special education

special education questions and answers

More information about special education at Education News.

Q: What schools in the Atlanta area that benefit children in special education?
I'm moving to Atlanta, Georgia soon. I have a son that is in special ed because of his learning disability. He has a short attention span. Before I move to Atlanta, I want to find an excellent school that would give him the one on one attention that he needs. Most importantly, I don't want him to be put in a basement with other special education children being isolated from the other school children. What EXCELLENT schools in the Atlanta area that benefit children in special education?

A: Are you looking for a public school system or a private school. I used to live in the Atlanta area. I worked for Marietta City Schools. If you are looking for public school, their district has the most technology, facilities, and up to date materials for students. Several other public districts are good as well. Good luck with your move!

Q: How can parents get help understanding special education services?
My friend's son is in special education, and she doesn't think the school is doing the right things for her son's education. She doesn't completely understand the things that are said in the meetings with the school. Is there an organization of some kind or an advocacy group that can help her? She is not low-income, but she doesn't have enough money for costly lawyers or consultants.

A: I would approach the district and ask them about parental rights materials. It's not a matter of money, she needed to have been given this information when her son was first enrolled. Understanding what is going on in the meetings about her son and why is critical. Another good information source could be the State Department of Education where you are. Their special education department would not be able to represent her, but it could have information about statewide advocacy groups for people with disabilities,

Q: What is your opinion on emotional disturbed students in special education?
Do you think we as educators are wasting our time with them, or is it really working? I need this for a presentation for a Master's Course. I personally think that special education is better off invested to students who can really benefit from it. But there are others in the MLC unit who just don't want to do their work. What can we do about these students? Thanks for your help.

A: Your question goes to the general societal perception that mental illness/emotional disturbance is not a "real" disability. There is a difference between socially maladjusted kids who won't do their work and kids with emotional disturbance. You have to approach the two differently. If a child is socially maladjusted then they don't qualify for SPED. It is never a waste of time to teach a child. How would you go about separating those students who waste your time and those who can "really benefit from" SPED? There is nothing we can "do" ABOUT these students. We can try to work WITH them, use various behavioral interventions in concert with their therapist, guidance department, and medical interventions. I'm talking about the truly emotionally disturbed, not just socially maladjusted kids Most of all, they need to know you are on their side, understanding (or trying to) their situation, keeping your temper, being firm and consistent in your expectations, helping them to manage their own disability, giving choices, not becoming emotionally drawn into a conflict with them. It's hard to teach this bunch of kids--especially when some of them bite so hard you can hear their tendons crunching or they come out of the bathroom having pulled out their teeth or nails. It's really, really hard. But in the end they are still kids and your patience and longsuffering may be just what they need to succeed.

Q: To all special education teachers, what are the best and worst things about your job?
I am considering certification in special education and would love to hear some feedback from teachers in the field.

A: Best: making progress Worst: - toss up. Parents or pay.

Q: To earn a special education license after college, what do people usually major in as undergrads?
I am specifically interested in middle or high school, possibly emotional/behavioral disorders or learning disabilities. The college I attend does not have "special education" as an undergraduate major. i have read that most special ed license programs are at the graduate level and I haven't seen too many colleges with undergrad special ed majors.

A: Oh, they don't? Well, special education is the major of choice for those sorts of jobs--so your best shot might involve transfer to a college that does offer such a major. As an alternative, do a normal education degree, focused on a secondary level discipline you enjoy (if it's math or science, you enhance your employability), and then while supporting yourself as an educator, complete the master of education degree (which you'd be doing anyway) in special education, followed by a career re-focus.

Q: I observed a special education classroom and the teacher used a soft bristol brush to scrub the kids hands?
I observed a special education classroom and the teacher used a soft bristol brush to scrub the kids hands before they did art work, they had to brush their teeth before they ate, and she sprayed a sour spray in their mouths before circle time. Do you know why this was done?

A: Normal things you can do to a child help the brain wake up and send signals better! Using a brush on a child's hand before artwork would stimulate the child's hand muscles... get the nerves woken up, to "work" better. Brushing a child's teeth before a meal will also stimulate the muscles in the mouth for better chewing, swallowing, tongue action, etc..Get the brain thinking about food before its in their mouth! Spraying sour things in a child's mouth gets the tongue to the roof of the mouth for better oral motor, vocalizations, swallowing, etc.

Q: What is the relationship between special education and multicultural education?
Why do some school systems assign disproportionate numbers of students from particular groups to special education classes?

A: What an excellent point to bring up... there are many school districts who are being forced by the federal government to answer that question. My personal idea of how it happens is at the point of the teacher referral. If a teacher thinks that a student has problems, they refer them for special eduation testing. If the teacher things that they can help them, they are less likely to refer them. If a teacher thinks there are problems he/she can't handle in the classroom, they refer them for special education. It may be well intentioned to get the child some help, but kids that are from a family or a neighborhood with a bad rap are often the ones to get referred and end up in special education

Q: How is the special needs education in Austin Texas?
Our son has multiple needs and we would like to know how hard it has been for people who have done it to navigate through not only the special education but securing in home therapies. This is a very big part in out decision to relocate.

A: The best thing to do is to find some local support groups in Austin and contact them to ask your questions. Most of these groups are run by parents just like you and can provide invaluable information about which school districts are easier to work with, what services are common, etc. If I knew what kind of in-home services you are looking for and your child's age, I could help you better. You can email me if you'd like. Also check out www.yellowpagesforkids.com , click on Texas. There are TONS of places in Austin listed. Good luck!

Q: What is the sociological term for the oppisite of mainstreaming in special education?
I do not mean inclusion as that is a form of mainstreaming but the "special education classroom" prior to mainstreaming. Does it have a particular name?

