I’m planning on becoming a special education teacher here in Virginia, within a few years. I’m currently registered with Old Dominion University for a degree in teaching special ed. I’m very nervous and anxious about this, but I feel like I did the right thing for myself, I made the right choice. And, I’m still conflicted between ABA therapy and teaching special ed., but that’s life. It’s often messy. If you’re the one directing it, it’s bound to be messy. It’s never a straight line, or perfect circles and triangles.
Hopefully I can get over my insecurities in order to become the most effective special ed. teacher I can possibly be. I’m actually thinking of working in a special-needs school, one that is specifically designed for students with disabilities. I feel that a regular public school is kind of all over the place in regards to teaching students with disabilities. You’re pulling them out, you’re pushing them back in; you’re co-teaching classes with gen ed teachers; you’re teaching a class in a self-contained room; etc. It’s not as harmonious as it could be, it’s kind of chaotic and jarring. But this is just my humble, rookie observation. I don’t want to critique the equitable, co-equal structure that has been in public schools for decades. And the optimal environment for youth with special needs is the least-restrictive environment for sure, the environment that is least removed from the general education classroom. I.e., the optimal environment is the general classroom/homeroom itself, whenever possible. We want to accommodate and adjust students into the common classroom, whenever possible…
I’ve formulated a niche interest in specialized services, attention, and instruction. And so I’ve chosen an “adapted curriculum” as my concentration area within special ed. An adapted curriculum is the curriculum for students with moderate-to-severe disabilities. Maybe my concentration in an adapted curriculum will allow me to teach in both a general classroom setting and in more-specialized settings…Although I anticipate that I’ll mostly teach students with disabilities in a self-contained classroom, a special classroom. As a SPED//special ed. teacher, I should be prepared to work in any setting, of course.
Maybe working in a special-needs school is one good option for me. And working in public schools seems wonderful, too. But I just have to be flexible and fluid with the multiple structures that are sometimes in place within public schools. One should be flexible with different structures within regular public schools when it comes to teaching SPED within traditional public schools. Some students will receive support in a resource room for parts of the day; other students will be accommodated in a self-contained classroom; and others will be co-taught in general education classrooms. It mostly depends on the students’ needs and the best environment to aid learning.
And I guess that an independent school specifically designed for students with (more-severe or more serious) disabilities wouldn’t have the aforementioned feature of multiple different placements within the same school. I guess there’s no pull out/push in model; there’s no resource room for parts of the day, etc. Rather, all students are taught together in classes by special educators, as the natural arrangement, of course. I think so, I could be wrong. But this element of independent schools, self-determining schools, and autonomy–it’s interesting, I think. And it can be a positive addition to the overall school system and the overall region and community. And it might serve certain students, best–it might be exactly the right support for certain kids with disabilities. And in terms of school culture, it’s probably really welcoming and understanding, with little judgment or negativity. And there aren’t many negative encounters or bullying, or anything like that. But this is just my own perception, my own understanding so far.
I myself have a psychiatric condition and some types of social-behavioral abnormalities. And so I’m neurodivergent, myself. And my school years were filled with miscommunications and misunderstandings with peers and teachers, unfortunately. But yesterday’s history; the past is the past. But now that I’m studying to become a teacher, I think I should definitely select an adapted curriculum track, the track that will prepare me to work with youth with moderate- to- severe disabilities, as aforementioned. And so I’ll specialize in an adapted curriculum, a curriculum modified to meet certain students’ needs, in the best way. This track within the overall program in special education is offered alongside of the general curriculum track, which prepares teachers to teach special-needs students accessing the general education curriculum. Students with mild- to- moderate disabilities access the general curriculum, while students with moderate- to- severe disabilities often access an adapted curriculum. Both an adapted curriculum and the general curriculum incorporate individualized education programs, IEP’s, for each student.
| I myself had a tough time in middle school and high school. I think I would have benefited from an independent school, or maybe a private school–something other than a public school. I mean I love public schools, though. I think they’re diverse places with lots to offer. And they’re very equitable, they can’t turn you down. As long as you live in the respective district, you’re entitled to their services; you’re entitled to attend and acquire your education there. I just know that from my own personal experience, I didn’t have many friends all throughout middle school and high school. My high school was big and confusing; it had about 1,600 students. And I don’t think it was catered to shy or neurodivergent youth, youth with atypical learning/social/behavioral traits. In a smaller school size, everyone is someone. The negative encounters are probably fewer and far-between. People get to truly focus on academics, extra-curriculars, and forming friendships, rather than negative commotion, disruptions, bullying, feeling like a small fish in a big pond; etc., etc. I personally didn’t like high school, I couldn’t wait ’til each day ended. I was always waiting ’til the final bell rang.
