New Experience with inclusion

I try to get to know the desires/philosophies of my regular education teachers. Some are really mainstreamers: “You can be in my class if you can do the same work for the same grade.” Some are true inclusionists willing to modify and accommodate.

The best case is team teaching and collaboratively deciding on when & how to make that work. Have you read anything on differentiated instruction by Carol Cummings? ASCD publishes some nice books on the topic.

I worked in a classroom some last year in math, social, studies, and science. 6th grade. We team taught math and I had an aide to support curriculum tutoring with a small gaggle of students with LD/ADHD/OHI and whatever in SS & Science. We mixed reading during the year with small-group pull out because students felt best about pull-out; however, it wasn’t just IEP students…any who were behind in skills.

Do you know your reg ed teachers?

We are in the same boat together. I have been teaching special education, self-contained classes from MIS III to Special Setting( all kinds of disabilities). After 4 and a half years, I will be teaching inclusion. I feel nervous about it because I don’t want to be made to feel or treated like a glorified Para. I may be a little territorial in this way, but I would like the chance to teach as a team. The only hesitation I have is, will the 4 teachers I will work with (math, sci, language arts, lit, S.S.), treat me like an equal or like a copy girl. I will not have a classroom of my own. I will have to travel with my special ed kids and hopefully, have a desk in one of the rooms for me to station myself. I am glad I am not alone in this new journey.

All in all, I am a little nervous. However, I find that maybe the stress of having to go at it solo will be lessened. I won’t have to deal with stupid administrators who look at the decoration of the room or yelling at the kids all day. I’ll leave that up to the general ed. teacher, hahahha!!!

Do you have any tips or advise for me, to sooth my nervous and anxious heart?
Gizzy wrote:
>
> I have been a Special Education techer for 5years, in the
> past I have taught strictly in a self contatined classroom,
> but in the fall I will be working in a more inclusive
> setting. I will have 20 students all on different levels, I
> am excited yet unsure of how I iwll be able to service
> students from K-6 in this setting, Im not a big fan of
> inclusion in programs with only one Special ed teacher to
> service the children, I have seen inclusion work quite well
> in other programs. Anyway, I need some HELP!!! *smile* any
> ,tips, pointers, suggestions will be greatly appreciated.
> Thanks in advance

It takes some time before things come into sync, I believe. Don’t stand back and allow someone to treat you with less regard than you deserve: equal. Advocate for your needs in a polite and collaborative way. Every week, journal on your progress so you can see how far you’ve come in developing the trust and response needed to co-teach. It took me about 5 weeks with one teacher to get into a start-up co-teaching groove.

Are all students on the same team consistent and just rotate classes? If not, you need something in each room to establish your co-authority with the classroom teachers. You have a right to voice this concern to each teacher if you feel the environment isn’t set up so that students will view you with equal stature.

Another very important thing is for the sped teacher to switch-off teaching to non-sped students and sped-students alike. I just tell my teamie why this must be done: So that sped students aren’t viewed differently by non-sped students based on which teacher is responsible for what group.

Have you some good books on this subject?

I taught in an inclusive setting for 7 years before moving and gave inservices for my county on team teaching and collaboration. With your broad question it is hard to help you. First how well do you know your team teachers? You need to know there learning styles and take their lead, however you are NOT a glorified aid, make sure that is known and you still have an IEP you must adhere to. You are your childrens advocate. Do you have an assistant? If so use her during content times in classrooms when you can not be there. Collaborating on lesson plans ahead of time will allow you to adapt material to assist your children. This is really broad, please feel free to email me with more specific questions I did this for a long time.

Carolyn