The Importance Of Collaboration In Special Education

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Collaboration between a general education teacher and a special education teacher is important to a student 's academic success inside the classroom. Students who require special services need general education teachers and special education teachers to be in sync on all matters education. This coordination by both teachers will give each student the best possible chance at a quality learning experience. Accomplish collaboration can be difficult because of varying reasons. Findings by Eccleston (2010) suggests that successful collaboration combines four traits. Those traits are being thoughtful, knowledgeable, compassionate, and having leadership skills (Eccleston, 2010). Even though both teachers have their own pedagogies, earnestly implementing …show more content…

34). This definition of collaboration is important because it insists that more than one person be involved in the learning process. Special education teachers are important because they are more experienced in helping students with exceptionalities. These teachers are the ones that test students and make decisions as to whether or not services should be rendered. Specialist conduct meetings and analyze test results to provide an informed judgment as to whether or not a student should receive services. Once a student has been selected to receive special services, information has to be relayed to the general education teacher. And this type of communication is better received when done in person. “The personal contact between caring stakeholders is more immediate than a written message that can be put off for later convenience or avoided until urgent” (Eccleston, 2010). Through technology, it has become increasingly easier to not meet face-to-face. To increase efficiency, both teachers should make a conscientious effort to have face-to-face …show more content…

As it relates to special education, modeling is beneficial for general education teachers. Most general education teachers do not receive the same specialized training as specialists. That being said, special education teachers have a duty of supplying the general education teacher with unknown information. This can be achieved through teacher mentoring. Teacher mentoring is a strategy to increase retention and bolster teacher quality, particularly in hard-to-staff areas such as special education (Moses, 2011). Special education positions are becoming increasingly scarce and it is imperative that the current special educators actively help general education teachers understand the policies of special education. At issue is whether practices in both special and general education teacher mentoring follow formal policies (Moses, 2011). This means that there are questions about the regulation of the mentoring process. To begin, special educators should make efforts to convey a message of collaboration to general education teachers. When conveying information, specialists should use empathic listening skills and have an authentic desire to help (Eccleston, 2010). Listening efforts should be put forth to make certain that all parties are heard and no person is

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