And so I see a lot of merit in independent schools, charter schools, private schools, and etc. I think they’re a natural reflection of the diversity and unique needs in a population. The only real barrier is tuition costs, but I think this can be remedied with some aspect of school choice. We can possibly allow families the choice to direct their tax money towards the independent schools of their choice. (Such schools don’t receive government funding, and so they subsist on grants, tuition money, and etc., I think.)
And so I think the population I want to work with most (as a teacher) are students with moderate- to- severe disabilities and more-unique learning needs, as aforementioned. I guess this is the population I want to serve the most. I hope to formulate good bonds with the students and with my fellow teachers. Hopefully it’ll be a happy career and a happy aspect of my life.
Private schools are oftentimes much smaller than public schools, I think. And there are private schools expressly for students with disabilities, and even students with mild-to-moderate disabilities. There are also Montessori schools that help students hone in on their particular passions and interests, while leaving enough room for a wholistic and comprehensive education. (I think Montessori schools also emphasize self-initiated activities to further foster students’ particular interests and talents. Montessori schools are usually only available at the elementary school level–although there is current work to make them available at the secondary school level as well, I think.) There are also parochial/religious schools. And then there are the classic private schools, so to speak—autonomous schools that operate independently from the government, and that set their own guidelines and routines. The education there is often high-quality, and there’s often an added focus on character-building and integrity. And they’re not obligated to retain students, and so bullying and disruptions are not easily tolerated. I think students can get expelled for bad behavior, and etc.
If a family lives within the vicinity of a private school of their liking—whether a special-needs school, a Montessori school, a parochial/religious school, or a traditional private school—then I think the only real barrier is tuition expenses. To remedy this problem; a lot of private schools have financial aid and scholarships for families who can’t afford the full cost of tuition. I would also imagine that school choice—giving families the opportunity to choose a better option for their child—would help a lot. However: I know that giving people additional money for private school use—and not simply a refund of their own education tax dollars—might be kind of inappropriate. Public dollars, tax money that the government obtains, should support public schools, I guess. And there’s no government regulation of private schools, and so it might not make sense for public tax dollars to fund schools that the local government has no real regulation of, no real say in. But families should definitely receive a tax refund if they choose to attend a private school—a refund for the amount of taxes they paid in for public education. Since they don’t utilize this specific service, there’s no need for them to pay into it. This tax reimbursement, along with financial aid from the private school itself, might be enough to cover tuition costs, year-by-year. I imagine it is quite expensive to operate a private school, and to pay tuition to a private school. And it’s definitely unfortunate that only wealthier families have easy access to private schools. It sometimes seems that life is designed for people who are middle-class and upper-middle class. And that’s great for them, that they’re doing so well–I’m quite happy for them. But I don’t know what to say to families who desperately want private schools, but can’t afford it by any means. *But I mean, we can always just improve our public schools so that classes are smaller in size/head count; the schools are more accountable in terms of student achievement; and etc. I.e; we can always emulate private schools, we can follow their example and their lead. I don’t see why certain public schools are as big as they are, and I don’t exactly know why they’re sometimes failing—why they’re not reaching students properly. But this is a complex topic, with lots of backstory and context to it. I definitely would have attended private school during secondary school, if I had the chance. But I think there are ways to transform public schools for the better—there are ways to bring about great public schools, from elementary schools to high schools. Education is often the only means to a good life, and everyone deserves their best chance.
