Teachers rights in special ed?
816900
The aggressive child has a right to a free appropriate public education.  It sounds as if the "appropriate" part needs to be addressed here.  There are times when a student is placed in a special education classroom that, for many different reasons, is not able to adequately provide for his needs.  Although medication might very well be helpful, a parent cannot be forced to put a child on meds.  So I would strongly suggest requesting a team meeting (teaching staff, parents, school administrator, school nurse, psychologist, occupational therapist, speech and language therapist, etc.) to address the issue.\n\nAs far as your rights, while it is true that there is an increased risk of injury from student assault in special ed classes, you absolutely have the right to a safe working environment.  Are you filing incident reports when a student injures someone or needs an emergency behavioral intervention (such as needing to restrain a child)?  In my district, this is mandatory.  The paper trail insures that administrators and parents are kept informed, and it helps to establish that there is a pattern of behavior.\n\nI would also suggest that, as the parent of another student, you address the rights of the other students in the class.  Every child has a right to feel safe at school, and if another child is terrorizing the class and harming other students, I would complain to the administration and ask for a meeting on how my child's safety and right to a secure classroom environment were going to be provided.\n\nIt sounds as if the assaultive child needs a behavior plan to help him learn appropriate behavior.  And it may well be that he needs a different, more structured classroom environment in order to succeed.
582897
Go to youthrights.org, they have all sorts of stuff on this sort of thing.  It's ridiculous the way kids are treated in school, but it can't go on forever--pretty soon, they'll get so outrageous that people will take notice.\n\nAnd, alexa2829, kids DO have rights.  How would you like it if you were told that you have no rights, not even to the basic necessities of life, just because of your age?  If a parent withholds the rights to eat, drink, sleep, or go to the bathroom, they could be charged with child abuse, but from teachers it's expected.  You make me sick.
473168
Special Education Lesson Plans
334044
All states have underfunded programming. It is not so much the state, as the district and the individual school. Each state has school districts with incredibly good special ed programs, and districts where their special ed programs are awful. It depends on the teacher's training, and how the district and individual school have set up their programming.\n\nStates/regions I would NOT recommend include Texas, California, Connecticut, or any low-income area in large cities.\n\nI've had people move to Texas to follow a job, and then show back up to re-enroll their kids with me, giving up the high-paying job, because the special ed programming was so bad over there they'd rather take the pay cut than have their kids in those schools. And they know my program works, so they came back. Same with California. Connecticut has tons of parent lawsuits against districts there, and the state itself, whose written responses to court cases and federal law has made professional news because of Connecticut's lack of ethics... Plus, parents I've talked to there are generally negative about their schools regarding special needs, overall.\nAvoiding big-city poverty area schools is just common sense.\n\nYou will need to shop school by school. ASK!!! Meet with parents who live in the area. Contact the state's parents advocacy group (in my state, New Mexico, it is Parents Reaching Out) for recommendations. Which university in the area have produced the best special ed teachers? Which schools are doing, as far as they know, a good job? Then, once you have a list of 3 or 4 schools you are really interested in, ask the school principal about SPECIFIC training/background for the special ed teachers that are going to work with your child. Do NOT accept "They are all very professional and highly qualified." Here's a list of questions to help you get started:\n\n1. What university did the teacher(s) graduate from? (Remember your research with the parents' advocacy group?)\n2. Do they use any formally researched approach to teaching reading from a learning disability program? (e.g. phonics combined with short passage comprehension exercises) If they ONLY use modified regular ed instruction, it is not the best sort of program.\n3. What is the teacher's current caseload percentage? (if it is 95% or higher of FTE, especially if he/she has no aide, you may want to look at another school, as your child may not get all the attention he/she needs)\n4. What professional organizations does the teacher belong to? (It should include disability-specific organizations like the Council for Exceptional Children, or the International Dyslexia Association, etc.).\n\nYou can come up with additional questions after you have talked with the parents' advocacy group. \n\nOnce you have selected a school, keep in mind, always, that you and the teachers/staff are a TEAM to help your child. Come in positive and supportive, give immediate feedback for what you think they are doing right, not just problems, etc.\n\nGood luck!\n\nhttp://www.spedusource.org/
910629
http://www.legal-definitions.com/education-law/education-law-and-the-first-amendment.htm\n\nhope this helps darling.
