In this exclusive interview special education teacher and mentor Shira Moskovitz talks about teaching students with learning differences (LD) and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and shares recommendations for working with this dynamic student population.

Every state defines who is eligible to receive special education and related services. Some states, such as Maryland, choose to define special education students using the same disability criteria as the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. However, not all states choose to follow this formula and many make their own “student with disabilities” definition. The state definition serves as a guide, along with specific disability definitions, for determining eligibility criteria when evaluating a child for inclusion in special education programs.

Genesis Gonzalez began her career as a paraprofessional in Shira Moskovitz’s special education classroom, and that’s where the mentorship began. Now, Genesis has a special ed. class of her own but the lovefest of their mentor/mentee relationship isn’t over.

Many children labeled at-risk — including those disabled by Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) — fail to thrive, or even survive, in current school environments.

From pre-K through second grade, Asher Meytin attended a Jewish day school where each fall, the kids were asked what they most looked forward to that year. Asher’s number one goal was to learn to read. That was it. But he just couldn’t get it.

The purpose of this National Joint Committee on Learning Disabilities (NJCLD) report is to examine the concepts, potential benefits, practical issues, and unanswered questions associated with responsiveness to intervention (RTI) and learning disabilities (LD). A brief overview of the approach is provided, including attributes, characteristics, and promising features, as well as issues, concerns, unanswered questions, and research needs.

Teachers: Do your students have trouble getting along with others — and getting along with you? Do you tell them to stop doing it — but they keep on doing it? Learn to understand and teach your students with social skills problems. Learn why they have these problems and how to teach them better behavior. Read about Social Skills training and the steps to follow in implementing it.