability in a regular classroom, she is now a regular classroom teacher. While interviewing her, she talks mainly of the class she had taught last year.

It was a class of twenty- eight, and there were three students with learning disabilities (two boys and one girl). The disabilities were attention deficit disorder, hyperactivity disorder, and a learning disability. She had assistance of a teacher's aid three days per six day cycle. This assistance was provided for approximately three months. Most of the year, she had to manage the xlassroom without the assistance of a teacher's aid. She mentioned that there wasn't a resource room in the school, but felt that there should have been.

The students with the disabilities would generally cause disruption to the class order and management. The students behavior distracted the other students' attention and learning. After speaking with her for the first couple of minutes, I felt that she was not in agreement with full inclusion. The first article I examined was "Full Inclusion is Neither Free Nor Appropriate" by Albert Shanker. This article does not agree with the placement of exceptional children in to regula classrooms. It states that the studnets, both "regular" and exceptional children, will lose out on an appropriate educational experiences if inclusion occurs.

I feel that she was in agreement with this statement because when she was talking about only having the teacher's aid for three days out of six, she seemed angry. I also had a feeling that she was angry about students that have outbursts and that regular students become distracted. As the interview continued, I asked a question about how a student would qualify to be a special needs child? She responded by saying, "Good question because it happend a few times, and sometimes it's not enjoyable".

After a couple of months of classroom observation and reviewing a student's work performance or lack of performance, plus noticing a student would not follow verbal directions or class routine, then as a teacher you would consult his precious teachers or check a student's file card to see it testing was done. If no record of any academic problem, the teacher said she would as the Principal for advice. The principal; would arrange a meeting with the guardians to discuss her difficulties. If the guardian agreed to have the child tested, the guardian would sign a consent form.

After the authorization was granted by the guardian, an Educational Asses or was scheduled to carry out a series of tests. There were many different reactions when telling the parents. A reaction by most guardians when you suggest some form of testing is one of disbeleif, or they " re upset. Others are satisfied and cooperate and are willing to work to assist the child in any way they can. Some are thankful that someone has observed that their child is having difficulties and are eager to find ways to help their child to be sucessful at school.

She also said the she would most definitely like to see these children succeed in life and grow -up having normal lives. A second article that I examined that didn't really take her position, but I felt that is beneficial and also interesting is "Multimodal Treatment for ADHD". I chose this article because if there is going to be full inclusion, you should be aware of the disorder. This article explains some standard treatments for ADHD children such as behavioral therapy, counseling, medication, and classroom intervention.

What I enjoyed most about the article was the concept that there are ways for the teacher to help control the disorder in the xlassroom. This is important because it lowers the frustration level of the teacher, student and classmates. it notes that the first thing a teacher should do when the leacher learns about having a child with ADHD is to educate themselves about the disorder and in particular with the child's individual case. To do this, once a teacher is more informed, the article gives some suggestions as to how the teacher can help control the classroom enviroment. Lastly, I asked id she ever attended a PET (Pupil Evaluation Team) meeting, and if so, who usually at tents them and how od they make you feel?

She has attended PET meetings. Usually, the guardian (s), teacher, teacher assistant, Principal, resource people such as a Speech Therapist, Educational Assessor, and also, music and physical education teachers would attend these meetings. Her feelings as a teacher can be one of nervousness before the meeting stress, but once the meeting is in progress the nervous feelings are gone and as a group, you work to develop a plan of action that will benefit the student. The main goal of a PET meeting is to help the teacher to develop an appropriate program so that a special needs student experiences success in educational settings. In conclusion, I fel that it is possible that students with special needs, compared to "average" studnets acheive he same goals if they are able to have the same privileges.

These would include things as teacher training in assisting special needs children, notifying parents and students of the unique classroom they will be experiencing, involving the special needs child into the classroom as an equal and finally providing special needs services to better assist the teacher and all of the students in thexlass. If all of these things were incorporated into the classroom today, I think that school would be a better place to learn and grow! Bare, Martin " Multimodal Treatment for ADHD" Patient Care Dec. 15, 1995 Shanker, Albert. "Full Inclusion is Neither Free nor Appropriate" Educational Leadership, December 1994 and January 1995.