956605
Ideally, the special education teacher shares joint responsibility for all students.  In record keeping, the special education teacher retains primary responsibility for the sp. ed. students- reporting their grades, and ensuring that all testing accommodations are provided, and making sure that IEP goals are met.  However, during actual classroom instruction the sp.ed. and general ed. teacher share responsibility for all students. (in a perfect world- if one teacher is resistant to the arrangement, this can prove difficult).  However, there are 6 basic models for inclusion:  For one-teach-one-assist, one teacher is giving instruction while the other is drifting around to help (most common, but least helpful).  Or, the 2 teachers can teach in stations, each one teaching a short lesson on a related topic before students switch locations.  They can team teach, jumping in on each other to clarify a topic (only attempt when both teachers are comfortable).  They can teach the same lesson in two small groups- good when using manipulatives.  They can also have one teacher (NOT necessarily the sp. ed. teacher) pull a small group of students for alternate instruction - sometimes a lower group for reinforcement, sometimes a higher group for enrichment.  Switching it up between all these strategies makes the instruction a thousand times better for the kids- but only if the teachers trust each other and work well together.
1072833
Since you have a learning disability, you will want to make sure you have prepared ahead of time.\n\nHave a list of answers for:\n--How you will organize your classroom.\n--Your "philosophy of education."\n--What is the purpose of special education?\n--How will you work with regular ed teachers?\n--How will you involve parents?\n--Examples of how you will adapt and modify curriculum and classroom environment for different student needs.\n--What tasks will you assign your E.A.?\n--How will you build in state standards and benchmarks for each child's actual grade level while still addressing their developmental level?\n\nAnd so on.\n\nHave someone sit down and ask the questions to you while you practice saying your answers. Also have them ask questions you haven't thought of, to practice mixing and combining your ideas.\n\nGood luck!
413561
If you are in the United States, then you should have an IEP in place (if you are in middle or high school) under the Visual Impairment category. If the teachers are not providing you with the appropriate classroom and instructional modifications per your IEP, then you need to let your special ed caseworker know immediately. If nothing happens, have your parents start making noise about sueing. The IEP is a legally binding contract, and the teachers must abide by it.\n\nIf you are in college, in the United States, then the Americans with Disabilities Act Section 504 (ADA 504) covers your issue. Contact your college's Office for Students with Disabilities (OSD). They should be advocating for you. If your OSD does not speak up for you, get a lawyer. Given the already existing infringement of your ADA 504 rights, I'm sure you can find someone who will work on percentage rather than flat fee...the college will have to pay up!\n\nWhy are you seated so far away from instruction in the ASL class? Assigned seating? If so, the teacher MUST move you to the front, by law.\n\nIf you don't live in the U.S., contact a lawyer/advocate quickly to find out what rights you have.
300863
Contact your school district's centralized special education department, and ask them.\n\nIf they are organized like my school district, the school site principal (or department head for central office services aides) provides the administrative supervision (hire/fire, evaluations, etc.).
439244
Um, your question is?\n\nAnd this relates to Special Education how?
815334
PAPERWORK!! is the SE teacher's biggest obstacle (and any other teacher's) and documentation for that paperwork. IDEA (Individuals w/ Disabilities Act) makes certain that all individuals with a disability receive services in the least restricted environment. You will be certified to teach SE K-12. Dealing with parents of SE students is a challenge and dealing with teachers in the regular ed classroom is also a challenge (see the response of one the people above whose parent teaches Calculus and thinks the SE teacher has half the work!) \n\nRegular ed teachers, for the most part, WANT to help SE students succeed but feel their hands are tied due to time factors - modifying tests, having someone read a test to a student with a reading disability, etc. -- seem excessive. But they DO make a difference in students' success in the classroom and are worth the extra effort.\n\nSome parents of SE students want special privileges which the law does not afford, but these parents are also few and far between. But you need to be prepared. \n\nThe SE students themselves are usually a real delight! Most work hard despite and within their disability and don't ask for hand-outs. Occasionally, a few will, but they are rare. \n\nDocumentation/paperwork/corrdination of efforts and time involved ofthese things are the obstacle - pretty much the same in ANY job!!