| Well, in regards to school choice, and helping families towards private schools; maybe we can restrict these private school stipends to those families who would truly benefit from a different type of environment than that offered by a public school. Even though the financial assistance given to them would be public tax money, and it would go towards a non-public entity, I guess there might be a certain benefit to this approach. Many students show a lot of promise, and they would likely benefit from a more close-knit environment, somewhere where the academic and behavioral expectations are high—a small(er) and more communal environment. But then how do we decide which students should receive public tax money towards private schools? Maybe these can be students who are lower income? I.e., those students who are at-risk, and who would benefit from preventative approaches. I think this might actually be a good service to low-income youth—the idea of giving them financial aid towards private school use. *But then again, I don’t see why only low-income youth should have this privilege. Why not middle-income youth, too–those who show academic strength, and etc.? So I think it’s a slippery slope. You’d have to open up the financial grants to absolutely everyone who wants them—lower-income families, middle-income, and even upper-income. I don’t know if it can be restricted to poorer families; that wouldn’t make any sense. I would imagine that even students who feel that they don’t have a lot of friends—those who are loners or who are atypical/exceptional in some way; as well as immigrant youth and ethnic minority youth—all of these diverse populations might feel that they would benefit from a private school. They would then require monetary support, financial support, to attend these private schools. Whether or not giving grants to each family who wants it—grants to attend a private school—whether or not this is completely appropriate, I simply don’t know. I would think more people than necessary would take the offer… But I myself really need to learn way more about this particular issue of school choice. From what I understand right now, it seems to be largely based on allotting tax dollars towards private school use—giving vouchers/grants to families, to use towards private school tuition. It might be a good idea after all; it might be worthwhile. But I just don’t know why we can’t utilize tax money (public funds) towards our own public schools. Why can’t we downsize and upgrade our own public schools? Why can’t we attract the best and brightest teachers and administrators? Why can’t we make public schools rival or surpass private schools, in quality? Indeed, I’m not against public schools, in itself. I’m only against some of their negative features, like very large class sizes; lack of discipline for disruptive behavior; bullying; low academic achievement; and etc. But I think that if we can transform our public schools (using the tax funding, the taxes that go towards education)—then the problem with them will be solved, and there’d be no need to help people towards private schools as an alternative. And so I’m more for severe education reform, I think–more so than simply helping move families to private schools.
(Also; wouldn’t some of the problems that are contained within public schools simply migrate to private schools? If many students are not at grade level within public schools, why would they suddenly become proficient while attending private schools? Private schools, academies, and etc. are often rigorous, I think. The curriculum is not really designed for at-risk students or students who require intervention. I think private schools are notorious for being academically rigorous. If certain students truly are at-risk, what would a private academy help? Relocating to an academically rigorous private school is not the answer for at-risk youth or youth who are struggling. I don’t think it’ll solve the problem. *I actually deeply appreciate public schools for their academic intervention, tutoring services, and things like free/reduced-cost meals for lower-income youth. And public schools are somewhat free for the populace; they’re taxpayer-funded. We all pay into them once a year, via taxes. And a lot of public schools are actually fabulous, with provisions like ESL services; disability/special-needs services; the student body is often really culturally diverse; the school libraries are well-stocked and well maintained; and etc. And so some public schools are truly high-quality; they’re comparable to private schools. And so I think that’s what we should achieve, that’s the direction to go in. It’s mainly about attracting optimal educators and administrators, and utilizing the public funding, the taxpayer money, effectively. They also need to be disciplinary and positive places—stopping negative behavior and producing a happy environment makes all the difference.)
The only students/families I truly empathize with regarding school choice are special needs, exceptional, and atypical youth—which is actually a larger percentage than what we might perceive; and people of faith, religious families. These very particular types of families, those who feel that the public school system is definitely not right for them, often do consider shifting to a specialized school, but they often can’t afford it. *But from what I understand, every child, even all special-needs children, are entitled to a free k-12 education, by federal law. And so the school districts do cover the costs for special-needs families to attend independent schools for their children with disabilities, if it’s determined that special-needs schools are the best placement. I think so, I think this is accurate. (And I think many of these special-needs schools are taxpayer funded, anyway—they’re public special-needs schools. And so it should be very easy and seamless to transition to such schools, if it’s determined that a special school is the best placement for a student.) And as for religious families; I don’t think public tax dollars can go towards private parochial schools, due to separation of church and state. But it seems that the religious schools and their communities often do pool their resources in order to help students attend; they help each other offset the costs of tuition. And there is also financial aid and scholarships, I think. I know that many people of faith prefer parochial schools for their kids. And the graduates of such schools are often intelligent, outstanding citizens; they’re highly respectful, focused, and prayerful/committed to their religion. And they’re often significant in their fields, whether with secular or religiously-affiliated work.
