Special Education Teacher SLAY: What does it Look Like?
Special education without question, is the most challenging job you will ever love. Yes, there seems to be an endless amount of paperwork, multiple meetings, dealing with difficult parents, managing student caseloads while still juggling instructional roles and responsibilities in the inclusion classroom. Despite the shortage of special education teachers available to serve the learning needs of children with disabilities, this career path is not for everyone. An innate love for special education and a strong desire to make a significant difference for children with disabilities is a job requirement for a successful and enjoyable career because the workload is not going anywhere. If working in special education is just a paycheck to you, then stop reading this article right now and seek employment elsewhere because there are much easier ways to make money if you are not called to this very demanding profession. Grab a copy of my new eBook for new and novice special education teachers here.
If you are still reading then you are a committed special educator who feel special education is your life’s calling however, you still want to manage the demands and expectations of your job more efficiently. I have been exactly where you are. I began my teaching career with a Master’s degree in Special Education, with a DUAL certification in special education mild moderate and English. I walked into an inclusion classroom for the first time, not knowing what was expected of me and had no one to tell me. I spent that entire school year making copies, subbing for absent teachers, grading papers and other menial tasks such as chaperoning field trips and relieving teachers so they can go to the restroom or smoke a cigarette. All the students thought that I was a substitute teacher or a parent volunteer. That year was extremely humiliating and when the school year ended, I decided; NEVER AGAIN!
In this blog post, I’ll share how I went from being completely clueless with no efficacy or professional direction, to a teacher of the year who SLAY and began enjoying a very satisfying and successful career in special education. I’ll be covering:
How I took ownership of my own professional development
How I developed an understanding of my role and responsibilities in the classroom
How I learned to put the needs of my student before anything
How changing my mindset and perception of myself, changed my career
So if you feel like so many other Special Education teachers, who love serving the learning needs of children with disabilities but want to increase your teacher efficacy (fancy term that refers to a teacher who SLAY). If you want to feel like what you do is significant then you are definitely in the right place. Not everyone has the ability or desire to teach, support and inspire children with some of the most pressing learning and behavior needs but if you feel you are that person then buckle up.
How I changing my mindset and perception of myself, changed my Career
When I think about my first year teaching, I knew that I was not completely ready to meet the challenges of this very demanding job. Despite my education, I knew nothing. I wanted very much to do well and have the respect and acceptance of my peers but I was not confident and everyone around me could sense my insecurities. Please understand that having a degree and teacher certification is not enough, you must also have a mindset conducive to professional growth. I simply did not have that growth mindset because I was overcome by fear. By far, that was the worst year of my career because I felt useless and unworthy. I knew that I was called to be a special education teacher but not like this. I knew Something had to change, and fast!
At the pinnacle of this process, I began to notice how I stopped caring about what others thought. I spoke to myself saying, “I am a competent professional who has something significant to contribute to students with special needs.” This self awareness was indeed a game changer. I stopped being a people-pleaser and needing acceptance and validation from people around me. Every morning I reminded myself of my purpose: To serve the needs of students with disabilities, who need me to help them learn.
I began to walk in my purpose and focused on my student’s needs. All my interactions with school personnel were student focused. So, “no Ms. Smith, I’m sorry but I need to be in the classroom supporting students so I don’t have time to go make copies for you, is there a reason why you could not do this during your planning period?” I was always very respectful and friendly to my co-workers; however, I feel if they can ask me to do something that is clearly not my job then , I most certainly can say no. It did not take long for everyone to see that they would have to find another “flunky” because I was no longer that girl!
How I developed an understanding of my role in the classroom
I decided that if being a special education teacher meant that I have to grade papers, substitute teach, answer phones, make copies and go on field trips while the students I am charged with teaching are not receiving the education they are entitled to, then this is not the job for me and I was going to quit.
I knew that if I were to go to an administrator and express that I did not want to continue to perform the menial tasks asked of me, I would have to propose replacement tasks. It took a long time for me to uncover just what special education teachers do in the classroom because I honestly did not know. There are many learning theories with corresponding interventions and content adaptations for students with disabilities. It was my job to know how my students learn and what teaching approaches were needed in order to master the learning objectives or skills presented in the general education classroom setting. When I approached school leaders, defining my position of wanting to stay in the classroom supporting students they understood and supported me. My student’s test scores the following year showed significant gains and soared every year thereafter and just like that I was on the path to being an effective special educator who was SLAYing!
