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please help

Submitted by an LD OnLine user on

Hello everyone,
I am a graduate student working on my masters degree in Special Education. I was recently been given an assignment and my professor would like me to interview people with learning disabilities or family members of people with disabilities. Basically i would like to know what you think or feel a special education teacher needs (Eg. Skills, knowledge, attributes, and strategies)to be highly effective. Please let me know what you think or feel. Thanks so much:)

Submitted by aprilm on Mon, 07/09/2007 - 6:17 PM

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Hello,
I think having open communication with the parents without judgement is something that will be an asset. Often times when I work with my children’s teacher’s I get the feeling that they are unreceptive to the parent struggles with the children at home with the child. It changes the family’s functionality and it has times of being stressful on everyone in the household. The ability to offer other services or resources for the parents in having support and finding proper child care helps the home dyamics.

Submitted by Kathryn on Tue, 07/10/2007 - 8:32 PM

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I can answer this question a little bit better now. My daughter has been seeing a private SLP for the last 3+ weeks and it has been an amazing experience for us. The greatest part is that I am watching on a monitor down the hall and listening in with headphones. The SLP is training me to work with her. I am continuing at home what she is doing with her in therapy. If I wasn’t doing this then the results would not be nearly as good. I’m sure of that. So, my answer to your question, like the other mom, is that you need to partner up with the parents of the kids you are working with in school. The results will be better.

I had a bad experience this past year where everytime I suggested something I was shut down. It felt as if I was not good enough because I was not a teacher. I know not all parents are so cooperative and helpful, but at least for the ones who are eager, give them something to do. Make them a part of the process and the child’s success will be that much greater. And let’s face it, when you ask what else you can do, it’s because you want the children to be the most successful as they can be.

Kathryn

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