What are the best tips/resources you would provide to a new teacher regarding special needs accommodations?
- Ask for help: Utilize the help of Special Education Teachers, Administration, the student's case worker, their parents and even the student to make sure their needs are being fully accommodated.
- Record evidence of your accommodation. Yes, students will lie about your actions to save themselves, recording evidence ensures you were clear and accommodating to their needs. A good tool would be a check off sheet that you initial and date to turn in/file.
- Address lab area accommodations that may not be specified in the IEP, a walk through with the student, parent, and caseworker may be beneficial to quickly identify their needs in the shop.
"Last piece of advice... have patience not only with the student but with yourself. I think this is always uncharted territory for both you and sometimes the student. You are not always going to make the right decisions and that is okay."
You are certainly on the right track here. The best and most critical resource are your special needs staff colleagues. They can provide si much info on the accommodations they provide and that the student is used to and comfortable with. The IEP's can provide valuable info, but the direct info and ability to ask questions and discuss/clarify process and procedure is paramount, in my experience. I would also mention that communication and relationship building with the student and the parents will be a benefit in developing trust and support on a two way street. Each students needs are unique, so awareness, understanding of accommodations, implementation and open communications are the key pieces in my experience.
ReplyDeleteLisa, it takes a village to teach a student, especially those with IEPs. The advice you were given to consult with others on each student's "team" and to document what you are doing for accommodations will not only help to create the best learning environment possible for the student, but will help you add tools to your teacher toolkit for working with IEP students.
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