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What advice would you give to a 1st year teacher or 1st year special education teacher?
Teacher is to be ready for all the ARD (Assessment, Review, Dismissal) meetings you will be involved in with parents and administrators. Be confident in what you are doing in your classroom or therapy with the children.
????, Special Education 3rd Grade Teacher, Round Rock School District. From Anita Tansil.
Always ask questions. I recommend that a teacher get to know the child on their own terms without preconceived notions first then go back and review all relevant information. A teacher who spends time with his/her students is able to observe and reflect so that an assessment can be made using the latest information. A teacher should also ask questions or seek assistance from another teacher who might have had a similar experience (someone with at least 5 years experience). There are also many resources and support available (the principal, facilitator, or coordinator, and others). Finally, a teacher should be an advocate for each child. You are that child’s lifeline. Go to bat for them, even put your life on the line for them!!
Ms. Sherry Summers-Anderson, 30+ year, with 10 years in Lockhart ISD and currently an ESL teacher. From Lydia Nava.
My advice to first year teachers it to NEVER TAKE IT PERSONAL! When a teacher has a student with behavioral issues it can get very frustrating when they act out against you, but the best thing to do is not take it personal.
Ms. Lindsey Hintz, Hays ISD, 4 years SPED teacher and 2 years as a behavioral specialist. From Michelle Broussard.
Make sure you make time for yourself. Don’t think you are going to solve everyone’s reading or math problems. Do what you can and don’t try to do every strategy you have learned in class. Pick a few and do those well.
Ms. Amy Scott, special education teacher, Lehman HS, Hays ISD. From Logan Pearce.
The advice I would give to a new special education teacher: get to know all the teachers you will be working with. It is very important that you, special education teacher, and the classroom teacher are on the same page. I would also advise that you become very familiar with the state law and Admission, Renewal, and Dismissal (ARD) meetings.
Ms. Stacy Tarry, special education teacher, Berkman Elementary, Round Rock, TX. From Olga Negrete.
In working with students, try to determine what the needs of the students are and be sure you are working to meet the students' needs and not your own.
Mr. John W. Tiffee, special education teacher for 9 years, Kyle Elementary. From Stan Vinet.
Honestly, It’s the paperwork. At my school we have additional students to the ones we have in classes. We have to make sure they are doing okay and make sure they are doing good in their classes. This is a lot of additional work and paperwork to keep up with. So, have enough time in the day to get everything done. Also, having all the necessary materials that are needed.
Ms. Amy Scott, special education teacher, Lehman HS, Hays ISD. From Logan Pearce.
Don’t give up! Your first year is suppose to be crazy and it gets easier with time. The best thing you can do is to use your support system, such as team members, mentors, and counselors. Do not hesitate to go to them with your questions. You should use the advice and guidance they give you.
Ms. Mendiola, special education teacher, 2 years experience, Pecan Springs Elementary, Austin ISD, Region 13 certified. From Laila Nabi.
The first year is the roughest. Don’t give up and quit the profession. It is an extremely rewarding career. Find someone you respect and want to emulate. Go to them for advice. Observe quality teachers and try their techniques.
Carol Wilson, special education teacher for 8 years, speech therapist for several years prior to special education status, Grisham Middle School. From Margaret Matchett.
Plan to work at home on weekends and over “breaks,” as there is way too much to do in our 7.25 hour school day (6.5 hours teaching and 0.75 hour break/lunch). Plan on working through your lunch or break. Then there are the many required meetings. We have 30 meetings in a 10-month school year. These meetings take time out of your schedule as well as before and after school time. There are also IEP (Individual Education Plan) meetings, which add another 40 more meetings 1 to 2 hours each before/after school. Almost forgot to include about 25 hours of “adjunct” duty (time we are required to do for PTA, ice cream socials, open house days, committee duty etc.) by year’s end.
There is a saying that when people hear the word “teacher” they think vacation, vacation, vacation. Well, you will need those “vacations” to finish up your work, prepare for another school year, and then relax. In addition, we do not get paid for any of those “vacations.” Our work year has 187 days. I have been worked summer school since I started teaching 14 years ago. It is hard to spread out a 10 month paycheck over 12 months.
Yes, teaching can be rewarding, but very exhausting and not many people outside of education know this. So remember that when you put in all that extra time and effort you are helping to shape the future of America! A very noble job!
Lara Husting (aunt), special education teacher 14+ years experience, San Jose, CA. From Carrie Lewis.
Be flexible. My first day I showed up with a schema of what school teaching was all about (teacher in front of the class going through the lesson). I quickly realized that it was not anything like I had thought. New special education teachers will most likely not use my original schema. You get into teaching because you love kids. What you don’t realize at first is that you’re always with adults, especially in special education. You plan meetings, do parent involvement, interact with instructional assistants, diagnosticians, and specialists. All this can be overwhelming at first. It is important to work in teams and foster a relationship with a mentor. Finding someone who will help you with all the paperwork and other ins and outs can allow a young teacher to really focus on the major things like developing a teaching style and getting to know your kids. Keep your sense of humor. The job is too much fun not to smile.
Cathy Hill, Life Skills teacher, 28 years experience, several years at the Travis State School and a hospital school. Rosedale School. From Matthew Armstrong.
