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I wish someone would have...

by A doesn't want to anymore...

Jan 4, 2016

I went into SPED because I was told that it was the best way to go. I have almost 11 years in now and I want out.

SPED is such an ineffective mess.

I don't know what it was like at the start or 20 years in, but I spend half a day on both sides, with those that are mainstreamed and those that cannot be at the high school level. Both sides are simply an ineffective mess.

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I agree I have 9 years in and I hate it. I am working with students with visual impairments. It started out so wonderful...I had a resource room, co-taught, taught kids.

Now, my job is to "see" students and "provide services". A usual day looks like this: 1) Drive to a school and work with a kid who functions at a 3 month cogni...See More

Jan 5, 2016

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And on the flip side of this coin I am a gen. ed teacher have 23 kindergarteners in a very poor school. 12 receive ESL services and are pulled from my room for 45 min. each day during reading. I have 3 who get "tutoring" and are pulled for 30 min. each day and all are ESL so now they have missed math too. There are 5 who work with the Title 1 reading teacher in her room f...See MoreI am a gen. ed teacher have 23 kindergarteners in a very poor school. 12 receive ESL services and are pulled from my room for 45 min. each day during reading. I have 3 who get "tutoring" and are pulled for 30 min. each day and all are ESL so now they have missed math too. There are 5 who work with the Title 1 reading teacher in her room for another 25 min, and 4 who see the speech pathologist at various times during the week.

Out of a 6.5 hr. day 1.5 hours is spent in specials, lunch and recess. Of the remaining 5 hours, I only have the whole class in my room for one 45 min. block along with 10 or 15 min here or there (between specials and lunch, at arrival, and dismissal). Somehow I have to fit in math (that many of them missed), meeting with them for reading everyday, they are to write for 20-30 min a day, and teach science, social studies, and the rest of the language requirements. When am I supposed to do that, especially when it's the same kids who are pulled for all these services?

My principal loves data so all the testing and forms must be completed one on one with the students while the rest do busy work. Grades, report cards and long narratives must be done outside the workday so I am there until 6 or do it on the weekends.

This is not what I signed up for nor is it what teaching was 10 or 15 years ago. It is time for me to step away and take a reduced retirement. I QUIT!

On 1/05/16, I agree wrote: > I have 9 years in and I hate it. I am working with students > with visual impairments. It started out so wonderful...I had a > resource room, co-taught, taught kids. > > Now, my job is to "see" students and "provide services". > A usual day looks like this: > 1) Drive to a school and work with a kid who functions at a 3 > month cognition level. I spend 20 minutes trying to get him to > focus on a blinking light. Repeat with other kids. > > 2) Drive 1/2 hour to another school, have a kid pulled out of > an academic class to work on technology with me. The kid > doesn't need the technology and won't use it anyway, but I > have to "see" him. > > 3) Drive 20 minutes to see a girl who is embarrassed to be > seen with me, we have to hide, she resists all attempts at the > magnifiers I am trying to give her. > > 4) Drive to my "office" where I sit, by myself, in a room in a > school where I hear other classrooms and other teachers will I > do paperwork, track data, and log in that I've "seen" X number > of students, how they refuse accommodations, etc. > > I know there are worse jobs out there, but this is pretty bad. > > On 1/04/16, A doesn't want to anymore... wrote: >> I went into SPED because I was told that it was the best way >> to go. I have almost 11 years in now and I want out. >> >> SPED is such an ineffective mess. >> >> I don't know what it was like at the start or 20 years in, but >> I spend half a day on both sides, with those that are >> mainstreamed and those that cannot be at the high school >> level. Both sides are simply an ineffective mess. >> >> >> >> >>

Jan 6, 2016

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Agree again And I feel like crap for pulling kids out to work on "how to use a magnifier" or "how to use a screen enlarger"--things they learn quickly and can practice in class. I try to push in as much as I can, because I know how much they miss from their real rooms.

You just can't win.

On 1/06/16, And on the flip side ...See MoreAnd I feel like crap for pulling kids out to work on "how to use a magnifier" or "how to use a screen enlarger"--things they learn quickly and can practice in class. I try to push in as much as I can, because I know how much they miss from their real rooms.

You just can't win.

On 1/06/16, And on the flip side of this coin wrote: > I am a gen. ed teacher have 23 kindergarteners in a very poor > school. 12 receive ESL services and are pulled from my room > for 45 min. each day during reading. I have 3 who get > "tutoring" and are pulled for 30 min. each day and all are ESL > so now they have missed math too. There are 5 who work with > the Title 1 reading teacher in her room for another 25 min, and > 4 who see the speech pathologist at various times during the > week. > > Out of a 6.5 hr. day 1.5 hours is spent in specials, lunch and > recess. Of the remaining 5 hours, I only have the whole class in > my room for one 45 min. block along with 10 or 15 min here or > there (between specials and lunch, at arrival, and dismissal). > Somehow I have to fit in math (that many of them missed), > meeting with them for reading everyday, they are to write for > 20-30 min a day, and teach science, social studies, and the > rest of the language requirements. When am I supposed to do > that, especially when it's the same kids who are pulled for all > these services? > > My principal loves data so all the testing and forms must be > completed one on one with the students while the rest do busy > work. Grades, report cards and long narratives must be done > outside the workday so I am there until 6 or do it on the > weekends. > > This is not what I signed up for nor is it what teaching was 10 > or 15 years ago. It is time for me to step away and take a > reduced retirement. I QUIT! > > > > > On 1/05/16, I agree wrote: >> I have 9 years in and I hate it. I am working with students >> with visual impairments. It started out so wonderful...I had a >> resource room, co-taught, taught kids. >> >> Now, my job is to "see" students and "provide services". >> A usual day looks like this: >> 1) Drive to a school and work with a kid who functions at a 3 >> month cognition level. I spend 20 minutes trying to get him to >> focus on a blinking light. Repeat with other kids. >> >> 2) Drive 1/2 hour to another school, have a kid pulled out of >> an academic class to work on technology with me. The kid >> doesn't need the technology and won't use it anyway, but I >> have to "see" him. >> >> 3) Drive 20 minutes to see a girl who is embarrassed to be >> seen with me, we have to hide, she resists all attempts at the >> magnifiers I am trying to give her. >> >> 4) Drive to my "office" where I sit, by myself, in a room in a >> school where I hear other classrooms and other teachers will > I >> do paperwork, track data, and log in that I've "seen" X > number >> of students, how they refuse accommodations, etc. >> >> I know there are worse jobs out there, but this is pretty bad. >> >> On 1/04/16, A doesn't want to anymore... wrote: >>> I went into SPED because I was told that it was the best > way >>> to go. I have almost 11 years in now and I want out. >>> >>> SPED is such an ineffective mess. >>> >>> I don't know what it was like at the start or 20 years in, but >>> I spend half a day on both sides, with those that are >>> mainstreamed and those that cannot be at the high school >>> level. Both sides are simply an ineffective mess. >>> >>> >>> >>> >>>

Jan 6, 2016

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Normal is so wrong > I agree that there are a LOT of issues in sped, but I have to > call BS on what you're saying here. > > You're a Visual Impairments teacher. I have never seen a > visual impairments teacher work a traditional day, in one > school, teaching academic classes, except at a special school > for the blind. There typically are, at ...See More

Jan 7, 2016

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