I have been teaching middle school mathematics for 11 years. I have taught in a “team” setting for each of these years. Most of the time, the special education students that I worked with were receiving resource room services for support in mathematics.
This year, my school hired an “inclusion” specialist. (!!) Her position involves a schedule completely consisting of working with regular ed. teachers in inclusion settings. I have spent some time looking into ways that I can modify what I do with my classes to accomodate having this extra adult working with me in my classroom. I am learning about working together as a team of 2 teachers working together (as opposed to not being a teacher with an assistant). I am learning about the differences between working with kids who have “resource” on their IEP’s vs. students who are identified as needing an inclusion setting. I have been learning a LOT!
Unfortunately, as the administration in our building also needs to deal with financial matters, they have been resistant to hiring a substitute teacher to replace our inclusion specialist when she is out of the building. Their reasoning is because she doesn’t have any classes that she works with alone.
This inclusion specialist is also a very efficient and effective teacher. She has been “pulled” from my class (& other classes) frequently to help in the guidance office with “special ed. paperwork”.
I feel that it was a positive first step that the school took in hiring this inclusion specialist. I am very interested in taking full advantage of this opportunity. Yet, I don’t see how I can plan to use a 2nd teacher in the room when I don’t know when she will be there or not. I also am rather positive that the needs of these students are not being met. They are not supposed to be in a regular ed. classroom without inclusion support.
I am in the process of composing a letter to the administrators involved in the situation. I am interested in receiving suggestions from other teachers as to content for this letter. Thank you so much for your time.
Re: Need suggestions for a persuasive letter...
I am one of those inclusion specialists and I can confirm that it is difficult to know when I may be pulled from a classroom. However, I only allow myself to be pulled for emergencies. Paperwork is not an emergency. I try to communicate as much as possible via email so I have records of correspondence. My main objective is to insure that the students I serve have the modifications necessary so I often request lesson plans in advance- I do the modifications myself and they may be different for each student. Perhaps the administrators in the school need to clarify the job description of the inclusion specialist. Is he/she mainly a support person? Or will you and this person co-teach? It is important to understand that inclusion is a place-the regular ed environment, and that there are various models of implementing it. In my school we use collaborative teaching, consulting, and pullout as models in serving the children. I am the only teacher serving all grade levels and it is very challenging, but well worth it. Be careful how you approach your administrators and I would definately involve the inclusion specialist in this process.
Re: Need suggestions for a persuasive letter...
Do all of the students’ IEP’s indicate this inclusion specialist will be in the classroom with the students during your math time? If so, the IEP is not in compliance and a lawsuit could ensue because of their needs not being met. The specialist should have a definite time to be in your room according to what is written in the IEP’s. All the other “extra” work should revolve around this person’s schedule. We have to have meetings, etc. at 7:30 a.m. and/or after school to work on paperwork and have staffings. Hope this helps!
Re: Need suggestions for a persuasive letter...
I am one of those inclusion specialists and I can confirm that it is difficult to know when I may be pulled from a classroom. However, I only allow myself to be pulled for emergencies. Paperwork is not an emergency. I try to communicate as much as possible via email so I have records of correspondence. My main objective is to insure that the students I serve have the modifications necessary so I often request lesson plans in advance- I do the modifications myself and they may be different for each student. Perhaps the administrators in the school need to clarify the job description of the inclusion specialist. Is he/she mainly a support person? Or will you and this person co-teach? It is important to understand that inclusion is a place-the regular ed environment, and that there are various models of implementing it. In my school we use collaborative teaching, consulting, and pullout as models in serving the children. I am the only teacher serving all grade levels and it is very challenging, but well worth it. Be careful how you approach your administrators and I would definately involve the inclusion specialist in this process.
Do all of the students’ IEP’s indicate this inclusion specialist will be in the classroom with the students during your math time? If so, the IEP is not in compliance and a lawsuit could ensue because of their needs not being met. The specialist should have a definite time to be in your room according to what is written in the IEP’s. All the other “extra” work should revolve around this person’s schedule. We have to have meetings, etc. at 7:30 a.m. and/or after school to work on paperwork and have staffings. Hope this helps!