How I took ownership of my professional development
If you are waiting for your school district to provide you with professional development opportunities that will help you SLAY, don’t! In most school districts, you will get enough information to make you somewhat informed. I know there are exceptions but usually, when school leaders plan professional developments, special education is usually an afterthought I took ownership of my own professional growth by taking advantage of all learning opportunities available and created others on my own through extensive research. Professional learning for any teacher has to be ongoing for effectiveness; there is no getting around that.
I was constantly researching special education practices, interventions, innovations in special education as well as learning theories . I attended professional developments and completed certifications in other subject areas. I earned two advanced degrees while teaching full time and raising four school aged children. I still found time to collaborate with colleagues, mentor peers pursuing higher education and additional teacher certifications.
I modeled lifelong learning to my students, my children, and my peers. I felt that when I learned, it was an opportunity for me to improve teaching and learning. There is no way to SLAY without constantly seeking knowledge because slaying takes confidence and knowledge breeds confidence.
How I Learned to put the Needs of my Students First
I wholeheartedly believe that my first year of teaching significantly impacted my students’ progress. The following year, I was determined to make it up to my students which resulted in them making phenomenal progress. Of the fourteen students on my caseload from that first year, 8 of them went on to graduate a year early and the rest graduated the following year and are experiencing great future outcomes.
My students are the reason I show up everyday. I believe that if I don’t support and advocate for them, nobody will. I came to understand early that I am not a special education teacher to make life easier for general education teachers or for the school as a whole. Nope, I am here to ensure that my students receive a free and appropriate education in the least restrictive environment. Whatever my services my student’s Individual Education Plan (IEP) provides to them, that is what’s going to happen; no compromising on that.
When I am in a co-teaching arrangement with a general education teacher, we collaborate on how to deliver instruction, assess student learning and manage behavior of all students. If that sounds like a question, pardon me, it's not! I no longer ask permission to do the job entrusted to me; the one I get paid for. If a teacher doesn't want to co-teach, tell them to take it up with administration but in the meantime, learning is going forth with FIDELITY. You must understand that what you do everyday has value. For your students to succeed you must show up with the intentions to do your job with excellence and absolutely no apologies.
How Knowledge Breeds Confidence
I’m about to tell my age, but I remember watching Saturday morning cartoons and the School House Rock would come on and on a certain part the song goes, “knowledge is power.” I didn’t quite understand at the time but I get it now. I have been intentional about learning everything there is to know about how to be the best special education teacher. The only way to get better is to learn more.
I know it is time consuming but what you know determines your value both to yourself and to those around you. There are no shortcuts to greatness. I am a walking talking special education encyclopedia because I want to be the best. I know that I was born to do this job so I might as well be phenomenal at doing it. There are countless resources on all aspects of special education that are absolutely free.
You cannot SLAY if you don’t have relevant and up to date information. What are you bringing to the table? I can demand equal instructional time in the inclusion classroom because general education teachers know I can deliver instruction, interventions and strategies often with little collaboration, many times winging it; now that's SLAYING! This is not being arrogant or conceited, it comes from over 17 years operating under IDEA in various capacities. I know my job very well and I am at a point where I just want to show other special education teachers how to get to that level in their educational practice. You can make a real difference when you have the extensive knowledge required to hone your craft.
You can become the special education teacher you always envisioned yourself being. It's not too late to SLAY and enjoy a satisfying and successful career serving the needs of students with disabilities despite the uncertainty of the current education climate. When you SLAY, you can walk into any classroom environment and own it.
As a special education teacher who has been uncertain, I want you all to SLAY and Stay in special education because our children with disabilities need you.
If you are truly ready to SLAY then join the wait list here for my Special Education Teacher Boot camp cohort in January. Let me teach you the SLAY Framework so you can gain the competence, confidence, and commitment to improve academic and future outcomes for children with disabilities.