| And as for students who just simply want a small(er), close-knit environment; somewhere free from bullying and negative energy; somewhere where the academic and behavioral standards are high—as for those students who just want the best environment possible; the best teachers, administrators, curriculum, and facilities; and smaller class sizes and better accountability–well, this is what all schools should be like, anyway. This is what school administrators are trying to produce anyway, I think. The aforementioned traits are obviously the gold standard, the rule of thumb. And so the debate isn’t really about “public” vs “private” schools, in my opinion. It’s about the quality of a school, per se. Objective quality, quality that is measurable. I’d rather attend a public high school with smaller class sizes and a culture of discipline and positivity, rather than a private tuition-based school that’s not innovative, culturally aware, friendly, and high-quality. And so again; I don’t think the discussion should be about retaining students in public schools vs. shifting them to private schools. No school system is set in stone; it’s a lot more fluid than that. Some private, tuition-based schools can be not that good; and some public schools can be terrific. It all depends on how we go about it, with any school.
And so I think it comes down to severely changing and reforming our public schools–the taxpayer-funded public schools, which all belong to us. The ones that we pay into; the public school system. I agree that currently speaking, they’re not meeting the diverse needs of the student body. A lot of kids are actually suffering in our public schools, for some reason or another. And the schools are objectively subpar, in many cases. They’re big, class sizes are too big; there’s no discipline for bullying and bad behavior; etc., etc. And I agree that spending more money on schools that are underperforming is not the be-all and end-all. In my opinion, the solution is mostly about quality faculty and administration, and downsizing, somehow. I don’t know why a high school has to have several thousand students in it. We all know what happens when class sizes are too big and unmanageable. And we all know what happens when teachers’ hearts are not really in it–when the job is just a paycheck to them, and they’re not really into it. Teachers also need to be culturally aware. There are a lot of immigrant youth; special-needs youth; lgbtq+ youth; and etc. Ostracizing students, or treating them differently or less-than, should be a serious answerability, for the staff. A lot of bullying and horror stories simply get swept under the rug/go unreported, in public schools. Maybe it’s because they’re so big(!) They’re crowded–they’re like big factories, in many ways. And the admin. are just simply trying to get to the end of the year; they’re not going to look into “every little thing,” as it’s often put. And so that’s why some youth don’t have a good time, in school–vulnerable youth, and etc.
| Charter schools are also a good option; these are publicly-funded schools that operate independently from the state school systems. And so they have a lot more autonomy and creative freedom, I think. And magnet schools are wonderful, too; these are publicly-funded schools that center around a particular theme or area/discipline/field, like performing arts, STEM, and other fields. | I myself have no inherent partiality towards private, public, or charter/magnet schools, or any type of school. My only serious concern, as aforementioned, is that classes should be small- to- midsize; there should be accountability regarding academic achievement; there should be compassionate disciplinary action if needed; and they should be positive places–places where students and staff feel comfortable and content.
| School years are only a few short years, in many ways; and yet they often determine the course of a person’s life. Everyone deserves their best chance; no students deserve to fall through the cracks or get left behind, completely. The adult world often doesn’t care about your school years, and the situation there–the quality of your education. Everyone has a sob story, I guess. The adult world expects one to be a productive, balanced member of society–no excuses, no blaming the past. So this reality is why giving everyone the best chance while they’re young–as soon as they’re born–is of utmost importance. For a lot of people, education and a suitable career–something that fits their mould–is truly their only way out. They’re not destined to go into something gargantuan, and make tons of money. That’s the reality. That was the reality for me, my entire family, and my neighborhood block too, I assume. No crazy amount of wealth, no connections, no golden path paved in front of us, no nothing. And yet it’s the most wonderful life I can imagine; it’s extraordinarily normal. It’s absolutely beautiful; I’m grateful for everything I have. And so we should help people live the best lives they can; healthy, focused, successful lives. There’s no other option. No one’s going to grant everyone in the populace millions upon millions of dollars, for free–a lot of wealth, for free. And no one’s going to live life for us, for sure; no one can live life for us.
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