An inclusive environment is beneficial for students with special needs, so this approach is widely utilized in American schools. Mountain View Middle School in Bremerton, Washington, is also committed to providing high-quality educational services to meet the needs of students in the community (“Welcome to special education,” 2021). The school provides such services as Speech Language Pathology, Occupational Therapy, Psychological and Physical Therapy (“Welcome to special education,” 2021). Special education teachers assist students with special needs to achieve their academic goals and realize their fullest potential.
Special education teacher performs an important role in the classroom, helping both the student and the teacher. For instance, Mrs. McConnell works as a special education teacher at Mountain View Middle School in Bremerton. This professional assists her students to complete the necessary tasks at a higher pace and keep up with the class. The special education teacher also helps the student to use assistive technology during lessons. Importantly, this practitioner communicates with parents consulting them on their child’s needs and ways to help the student to perform better at school. Mrs. McConnell develops the special education plan to address all the challenges the child may encounter and achieve the highest results.
The special education teacher’s help to the teacher can hardly be overestimated as well. Teachers cannot pay the necessary attention to students with special needs as they have to manage the class and ensure that all students in the class receive the full scope of educational services (Bateman & Cline, 2016). Moreover, although teachers have certain knowledge regarding the peculiarities of such needs’ needs, they may lack practical skills to provide the necessary services. Special education teachers have deep knowledge in the specifics of working with children with different conditions and needs.
These practitioners considerably enhance the academic achievements of students with special needs in diverse ways. For example, Mrs. McConnell helps her students to understand tasks and find the most appropriate methods to complete them successfully, depending on these students’ needs. She also communicates the needs of the student during lessons as well as outside the classroom, articulating these necessities to the teacher, administrators, and parents. Special education teachers enhance students’ motivation as success motivates (Bateman & Cline, 2016). Making the tasks less challenging, these teachers make students more confident and increase their self-esteem, which is critical for students with special needs.
Mrs. McConnell’s credentials suggest that she is a committed life-long learner who seeks constant progress. She has been in the profession for eleven years, and she gained Bachelor of Science degrees in Educational Studies and Special Education at Vanderbilt University (“Meet your teachers,” 2021). She also graduated from Grand Canyon University, earning a Master of Arts in Autism Spectrum Disorders. Proper formal education is pivotal for special education teachers as they acquire the necessary knowledge and skills related to working with students with special needs. These professionals need to understand the peculiarities of certain health conditions, the exact needs of children and adolescents with specific diagnoses, as well as ways they can help these students.
In conclusion, the role of the special education teacher is to ensure the effective inclusion of students with special needs into the classroom environment. These practitioners help students to achieve academic goals and adapt to learning in the atmosphere of the inclusive classroom. These teachers also assist teachers, administrators, and parents ensure that every child with special needs receives high-quality educational services and realizes his or her full potential.
References
Bateman, D. F., & Cline, J. L. (2016). A teacher’s guide to special education: A teacher’s guide to special education. ASCD.
Meet your teachers. (2021). Bremerton School District. Web.
Welcome to special education. (2021). Bremerton School District. Web.