Comments on Special Education article (MOD 5)

worked as a Special Needs Teacher for 3 years. I enjoyed my time and felt I understood that every student had the right to the best education possible. I worked with many teachers at the school that felt the same way. The post talked a lot about teachers that 'quit' their jobs, or are not supportive or understanding of the needs of children with learning disabilities. And yes there maybe a 'cultural mindset' to the way learning disabled students are regarded, and teachers need to be creative in incorporating there lessons. What the writer fails to recognize is the needs of the whole class. The needs of the class outweigh the needs of the few or the one. Does that mean we disregard learning disabled students? No. It means that at what cost do teachers focus their attention to bringing one student along versus the whole class. I dealt with a situation where the school district would provide her child with door to door bus service to a specialized school specific for her child’s needs. The parent wanted her child mainstreamed, and the only reason was ego. She wanted to feel her child was fine. Despite having a child that was significantly lower than the class, as well as a huge disruptive presence, it was more important her ego was settled than the educational needs of the child. Teachers have the unenviable task of being stuck in the middle of struggles like these, between district protocol and parental needs. As much as the post wants teachers to be more compassionate to the needs of learning disabled students, parents need to take into account that we are also responsible for more than just one child and if they want the best educational situation for there kids, they need to be patient that every that can be done will be done. Parents should take the brunt of the burden since at home they can help in the educational process, and in my experience, many parents of learning disabled students are far less patient. Responsibility begins and ends with the parents.