A: If you are in a classroom with strictly special education students it's considered to be a "Self Contained," classroom. Many different ESE classrooms will have different names like VE (Vocational Education) or CBI (Community Based Instruction) but they are all considered self contained.

Q: What educational background do you need to acquire to become a special education speech therapist?
How do you become a special education speech therapist? Is there specific schools for this field of work and where are they in Los Angeles, CA, San Franscioc, CA, or Las Vegas, Nevada?

A: the educational background required to become a full-fledged speech language pathologist is to have a masters degree in speech language pathology. some graduate schools offer a masters of science in this, and some a masters of arts. so it just really depends on where you go. all schools DO take students who may have different bachelor degrees (maybe in biology, psychology, child development, and so on) and this usually makes your graduate program a tad longer than a student who majored in speech language pathology in undergrad. universities that offer a masters or phD program for SLP (that are notable) in california and the surrounding states are: san diego state, CSU long beach, san francisco state, university of the pacific, sacramento state, CSU hayward, chico state, university of nevada reno, portland state, university of oregon, university of washington, and university of hawaii honolulu. what you can expect in the graduate program is to have a lot of coursework, an internship in the schools, and an externship in a hospital. after you receive your master degree, you then have to complete a clinical fellowship year/rpe in which you get an actual job (and get paid, yay!) and have a direct supervisor. once that is completed, you are fully licensed and ready to rock and roll. if you are interested in the most accelerated graduate program (and you really get the most bang for your buck) it is at university of the pacific. they have the opportunity to finish the graduate program (internships and all) in 15 months. it is completely worth it! best of luck!

Q: i want to become a special education teacher?
and i am not sure how to go about it. I want to work specifically withj severely handicapped children. i am currently attending a community college that does not offer a degree to teach special needs children. However, they do offer an early childhood degree, and have been told getting dual certification is best. Should I change my major to that? I am planning on attending a four year university after achieving my associates and my community college, where i can earn my certification to teach special needs kids. Currently, I am enrolled as a Liberal Arts General major, which is basically the broadest spectrum to take the basic courses needed for most degrees. However, if I were to switch, it would put to waste may of the 30 credits I have already achieved. So my question- is it worth it to change majors from Liberal Arts General to Early Childhood Education and spend more time getting my associates? or Should i stick with my current major and concentrate on special education once i enroll in my four year university?

A: Stick to your current major. Undergrad stuff doesn't really mean much. If you want to teach severe, profound students, then you will need your special ed degree and also a Profound certification, depending on the state in which you teach. If you plan to teach anything but mild, moderate or profoundly intellectually disabled children, then it would be wise to get an elementary ed certification while you are getting your special ed degree. To teach students with SLD on an academic track, you now need to be Highly Qualified, which you can only do by getting your elementary ed credential as well. It is fairly hard to get Profound jobs because a lot of very lazy teachers grab up these job and rot for many years. You would be better off to teach Life Skills at first or SLD to get your foot in the door.

Q: To all special education teachers, what are the best and worst parts of your job?
I am considering certification in special education and would like some feedback from teachers in the field. Thanks!

A: Best Parts: Helping struggling students to achieve and seeing the look of joy in their eyes when they can do something that they thought they would never be able to do Genuine appreciation on a regular basis from parents who know how hard you work to help their children Working with a team of fellow professionals to figure out how a child learns best and planning together how to help them succeed Appreciation from classroom teachers who are greatfull for you help in the classroom Knowing that at the end of the day, you made a big difference in the life of a child Worst Parts: Feeling ineffective with your students because of too many demands by your administration--paperwork, increased caseload size, not enough planning time, extra responsibilities piled on top of your already full schedule Feeling pulled in 10 directions Knowing that children who need your services are being kept from getting them, because administrators are trying to hold down costs in special ed spending--and not being able to do anything about it Fear of being sued by angry parents who expect miracles or cures for their children and feel you and the district aren't doing enough or aren't doing the right things

Q: What is the educational status of Special Education in Philippines?
What is the global status of Special Education in public schools?

A: In the Philippines, all I can do is offer you this website as a place to start: http://www1.worldbank.org/devoutreach/july05/textonly.asp?id=318 In the United States, special education is struggling between trying to maximize what is best for each individual student, with funding concerns and a lack of understanding from people not working directly with special needs students. http://www.wrightslaw.com/ Elsewhere, I know Britain failed to use inclusion successfully because the teachers weren't trained correctly. http://www.bcodp.org.uk/ Other than that, I don't know.

Q: Where can I get training to be a special education paraprofessional?
I'm interested in becoming a paraprofessional (like a teacher's aid) in a special education classroom. Where can I get special training (not a college degree) to show I know how to work with children with disabilities? If it's of any consequence - I'm looking to teach in Minnesota

A: When I became a paraprofessional in a special needs classroom, I had no experience with this population. I am fortunate to be a patient person by nature and did okay. The school I worked for provided some training, but for the most part I made sure I did what the teacher asked of me and took the initiative in other areas (ex. assiting with toileting, teaching lessons, behavior management...etc). It may be best to do some hands-on observation in different classrooms as they are not all the same. Most parapro's get to choose the rooms they would like to work in so I suggest observing as soon as possible in order to pick what placement you want for next school year. I've attached the MN Dept. of Education link below for Paraprofessional Resources to explain further what you will need to do to get state certified. Looks like they are on top of their game as there are special education training/ workshops, consortium's and conference's throughout the year. Good luck to you!

Q: I am thinking about moving from Buffalo to California to teach Special Education, any opinions?
I am looking for advice on how a permanent New York State certification in Special Education transfers to California with 8 years experience.

A: here is the exact document http://www.ctc.ca.gov/credentials/leaflets/cl808.pdf