Interview with Special Education Teacher: Classroom Strategies and Collaboration

During my Individual paper in the Orientation to Exceptional Child class, I had the opportunity to interview Latoya Pearson, a Special Education teacher at Homewood High School in Homewood, Alabama. Mrs. Pearson earned her degree from The University of Alabama with a major in Psychology and a minor in Biology. She joined Homewood High School as an emergency certified Special Education teacher in 2006. In 2008, she furthered her education by obtaining a Master's degree in Special Education from The University of Montevallo.

Throughout our interview, Mrs. Pearson expressed interest in learning about my chosen field of education and the motivations behind it.

I informed Mrs. Pearson that I am currently enrolled in The University of Phoenix, pursuing a Master’s degree in Special Education. I conveyed my decision to enter this field was driven by my aspiration to make a significant difference in someone's life. Moreover, I acknowledged the issue of mislabeling and erroneously assigning children to special education classes when they may not genuinely require such services.

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I emphasized my assurance in being both patient and innovative in assisting both special needs children and those who have been mistakenly placed in special education.

During the interview, I discussed with Mrs. Pearson the purpose of the interview, which is to gain insight into the responsibilities of teachers and support staff, as well as classroom management techniques and the impact of the environment on students at her school.

To start, I asked about the specific duties of teachers and support staff in her school's special education program.

Mrs. Pearson mentioned that her school follows an inclusion model to merge special needs students with general education students.

Throughout her day at school, Mrs. Pearson collaborates with a total of three teachers. One of these teachers, along with Mrs. Pearson, implements both Team Teach and One Teach, One Drift strategies.

Pearson and the general education teacher collaborate to educate and create customized lessons for students with special needs. The aim of co-teaching is to provide diverse instructional methods, enabling all students, including those with special needs, to achieve the same academic standards as their peers. In the One Teach, One Drift approach, one teacher circulates the classroom to support a student encountering difficulties in specific subjects. At the start of each school year, Mrs. Pearson and the General Education teacher engage in discussions regarding their individual teaching approaches and philosophies.

During the school year, teachers collaborate to develop a personal connection and establish rapport. This rapport building is important in creating an effective conflict resolution strategy. Mrs. Pearson serves as a valuable resource for the other two teachers. In these classrooms, alternative teaching methods are employed. Mrs. Pearson offers additional assistance to students who require it, including those with special needs or in general education, aiding them in completing their assignments. The IEP team comprises the Special Education Teacher, General Education Teacher, Case Manager, Parents, Administration, and LEA. Mrs. Pearson plays a vital role within this team.

In the text, Pearson mentioned that she had to plead with the General Education teacher to be present at the IEP meeting. There are very few people who are willing to attend, and among those who do, many offer little assistance during the meeting. Mrs. Pearson also noted that a majority of parents do not attend the IEP for various reasons. Sometimes, parents lack transportation, so a conference call is arranged. Unfortunately, when the call is made, parents fail to answer the phone. The absence of support can be highly frustrating as parent input is crucial in implementing an IEP that aids students in succeeding in general education classrooms.

According to Mrs. Pearson, she receives three Professional Development days per year for training. General Education teachers also have the option to attend training, but only 30% of them choose to do so. The General Education teachers expect the Special Education teacher to handle the special needs children because they do not want to deal with disruptive episodes. In an interview with a Special Education Teacher, it was noted that there are areas for improvement in the roles and responsibilities of general education teachers. However, Mrs. Pearson has had success through Team Teaching and One Teach, One Drift strategies.

Pearson and Homewood High School have successfully implemented necessary aids and services to support the success of children. Additionally, Mrs. Pearson discussed the Classroom Management Techniques, including Instructional and Behavioral accommodation, that are in place at the school. These accommodations provide special needs students with fewer questions and more time to complete tasks compared to general education students.

Teachers may bring students to the resource room for testing in order to aid concentration and eliminate distractions. Special needs students are given math formulas on paper if needed, while general education students must memorize them. Verbal and non-verbal cues are utilized to redirect students with behavioral problems, and they may be seated near positive role models in class. Moreover, temporarily removing students with behavioral issues from the classroom is a strategy used to de-escalate situations.

Allowing students to express their emotions can help teachers understand a child's frustration. It is also important for students to select two individuals who can support them in challenging situations. By using effective instructional and behavioral classroom management strategies, students should be able to understand and apply the required learning objectives and outcomes. Lastly, Mrs. Pearson highlights how technology and adjustments in the physical environment contribute to meeting student needs at her school, mentioning specific examples like iPads, Dragon dictation, and Google.

