Interview 2

I. HELPFUL EXPERIENCE

1. Can you describe the importance of having a strong relationship with the child and parent when it comes to teaching Special Education?

The odds of success are greater when schools and families make a team effort to help children get the most they can out of their educational opportunity.

2. How beneficial is it for you and the parents to be able to communicate well?

I gained so much from developing a constructive working relationship with my students’ parents and guardians. They offer a valuable role in my teaching success. They provide support, reinforcements and assistance for my academic and behavioral goals.

b. What are your methods in maintaining this core relationship with the child’s parents?

1) Before the school year begins, I send notes home to my students’ parents introducing myself and inviting them to become a part of the school community. 2) I send periodic notes to parents, recognizing their children’s positive achievements or behavior in my class. 3.) I occasionally call parents to communicate some good news about their child’s accomplishments. 4) I make home-visits to meet the family. 5) We have a class blog which posts all announcements, shout-outs, projects, lesson presentations, etc for students and parents…I have a lot more, these are just some.

2. How do you incorporate tactics of other surrounding teachers to your own style of teaching?

Yes, we always collaborate and share our strategies; I borrow a lot from them.

a. Do other teachers come to you as a source for advice on assisting them with students who may take longer in picking up the information?

Yes, that is actually my job as a special education teacher. I am a resource to the regular education teachers who are having struggling students in their classes. I help them modify students’ work, give them accommodations that they need to be successful in the classroom, and to give them strategies to differentiate their instruction to target the diverse learning styles of the students in their class. They are always open-minded. My class website has a wealth of resources for them that they find very useful.

b. Is it easier for you to conduct class with a strict plan, or by diverting away from the schedule and letting things happen as they come?

Each day I walk into my classroom, I know exactly what I expect to accomplish and how I am going to do it. My lesson plan is simply a sequential guide to how I plan to accomplish my instructional objectives or goals. I always modify and adjust according to the needs of my students.


3. One thing that I researched was that the majority of teachers instructing special education students use the IEP (Individualized Education Program), is this program always successful, or should another plan be implemented as technology continues to progress?

Yes, the child can be successful in his educational setting if the IEP is implemented appropriately. The IEP is the cornerstone of a quality education of a child with a disability. It describes an educational program that has been designed to meet the child’s unique needs. Each child who receives special education and related services must have an IEP.

c. Are you an avid user of the nationwide known IEP system?

Yes, everything is individualized for my students, designed according to their needs.