4) Instructional Content and Practice
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When one of Mike Salvatore’s students is arrested, Mike feels like a failure. Mike’s plan of action for dealing with Jamal’s behaviors had been successful for a while and he was optimistic that Jamal could overcome his past. In the end, however, it seemed that all was lost.
Spelling was impossible for Jim, despite the accommodations made by his resource teacher. He was doing well in all his subjects but a new teacher this year believing spelling a necessary life skill was insisting he perform as the other students. Jim's embarrassment over the weekly posting of spelling grades was jeopardizing his successes.All The Eggs In One Basket
School was hard for Scott due to his learning disability, but he tried his best in the
past because he wanted to play football. This year, incentives lost, and failing grades,
the only option to graduate if he failed the HSCT was with a special diploma. One course
and one teacher with a strict reputation stood in his way.
Estella is a first year teacher of students with learning disabilities at an inner-city elementary school. Being a white female in a predominately African American school, the principal openly acknowledges that he was forced to hire her but would have preferred to hire an African American male teacher. Unfortunately, none had applied. Feeling unwanted and unsupported by the administration, she struggled to deal with a difficult and aggressive student and his mother.
Difference of Opinion Jane is an adaptive physical education teacher in a middle school. One of her former students fails his regular PE class and his parents and doctor request that he be returned to her class. When the department head of special education blocks his return due to a technicality, Jane comes to his defenseBeth Langly, a first year intern struggles with her "constructivist" philosophy and the demands of teaching high school science. Her supervising teacher, a twenty-year veteran of the classroom, is not inclined to try new methods of instruction.
Ginny is a new 9th grade student at Midland High, a school that has received special recognition as completely accessible to students with physical impairments. Ginny, born with Spina Bifida, is grossly overweight and confined to a wheelchair. Diane Lane, the Exceptional Student Education coordinator, is struggling to help Ginny and her family control her weight and hygiene so that she can participate in a school-to-work program.
As a teaching coach for probationary teachers, Nancy's job is to support and assist new teachers in their first two years. She becomes concerned when one of her promising young teachers, frustrated by severe behavior problems in her classroom, confides that she is thinking about quitting.Jake is an energetic first grader with a learning disability. Although he is considered one of the gang as far as his classmates are concerned and is excelling academically during the two hours he is included in a general education class, Betty, his general education teacher feels he just "wouldn’t fit in" to a general education classroom full time. On the other hand, Sharon, his resource teacher, sees no reason why he would not be successful.
How Far Should We GoBrian had eight months left in Willow Brook Elementary before he entered middle school: sixth grade, six classes, six new teachers and he was reading at a first grade level! His learning disability was only part of the dilemma LuAnn and Karen, his co-teachers, faced. His dad had died when Brian was in the first grade, and his mom seemed overwhelmed with the demands facing her.
Abstract: Linda, as a new member of the special education team at Maple Park Middle School finds herself at odds with special education staff as she works with the general education staff toward finding a reasonable space to call a classroom.When the six special education classes at Valley Elementary have to be realigned into four, Tom Jefferies, a fifth grade student, has to return to his primary class with his old teacher, Lisa Jenkins. Tom’s subsequent behavioral setback demonstrates a predictable consequence of such an unfortunate action.
Christine Wallace is struggling to meet the needs of her general education class with the addition of two children with special needs. One of those children, Katy Alvarez, has it designated in her IEP that she will have the assistance of a special education aide while in Christine's class. Having Katy's aide, Ms. Butler, in the classroom makes Christine's job more manageable, but school administration is reassigning her elsewhere on a regular basis. Christine debates how to handle this delicate issue.
Margaret Boggs, a middle school special education resource teacher, enjoys collaborating with her student’s general education teachers. Wayne, one of her more challenging students is having particular problems with one of his teachers, Doris Walker, who is demanding that Wayne be taken out of her classroom and moved to a more restrictive setting. Margaret, in an attempt to advocate on Wayne’s behalf, finds herself at odds with Doris.
Tom Back has spent five years developing a constructivist math curriculum to accommodate all types of learners including general and special education students. After spending long hours and many sleepless nights, he is finally seeing the fruits of his labor. His student's math grades and test scores reflect the effectiveness of his methods. But Tom is troubled because none of his fellow teachers have taken his lead and modified their teaching styles. Many of his students, after reentering traditional classes are returning to their former spiral of failure.
Supplemental Cases
(These cases can be used to address the competency but must be supported with additional questions and structure from the instructor)
Samantha Green, with six years of experience as a teacher in a residential program, begins her first year as a special education teacher at Tanglewood High School. She quickly learns her 15-year-old bilingual student, Maria, can read only four words. Both teacher and student are frustrated by the obstacles they face.Sharon Arkell, an experienced special education teacher, finds herself assigned to co-teach with another experienced teacher who refuses to relinquish any of her control in the classroom. The only suggestions that are offered to Sharon are to be patient and don’t rock the boat.
Is It Possible To Be Too Helpful?
Anita Mullins, is in her first year of teaching middle school students with learning disabilities. She makes a special effort to help Donald, one of her more needy and difficult students, by tutoring him after school, adapting his regular classroom assignments, and allowing his other teacher to send him to her classroom when his behavior gets out of control. After a Pep Club special event, when Anita drives a group of students home, Donald manages to be the last to be dropped off. He deliberately gives her incorrect directions to his house which prolongs the time they are alone together in the car.
Charlie, a ten year old who has been in a self-contained EMH classroom, recently moved with his family to a new state. This will be his first experience in a school committed to inclusionary practices. The Special Education co-ordinator finds a temporary placement for Charlie in a 5th grade classroom until she can conduct a thorough assessment of his needs and abilities. The 5th grade teacher is overheard in the teacher's lounge complaining about having Charlie in her class.
Helen accepted a position teaching special education at the Brokenstraw Reservation public school, but the experience was frustrating. She experienced the public schools on Brokenstraw as bureaucratic and self-serving. The public schools were having difficulty competing with the Catholic missionary schools. The Catholic school had a total student enrollment of 250 Native American children. Meanwhile, the public school where Helen worked had only 40 students in grades K through 12 (all of whom were Native American). It was a struggle to keep the school operating. Helen wanted to be an agent of change, but as she began to make progress with her students, she encountered obstacles. No Place to Go In an effort to provide her preschool students with disabilities the opportunity for inclusion, Sally worked to integrate her class with a Headstart program. She engineered the project, relinquished her space and resources to merge with three other teachers in a cooperative venture of inclusion. Initial success turned to despair the second year after students with more severe handicaps were enrolled in the program and the general education teachers balked at working with them.Teaching is Emotionally Expensive
Tom, a veteran teacher, reflects to some of his peers on some of his teaching experiences over the years. He contends that teaching is "people work," with soft skills determining one’s success in the field. He recounts with two particularly troubling incidents, which regretfully, have caused him to conclude that teaching is emotionally expensive.
For seven years Toni Hicks, one of four African American teachers at Ridgeview Elementary, had truly enjoyed teaching third grade. This year, however, parents begin requesting that their child be transferred out of her class. Although, she tries to rectify the situation and address their complaints, the exodus from her class continues with no support from the administration.
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