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The role of teachers in education
The role of teachers in education
The role of teachers in education
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I chose to observe our amazing SEIF, Mrs. Walker, for my field observation assignment. Honestly, I spent more time helping her with the special education department than I did actually observing her. Western High School has the largest number of special education students in all of Clark County School District. That being said, we are currently over number in the special education department as far as students are concerned, and with the new system that we are now required to write our IEP’s, our department is under a lot of stress. All that considered, Mrs. Walker has done, and is currently doing, an amazing job keeping us organized and in order over these past two grueling months. Throughout my time working directly with Mrs. Walker I did learn a significant amount of information, that I, as a regular special education teacher, never paid as much attention to as I probably should have. With our school currently being over number, Mrs. Walker showed me how she has to disburse all of our students amongst our department. There are rules that coincided with each area of the …show more content…
The implementation of this new system required our entire department to sit through two 8-hour training sessions and read an 85-page manual. Some of the members in our department are still struggling significantly with writing their IEPs in this new system. Here is where I provided the majority of my services hours. Mrs. Walker had me write three IEPs in the new system. She read through them, and gave me some feedback on certain things that I needed to go back and fix. After providing her with the edited copies of the IEPs, she and the assistant principal approved for me to do a few hour-long sessions in one of the computer labs, where I assisted some of the other special education teachers with writing their IEPs in the new system. I was given great feedback on the help that I was able to give thanks to Mrs. Walker’s
General education high school teacher, Michael Withers, failed to comply with his student’s Individual Education Plan (IEP). D.D. Doe’s IEP required tests to be read orally. Despite knowledge of this IEP and being instructed to follow the IEP by the superintendent, school principal, special education director, and special education teacher, Withers still refused to make the accommodations for D.D.’s handicapping condition. As a result, D.D. failed the history class. His parents filed charges against Withers, arguing that D.D was not afforded the right to a Free and Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) promised to all students by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). They also filed a claim for injuctive relief against the Taylor County Board of Education to enforce the laws that protect handicapped students.
The IEP team may include the student, their parents, a regular teacher, a special education provider and other representatives, such as a social worker or relative child care provider. These meets are required to be held within 30 days of the student’s acceptance into the special education program. Every IEP has the two main goals of setting reasonable learning goals and establishing academic services that the school will provide. The IEP should state which state and district-wide assessments that the student will or will not participate in and why.
The Gaskin Settlement Agreement is an agreement between a group of families and advocacy organizations who filed a class action lawsuit against the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) on behalf of a group of children with disabilities in 1994. This agreement does not change a student’s placement, program, or IEP in any manner. Only the IEP team has the authority to make modifications that will impact a student’s IEP. The main goal of this settlement is to make sure that IEP teams will determine if the goals in a student’s IEP may be implemented in a general education setting with supplementary aids and services prior to considering an environment that is more restrictive in nature. The elements of this case were designed to help increase the capacity of school districts to provide related services, SDI that is appropriate, supplementary aids and services, and supports to students who have disabilities that are placed in general education classrooms. The PDE lists many important elements of the Settlement Agreement to be aware of...
...concerns, and many others, delineated in the CEC Special Education Professional Practice Standards and the Georgia Code of Ethics for Educators, are echoed in the Professional Dispositions and Behaviors Rubric of the State University of West Georgia for Advanced Programs in Special education. These three instruments provide a framework to which candidates in preparation programs, teachers, and administrators can return for problem resolution, and professional growth and development. Not only does this framework house the concerns of collaboration, professionalism and the belief that all can learn, it also safeguards the integrity of the field of education, and ensures students will be able to receive an education in an environment that makes every effort to “respect the culture, dignity, and basic human rights of individuals with exceptionalities” (CEC-SEPPS 1.7).
