Special Ed

Home

Chat

Blogs

Collection

Directory

Home : 2001 : January : 22

Special Ed
By Nora

(len) WOW! You sound really stressed. It seems like you feel overwelmed by all the demands being placed on you.

The part of your message which stuck out to me was the way you have decided which students are yours and which
are someone elses. The idea that a classroom teacher is only responsible for those students who are willing and able to learn, is pretty scary. There would be days in my class, for example, when I would have no students of my own.
In the past we could pretend that special ed. kids didn't exist by hiding them away in segregated classrooms. We now acknowledge that ALL kids deserve

a place in the classroom.

Of course there are exceptions. When a student's presence makes it impossible to teach the rest of the students or when that student is not benefitting from being in the classroom, an alternate situation should be arranged. Some students need to be in a seperate class for core subjects. Ultimately, we need to fight for what is best for all of our students, not just those who are deemed "normal".

I work in a community where there are no special education classes and certainly no segregated schools. We are a relatively small school and we have classes of less than 30, but we have a significant number of special needs. We work cooperatively and collaboratively to ensure the best possible education for all of OUR kids.

The present situation in many schools, however, makes this scenerio difficult. The only way an inclusive classroom can work is if professional and paraprofessional staff works together, along with administration, to meet the needs of ALL of the kids. Teachers need to be provided with support in the form of training and materials.

I do understand your frustration, I've felt it myself. The system needs to change. The system is big and tough to change. What is easier to change is your mindset. Rather than focusing on your kids and their kids and who will be sacrificed, try seeing all kids as ours and look for ways to help as many of them as possible.

If you need help with planning or management, seek it out. Talk to your colleagues, look for seminars, contact professional organizations. It is difficult to change the system. It is much easier to change how you deal with it.