A Special Education Team has one thing in common, the best interest of a student to achieve their educational goals. Having the opportunity to speak with two experienced teachers I learned that not everyone teaches in the same way or believes that students learn a certain way, but in the end they have the needs of the students first. Mrs. Peterson’s definition of terminology, their classification and their learning techniques and social skills play a large part in the curricular needs she teaches in her classroom to promote independent learning. Mr. Olson may view the terminology a little different, but still feels students with intellectual disabilities should be independent in their learning and social skills. Students with Intellectual disabilities
We must not label children due to their disability. It is important we look at their individual need first without focusing on their impairment. We should be realistic about their expectations and modify the curriculum to suit, give them extra support or their own SEN, depending on needs but also encouraging independence as much as possible.
Special education teachers no longer may identify themselves as teachers of just a specific category of students. Rather, they must identify themselves as teachers of all students and be willing to provide whatever support is needed to meet the varied needs of students. Likewise, students should not be identified as self-contained or resource, but as students needing specialized instruction and supports for specific skills/subject areas for specific amounts of time in either a special education setting or a general education setting.
The education of students with disabilities in school’s today is being shaped by two laws: the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004 (IDEA) and the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) which is also known as the No Child Left Behind Act (McLaughlin, 2010). These laws were enacted to protect students with disabilities against inequity due to their disabilities, and allows for accommodations to their daily class curriculum. In the video Equity Focused School Counseling, Stuart Chen-Hayes discusses with administration his concerns that students with disabilities have come in discussing the same issues and wondered if he could teach these students as a group. Group therapy allows for a safe and confidential environment where members can work on problems they are facing as well as hearing different perspectives. Group members can enhance their self-awareness that can lead to relationship building. Social competence is a critical ingredient to emotional and physical well being in high school (Gysbers, 2009). Although, individual
Beakstead, personal communication, October 31, 2013). Alternately, another student’s area of concentration might be based solely on independent living skills at home or with caretakers, and less focused on academic goals. As the goals are implemented by the special education team the student’s achievements can be evaluated daily, weekly, or monthly and in independent and group settings until mastery of the IEP goal is achieved, and where the learning goals of the IEP are age and skill level appropriate and address the future needs of the student. Additionally, these experiences encourage opportunities to practice new knowledge and skills, where teacher-directed and student feedback is available, and where instructional practice and student expectations can be reflected on and adjusted if necessary (Johnson-Gerard, 2012).
In the past, special educators have taught daily living and functional academic skills to students with moderate and severe disabilities. I believe the author considers the issue of what should we teach students with moderate and severe development disabilities as one that has not been “solved” by the field of special education to date because a lot of schools still seclude students with moderate and severe disabilities. They may be included for things like lunch and specials, but not for any academic subjects. Although these students do need to learn daily living skills, other students also need to learn how to interact with people with disabilities, which is not something brought up very often.
After a student is identified with a disability, special education is provided. Special education is individulaized to meet the needs the student. It is fundamentally important that the plan is individualized, that is why educators, parents, and professionals develop an IEP for each student. To ensure that the student has a plan that will most benefit them, each IEP has eight components. The IDEA has six principles which are: zero-reject, nondiscriminatory evaluation, appropriate education, least restrictive environment, parent and student participation, and procedural due process.
After reading chapters one and two of the book “Exceptional lives”, I could more easily understand special education. As a teacher, I will mostly likely have many students with disabilities in my class throughout my career. With
The Common Core State Standards (CCSS) identify expectations of what the students will be able to achieve by the end of the school year. The standards provide teachers and curriculum developers the opportunity to use their best findings and available tools to meet these ends (California Department of Education, 2013). The reader needs to understand that the teaching principles implemented by individuals who received extensive training in college-based teacher training programs in order to understand how the CCSS identifies and supports According to Artiles (2003) the Individual with Disability Act (IDEA) 1990 changed the classroom structure in the united states dramatically in the past thirty years. The refinement of the special education
Snell, M. E. & Brown, F. (2006). Instruction of Students with Severe Disabilities (6th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall
Students with disabilities may exhibit and engage in maladaptive behaviors, which can impact their educational environment and learning-outcomes. More specifically, students who engage in repetitious maladaptive behaviors may be placed in more restrictive educational environments or require the need for addition educational supports, which can be deemed intrusive. Intrusive supports may include the employment of a related service independence assistance personnel. It is imperative educational organization create learning spaces that promote independence and mastery towards skill sets. When additional support is added to a student’s school environment it can potentially generate harm in relation to independence. Giangreco,
As a special education teacher, it’s important that I use and apply various teaching techniques, strategies, learning styles, methods, and the latest innovative practices to make certain my students’ meet the yearly goals I’ve set for them and the goals they have according to their IEP’s. These
Although in many cases teachers have the students’ best interest at heart and hope to benefit them from a referral for an evaluation, inappropriate labeling can bring serious consequences for pupils. As noted on Truth in labeling: disproportionality in special education (2007), once admitted into the special needs program, students tend to remain in special education classes, they are more likely to encounter less rigorous curriculum and lower expectations, they often face social stigma, and have less contact with academically able peers.
Often times when a student is subjected to “Special Ed.” classes that is abusing labels, they begin to apply the label to themselves as a guideline. A student can only be told they are not good enough, or not able to do something before they begin to believe it, themselves. This is why it is paramount for educators to use extreme caution when applying labels to their classrooms.
According to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, students with disabilities should be placed in a “least restrictive environment.” One of the main ideas of this act was to improve the learning experiences of students with disabilities by giving them learning opportunities outside of a special education classroom. The number of students with disabilities being placed in their general education classrooms is increasing more and more each year. The U.S Department of Education’s 27th annual report to Congress on the implementation of The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (2005) indicates that the number of students with disabilities in general education classrooms has risen to almost 50 percent. This is about a 17 percent increase from the 1997 U.S
Whilst there is no one single definition of special education there are some inherent similarities between the various definitions given by a plethora of philosophers, politicians and academics. Special Education is a form of instruction that is designed to meet the needs of students with disabilities in order that they can learn the very same skills and information as other students in school (Giordano, 2007; Osgood, 2005). Under the banner of special education there is high prominence placed upon individualised