Rachel’s parent disagreed and with the Districts decision of half time special education placement and placed her in a private school in a general education classroom with supports where she was successfully meeting her IEP goals. Rachel’s parents also appealed the district’s placement decision to a California Special Education hearing officer. After fourteen days of hearing, the hearing officer ruled in favor of the parents and ordered the District to place Rachel in a general education classroom with support services. The District appealed the decision and the courts had to decide if the decision made by the hearing officer complied with the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA). The courts ruled in favor of the defendant finding that the appropriate placement for Rachel, under the IDEA, was in a general education classroom, with supplemental services, as a full time member of
In my classroom I will make sure that the children with special needs are benefiting from instruction. I will pair this student up with someone who is capable of helping. The student will be getting my instruction as well as help from one of their peers. I will be aware that this student is a learner with special needs and I will teach this student at a level in which he/she is comfortable. I will make sure I am aware of everything that I can about this student?s special needs. I will be in a tight contact with the student and his/her parent/guardian so I can be aware that they are working with him/her at home. If this isn?t the case then I will pair this student up with another student after school, with myself, or with someone else that would be willing to give this student extra time.
Two years ago, I embarked on a journey that would teach me more than I had ever imagined. As a recent college graduate, I was thrilled to finally begin my teaching career in a field I have always held close to my heart. My first two years as a special education teacher presented countless challenges, however, it also brought me great fulfillment and deepened my passion for teaching students with special needs. The experiences I have had both before and after this pivotal point in my life have undoubtedly influenced my desire to further my career in the field of special education.
Public Law 94-142: The Education for All Handicapped Children Act of 1975, now called Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), requires states to provide free, appropriate public education (FAPE) for every child regardless of disability. This federal law was the first to clearly define the rights of disabled children to receive special education services if their disability affects their educational performance. A parent of a special education student also has basic rights under IDEA including the right to have their child evaluated by the school district and to be included when the school district meets about the child or makes decisions about his or her education. If a child is identified as in need of special education services, the school district must devise a written individual education program (IEP) for the child, which includes related services. An IEP is a statement of a student’s special education and related services including speech services, psychological services, physical and occupational therapy, counseling and assistive technology and transportation. In addition, this legally binding, individualized plan outlines reasonable educational goals for the student and is reviewed and updated yearly.
I have been a Special Education Para-Educator for eleven years now. My decision to do this was based on the needs of my family and kids. When my last child was born, the doctors did not think that he would make it. He had a heart malfunction and was born with RSV and Von Villibrantds disease (which I did not find out until he was three); those factors lead me to want to work with special education kids, knowing that I could make a difference.
For my visitation I went to the public high school in my hometown. Due to time constraints I was not able to visit the school on a weekday when classes were in session. I did however get to witness another part of the special education/inclusion program called the Rooster Buddies. I did, however, get some information on the special education program from an administrator via phone and fax.
Training should be implemented on IEP’s and modifications and accommodations for general education teachers. General education teachers should also be trained on utilizing the special education teachers experience in modifying, accommodating, and differentiated instruction. We are a team and the goal we are working for is for all of our students on our campus to be successful, general education and special education students.
As I ponder over my personal professional development experiences as an educator the realization of how one has developed over time is personally satisfying. Educating children especially children with special needs is a challenge within its self. As a teacher it is important that this writer makes a positive influence with students. There are going to be certain ideas that one tries to uphold and other discriminations that one will not allow. Everyone has their own beliefs teachers should do what is necessary not to infringe on others, but show children different way to think so that they have all the information needed to make educated choices. Children are open-minded they have not yet had to deal with or understand the injustices that they will encounter. If children are taught from an early age they will have the ability to succeed especially children with special needs as an educator my main goal is teaching the purpose of public schools, and education reform. It is my purpose to influence children and be positive influence.
Special education is an incredibly important, but often underappreciated aspect of education. There is a stigma around individuals with disabilities, that leads people to assume those in special education are less capable or smart as their peers in in a strictly traditional classroom setting. That could not be farther from the truth though, and the individuals in special education are just as capable of learning and maturing in to successful adults. As a future teacher, I was not really aware of how little I knew about special education until I enrolled in this course. This course has helped change and shape my views of special education, and helped me gain a better understanding of what exceptional children are and how I can better serve them
For my observation experience I went to Southern High School in Harwood, MD. Southern High School has a special education department for the students with disabilities. The teacher that I met with for this classroom observation was Ms. West. In the classroom there were at least four assistant teachers that helped Ms. West throughout the school day. The assistant teachers helped Ms. West co- teach the class and were there to help the students if they needed extra help. The school also has a couple of student aides that come in to help the teachers and the students in the classroom. There were at least twelve students in the classroom. The students in the class had many different exceptionalities such as learning disabilities, Down syndrome,