Special Education » Education Students http://www.dxsbcs.org Tue, 30 Mar 2010 21:55:54 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 en hourly 1 Relax! How to Use Music and Relaxation to Help Your Students With Disabilities http://www.dxsbcs.org/relax-how-to-use-music-and-relaxation-to-help-your-students-with-disabilities.html http://www.dxsbcs.org/relax-how-to-use-music-and-relaxation-to-help-your-students-with-disabilities.html#comments Fri, 05 Mar 2010 14:13:52 +0000 admin http://dxsbcs.org/relax-how-to-use-music-and-relaxation-to-help-your-students-with-disabilities.html

I have had the opportunity to lead several music assisted relaxation groups in public school special education classrooms. These groups have included a range of ages and types of disabilities including Down Syndrome, autism, mental retardation and Cerebral Palsy. One of the key points I like to emphasize with my clients and their instructors is that learning to relax can become a conditioned response. This means that relaxing can be practiced so that it is more effective and useful in the future.

Generally the clients that I work with in the special education classrooms do not have typical life stressors that would induce anxiety and require relaxation, but there are other reasons that relaxation can be an important tool for them and their teachers. I have found that many of the special education students are easily overwhelmed with environmental stimuli in their daily environment. Most teachers recognize this situation and have created quiet areas of their room that have been somewhat sectioned off and made comfortable for students to experience some quiet time without so much of the distractions of the classroom.

In other situations, students sometimes become agitated or emotionally upset without apparent cause. When this happens, it has been helpful to have a familiar music relaxation or music listening strategy already in place as part of the behavior intervention plan. In addition, the students may also benefit from social interaction, gross motor movement, stretching and opportunities to become peer models or leaders as they participate in small group relaxation activities.

I have used various music assisted relaxation activities with school-age students. There is not a specific protocol that must be followed, but rather some general suggestions and ideas to reference as you implement relaxation activities into your classroom:

1. Music choice – Music for relaxation should be chosen according to several criteria. The most important quality of the music is a slow tempo with a predictable underlying rhythmic pulse. I recommend a tempo of about 60 – 80 beats per minute. Music without lyrics is recommended, but there may be some singing if it does not distract too much attention from the experience. The melody should be pleasant and part of traditional music and not atonal or experimental. Try to use songs that do not have sudden changes in tempo, dynamics or unexpected starts or stops. The melody should also stay in the mid-range and not sound extremely low or high. There are some very good songs by Enya, Keving Kern, and Daniel Kobialka that I have used in my groups.

2. Facilitator – The person doing the relaxation facilitating, either a teacher or student, should use a calm, steady voice. Practice speaking slowly and clearly, pausing often to listen to the music. The music should be loud enough to mask unwanted environmental sounds, but not so loud that the facilitator has to speak any louder than he or she would in a normal conversation. The facilitator should sit in a chair and demonstrate the breathing or stretching movements.

3. Breathing – Breathing is the foundation for these relaxation groups. Start out the group with several deep cleansing breaths by breathing in through the nose and out through the mouth. Continue the relaxation by practicing some deep breathing in and out using slow eight or ten count intervals. Breathing can be verbally reinforced by describing the “revitalizing,” “fresh,” “relaxing,” air going in and the “discomfort,” “anxiety,” and “stress,” leaving the body. After a few minutes of breathing, the facilitator should encourage the group to get more comfortable in their chairs, close their eyes if desired, and breathe normally. Breathing should fall into a steady, relaxed rhythm.

4. Stretching – I encourage breathing and “stretching” as the main components of the relaxation sessions for these groups with students who have disabilities. Simple gross motor movements demonstrated by the facilitator provide “concrete” actions for the group to follow. I usually do shoulder rolls forward and backward, reaching for the ceiling and the floor and slowly tilting the head from side to side and forward as the basic movements. Other stretches can be done by reaching forward or sweeping the arms up and down as if doing very slow jumping jacks. Combine some breathing in and out on selected motions for added effect.

5. Imagery – For groups that do not have people with disabilities it is very effective to use some kind of imagery to facilitate the relaxation. Suggestions include imagining a warm light that slowly warms and relaxes each part of the body or being guided to a restful place in nature where comforting sounds and worry free relaxation can take place. Most of my clients in special education do not respond well to abstract imaginations and descriptions, but music that has environmental sounds or large pictures with client preferred settings may be possible applications after a relaxation routine is familiar and established.

