John Blighter is a teacher in a school composed completely of special needs students. The typical classroom consists of an average of three to eight students all coming from unstable backgrounds. Teachers may have to deal with physical safety issues, low pay, and high teacher turnover rates. Because of the conditions of the job, people may think that special educator hate their job.
It is generally assumed that special educators do not enjoy their occupation because of hazard. One of the biggest complaints special education teachers have about their profession was the physical danger they potentially faces on a day-to-day basis. Blighter actually states that he was “punched in the face and spat on”, and as a result required medical treatment that included stitches. No educator should have to be under the constant threat of physical danger while performing their job. Some teachers believe if there was improved security and resource staff, then student behavioral problems would decrease. It is suggested that the school should hire approximately twice as many security guards than they currently have. This in turn would give the students the stable environment that they need and would ultimately help them receive a better education.
It is also generally assumed by the population that special education teachers do not like their job because they may be underpaid. Because of the physical demands and elevated stress levels associated with this job, special education teachers should receive a much higher yearly salary. If special education teachers are underpaid then they would often find it difficult to make ends meet and pay for basic necessities. If special educators wanted to raise a family of their own, it would be difficult to ...
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...ate about helping other people than ever. Seeing students going through such hardships makes educators realize that everyone in the world should be helping someone else in order to make everyone’s life just a little bit easier. It is recommended that new teachers enter this occupation with “an open mind and an open heart” in order to enjoy their jobs as much as Blighter does. It takes a lot of love and patience to enjoy this career.
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Teacher Interview(s): according to Ms. Special Ed, a ten-year veteran of special education who started her career at age twenty-nine, proportionally, 35.4 percent of S.H.E. students have an Individualized Education Program, in conformity with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, herein IDEA. In Windham County, the average public school has 18.6 percent of its student population considered to be learning disabled; S.H.E. has a noticeably higher percentage of students with learning disabilities, compared not only with Windham County, but Connecticut overall, as the average public school in the state is populated by 26.4% of its elementary students with learning disabilities. Further, more males than females at S.H.E. have learning disabilities with a ratio of 10.1% of females to 25.3% of males in the special education program. For the this specific field experience study relating to Students X & Y, both six-year old males, S.H.E. “offers” seven special education teachers and 13 paraprofessional instructional assistants who “service” the special needs of exceptional students including speech services, behavior interventionists and dedicated special education
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Special education is a large part of the education system, which includes the mentally retarded, people with learning disabilities, the emotionally disturbed, hearing impaired, visually impaired, etc. Many people fail to include this system as one that can possibly involve discrimination, but those enrolled in special education has increased among all racial classifications. Between 1980 and 1990, the entire population enlisted in special education has increased. European American increased by 6%, African Americans increased by 13%, Hispanic Americans increased by 53%, and Asian Americans/Pacific Americans increased by 107.8% (Ford, Obiakor, p. 8). In the end, it is these students who ultimately experience low rates of employment, low income, and growing rates of incarceration. Another survey indicates t...
A lot of people ask what inspired me to become a special education teacher, and why I am continuing to pursue a career in a field where many unfortunately decide to leave. I wish my answer were as simple as saying “I love children and I want to make a difference.” Although there is obvious truth to that statement, what I love more is celebrating the achievements, both big and small, of a child who faces adversity every single day. Nothing brings me more joy than watching students succeed beyond the expectat...
During the late 1980’s and 1990’s the number of children with learning disabilities receiving special education services grew rapidly, but during 1998 and 2007 the number of children classified as having a LD has declined by 7% (Cortiella, 2009). “In 2007, 59% of students with LD spent 80% or more of their in-school time in general education classrooms. In 2000, that figure was just 40%” (Cortiella, 2009). In addition, students with disabilities are spending more time with students in traditional classroom settings. According to the Department of Education, “approximately 6 million children (roughly 10 percent of all school-aged children) receive special education services” (Pardini, 2011).
However, it still met with inconsistent criticism due to the myth that “positive intervention” doesn’t work and draining resources of regular courses. However, evidences shown prove the opposite effect. Special education is constant need of more funding – especially when it constantly gets budget cuts from congress and thus, schools are unable to keep up with the afford to provide the necessary need of special education (Wall 2014). So the myth of special education draining resources is the no way the truth. How could they be able to drained resources from other students if the programs themselves are in limited supply? Lack of understanding and easy to become a scapegoat for the blame of overall score of a school being poor is quite easy to pit the blame. Another reasoning is due to socialization—the label of being placed in special education is rather an unfortunate burden that could follow the child (Huerta 2015). Often times, stereotypes are attached and are considered inferior to other students, potentially adding onto potential fears. In order to improve any form of education for special education, funding a provided them resources should be considered the first thing to look
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Education is a vital part of growing up. Everyone goes through the education system to help carve a path towards their future self and what career they want to focus on as they get older. However, what most people become confused on is the difference between “general education” and “special education.” General education is the education provided to students who physically attend school. Now, special education is the education provided by the school plus extra programs and services to help aid and guide the students through the general education. Special Education is defined as, “the means through which children who have disabilities receive an education specifically designed to help them reach their learning potential” (Friend, 4). The emotions
There is so much to know about special education that is separate from teaching in a traditional classroom. One thing that has really stood out to me is how many acronyms and terminology these teachers need to know. IEP, LRE, IDEA, FAPE, IFSP, and that is just to name a few (DREDF, 2017). Special education teachers, really need to be knowledgeable about a ton of things. Not only all of the terminology associated with special education, but about disabilities and the best way to go about educating a child with disabilities. When working with children in special education, there will be students of all ages with all kinds of disabilities and different ability levels that you are teaching. It is important to know about each child’s disabilities, what they should be learning and how they should be learning it. There may be times that are challenging education students with disabilities, but when a teacher properly educates themselves on all the aspects of special education and the resources out there for them, it may help make your classroom run more smoothly and easier to
As a prospective secondary mathematics educator, I felt that it was unfair that I would have special education students in my classes. I would rationalize my attitude by saying that I signed up to teach “normal” students, and that the special education students were not my problem or responsibility. I did not want to deal with them. I did not see them as individuals who seek meaning through learning.