Comments on: A Special Education Teacher’s Role in an Inclusive Classroom http://blog.sunbeltstaffing.com/special-education/a-special-education-teachers-role-in-an-inclusive-classroom/ Healthcare Job Blog Sun, 05 Feb 2012 03:55:51 -0500 hourly 1 By: Ms. P http://blog.sunbeltstaffing.com/special-education/a-special-education-teachers-role-in-an-inclusive-classroom/comment-page-1/#comment-529 Ms. P Sun, 22 May 2011 01:37:34 +0000 http://blog.sunbeltstaffing.com/?p=410#comment-529 I have to tell you Dr. Jumu'ah I was a co teacher at one point. I was assigned to a student as his one on one Para by the I.E.P team. I worked with him one on one for about a week. Then they started a school wide reading recovery program. When they did that they pulled me from this student to hold small reading groups for k-6th grade. I only worked with my student 3 times a day. 2 of the times were to take him for his scheduled potty breaks, and the other time was to take him to eat. Other than that as far as anyone could tell me the student who suffered from brain injury sat in the room and watched all the other students all day. He was not expected to complete any lessons, or participate. (Even though he could when I was working with him). I'm stating all this because I felt you hit the nail on the head when you said, " I believe clarity should be given regarding the “greenlight” in terms of servicing students to which one is not assigned i.e IDEA, 504, school law, etc." The funds are being misused. I have to tell you Dr. Jumu’ah I was a co teacher at one point. I was assigned to a student as his one on one Para by the I.E.P team. I worked with him one on one for about a week. Then they started a school wide reading recovery program. When they did that they pulled me from this student to hold small reading groups for k-6th grade. I only worked with my student 3 times a day. 2 of the times were to take him for his scheduled potty breaks, and the other time was to take him to eat. Other than that as far as anyone could tell me the student who suffered from brain injury sat in the room and watched all the other students all day. He was not expected to complete any lessons, or participate. (Even though he could when I was working with him). I’m stating all this because I felt you hit the nail on the head when you said, ” I believe clarity should be given regarding the “greenlight” in terms of servicing students to which one is not assigned i.e IDEA, 504, school law, etc.” The funds are being misused.

]]> By: Dr. Baseeamah Jumu'ah http://blog.sunbeltstaffing.com/special-education/a-special-education-teachers-role-in-an-inclusive-classroom/comment-page-1/#comment-306 Dr. Baseeamah Jumu'ah Wed, 15 Sep 2010 14:48:38 +0000 http://blog.sunbeltstaffing.com/?p=410#comment-306 The above article is quite informative in terms of the role of special education teachers within the inclusion class. It also brings to the forefront a few questions, one being is the special education teacher being utilized for intended purposes? So often such teahers are assigned to a specific student (s) and becomes lost as he or she begins to expand out, assisting other students both special needs and general education. Though the nuturing and teacher component becomes dominant, I wonder if one is doing the correct thing? I believe clarity should be given regarding the "greenlight" in terms of servicing students to which one is not assigned i.e IDEA, 504, school law, etc. Could this become a liability for the teacher i.e. servicing general education students not termed "eligible" for one of the above catrgories while offcially assigned to a identified or classified special education student within the same classroom? Just a little curious:) The above article is quite informative in terms of the role of special education teachers within the inclusion class. It also brings to the forefront a few questions, one being is the special education teacher being utilized for intended purposes? So often such teahers are assigned to a specific student (s) and becomes lost as he or she begins to expand out, assisting other students both special needs and general education. Though the nuturing and teacher component becomes dominant, I wonder if one is doing the correct thing? I believe clarity should be given regarding the “greenlight” in terms of servicing students to which one is not assigned i.e IDEA, 504, school law, etc. Could this become a liability for the teacher i.e. servicing general education students not termed “eligible” for one of the above catrgories while offcially assigned to a identified or classified special education student within the same classroom? Just a little curious:)

]]> By: Teacher World http://blog.sunbeltstaffing.com/special-education/a-special-education-teachers-role-in-an-inclusive-classroom/comment-page-1/#comment-167 Teacher World Sun, 22 Nov 2009 02:14:41 +0000 http://blog.sunbeltstaffing.com/?p=410#comment-167 I have been working in a permanent co-teaching classroom for two years now, and I see some great benefits but some drawbacks as well. The problem is not with the concept, but how it is implemented. My first year went quite well, in spite of the fact that we had virtually no training and had to work our own way through the strategies that worked best for us. Luckily, the SPED teacher I work with is as flexible as I am, and our styles blended well, so it was a good experience in spite of a shaky beginning. But this year has brought additional challenges as, on top of our SPED children, we have been overloaded with so many additional students who are struggling academically. It seems that the misconception is to place all at-risk students in the co-teaching classroom since there are two teachers to service them, and therefore, they will have greater potential to be successful. Unfortunately, when well over half your students are struggling academically and need additional services, and 25% of these students are SPED, it is virtually impossible to meet all of the needs in our classroom. So, while I love the concept of co-teaching and can easily see the merit of this approach to teaching, until the way this classroom is utilized changes, I will be hesitant to volunteer to teach in a co-teaching classroom next year. I have been working in a permanent co-teaching classroom for two years now, and I see some great benefits but some drawbacks as well. The problem is not with the concept, but how it is implemented. My first year went quite well, in spite of the fact that we had virtually no training and had to work our own way through the strategies that worked best for us. Luckily, the SPED teacher I work with is as flexible as I am, and our styles blended well, so it was a good experience in spite of a shaky beginning.

But this year has brought additional challenges as, on top of our SPED children, we have been overloaded with so many additional students who are struggling academically. It seems that the misconception is to place all at-risk students in the co-teaching classroom since there are two teachers to service them, and therefore, they will have greater potential to be successful. Unfortunately, when well over half your students are struggling academically and need additional services, and 25% of these students are SPED, it is virtually impossible to meet all of the needs in our classroom.

So, while I love the concept of co-teaching and can easily see the merit of this approach to teaching, until the way this classroom is utilized changes, I will be hesitant to volunteer to teach in a co-teaching classroom next year.

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