The relaxation experience should begin and end with similar breathing and gross motor movements. Between these times the facilitator is free to try different stretches or breathing as they wish. This allows for leadership and choice-making opportunities for the students. Picture cards that illustrate the gross motor movements can be made so that students can make a choice between pictures and then present their choice to the group. The facilitator may also pass out supportive instruments such as an ocean drum to add to the atmosphere of the experience. An 6′-10′ parachute shared by the group is a wonderful way to practice slow breathing and movements!

The relaxation session should last about 5-10 minutes depending on the attention span of the participants. If this group relaxation is practiced on a regular basis, you will notice that the students will tone down their activity simply in anticipation of the experience and even more when the music begins playing. Teachers will find that just by playing the music that they regularly use for relaxation they may be able to aid a student who is upset or agitated and help them regain some self-control. The relaxation protocol may also be helpful to use on days when an unplanned change of the school schedule has disrupted the regular routine and the students are unusually off-task.

There are many applications for the use of music assisted relaxation activity in relation to objectives in a student’s Individual Education Plan. Following directions, making choices, gross motor movement, counting skills, focus of attention, gesturing and verbalizing are all specific objectives that can be tracked for progress during music facilitated group relaxation.

Now…take a deep breath….exhale…

By: Daniel Tague

]]> http://www.dxsbcs.org/relax-how-to-use-music-and-relaxation-to-help-your-students-with-disabilities.html/feed 0 Cooperative Learning Activities – 3 Things to Remember When Using Cooperative Group Learning http://www.dxsbcs.org/cooperative-learning-activities-3-things-to-remember-when-using-cooperative-group-learning.html http://www.dxsbcs.org/cooperative-learning-activities-3-things-to-remember-when-using-cooperative-group-learning.html#comments Mon, 22 Feb 2010 09:57:24 +0000 admin http://dxsbcs.org/cooperative-learning-activities-3-things-to-remember-when-using-cooperative-group-learning.html

Most students learn better with one-to-one interactions or in small groups where they can follow the conversation better and indicate when they don’t understand. This is one of the big advantages of cooperative group learning.

The peer interaction that takes place during cooperative learning activities is especially helpful because peer language is generally less complex than the teacher’s.

These interactions also give all students a chance to actively participate and try out their own ideas in a small group setting.

These cooperative learning activities work especially well with your ESOL students (second language learners) because cooperative group learning allows them to develop their second language proficiency skills by allowing them to interact with native speakers in a low-anxiety environment.

And the fact of the matter is…interaction with native speakers helps promote second language acquisition.

Unfortunately, as many teachers know, cooperative learning activities are not necessarily easy to pull off.

Here are three things to remember when using cooperative group learning:

1. Vary Grouping Strategies ~ Groups should be arranged based on the purpose of the activity. Usually you will want to form mixed groups of general education students, special education, and ESOL students (non-native speakers). However, sometimes you will want to group ESOL students together so you or an aide can better individualize instruction.

2. Model Activities First ~ Teachers must explicitly show students how to work together. From how to get into groups to what to do for the activity…don’t assume anything!

3. Recognize Effective Group Work ~ Have successful groups share with the whole class why they were effective. You may want to give special recognition or points for successful or improved groups.

By: Adam Waxler

]]> http://www.dxsbcs.org/cooperative-learning-activities-3-things-to-remember-when-using-cooperative-group-learning.html/feed 0 Support Diverse Learners in Mathematics http://www.dxsbcs.org/support-diverse-learners-in-mathematics.html http://www.dxsbcs.org/support-diverse-learners-in-mathematics.html#comments Mon, 22 Feb 2010 05:37:00 +0000 admin http://dxsbcs.org/support-diverse-learners-in-mathematics.html

“Supporting Diverse Learners: Teacher Collaboration in an Inclusive Classroom,” by Wendy S. Bray, copyrighted in 2005 by The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, focuses on the need of collaboration between general education teachers and special education teachers to facilitate fair and successful learning for each individual student. This article speaks mainly to general education teachers about reform based mathematics and how general classroom teachers can implement this new style of learning in a way that will benefit all students, even special education students. Furthermore, the article searches for ways to help special needs students learn in their own special way, in order to keep up with the other students in their regular classroom.

