For the Special Needy, Specially Ready

The recent push towards integrating special needs students into general education classes has garnered many positive results for students overall. Not only are students with special needs seeing higher test scores and increased post-secondary success rates, but general education students learn patience, acceptance, and empathy towards their peers with learning differences. But, the educational system has not kept up with this trend, leaving teachers truly unprepared to succeed in an integrated classroom. Given that current training requirements only offer 1 course in "Special Ed 101", most teachers are forced to either learn on the job or seek training elsewhere, on their own time. To combat this lack of training & increase in inclusion classrooms, some teachers have moved to a "dual-teacher" classroom setting, where they partner up with a Special Ed teacher and co-teach the class without creating separation or division among the students. Some colleges and universities have also responded favorably to this movement by revising their teaching degree courses to include extensive training in special education and inclusion education.

Get it Able'd with the Disabled

The need for teachers who have both the knowledge and the ability to teach special-education students is more critical today than ever before

Key Takeaways:

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-Over time, Fair figured out how to navigate these situations and talk students “down from the ledge.
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-No one taught her these strategies. Although she earned a bachelor’s degree and teaching certificate in math instruction for both elementary and middle school.
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-The need for teachers who have both the knowledge and the ability to teach special-education students is more critical today than ever before