Technologies such as Read Write, Brain Pop, and Near Pods are utilized to assist students with disabilities. For instance, Dragon dictation enables students who struggle with reading to utilize an e-book reader with text-to-speech capability. This allows them to listen to the words being read aloud through headphones, enabling them to participate in discussions about core literature. Assisted Technologies foster confidence, independence, and encourage special needs students to ask questions and collaborate with their teachers and peers.

According to Hayes (2013), "Wallingford-Swarthmore School District" (n.d.) states that Brain POP engages students through animated skits that are enjoyable and easy to understand. Brain POP can be used to introduce new lessons, explain difficult concepts, and measure student comprehension. Nearpod allows teachers to emulate their presentations and instructions on iPads, and it also enables collaborative voting and questioning from students during a presentation. Having iPads in students' hands during these important moments when teachers present new material is beneficial.

Nearpod is a helpful resource as it allows students to better understand ideas and stay on track with their classmates. It also helps schools include special-needs students in general education classes. In an interview with a Special Education Teacher, the Physical Environment adaptations include General Accessibility and Classroom Environment. General Accessibility ensures that students have physical access to the teacher and administrative spaces. Teachers make sure that students in wheelchairs can move freely around the room and sit with their peers ("PhysicaEnvironment", n.d.).

The importance of the classroom environment is equivalent to that of accessibility. Teachers ensure that they position themselves in a way that enables them to hear and be heard by students. Additionally, they ensure proper lighting so that students can see the teacher and any props used in class. These strategies aim to create a safe and secure environment for all learners (Physical Environment, n. d.). In conclusion, the results of this interview indicate that there is room for improvement in the roles and responsibilities of teachers and support staff.

Mrs. Pearson has one teacher who excels at Team Teaching, but the other two general education teachers require her to handle all of the special needs children. Additionally, she assists general education students who are not classified as special needs, but still struggle in certain areas. It is unacceptable for teachers to refuse participation in IEP meetings. The teachers who do attend, however, do not offer much assistance during these meetings. Mrs. Pearson believes that administrators, who were previously general education teachers themselves, tend to favor the general education teachers in these situations.

For successful Individualized Education Programs (IEPs), it is important that the general education teacher receives more training and is more actively involved in the meetings. According to an interview with a Special Education Teacher, classroom management techniques have not significantly changed in response to co-teaching. The instruction in the classroom remains focused on whole-class lectures, making it challenging for special education co-teachers to provide assistance to students in need. Additionally, there is room for improvement in addressing behavioral accommodation, as the Special Education Teacher is currently responsible for handling all disruptive episodes involving special needs students.

General Education should be mandated to undergo the essential training on how to effectively manage and defuse these students. By doing so, they will gain a better comprehension of the reasons behind students' disruptive behavior. The Physical Environment at her school appears to be satisfactory, as it adequately caters to the requirements of all students. A well-structured plan is in place to facilitate clear communication between teachers and students. Furthermore, it is crucial to ensure that the classroom arrangement enables wheelchair-bound students to maneuver just as easily as their peers in general education.

They ensured that all students have access to the boards, props, and video so they can see all of the learning material. From the interview with Mrs. Pearson, I have gained a lot of knowledge. As a teacher, I will make sure to establish a plan to develop a good relationship with all teachers at the beginning of the school year. Additionally, I will work towards highlighting to administration the significance of including all general education students in the IEP meeting. When I become a teacher, I am eager to try out the Dragon program and observe how students engage with a program that reads aloud the material we are studying.

Some students may prefer having the material read aloud to them. Additionally, I find the Nearpod app to be highly advantageous for both students and teachers. With technology like the IPad equipped with Nearpod, students who typically become bored in a traditional classroom setting are more likely to remain engaged. Moreover, this technology further encourages collaboration among students and fosters a stronger relationship between peers and teachers.

I have gained valuable knowledge through an interview with a Special Education Teacher 7. I am enthusiastic about continuing to learn additional strategies for collaboration with general education teachers and improving my classroom management skills. The interview was referenced in Eaton's (2013, April 17) article.

According to The New York Times (2013), speech recognition apps are becoming increasingly advanced. Hayes (2013) states that technology is playing a crucial role in assisting students with special needs to succeed. Additionally, the physical environment has a significant impact on education, as mentioned by Physical Environment (n.d.). Ripley (1997) emphasizes the importance of collaboration between general and special education teachers. Insights from an interview with a special education teacher also offer valuable information (Interview with a Special Education Teacher, 9).