I am a 1st year 6th grade teacher. ( I have had 5 years of experience in high school) I teach in a very low income school with not a lot of support. We are in our second year of teaming ( its not great yet) and my background is in Social Studies and Language Arts. I truly believe all students can learn no matter what, however, they are all different and require indivdual help. This year alone, I have been astonished to find a huge (in my opinion) amount of students that have “fallen through the cracks” and with my teams help and support staff we helped students to achieve and find success through what ever means possible( an in your face approach to learning and success all about 504’s, IEP’s and Title 1 services, none for which my team had ever been exposed to) It has been an eye opener! Unfortunatly, I have recently been informed ( last week) that I will not have any choice but to teach an inclusion class next year ( or find a new job). I am currently taking an Intro to Learning Disabilities class ( irony at its best) at the local university to increase my personal knowledge of special education. I have had very limited and controled experiences working with special education and learning disabled students. This whole new introduction to an inclussion class for next year is terrifying me due to several factors. 1) Lack of inital support 2) Being completly unknowledgable about the topic other than the course I’m currently taking and tons of research on line and in books.3) Lack of funding 4) Lack of experience.and ultimatly the ethical and emotional questions I have on the topic. If someone could write me to give me some insight of what I’m getting into please do so! I voiced my concerns at a meeting on Monday and kinda got blown off and said things would just work out. I am too concerned with the students I teach to just go by the seat of my pants. I educate the future not just teach my subject area and feel it completly overwhealming to think that I could be the best canidate for the job, however, I know I’ll try my best—but the kids dersrve the most knowledgable teacher in this capacity. And by putting 15-16 inclusion kids into a reg ed class with 1 gen ed teacher, 1 special ed teacher and a possibility of 1 parapro, and having them go through their entire day as one unit (classroom) just does not seem fare to those kids who need all they can get and again deserve! Please erspond to me ASAP! Thank you!
Re: Inclusion Teaching! New and unknowns: Help!
Kim,
I admire your honestly and concern to be the best teacher to your students that you can be. I teach at a school which has been nationally recognized for our inclusion program. Another teacher from this same school and I have written a book on co-teaching which provides information and forms for a sucessful program. I’d be glad to answer any specific questions you have. Done correctly, co-teaching can be so rewarding to both teachers and students. Look at the website www.twinspublication.com for infomation and sample pages of the book. Again, I’d be glad to help you in any way I can if you have questions. Best wishes!!
Kim,
Well first of all I can say is you have more going for you than alot of teachers because you CARE and you’re concerned with helping these kids. I am the parent of an LD daughter. Fortunately, we have the means to provide her with specialized tutoring privately and we have not had to depend on the school system for her needs. We moved out of the Inclusion class after 3/4’s of a year because there was too MUCH hand holding going on. I only want her supported in the areas she really NEEDS support in and not in everything. The teacher was writing her homework assignments in her book for her - I told the teacher to stop - I wanted my daughter to LEARN how to keep up with her assignments herself. I don’t envy you your situation. Maybe there are teachers on this BB that can give you some advice. Again, tho, let me say as the parent of an LD student, I appreciate the fact that you ARE so concerned.