The article begins by discussing the challenges learning disabled students face when integrated in a classroom that uses the reform-based, constructivist mathematical approach, which focuses on whole group discussions, small group discussions, and problem solving. Some of these problems include: LD students not participating and/or “focusing on nonmathematical aspects of tasks (Bray).” Next, the article discusses how a group of teachers manage this type of classroom. One tactic they implemented is “small, teacher-led groups (Bray)” where the teachers played games and did other activities, encouraging the students to talk about their mathematical thinking.

Another tactic the teachers used is breaking students up into groups according to their ability and what they needed to work on. In these groups teachers did not just tell the students what to do to solve a problem, but instead they asked the students questions to help them figure out on their own what they needed to do. These teachers also gave their students “opportunities for choice (Bray),” which allowed students to choose what they wanted to work on, individually, with a group, or with the teacher. This gave the teachers the opportunities to work with students individually. The end of the article discussed how the three teachers collaborated to discuss the progress of individual students, and what should be done to help them continue to grow.

This article was written by Wendy S. Bray, “a doctoral candidate at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (Bray).” She is a “former elementary classroom teacher,” and “her research interests include mathematics education and teaching strategies that facilitate learning for students with special needs (Bray).” Her information came from her research, and her information was supported by excerpts from various books and journals of education professionals including: “Effects of Reform-Based Mathematics Instruction on Low Achievers in Five Third-Grade Classrooms” by Baster, Woodward, and Olson; “Mathematical Problem-Solving Process of Primary-Grade Students Identified as LD” by Behrend; “Four Variables for Success” by Coleman; “How Effective Is Inquiry Learning for Students with Mild Disabilities?” by Mastropieri; and “Mathematical Instruction for Elementary Students with Learning Disabilities” by Thornton. She also ascerts that her information supports the Equity Principle, which she also cites from the “National Council of Teachers of Mathematics.”

We have students achieve success in reading and writing through individualized instruction, where they learn at their own pace, so why don’t we do this in math? I feel that the idea that this article circles is a great one. To learn math students need to participate in discovery learning. They need to understand the “why” of mathematics before they are really going to begin to understand and learn the concepts. Students also need to learn at their own pace. Everything is connected in mathematics and if students do not understand one concept before the class moves on to the next, pretty soon that student is going to fall way behind.

This is unfortunately what happens to most learning disabled students that are integrated into the regular classroom. So, in my own classroom I will try to implement the constructivist approach for learning mathematics and simultaneously create an atmosphere where every student can succeed, no matter what pace they learn at. I will do this by creating learning centers around my classroom. The subject of these learning centers will be based on the mini-lesson that is taught the first day. Students will pair up and move around the learning centers at their own pace. The beginning stations will focus on the “why” of the concept, helping students deepen their understanding, so that when they work their way around to the other stations they will be ready to try a variety of ways to solve the problem, with the collaborative help from their partner.

Before each pair moves to the next station I will check their answers to make sure they are progressing in their understanding correctly. We will do this the entire week, giving those students with learning disabilities plenty of time with their partners to understand the concept. Some pairs will finish before the end of the week. These pairs will continue to work on the concept, but at a higher level. At the end of the week the class will discuss what problem-solving techniques they tried and what they have learned.

This article was very useful. I had never thought of grouping students according to ability in math. I have heard the effects of this grouping in other subjects as a valuable way to individualize teaching, and I was surprised that I have yet to see this technique implemented in mathematics. I wholly agreed with all the approaches these teachers took in this article, except for the approach took in the “Opportunities for Choice” section. It seems that the students would just pick something that they were good at if given a choice to work on anything.

I know I wouldn’t choose something that I had trouble with. I am skeptical that this approach would help students very much. Otherwise, this article gave me much insight as how to help students with learning disabilities grow in the classroom with regular classroom students. This approach allowed more opportunities for students to discuss their ideas and deepen their understanding, while providing them with the help they needed to understand concepts that would be integral for their understanding in future lessons.

