I agree

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Home : 2005 : May : 11

I agree
By Teacher

I understand where you are coming from.

At one time I had thought I would eventually go back to school and get my license to teach deaf and hard of hearing students (they are on IEP's and considered "special ed" in my
district). I'm teaching regular ed. 4th grade this year, but I also have a five deaf kids in my class. Not to mention 2 LD and 2 Asperger's Syndrome. Somedays I feel like a special ed. teacher! I'm constantly attending IEP meetings, evaluation meetings, and workshops to learn how to work with deaf students. If I wanted to be a teacher for the deaf I would've gone to school for it!!!!
Sometimes

I feel like so much of my time is taken away from my "regular" kids because of the special ed. kids (I have a teacher for the deaf who spends a lot of time in my class, but she isn't much help at all). It's the "regular" ed. kids that need me more!

Having disruptive children in a classroom can be so difficult and disruptive for the other kids. I get so tired of people saying that all special ed. kids belong in regular classrooms with their peers. Sure many do, but what's best for special ed. students may not always be what's best for the regular ed. kids. We have to think of their education and best interests too.

If your principal has this big plan to put ALL special ed. kids back into the regular classrooms, I would ask him a few questions:

-Will these students be in the regular classrooms full time regardless of disability/special need?

-What kind of extra support will I have?

-What happens when children become disruptive and the other students' learning is disrupted?

-How will this affect the mandatory high stakes testing?

My school includes children with special needs in the classrooms, but there is a place for them to go if they are being disruptive and need some quiet time.

I think you should be honest and share your concerns (they are very genuine). What you've said in your post is what you should discuss with your principal.

By the way, you are not a bad person for not wanting to teach special ed. kids. Of course as teachers we are going to teach special ed. students regardless of what/where we teach, but if that's the case we need the support of others, so that our regular ed. kids' needs are met.