I am now
teaching in my special education placement and I absolutely love it! The
students are wonderful and I am learning so much from my cooperating teacher.
My special education placement is as an inclusion teacher. However, the inclusion is for two different
classrooms. My cooperating teacher and I are in the classrooms for reading and
math. We spend half the morning in one class for reading then spend the other
half of the morning in the second class
for reading. The afternoon is split in the same manner, but in the afternoon we
are the inclusion teachers for math.
This is the school’s set up for inclusion, so all the inclusion classrooms are
set up so that the special education teacher is switching between two classrooms.
Personally,
I do not like this set up. I believe that the special education teacher should
be assigned to one classroom. I feel this way because with this structure we do
not see how our inclusion students are doing in other academic areas: writing, social studies, science, and any
other lessons the general education teacher teaches when we are not there. I
also do not like this “roving structure” because one of our students is
autistic and there are times when this student needs our support and we are not
available. We are in the other classroom.
I feel
that the inclusion students would truly benefit by having the special education
teacher in the class all day every day.
I have noticed that by having the special education teachers switch between
classrooms, the students are not always getting the extra support that is
necessary. There are aides in these two
classrooms, however, I feel that it is important for the special education
teacher to be there as well. I feel that in order to know how the student is
progressing, overall, we need to be there and observe them in all areas, not
just reading and math. I personally believe that the inclusion students are not
getting the most out of an inclusion setting or the support it provides when the
special education teacher is switching between classrooms.
Have you
taught in or observed in an inclusion class? How are the inclusion classrooms
that you have seen set up? Do you feel that the special education teacher
should only be assigned to one classroom or do you think that switching between
multiple classrooms is a good inclusion structure?
Inclusion seems to be a hot topic in education from all angles. In class when we discussed this topic, a very interesting point was pointed out. One of the main reasons for a move away from self-contained special education towards inclusion in the first place was that parents of students who needed special education services/ extra support did not want their students pulled out of class for any period of time that exceeded the amount of time absolutely necessary.
ReplyDeleteI agree with the sentiments expressed in this blog post for several reasons. It definitely does pose some issues that inclusion special education teachers are jumping from one classroom to another. How many students on entirely different levels, with entirely different curriculums, with entirely differently IEPs, can a single special education teacher possibly mange effectively all while maintaining professionalism and an upbeat demeanor? That is a lot of lesson plans to keep track of. Also, no extended amount of time can be spent with any of the students if there are so many students that the inclusion special education teacher must travel to visit and differentiate for. Even though it is very challenging for inclusion teachers to follow the model you described, in following the provisions outlined in IDEA for least restrictive environment, it seems as though this model of inclusion is here to stay.
I think that the only way to make the best of this situation would be to maintain impeccable organization and to build open lines of communication with general education teachers in the school. Being very organized will help inclusion special education teachers keep track of all the lessons, tests, and homework that they are responsible for differentiating for. Even though time does not allow for the teachers to spend significant amounts of time with any specific students, keeping organized records will only help with grading all of the different students. Also, open lines of communication with general education teachers is absolutely necessary. Building these relationships will ensure that the resource room lesson plans are always strictly in line with the lessons being taught in the general education classroom.
I have observed in two inclusion classrooms with the same Special Education Teacher. Both classrooms were across the hall from each other. One was a kindergarten and the other was a first grade. I had a positive experience as I was unable to notice a difference between the General Education Teacher and the Special Education Teacher in both settings. I believe the structure worked very well for both the teachers and the students as they all collaborated well.
ReplyDeleteI have only taken one Special Education class in college; therefore I am not able to respond too much on this subject. However, I think that it would be beneficial if a Special Education Teacher could focus on one or two classrooms. This would make it easier for the teacher to see how their students are progressing. It also will give the students the opportunity to receive more help.
In all I think school districts need to reevaluate their Special Education settings and procedures. More students are becoming classified and districts need to help their Special Education Teachers just as much as their students work to the best of their abilities.