if the regular teacher doesn’t trust the special ed teacher and does not feel that the special ed is needed in the classroom? The regular teacher that I work with feels that team teaching is too much work and planning for just very few special ed students. She feels that she can manage on her own.
I really prefer the pull out model than this forced teaming. It works only if the teachers have good chemistry.
And how on earth can you do remediation in the classroom? With non readers, you can’t do much. Partial pull out is still necessary!
Re: How can inclusion ever work
Luckily inclusion benefits the “typical” children. My son has a 1:1 aide that reads to him in class…the children that cannot read with the class have the benefit of his “special ed” without the label. Any teacher willing to make it work will reap the benefits. As in life, anything worth having is hard work.
Re: How can inclusion ever work
forced pull out may violate laws though… if it is not needed for the student, not the teacher, then you are in sticky territory…
Re: How can inclusion ever work
I’d only point out that your son’s classrooms has, in effect, two teachers. The teacher and this wonderful aide who reads. Is this a reflection of the classroom teacher’s hard work or the presence of this wonderful aide?
Re: How can inclusion ever work
Hi, I’m a school psychologist and have definately encountered this issue on a number of occasions. It is so important that teachers chosen for inclusive settings be interested in team teaching and accomodating the needs of all children. In other words they need to know what they are getting into! It can work out so well when you have an enthusiastic, cohesive team. I suggest that you have a meeting with the regular ed teacher to work this out. I often join such a meeting as I typically play a consultant role for such a classroom. I can also help to mediate differences and keep the meeting focused. Perhaps you can also turn to your school psychologist for this help- or another resource. Resources and supports are vital for this type of setting. You need to discuss specifically how you two will work together in order to best meet the needs of the kids. Who will be where, when, and doing what with who? Discuss the kids IEP’s- what accomodations are necessary and how to do it in the classroom. She should be thankful that she has you when she sees those IEP’s! I often find that the classroom needs to shift away from whole class lessons to smaller group lessons, which can work at different paces and levels. Smaller groups are also helpful in maximizing attention and participation of the kids. If you have just two nonreaders, then take them aside during a reading lesson that is over their heads and work with them in another area of the classroom. Pull out services is really not necessary with this format. If it’s too noisy or stimulating in the classroom, than work on decreasing the stimulation. You should meet each week to discuss the schedule, curriculum, and how you two will be carrying it out. Looks like this will be a learning experience for both of you. Good luck!
Re: How can inclusion ever work
HOW DO YOU KNOW WHAT IS BEST? HALF TELL ME TO PUSH FOR INCLUSION AND HALF TELL ME IT’S NOT WORTH IT. MY DAUGHTER IS IN THE 7TH GRADE AND YEARS BEHIND HER PEERS ACADEMICALLY AND SOCIALLY. WHY PUT HER IN A CLASSROOM THAT SHE WON’T UNDERSTAND EVEN WITH AN AIDE? WHY SUBJECT HER TO THE CRUELNESS OF THE OTHER KIDS?
Inclusion certainly has its challenges. I’ve thought the answer is - that we don’t have the answer yet and inclusion and/or pull out are ‘stop-gap’ measures until we do.
I think all our classrooms would be and could be more inclusion of differences in learning style if we would do away with a few things. Timed tests, for example. Memorization of material another. I banished those two from my own classroom years ago and watched students who had been unsuccessful in the old model thrive in the new. I wish my own ld son had had the opportunity to learn in classrooms where tests weren’t timed and he was not required to memorize material.
I’d also like to see parents given more choices. Some parents wait mainstreaming for the child with learning differences, others don’t. Some want pull out, others don’t. If it were my world to run, I’d design the schools to offer several avenues so that parents could choose the model they feel works best for their child.
As that’s not likely to happen, please know I agree with you and wish you good luck as you work to get your son through school.