By: Jamie Burchfield

]]> http://www.dxsbcs.org/support-diverse-learners-in-mathematics.html/feed 0 Long Island Schools Finally Showing Improvement http://www.dxsbcs.org/long-island-schools-finally-showing-improvement.html http://www.dxsbcs.org/long-island-schools-finally-showing-improvement.html#comments Sat, 19 Dec 2009 07:00:16 +0000 admin http://dxsbcs.org/long-island-schools-finally-showing-improvement.html

For much of the nation, the state of New York appears to be the mecca of all things hip; cool neighborhoods, awesome theater and excellent museums. Professional sports abound throughout the state and many, many people flock to New York every year believing that if “they can make it there, they can make it anywhere!” Even the educational standards and teacher pay appear to be greatly desirable for educators and parents alike. However, not all schools are excellent; many in fact, have not been able to meet state and federal standards for success. Long Island Schools have, however, shown marked improvement over the last 4 years in resolving this problem.

Long Island Schools Report Cards

Recent state report cards which reflect how well a school is doing in regards to state academic goals show that Long Island Schools demonstrate marked improvement. Over 30 Long Island Schools have not been able to meet the criteria in the past. For the most part, these Long Island Schools have been able to improve their ratings and have thus met the state requirements as well as the federal ones resulting from the No Child Left Behind Act.

What’s interesting are the reasons given for why these schools have not been up to snuff in the first place. Nearly all the failing Long Island Schools cite poor education for special ed students as the reason for the schools’ failure. Why, in the 21st century, is this school district just now realizing that these students need extra attention? Special education students are those with specific learning difficulties, such as dyslexia. These Long Island Schools’ students must receive special training in order to meet academic standards put forth by Long Island Schools themselves.

Special Education in Long Island Schools

It is not to be said that special education students cannot learn or meet the academic goals set for them by Long Island Schools. However, they do need special accommodations in order for them to learn and perform at the top of their game. Oftentimes, these students are exceptionally bright; they just aren’t wired like the mainstream student population. They need and deserve a strong educational program that is sensitive to their needs and helps them reach the expectations set forth by the Long Island Schools.

It is nearly unbelievable to me that Long Island Schools didn’t know this in the first place. Despite the fact that most kids learn in spite of us, there are quite a lot of kids who definitely do need our help. Making sure to have an adequate number of teachers and support staff on the payroll as well as the proper facilities is a given. There is no reason why a majority of these kids can’t be held to the same standards as their mainstream peers; they simply require special accommodations. Why Long Island Schools were lax in this is a question that only they can answer.

By: Patricia Hawke

]]> http://www.dxsbcs.org/long-island-schools-finally-showing-improvement.html/feed 0 Long Island Schools Putting Fewer Students in Special Education http://www.dxsbcs.org/long-island-schools-putting-fewer-students-in-special-education.html http://www.dxsbcs.org/long-island-schools-putting-fewer-students-in-special-education.html#comments Sun, 15 Nov 2009 21:20:42 +0000 admin http://dxsbcs.org/long-island-schools-putting-fewer-students-in-special-education.html

Over the last couple of years, Long Island schools have been placing fewer students in Special Education classes. Instead, some students at Long Island schools with special needs have been receiving tutoring to help them keep up with their school work.

Mainstreaming Students in Long Island Schools

On the face of it, mainstreaming special needs students attending Long Island schools into a regular classroom as much as possible makes sense. If the special-needs student can attend classes with his or her peers, there is a cost savings for the board of education. No matter what we want for our children attending Long Island schools, there are only so many dollars available for education.

For too long, children who were “different” were kept away from the mainstream. Students in the regular education stream didn’t have a lot of opportunities to get to know them or interact with them. Special Education students were the object of suspicion and/or ridicule, simply because other students didn’t understand them; all they knew was that these other children were different. Being different was not something to be celebrated at that point.

Any measure that helps students attending Long Island schools learn to be tolerant of others can only be for the good. Humans tend to be suspicious of things (and people) they don’t understand. With time, mainstreaming can help to reinforce the idea that there is no “Us” and “Them” at Long Island schools. All students are in the environment to learn together and to learn from each other.

Long Island Schools Need to Ensure Students Don’t Fall Through the Cracks

It would be most unfortunate if, in the interest of saving a few dollars, students who need to be in a different learning environment to do their best work were denied access to Special Education programs. We shouldn’t be too quick to either segregate students from their peers or to push them into the mainstream learning environment in Long Island schools.

Instead, we need to take the time and allocate the appropriate resources so that a thorough investigation is conducted when a student is having trouble learning at Long Island schools. Only with a proper diagnosis of a difficulty, can a plan be implemented in Long Island schools to address that student’s needs.

