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humorist-workshop
Special Needs Classroom
Hi there. I'm a 25 year old female and I'm a second grade teacher. To make a long story short... when I was in college, there were two tracks to becoming a teacher. One was called the "internship track" and the other was called the "developmental track." Basically, the internship provided student-teaching opportunity and you couldn't graduate unless you passed the teacher licensure exam. With the internship track, you were responsible for finding your own experience and you you didn't need the licensure to graduate (although you will need it in order to teach in the state you are living in). I live in Florida. So, if someone lived in Texas, for instance, and had to take a different exam to become employed, then it would be in their best interest to take the development track because if not, they would have to take two different exams: the florida one (to graduate) and then the Texas one (to work). I decided on the development track because I had a full time job, as an assistant teacher, and didn't really need the internship. But, I am still faced with having to take the license exam. As an assistant, I didn't need it. Then, I took a job in the university because it paid for my master's degree. So, this is my first year as a full time, lead teacher. I got a job in a private school because I am taking my license exam in December. The private school didn't require the license, just my degree and obviously, a background check. It's a very small classroom of 5 children. I use to have a classroom of 26 when I was an assistant. Often times, I was left alone with them... but, they were not as difficult.
Since I teach second grade, I use a lot of visuals and manipulatives. I have one student who is autistic. He has a therapist that comes to work with him for abut 3 hours of the ay (in the morning). I've really grown to love all the kids. He, especially! He's so so sweet. He's very loving and he's one of the most adorable children I've ever seen. But, there is a problem. Once, the therapist leaves, he usually has raging outbursts. By this, I mean that he starts throwing classroom furniture. One time, he came up to the front of the classroom and hit me. On another occasion, he took out a pair of scissors and started cutting his books. Now, I have been able to control him. I am perfectly capable of handling the situation. The problem is that handling it always comes at the expense of the other students. Every time that he has an outburst, I have to stop the lesson and handle the situation. I've been told by the therapist and his mother to ignore the outbursts. But, that is impossible when the safety of other students is at risk (such as when he is throwing furniture). It's also an issue when he walks up to the front of the room to slap me in the middle of a lesson. His mother told me that she would like if during math, since he usually completes the work with the therapist, I would give him language arts work. But, he does not sit still. If I give him language arts work during this time, I would have to sit alongside him while he does it. This would be fine if I had an assistant or resources provided to special education schools. But, I don't.There have been incidents where he runs away from the class. He rarely listens when is told to stop going ahead of the class. During the PE (I was not there), the teacher found him sitting under a tree in the parking lot. His teacher from last year told me that if you chase him, it is worse. He will run away. When she had him, the therapist was with him the whole day. I have worked with autistic children before. But, they fell on different areas of the spectrum. I really love this little boy. But, this is not the environment for him. He doesn't do well sitting all day. He needs to be in a place where he's allowed to learn on his own terms. However, the school would never tell them that because it's a private school and they need his tuition money in their pockets. Clearly, I can't be the one to say it. But, I need help here. By next year, I will be in a different school and hopefully, I'll be moving out of the city. Can someone please help me with what I can do in the meantime? Has anyone ever experienced something like this?
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I am not a teacher and I have not worked with special needs students. I am a parent who has entrusted my child to a school system just as the parents of the other four students have. You are responsible for their safety as well as his and yours.
What you are not responsible for is the financial well being of the school you are employed by. They have administrators employed with that responsibility.
If in one of these outburst he was to injure one of the other students you and the school could be held liable for their injuries. His parents and the parents of the other students have not only entrusted you with educating their children they have done so with the knowledge that you will keep them safe. If yours is a mainstream classroom then he does not belong their. If yours is a special education classroom then you should have an assistant.
My niece is a special education teacher in the Nevada public school system. Her class size varies from 2 to 6 children and she has at least one if not two assistant teachers depending on the class size and the types of disabilities of her students.
My advice to you is; If you are not employed as a special education teacher that you advise the administration of the school that this child needs to be removed from your class as he is a danger to the other children. Do so in writing and make a dated copy for yourself.
If you are a special education teacher then you again inform the administration in writing that this child is a danger to the other children and they either remove him from your classroom or provide an assistant teacher to provide the special instruction he needs while you teach the other students.
School administrators be they public or private look only at the bottom line. You must watch out for yourself and your students. This is your first job and they will take advantage of you if you let them. You must stand up for yourself first and the children second. For in the end if one of the students is hurt by this child the school system will dump it all over you. Send that letter today and send it through the postal system return receipt requested so you know they received it.
Should the school not acknowledge you in anyway or refuse to assist you or remove the child. Then I would suggest contacting a lawyer to see what your options are as well as protecting yourself. For as sure as you are reading this before school ends something is going to happen and you are going to be blamed which could end your career.
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