sed /reg. ed. teacher roles

I can tell you that my own son was in a collaborative classroom and there were similar issues. The special ed teacher was miserable and was all to happy to end up teaching in a rr. I think to for the education of the students, this teacher needs to learn to WORK WITH OTHERS, just like the kiddies do. She sounds awfully insecure and childlike. Sounds like a control freak too. I do not think you will change this person’s personality, so you are stuck with her as captain of the ship at all times, or you need to discuss it with administration, which can make your life more difficult. I do think that the kids deserve to benifit from your teaching talents, and the tax payer deserves the same. It will also make your job rewarding for yourself.

I would say, only an intervention from admin. is going to help… you are equal. i am so much younger that many teachers i work with think of me as another of their children… i just had to make myself indispensable ( i do soooo much for them) so that they see my usefulness in action. i shouldn’t have to do extra for them to treat me equally, but i do. in terms of behavior in front of kids, this is a no no and is a well-known one. perhaps, a taste of her own medicine is what’s needed. she would be less likely to do it if she had it done to her. also, showing her the laws and that the kids have rights to alternate teachers, grading, etc.. will clue her in that her job safety is in limbo due to liability

If I have to do one more inclusion classroom as anything but the reg-ed teacher, I’ll quit teaching. I’m sick of being treated like a second-class teacher and having kids think that I’m not a real teacher.

I’m certified reg ed and sped and may propose that I do my own IEP’s and my own classroom caseload. Give me an assistant if I need some help. It would be an interesting trial!

I’ve tried asking for a more collaborative spirit and many reg ed teachers are just so used to doing their own thing that there is no room for an equal partner.

I have the same experience with one teacher, but different with the other. It really depends on the personality of the reg ed teacher. Who ever thought of this inclusion model should teach in the same classroom with a control freak teacher.

Wow, this has been my complaint for years about inclusion. I was at our state LD conference last fall and the keynote speaker said inclusion education is not special education. This is exactly what he is talking about. I refuse to stand around and do the general education teacher’s “grunt” work. One even had me restack microscopes. I have three college degrees and 23 years teaching experience. I will not continue with this ridiculous idea. We serve all our inclusion students with paraprofessionals for this reason. Also, your teacher’s attitude about assisting students whose hands are raised is horrible. How do these kids learn without having their questions answered. I’m glad I don’t work with this person. Poor kids!

I have suspected this same type thing may happen last school year when I continually requested my daughter receive help from the special ed teacher in the classroom. Teh regualr ed teacher would nto hear of it!! The regular ed teacher told my daughers para pro. that she didn’t need her or any other asst. helping her, she had her national certificationa and she was fully capable of serving my daughter alone. GUESS WHAT!! Our para prof QUIT!!! She was not backed by admin. because this teacher had about 18 years in the system. My daughter lost the best person she ever had to work with her. This teacher redally knew what she was doing. My daughter did not progress past begining of first grade. This year she was moved on to 2nd grade and her regualr ed teacher that has a background in spec. ed and the new para prof as well as the special ed teacher in the r.r. has already brought my daughter up through the middle of first grade in reading. It has only been five weeks since school started. One day I plan to go to this 1st grade teacher and remind her of just how she really did with my daughter. Right now I am keeping my cool. I think it’s better int he long run for my daughter.

I have reatedly reminded admin what they allowed to go on last year and how they would not be having to d oso much with her this year to bring her back up to grade level if they had just listened to me when I continously showed them how my child was not going anywhere. The principal we had just would not listen. Thank God literally, we have a new principal this year and it is making the difference!!! AND a wonderful special ed teacher.

For all you spe ed teacher and para prof that are being treated second class–
PUT A STOP TO IT. YOU CAN SPEAK UP FOR YOURSELF JUST LIKE SOME OF THESE REAGUALR ED TEAHERS. YOUR THE ONE DOING THE SPECIALTY!!!!!

Anyone with a teaching cert can get up in front of a bunch of kids and teach or even attempt to teach, but if you are being the collabortive teacher… Your work is cut out for you. You are the one having to figure out how to adapt these lessons and how your going to help this child with this unique way of learning to grasp this particualr concept!!!! Go for it and give it all you’ve got. There ARE parents out there rooting for you!!!!!!

Sonya

If we had a sped teacher with her own class and hire a gen ed teacher as her “assistant”

OR …

You know how Rick Lavoie has that video putting staff and parents through the drills of experiencing education through eyes of an LD child? Lets do one for teachers.

Instead show them what its like to be treated like an “assistant” instead of a qualified teacher.

Attitudes may change quickly when they experince the classroom from a different perspective.

It has been my short experience that many gen ed teachers just do not understand LD.

I think it is that simple. They don’t understand it and they do not respect it.

It’s been a week. I decided to ask our aide to go into this classroom. I think that true special education teachers may be looking for work soon. Thanks for your comments. They’ve helped a bunch!

Let’s flip the table. I am a regular ed teacher with a 3rd grade class containing 6 LD students with IEPs from our school district, two more on the list for screening as they have IEPs from another school district, and at least three more I will refer as possible students with severe processing difficulties. I have had most of these students since last January. I have pleaded with the SPED to work with me planning and collaborating, to best meet the needs of our, and you can capitalize OUR students. I have suggested that she work along with other students who have special needs but are not in the program, that she define and determine the accomodations she wants to use. I have basically told her she can run the show. I don’t need to worry about who controls. I always try and keep sight of the mission…making sure all of our children can read and write. By the way, I have three children in this group who cannot recognize the PP Dolch list and are less-than emerging readers. They are good in math and have good thinking skills, but they can’t read. My personal mission is that they will finish this year reading! I can’t do it alone. I already have 3 math groups, three reading groups, and two severe discipline problems in the classroom. Since our leadership is very weak and will not provide any other support, I would love to receive solid advice.

Thanks