Our children are our most valuable resource. When they don’t get the support they need to become effective learners, we are setting them up to fail in life. It would be far better for teachers and administrators at Long Island schools to find out what the students’ needs are and find the resources to meet them, whether in the regular classroom or an alternate one.

By: Patricia Hawke

]]> http://www.dxsbcs.org/long-island-schools-putting-fewer-students-in-special-education.html/feed 0 A Special Education Success Story With ADD and ADHD http://www.dxsbcs.org/a-special-education-success-story-with-add-and-adhd.html http://www.dxsbcs.org/a-special-education-success-story-with-add-and-adhd.html#comments Thu, 29 Oct 2009 00:12:11 +0000 admin http://dxsbcs.org/a-special-education-success-story-with-add-and-adhd.html

The Problem

In our rapidly moving culture, special education students, diagnosed with ADD or ADHD (Attention Deficit Disorder or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) are an ever-increasing challenge for teachers. Having taught in some capacity for nearly 40 years and being a parent of an active little boy, I have studied these conditions with immediate personal interest.

Holding Their Attention?

Early in my work with the attentionally challenged, I observed that if the learning activity were engaging enough, many of these students could hold attention for long periods. Special Education students diagnosed with ADD or ADHD often have the ability to attend for long periods working with computers or video games. I wondered, could the problem lie more in the pace of the learning activity?

Give Them What They Need

Subsequently, I began to provide activities in my classroom that had some of the same qualities of the immediate response achieved in those computerized attention-holders. One of the most successful of these was the excavation of fossils.

The Setup

Fossil excavation was a 6-week class – more of a club, really – in which students excavated a real fossil fish from a soft rock matrix. This time the class was made up of many special education students with various learning challenges, especially ADHD. The outcome of the class was remarkable.

Getting Their Interest and Attention

We started with a sort of guessing game involving fossils hidden in velvet bags and moved quickly into individual excavation of the fossils. Within minutes, my work was done; the students worked independently for the remainder of the two-hour class. My hardest work that day was to enforce clean-up-the students simply didn’t’ t want to stop working.

Tools And Supplies

The only tools needed for this activity were small screw drivers-the sort that are available from any hardware store in a set of increasing sizes beginning with an eye-glass tool . I also provided magnifiers of varying types. The most sought after were the dissecting microscopes, which gave the individual the best view of the fragile fossil. However, much of the work could be easily accomplished using the naked eye or a magnifier in a stand, just to leave the hands free.

And Then There Are the Behavioral Challenges

I was presented with a new challenge about halfway into the second class: a behaviorally disruptive student who had been removed from another class. I did what I could to introduce him to our work and bring him up to speed. His initial work was little more than digging a hole through his rock, paying little attention to the fossil it contained.

Success!

Then a wonderful thing happened. Another boy, a challenging special education student who generally had little academic success, began to teach. You see, this boy was enthralled with digging out the fossil and he was having incredible success. He single-handedly took over and my work was done.

Students Give Rave Reviews, Almost

The final endorsement came at the end of our 6-week class. Throughout the period, I had rarely interrupted their work, but I had shown a couple of videos to give the students some additional detail about fossil preservation and excavation, geologic history and so on. At the last class, I asked the students to verbally evaluate the class. When I asked how I could improve the class, all agreed: Only show the videos if we can continue excavating our fossils during it!

This is a true story of success. In this six-week project middle school children diagnosed with ADD and ADHD and receiving special education services enjoyed the same success, if not more than, the other students.

Even the most absorbing tool, the TV, was not high on these students’ list of significant work. As a teacher, I felt I had been given a great gift of learning about how to support these special students. I encourage you to try it!

By: Claudia Mann

]]> http://www.dxsbcs.org/a-special-education-success-story-with-add-and-adhd.html/feed 0 Goals And Objectives Creation For Special Education Students http://www.dxsbcs.org/goals-and-objectives-creation-for-special-education-students.html http://www.dxsbcs.org/goals-and-objectives-creation-for-special-education-students.html#comments Thu, 15 Oct 2009 01:47:09 +0000 admin http://dxsbcs.org/goals-and-objectives-creation-for-special-education-students.html

Planning and Placement Team Meeting continued…

What are goals and objectives?