Organization is critical. You will need a spot for everything. You will need access to your student’s information at a moment’s notice. You will need access to your students’ information at a moment’s notice. For instance, I keep track of testing requirements and special needs for my students on a spreadsheet so that on the day of testing, I am ready to go and the students don’t have to wait for me to figure out what to do.
Ms. Bard Looney, special education teacher, Jollyville Elementary. From Carrie Lewis.
I would advise a new teacher to be organized–to find a method of organization that best suits you. Doing so will help you stay ahead of the paper work. It is also important, especially for a SPED (special education) teacher to be accepting of the differences in learning among children. SPED kids often have low self-esteem, which affects their work. It is ESSENTIAL to encourage and motivate them and to help them feel successful.
Pam Tome, special education teacher, 29 years experience total in both regular education and special education classrooms. Pond Springs Elementary. From Lalitha Shetty.
I would strong advise to the first year teacher to have a lot of patience with the children. It is not the children’s fault they sometimes misbehave. We have so many different special education kids: autism, bipolar, ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder), and others. All of them are precious and talented kids and special in their own way. We have to have a great understanding towards them because their minds do not function properly like normal kids. I would give them lots of love and caring and the comfort that they need.
Mrs. Roya Tabrizi, former special education teacher, Roseville Elementary School in Sacramento, CA.
I know I made a difference in my students when they demonstrated growth and academic gains, showed willingness and readiness to come to class, and had fewer absences. Once the year was done they would come back and visit. I also
know I made a difference when I would receive positive feedback from parents.
Diana Rodriguez, Retired 3rd and 5th grade teacher (10 years) and administrator (8 years as vice principal and 7 years as Human Resources Superintendent. From Veronica Rodriguez.
Always, always teach to their strengths NOT their weaknesses. You must really know your students in order to accomplish this and so must observe closely. Teaching to their strengths is a sure way to open them up and have them trust you and at the same time, allow them to take small steps to believe in themselves as well, because SE (special education) students need to experience small successes more than regular kids. So if you really know your student, he/she will feel that you care about them. And once they know this they will work very hard for you. They don’t want to embarrass themselves in front of you. You must have stuff for them to do, use props and anything you can to help the child
learn. Don’t give up and eventually they’ll get it.
Remember: know your objective, create the tasks toward your objective, and keep breaking down the tasks to smaller steps as needed. It is very rewarding.
Ellen Kallman, special education teacher, retired. From Mercedes Newman.
Be on p’s and q’s. Keep up with the paperwork and lesson planning. Don’t be too ambitious and fall behind. Focus on the minimum and do more later.
Tina Waddy, special education teacher, Pecan Springs Elementary, Austin ISD, 4 years at Elgin HS and 1 year at Pecan Springs Elementary. From Erica Poole.
Take it one day at a time! The paperwork will get done. Being a positive influence on the students’ lives is more important, but knowing the curriculum you are teaching is a close second.
Carol Baber, special education teacher, 26 years experience (22 in special education and 4 in regular education). Bethel Middle School, Bryant ISD. From Lara Huff.
I would advise a first year teacher to take every opportunity they can to learn from a few well-respected teachers. Try not to sign up for too much (coaching, cheerleading, club sponsoring, etc.). You might burn out too fast. Plus, your first year is your biggest learning curve. Take your time to perfect your technique. Be careful who you trust because teachers gossip just as much as students do. Create your class management ASAP!! Although its repetitive, go over it every day for the first 6 weeks and every day after a holiday or long break.
Rebecca Garza, Richardson North Jr. High School, first year special education teacher. From Lara Huff.
Patience. Also it is important to expect mistakes and don’t think that everything will work according to what is planned. It’s a learning experience. Our mission statement is “Make new mistakes everyday.”
Tracy Word, special education teacher, Hays ISD. From Yolanda Argueta.
Documentation and modification are two key components of Special Education. There are many legal requirements in the public school system, especially regarding life skills and special education. It is clearly important to document a student’s progress (list what works, what doesn’t, and methods that have been tested).
Merit Phillips, high school special education teacher, 10 years experience, Westlake High School, Eanes ISD. From Katherine Irvine.
I would recommend keeping up with codes and laws for special education. Know specifics of each individual students and record everything.
Norma Schendel, special education teacher, 10 years experience, Yorktown Elementary School. From Danielle Lassmann.
Be PATIENT and don’t try and implement every new thing that comes along. Start slow and do what you do well. Build a relationship with the kids. It is crucial for them and believe in them. Half of the battle is getting them to think they can do things. Love them and hold them to high standards also. Don’t dumb down the curriculum.
Millie Canty, Interventionist. Callison Elementary and Yolanda Crawford, 5th grade, Callison Elementary, Round Rock ISD. From Braulio Gonzalez-Alvarez.
The best advice I could possibly give a first year special education teacher is to realize that it will be a year with a huge learning curve. Just as a medical intern learns more during their residency period via hands-on procedures and attending lectures, a teacher will learn by doing hands-on teaching in their own classroom. Be patient and realize that it will take at least one full school year to learn how to approach each and every student in one’s class because each student will not respond to one universal approach (academically and behaviorally). One example is the autistic student who gets upset often. If the teacher uses a stern voice with the student to fix his behavior, the student reacts in a negative way, making behavior even worse. Then there is another student with a severe case of ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). Using a stern voice to correct this student’s bad behavior is very effective. In other words, I advise every teacher to realized that their first year will be difficult and take a lot of patience in order to see what works with each student.