Special Education:
One Teacher...
So Many Hats
by
Michelle Fahey
The Conductor
In the giant orchestra called a school, the special educator gets to pull together all of the instruments and make them work in harmony.
The special educator consults and collaborates to pull the best out of the different members of the student's team. This includes the regular education teachers, related service providers, administration and members of the student's personal community.
As the student's case manager, they keep their eyes on full musical score from beginning to end.
The Doctor
Special educators are highly trained specialists who share the same goal- improving the quality of life for their patients.
Their first task is to pinpoint the problem. They gather baseline data from a variety of sources, make a plan for treatment called an IEP, carry out services, and then evaluate the success/failure of the treatment, adjusting accordingly.
Accommodations, modifications and specialized instruction are implemented by the special educator to help the child learn skills he/she needs in order to function more independently.
The Coach
The special education teacher is, at times, a pretty intense coach.
In this capacity, their job is to push the student, often beyond his/her expectations. When fatigue or self-doubt sets in, the special education must demand "just one more" out of the student.
The best special educators have play books filled with just the right strategy to use in any situation. They know when to go for it, and when to play it safe. They condition their players carefully, circuit training with repetition, until the motions become fluent.
The Agent
The special education teacher is like the student's agent. He/she is someone who protects students' interests and advocates confidently in their place.
Negotiation and persuasion are key skills in being the strongest advocate for the child. A good special educator knows the law and helps set a culture of teamwork and inclusion in his/her school.
The Clerk
Paperwork....special education teachers can easily become buried in it. Much of the job we do revolves around producing and keeping track of paper.
Effective special educators make the paper work for them. They keep it organized and present in the most sustinct way. They can take piles of IEPs and condense them into one resource page of accommodations and modifications per class for the regular education teacher. They keep track of the data that helps evaluate goals and objectives. A good special education teacher has a graphic organizer for any occassion.
Researcher
It is impossible for one person to know everything that is involved in special education. The best special educators are constantly learning and updating their knowledge base.
Keep up with new case law, best pratices and advances in technology by attending workshops, researching online, and subscribing to professional journals.
Theatrical Producer
Stimulating the senses, the good special education teacher produces lessons that have something for everyone to enjoy. To involve students in the learning, they appeal to the auditory, visual and kinesthetic learner.
The special educator's bag of tricks often includes props- manipulatives to help the student learn, or in some cases, to just help him focus.
Host/hostess
In addition to academic goals, the special educator has the daunting task of addressing students' social and emotional needs.
Much like a host of a party, the teacher needs to ensure that everyone feels comfortable and included. This may require training the "party guests" in social graces and norms. The special educator needs to shape behaviors in a positive way. There is task analysis involved here as well. The FBA and BIP help pinpoint the problem and set a plan for remediation.
A special education teacher is a hero
"Tell me and I will forget,
Show me and I will learn,
Involve me and I will understand."