Goals and objectives are the areas that your child will work on throughout the year in the classroom, with a special education teacher, a counselor or in some other way. Hey have to be monitored and measured. Monitoring can be through completion of tasks, teacher observation, etc. The measurement can be through grades, standardized tests or mastery of a task. Each goal and subsequent objectives has a page dedicated to it. Goals can be related to academics, self-help skills, behavior, counseling, etc.

How are goals and objectives created?

The team including yourself (the parent) will talk about your child’s strengths and weaknesses. Goals/objectives will reflect areas that a child needs assistance in. Any classes taken with a special education teacher will have their own set of goals/objectives. Depending on the age of your child, he or she may need transition goals from one school to the next or post-graduation Behavior goals are generally for mild behavior problems. Students with serious behavior issues generally have a behavior intervention plan made up separately from an Individualized Education Plan. Other goals may be added as necessary in terms of community participation, general education participation, self-help skills, etc. Children with Occupational, Speech or Physical Therapy needs will have goals related to these areas as well.

Who writes the goal page?

The special education teacher generally writes the goals and objectives with input from the team. Certain goals related to counseling, speech therapy, etc. would be written by the individuals providing the service.

Can a parent request certain goals/objectives?

Certainly. Most teachers will work with the parent in creating goals and objectives that both feel are appropriate and in the best interests of the child. Also, if there are goals or objectives that you feel are not needed or are inappropriate talk to the individual about it and see why it was created and discuss whether or not it is relevant.

By: Melissa A Gilbert

]]> http://www.dxsbcs.org/goals-and-objectives-creation-for-special-education-students.html/feed 0 How to Become a Special Education Teacher http://www.dxsbcs.org/how-to-become-a-special-education-teacher.html http://www.dxsbcs.org/how-to-become-a-special-education-teacher.html#comments Tue, 06 Oct 2009 23:18:41 +0000 admin http://dxsbcs.org/how-to-become-a-special-education-teacher.html

Get Started

Become qualified.You need two things: A State Teaching certification and (since NCLB was enacted) status as a Highly Qualified teacher in the subjects you plan to teach. Every state has its own guidelines for teaching certification and HQ. Check with your state’s Department of Education (or equivalent department) for specific guidelines. Although it varies, the following will be needed for certification: A four year degree in special education, OR a four year degree in another subject area, with a master’s degree in special education. (If you have a four year degree in a subject other than education, many states will allow you an emergency or temporary certificate so that you may teach while earning your certification in Special Education.) Find a suitable university or college with a program in Special Education. Public universities often do just as well as private colleges, if not better in some circumstances, at preparing you for working in a public school. Take as many elective courses as possible in reading and math. Special education students are nearly always integrated in the english and math regular classrooms. This will give you a better idea of their needs. Reading instruction is also critical in elementary grades. Look around for alternative options. If your degree does not also make you Highly Qualified, check your options. Each state usually has two or three means of becoming HQ. The most direct option tends to be a Praxis II exam if your state considers it acceptable.

Tips

Further your education whenever possible. The willingness to continually improve your understanding of the subjects you teach and of instruction methodology is what will make you an excellent teacher. While taking courses, take care to learn as much as possible about reading, writing, math, special education curriculum, learning styles and teaching styles. Self-confidence is important; you should at all times emit an aura of having everything under control, even when you just want to run away and cry. Respect is earned. While you will be able to have some leverage in your position, good teaching will not take place until your students respect you. In challenging situations (and there will be many), keep your cool; respect is easily lost. The kids can and will try anything to throw you off balance, so have a plan to handle it before it happens. Choose your battles; some conflicts are just not worth engaging in. It will only distract you and your students and derail the class. You will have some fantastic moments that will make you wonder how you could ever have considered anything but teaching. Always over-prepare your lessons. Bored kids are noisy kids. Always be prepared for the unexpected. You might have the best lesson in the world planned, but sometimes half the class is clueless to the concept and you have to adjust everything. Be sure you know to spell and use correct grammar. Nothing looks worse than a teacher who can’t spell or punctuate properly, even the students don’t know the difference. Greet your students each morning to read their moods even before the school day begins. If appropriate, hug each of them. At least give each of them each a high five and tell them you are glad that they are there. That may be the only positive contact they have all day.

Warnings

The Special Education field is not for everyone; it takes a lot of patience and you’ll have to be prepared for anything. You are not the kids’ friend. Relationships can become misunderstood. Be friendly with your students, but keep a distance.

By: Natasha Veale

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