Interview With Special Education Teacher
Samantha Reed
EXE 100 Project One
I interviewed a special education teacher who has taught at North Tonawanda High School for 25 years. Her current caseload involves two classes of resource room in which all students have an Individual Education Plan (IEP). They have classifications of learning disabled, emotionally disturbed, other health impairment, and hearing impaired. They are all also enrolled in general education classes and some integrated co-teaching classes. In the resource room she works on their IEP goals, homework, study skills and reviews content from their general education classes. Most of these students have low average to above average IQ's. She also has two 15:1 Pre-Algebra classes in which all students have IEP's and are below average in their math skills and IQ's. These students are classified as learning disabled, emotionally disturbed and intellectually disabled. Many of these students also go to 15:1 classes for their other core courses. Her other teaching period is an educational support class which is a building level service and includes students with IEP's and 504 plans. It runs similarly to the resource room but is not as extensive. The model of service in her building is listed from least to most restrictive: resource room, integrated co-teaching, 15:1 classroom, and 12:1 classroom. Our 12:1 classes are functional academics and work skills. Some students have a combination of service levels. For example, she has a student in her 15:1 Pre-Algebra class that is mainly in the 12:1 program. However, he happens to have a math strength but struggles to write a paragraph. The school works well to integrate students into the correct type of classroom that fits the student’s level of functioning and need for assistance in a particular area of study.
What she finds to be the most satisfying part of her job is when a parent is involved in their child's education. This involvement and investment helps the student succeed. Unfortunately,
EXE 100 Project One
I interviewed a special education teacher who has taught at North Tonawanda High School for 25 years. Her current caseload involves two classes of resource room in which all students have an Individual Education Plan (IEP). They have classifications of learning disabled, emotionally disturbed, other health impairment, and hearing impaired. They are all also enrolled in general education classes and some integrated co-teaching classes. In the resource room she works on their IEP goals, homework, study skills and reviews content from their general education classes. Most of these students have low average to above average IQ's. She also has two 15:1 Pre-Algebra classes in which all students have IEP's and are below average in their math skills and IQ's. These students are classified as learning disabled, emotionally disturbed and intellectually disabled. Many of these students also go to 15:1 classes for their other core courses. Her other teaching period is an educational support class which is a building level service and includes students with IEP's and 504 plans. It runs similarly to the resource room but is not as extensive. The model of service in her building is listed from least to most restrictive: resource room, integrated co-teaching, 15:1 classroom, and 12:1 classroom. Our 12:1 classes are functional academics and work skills. Some students have a combination of service levels. For example, she has a student in her 15:1 Pre-Algebra class that is mainly in the 12:1 program. However, he happens to have a math strength but struggles to write a paragraph. The school works well to integrate students into the correct type of classroom that fits the student’s level of functioning and need for assistance in a particular area of study.
What she finds to be the most satisfying part of her job is when a parent is involved in their child's education. This involvement and investment helps the student succeed. Unfortunately,