90945
There are many legal ramifications. If you are the legal parent, the one who is on the birth right or the legal guardian, then yes you have a right to see them. If you are not the legal guardian then no. There are also certain things you can and cannot see. You have a right to see what pertains to your child, and your child only. The district has the right to protect and keep communications within the district private. In other words, official documents only. Grades, discipline records, medical issues. As far as things that are in regards to teachers and their confidentiality, no, you have no right to that. The key word is, are you the legal guardian....that is the biggest question in regards to this topic.
1040432
In the Philippines, all I can do is offer you this website as a place to start:\n\nhttp://www1.worldbank.org/devoutreach/july05/textonly.asp?id=318\n\nIn 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.\n\nhttp://www.wrightslaw.com/\n\n\nElsewhere, I know Britain failed to use inclusion successfully because the teachers weren't trained correctly.\n\nhttp://www.bcodp.org.uk/\n\nOther than that, I don't know.
161743
I too work with adults and young adults with special needs. Unfortunately our school systems are only obligated to provide health education, and infromal packets, generally sent home with the child enrolled in the fifth grade. ( This is the age group of when noticable changes start, generally) This packet is to be discussed with the child by the parent and is aslo designed to help parents break the usual bearier of how do I talk to my child about sex.  Unfortunately, many parents do not ever have this discussion with the child, because they feel in their minds that the child is not capable of understanding or comprehending the material. By doing this the parent feels they have done the right thing, when in fact all they have done is raised the curiosity level of the child.  Since the child does not know how to express their feeling and with the fear that the parent will get upset, they suppress their emotions.  As the child reaches adulthood, these feeling and emotion become a literial time bomb.  When this happens the young adult/adult generally ends up in trouble or is hit with large amounts of rejection from the opposite sex. This has been known to scar them for life.\n I wish more people, especially parent of a child with disabilities whould take a beter look at their child and realize that this child, that society has labled special ed, special needs, handicaped, etc would rather look at this child as a child that learns at their own pace and has unique and different learning method and would refuse to let our fast paced school systems determine what is best for any child.     As I mentioned in the beginning I work with Special need students, Unfortunately, all my students reside in jail,charged with crimes they had no real understanding was wrong, because their parents and our schools did not educate them.  My job is to educate them and help them succeed in our community.  I wish more people like yourself would also ask questions.  Thanks for caring.  Sorry my spelling is off, another long day.
786514
I understand your frustration.  I have taught high school for 8 years and it is very discouraging at times to see the situations that exist in the classroom.  First of all, there is a mandate that Special Education students be mainstreamed into the general classroom population.  I have had a class of 34 students with 9 Spec. Ed. students (this is becoming more and more typical).  There are supposed to be teacher's aides to help in classes like that, but school budgets are spent so unwisely, at times, that there is no money for a teacher's aide for every teacher with a significant amount of Spec. Ed. students (who either have a learning disability, a behavioral disability, or an emotional disability).  This leaves the teacher and the students at a disadvantage.  Teachers now use more time on class management than on class instruction.  And, it's not just because of Spec. Ed. students.  For some reason many students like to "dumb down" on their own as to not be ridiculed by their peers for being too smart, a nerd, or a "lame".  School administration look at teachers with disdain and often let go of teachers with too high of a failure rate, so many teachers, when presented with a class or classes that do not produce on the expected level then create a curriculum that they feel the students have a chance to pass, even if it does not prepare a student to be on level.  Our educational system is in deep need of reforms that work, not just reforms that look good on paper but have no substance or effectiveness in the classroom or to the students.  I try to prepare students for high school and beyond, whether they are college bound, interested in vocational training, or ready to work once they graduate.  Teaching is a many tiered profession (teacher, counselor, mentor) if children are to be educated properly.  I worry about the same things you do, but I also know that the big decisions about education often do not rest upon  teachers' shoulders, but on an administration that is often too long out of the classroom to remember or know the things that work and the things that do not.  I only hope that it gets better before it continues getting worse.
