Special education teachers have an array of responsibilities when teaching students. In addition to the traditional responsibilities of teachers, special education teachers must determine the best way to meet the educational needs of the individual and the class. This can be a complicated task, as the needs of the students may vary. In order to explore how special education teachers operate, an interview was conducted. This interview helped me to gain an understanding of different ways special education teachers help to educate students and the challenges they face on a daily basis.
In order to gain a better grasp of the challenges special education teachers face, I interviewed a special education teacher that has a decade of experience. Mrs. Smith works in a midwestern school, and has a class of twenty special education students. Mrs. Smith has a decade of experience and masters in special education. One of the first questions I asked her was how she differentiates between the disabilities students are suffering from. For her, each student is individual and she does not let their disability define their learning. Instead, she tries to challenge her students on a daily basis, regardless of their disability. However, she does take note of the different types of disabilities represented in her classroom. For example, there is a difference between students with learning disorders, students with emotional problems and students with physical disabilities. The degree to which the student understands the concepts covered in the class tends to vary. It is further important for special education teachers to understand the different medical illnesses students suffer from, as exposure to certain stimuli may produce undesirable effects. Despite the importance of knowing the different disabilities represented in the classroom, it is crucial not to label students based on their disabilities (Wilmhurst & Brue, 2005).
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The needs of the students in the class tend to vary. Some students have mild learning disabilities and simply need additional attention or help in understanding the material. Other students in the class have physical disabilities that prevent them from functioning at a high level. In other situations, the teacher may need to modify the existing lesson plan for students with physical disabilities, such as wheel chairs (Colarusso & O’Rourke, 2004). However, the teacher that was interviewed for this project helped me to understand that these modifications are often easily made. Mrs. Smith helped me to understand that simply changing lesson plans is important so that no student feels left out. She further told me that these changes often come easily to her, as she thinks of her students in every lesson plan and the activities they can complete. However it is likely that over a decade of experience coupled with her education has helped Mrs. Smith to master the art of substitution in lesson plans.
There is no one characteristic that can be ascribed to all student’s in Mrs. Smith’s class. Instead, Mrs. Smith reports a great deal of variability in terms of what each student can do. Some student’s function better in groups while others function better when taught individually. Mrs. Smith further expressed how lucky she was to have three teachers’ aides that help students to learn. However, Mrs. Smith still reports that in some situations it is difficult to educate the students, as each student has different needs. The educational implications tend to vary. Although each grade has skills they are supposed to master, in some situations it is not feasible that the student will master these skills. Furthermore, Mrs. Smith reports that external support (such as family members, friends and other individuals that may work with the students) is another factor that directly influences the student’s ability to master skills. Furthermore, the types of services the child is able to access and the age of diagnosis are two additional factors that have been shown to influence a student’s successes in special education (Groof & Lauwers, 2003). In being realistic, Mrs. Smith reports that not every student will master every skill. However, it is important to help the child to develop confidence in their abilities.
Mrs. Smith reported multiple concerns in the classroom. One of the main concerns was the lack of time and support given to special needs students. Although many of the students are able to grasp different concepts, it is likely that if there were more support (from parents or additional teacher’s aides) that the students would be able to gain an in-depth understanding of other concepts. Another concern is how to keep the students motivated. Students with certain learning disabilities or emotional problems often get distracted. Mrs. Smith has found that keeping the entire classroom engaged for an activity can be difficult. However, Mrs. Smith did discuss how rewarding it is when each student masters a new skill. Even though classroom management and engagement can be difficult attributes, Mrs. Smith believes helping students to learn is a gratifying experience.
Although there are many issues that make teaching special education students complicated, Mrs. Smith reported she is truly happy in what she does. Mrs. Smith further reported that she would never give up being a special education teacher, as she believes it is one of the most rewarding careers. Through this interview, I gained an in-depth understanding of what special education teachers go through on a daily basis. This interview further helped me to understand how rewarding being a special education teacher can be.
- Colarusso R., O’Rourke C. (2004) Special Education for all Teachers. New York: Kendal/Hunt Publishing.
- Groof J.D., Lauwers G. (2003) Special Education. New Jersey: Sage.
- Wilmhurst L., Brue A.W. (2005) A Parent’s Guide to Special Education: Insider Advice on How to Navigate the System and Help Your Child Succeed. New York: AMACOM.
