It is no secret that teaching can be a challenging job. There are days I leave feeling drained, unsuccessful, and if I am being completely honest like I failed my students for that day. If they struggle I take it personally, if they succeed I take it personally. Either way I feel it to my…
Likely if you have worked in education for any length of time and even more likely if you work in special education, you have been on the receiving end of disrespect by a student. As challenging as this may be, it is our responsibility as educators to maintain a sense of rational detachment in these…
“Act like you’ve done this before.” This phrase is based on the assumption that an individual should just “know” what to do or how to act, even in novel situations. This phrase is deeply rooted in the “curse of knowledge”. Has there ever been a time in your life when circumstances required you to “act…
Every time I hear the term “sped student” it absolutely makes my skin crawl. Not only is this not person first, it also automatically assigns an identity to the student being referenced. How often is the term “gen. ed student” used in reference to one particular student? I will answer that, rarely, or never. Students…
Read more Advocacy Series # 10 Special education is a resource not an identity…