98635
Well since each state has different definitions of things I will do my best to answer your question without having further information about it.\n\nI teach High School special education in a Cognitively impaired classroom, so I guess you could say I teach life skills.  \n\nI teach:\n  Table manners\n  how to eat\n  washing dishes\n  cooking\n  washing clothes\n  Toileting\n  Dressing\n  Communication\n  Community involvement\n  Vocational skills...i.e. applications, work ethic, job coaching\n  and various resource room subjects like Basic computers, basic math, and single living.\n\nI am responsible for:\n  The wellfare of my students\n  scheduling students and paraeducators\n  Writing IEPs\n  Writing MedBills\n  Writing Quarterly Reports\n  Progress updates\n  Informing student's other teachers of their accommodations and goals.\n  Helping other teachers come up with techniques to use to teach these kids.\n  Keeping parents informed of their student's progress.\n  Getting kids on and off the bus.\n  Daily Physical Therapy, OT and Speech\n  Tube feeding\n  distribution of Medications. (Odd)\n  Ordering supplies\n  Managing accounts\n\nI am too tired to think of anymore, I have to go do all these things in less than 9 hours.  I better get to sleep.\n  I hope this all helped.
699265
I became a special education teacher because I grew up with a sister who has a significant developmental disability.  Now that we are both adults, I am her conservator, because our father is deceased and our mother is in poor health.  So I can relate to both sides of this equation.\n\nAs a family member, I know how important it is to know that my loved one is getting the concern and attention she needs and deserves.  I do get annoyed when the adult program she is now in doesn't communicate with me, especially when it is an issue that could have more easily been resolved had they been in touch with me as soon as the problem arose.\n\nAs a teacher, I make a sincere effort to communicate with the families of my students.  In addition to the classroom phone number,  I give everyone my email address and my voice mail number, and I send a communication notebook home with each child.  Ideally, I would be able to jot a quick note daily, but in reality, I have 10 students, and if I spend even 3 minutes writing to each person, that's 30 minutes a day.  I don't have a planning period like the general ed teachers do, and because of the special needs of my students, I cannot just send them out to recess or to the cafeteria;  I need to be present with them.  So I am literally on duty from the moment the kids arrive until they leave in the afternoon.  I only use the restroom after checking that my assistant is OK with managing things for 4 or 5 minutes.   Our kids need assistance with toileting, and about half are not toilet trained or have accidents.  About half my students do not communicate verbally, and nearly as many have significant behavioral issues, including physical aggression. And then there is the need to work on the specific IEP goals of each student;  with 10 students, we are responsible for implementing activities and collecting data on anywhere from 60 to 100+ objectives.   It's an incredibly intense and busy day, and if you haven't lived it, you really can't appreciate it.  \n\nAnd as I said, I have the legal responsibility for a sibling with a disability, as well as taking care of a mother who is in severe decline mentally and physically.  And I have a husband and children who need my attention and care.  And now and again, I would just like to have a couple of hours where I could just think about myself.  But I spend between 50 and 75 hours per week on classroom related activity, because I LOVE my job and I LOVE my students. \n\nSo - as far as your particular situation is concerned, knowing first hand the stresses of both family and of teachers - I would not make a judgment.  As I said, if I even take 3 minutes of time during the school day to write a note to each parent, I have spent 30 minutes of my instructional day, which is 30 minutes that I am not teaching anyone.  (And time yourself - you can't write much in 3 minutes, especially if you are supervising 10 kids with special needs at the same time.) \n\nI do try to give the benefit of the doubt to the families of my students when they are not exactly considerate or politically correct in their communications with me.  I also try to do the same when the residential and adult programs involved with my sister communicate.  We are all human, with lives outside the immediate moment, and none of us is without fault.  So perhaps, when you are able to communicate in a calm and unemotional way, you could ask the teacher to clarify what she meant.  Try something along the lines of "I understood you to say that I shouldn't make waves because my son's IEP was nearly taken away.  Is that a correct interpretation, or did I misunderstand?"  And please be open to the possibility that you did not understand what she meant.  Life is full of miscommunication, even between people who know each other well;  communication is a two-way street, and both sides need to keep the roads open.