Special Education Teacher and General Education Teacher Interviews

Inclusionary education is now a required component of the educational system. To provide comprehensive education, general and special education teachers must collaborate. This essay will discuss strategies for ensuring adherence to legal, ethical, and policy duties related to educational, developmental, and medical services for people with disabilities and their parents/guardians. In addition, I’ll discuss the responsibilities of general education teachers and special education teachers, as well as how they differ. I will also discuss strategies for effective collaboration between special education teachers and available education teachers to promote learning for students with disabilities.

To keep the information confidential and develop trust with parents and guardians, I only share pertinent information with stakeholders on a need-to-know basis. I also explain the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) confidentiality requirements and obtain approval before sharing sensitive information. I maintain open and honest communication channels with parents and caregivers, listen to their concerns and include them in decision-making.

To ensure adherence to the legal, ethical, and policy responsibilities related to educational, developmental, and medical services for people with disabilities and their parents/guardians, the general education teacher and the special education teacher must cooperate. They should meet regularly to discuss the student’s goals, progress, and any possible concerns. They must also record their discussions and the student’s progress. Furthermore, they should collaborate with other students’ education experts, such as counselors, occupational therapists, and speech therapists.

Including students, parents, and guardians in the IEP procedure is crucial. The student’s input is essential in determining the IEP’s objectives and services because it is a plan created specifically for them (Rojas, 2020). I involve parents/guardians and students in the unique education process by informing them about the student’s requirements and success, sharing updates on the IEP goals, and communicating with them frequently. Additionally, I assist students in understanding their impairments and gaining self-advocacy abilities. All attempts to include parents, guardians and students in the IEP procedure should be documented. This documentation demonstrates the teacher’s efforts to involve the pupils in the process. The date of the meeting, attendees, topics, any comments made, and any questions asked should all be included in the documentation.

The roles of a special education teacher and a general education teacher are fundamentally different, despite some overlap in their responsibilities. While special education teachers work with students who have learning disabilities that have a significant impact on their ability to learn, general education teachers work with a diverse group of students with different academic, social, and emotional needs.

As there is a growing understanding of the significance of including students with disabilities in the general education classroom to the most significant degree possible, I believe that the roles of educators in the unique education process have become more collaborative. This change has also resulted in a greater focus on special education and general education teachers working together to ensure students with disabilities get the assistance they require to succeed.

For special education students to receive the proper support and accommodations to meet their educational requirements, a collaboration between a special education teacher and a general education teacher is crucial. Here are some tactics that can encourage fruitful cooperation:

1. Clearly defined channels of communication are essential for productive teamwork. Clear lines of communication between special education and general education instructors should be established, along with regular get-togethers to discuss students’ progress and exchange ideas.
2. Share your knowledge and skills: General education teachers contribute subject-matter expertise, while special education teachers bring experience dealing with students with disabilities. To foster a more diverse learning environment that meets the needs of all students, the two instructors should pool their knowledge and experience (Landon-Hayset al., 2020).
3. Create individualized education plans (IEPs) for kids with disabilities: Special education teachers can assist with IEP development and implementation. General education teachers who should also be engaged in the development of IEPs should handle the performance of the strategies and accommodations outlined in the plans.
4. Develop and execute instructional strategies that cater to the requirements of all students by collaborating with general education and special education teachers. Modifications, accommodations, and differentiated teaching are some examples of this.
5. Track student progress: Both teachers should monitor students’ success and modify their lessons as necessary. While general education teachers can challenge students who excel, special education teachers can offer extra support to struggling students.

Several strategies can be used to speed up the data-gathering process and assist team members in the data-collection process. First, educators should set precise criteria for data collection, including what information must be gathered, how it must be collected, and how frequently it must be gathered. Second, educators should employ technology tools like spreadsheets and electronic forms to improve the efficiency of data gathering and analysis. Last but not least, educators should work together to share the data gathering and analysis workload, utilizing each other’s areas of expertise and strong points.

References

Landon-Hays, M., Peterson-Ahmad, M. B., & Frazier, A. D. (2020). Learning to teach: How a simulated learning environment can connect theory to practice in general and special education educator preparation programs. Education Sciences, 10(7), 184.

Rojas, L. (2020). A GUIDE FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS, PARENTS/GUARDIANS, AND GENERAL EDUCATION TEACHERS: UNDERSTANDING MY IEP (Doctoral dissertation, California State University, Stanislaus).