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Home : 2002 : October : 16

survey
By Tiffany

1. What grade and subject do you teach? How many years have you been teaching?
I currently teach 6th grade special ed. in an inclusive setting. (I co-teach with three reg. ed. sixth grade teachers; our class has 15 spec.
needs students and 11 typical students).
2. What type of training in special needs education did/have you received (1) in college, (2) while you have been teaching, (3) on your own?
I have a four year bachelor's degree in special education. I've had more college classes and workshops in the 16 years since I've been teaching.
3. What is your definition of mainstreaming students

or an inclusive setting?
My definition for a quality inclusion program is what we are currently doing--teaching special needs students within the regular ed. classroom with two teachers. I do part-time pull-out in the resource room for guided reading instruction, small group work in math, test reading, etc.
Of course, inclusion like this can only work when there is one spec. ed. teacher per grade. We are very fortunate!

4. Are you or have you ever been in an inclusive setting? If yes, do you feel you have been prepared for this task? What type of assistance do you receive while in this situation?
(See above) My fellow teachers are invaluable to me in allowing this to work! They do an awesome job of working with our special needs students and assisting me in modifying their work! The students are performing at much higher levels that what I would have expected!

5. What do you feel are the benefits of an inclusive classroom? The special ed. students do not feel different or excluded from regular ed. students! We talk constantly about everyone being on different levels, and that is okay. They know they are not to put each other down or criticize each other, and it's okay to learn at your own pace. My regular ed. students are very good at helping the special ed. students (and often vice versa!) The regular ed. students benefit from two teachers in the room as well! They all know they can come to any of us for help.

6. What problems do an inclusive classroom cause, if any? How do you deal with these problems? Sometimes modifications in certain areas (example: a sixth grade science test!) are not enough for some students; that is when we revamp mods for those students and do reteaching. Another problem is that a couple of teachers and parents were under the impression that we "watered" down the curriculum for the reg. ed. students, which is not true. We may use more hands-on techniques, visuals, etc., but we do not make it any easier for the regular ed. students than any other sixth grade team does. We just modify more for those who need it. The manipulatives help ALL students as far as I'm concerned!

7. Any advice you have for teaching in an inclusive setting… Try to work with teachers who are willing to do inclusion! That makes all the difference! The teachers are the ones who set the tone for the classroom....if they have a positive attitude and have high expectations for this to work, it will! The students have to know that they must treat each other with respect and be helpful, not critical. This is not hard if the teacher models it! They love to help each other!
Feel free to email me if you have any more questions or would share with me your plan, ideas, etc. tifflangearthlink.net