What is Special Education anyway?

Unfortunately, there's a stigma with being put in a "special education" classroom.  The term "special education" has been used negatively so often that parents are terrified when it's brought up at school, even if their child would benefit from having services.  I have always taught in self-contained special education classrooms.  This simply means that my students are with me for the majority of their day.  I am their home room teacher.  However, if they can perform at grade level in math or reading, I will do my best to get them in a general education classroom for that subject.

Kiddos that need extra help with curriculum benefit by being in my classroom for several reasons.  First of all, I have a much smaller class than my colleagues.  In my school, a typical 1st grade classroom can have as many as 30+ children.  Try teaching differentiated instruction with 30 1st graders and no help.  Close to impossible.  Meanwhile, my classroom size is currently maxed at 13 and I have one classroom Aide.  Secondly, I don't have to follow curriculum guidelines.  It's impossible to do so when 13 children are all over the map with learning.  Instead, I follow their IEPs (Individual Education Plans).  This means that while I teach 1st grade math, I can stop and spend two days on one topic - even three - if that's what it takes to help the students understand the concept.  Some of them can move on and work with my Aide on more challenging concepts, while others need stronger visual supports to help them through each lesson.  Another benefit of being in my classroom is that I have visual supports all over the place.  Think schedules, classroom rules, center charts - you name it - I've got pictures to go with the words to help non-readers or emergent readers. Anyway, I can go on all day long.

I'll tell you what Special Education ISN'T.  It's not a room full of "retarded kids."  And BOY does that term get under my skin QUICKLY.  Whoo.  I had a parent last year who wanted his child out of my room because he was under the impression that my other students couldn't talk.  So his student wasn't getting the social skills she needed to succeed.  This couldn't be further from the truth.  I invited the parents to visit my classroom and they were shocked to see a group full of happy, curious, and VERY CHATTY little kiddos.  I teach a classroom with kiddos who have learning disabilities.  To talk to them, you wouldn't even know they're in a special education classroom at all. 

When you get older kiddos with disabilities, like my son who is 14, the differences are more noticeable.  Erik is in a "Life Skills" classroom.  This means that while he still works on academics, they're more geared toward living independently rather than how to write an expository essay.  He is currently working on how to write his name, bathrooming independently, and vocational skills.  Because Erik can't communicate to me what he does at school, his teacher is kind enough to send me pictures of him in action.  This was the first year that Erik began serious vocational skills and she took a picture of him doing one of his "jobs" in the school - collecting bins from other classrooms - and emailed it to me:

...which promptly led to many happy tears.  But that's another story.

I always send new students home with a letter of introduction in the fall.  I explain to parents that I know what it feels like to sit on both sides of the table at IEP meetings.  I know how scary it can be when your child is "labeled" or when you have to send your 3-year old off to school with a backpack bigger than they are and you hadn't planned on them starting school for another two years.  I know what it's like to look at an IEP for the first time and wonder what the heck it is.  I feel like my experience with my son has only made me a stronger teacher in the classroom.  I treat my students how I want Erik to be treated.  I strive to make every connection possible because every little success - no matter how small - is like climbing a mountain.

THAT'S what special education is.  Does that make sense?  I may have rambled...