Angelman Today September / October edition 2013 | Page 13

Does My Child Have a Good Teacher?
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When I went into the field of teaching in the public schools it was after I had my three children and finished my education. I was so excited to finally start my “dream” job and naively thought most teachers, especially those who taught students with more significant disabilities, felt the same excitement and commitment. I have since found that this is not always the case. Here are 9 questions you might want to ask yourself about your child’s teacher in order to ensure that your child is getting the best educational experience possible. - Lisa C. Gleeson MA SpEd.

3. Is he/she willing to find out more about the types of issues
your child may have, medical, educational and emotional. There are plenty of conferences out there that may benefit her/his teaching of your child and the rest of his/her classmates. School districts will often pay for all or part of conference attendance. There are websites and some great parent listservs that you can read or join. It’s been my experience that most parents are more than happy to give you some of their hard -won knowledge.

so busy or hectic that I was too busy dealing with my students to write the notes, but hopefully that doesn’t happen often. Conversely, most teachers would love it if the parent would write a note when something out of the ordinary happens with their child. Examples would be, did they sleep, did they eat that morning, was there unusual seizure activity? Your child can’t tell me if they need extra TLC that day, I am counting on you.

4. Do you feel as though you are part of your child’s educational team? Not just
around IEP time, but any time issues arrive concerning your child’s education? Speaking of IEP’s, does your child’s teacher consult you about concerns you might have in creating the next IEP? Does he/she let you know that you can call a meeting at any time you feel one is necessary, it does not have to be annual and that it is a living document, not something set in stone?

6. If your child is in a self contained classroom, does
the teacher have plans on how to create inclusion times or activities. When I taught elementary school students with multiple disabilities, they all had an opportunity to have inclusion in the kindergarten classroom accompanied by a paraprofessional or myself. As they got older I tried to choose specials that they particularly had an affinity for such as art, music, PE. There can also be inclusion in the academic classes and reverse

1. Has the teacher asked you questions about your
child? Do the ?6???v?VFvRF?B&V?G2&RF?R&V?W?W'G2v?V??B6??W2F?F?V?"6???G&V???W2?gFW"vR?fRFVv?B??W"6???Bf?"6?W?R?b?V'2vR?????r6??WF???r&?WB??W"6???B?B?V7Bv?V?F?W?&RB66?????'WBV?F??FV???R&RF?RW?W'G2?"?v?V???Rf?'7B?VWBF?RFV6?W"??2?R?6?R?&VG?f??"v?F???W"6???N( ?2?U?&??"FW7F??r?@???F???rV?6RF?W????fRf?V?B????W"6???N( ?2f??S?F??2?2W7V??F?Rf?'7BF???r?F?v?V??f??B?WBv??v???&R???6?72?FV6?W"6??6??V?BF?v?&??"FV6?W'2F?f??B?WB?76??r?"?VVFVB??f?&?F?????uur??tT???D?D??4???R?F?W2??W"6???N( ?2FV6?W"6V?B???R??FRF???"0??gFV?2?76?&?S??b??W"6???B?2???fW&&????R???fR???FVv?BvV?B??????2?"?W"F?F?F??G??6???F?6?V6??7B?Bw&?GFV???FW2?bF???w2F?B???fR7F??B?WBF?BF???bF?W&R&R7V6?f?2F???w2??R&V??v?BF????r??V6R6?f?"F??6R2vV???F?W&Rv???&RF?2v?V???R????BvWB??FR?f?"?R?F?BW7V???V?2F?BF?RV?B?bF?RF?v0??6WFV?&W"??7F?&W"#0???