There are many special education courses offered in school today. Whether a child needs complete special education or just assistance in understanding one or two classes, special education can change the way that a child learns. Before you send your child to special education classes you need to determine what is best for your child using these five tips.
Does the special education class teach what your child needs? If the class is taught in the same way that the regular classes are taught, chances are your child will not benefit from this type of special education. Make sure that there is an individualized plan as well as a group plan to teach and enhance learning. If not, have a meeting with the teacher to determine if there is anything you can work out between the two of you.
Do the teacher and assistant display enough patience and compassion to deal with the different attitudes and situations with each child? You can determine that by sitting in on one or two classes to monitor the way the class is taught and how they respond to each child’s needs. If a child does not understand something, you need to know how quickly they respond and how do they help. It’s important to feel comfortable knowing that when you child goes to school he or she will get the help they need. You also want to know if there is enough assistance when the teacher needs it the most.
Are there volunteers in the school that can pull in when necessary? Can you volunteer as well? Schools should never turn down any type of assistance they can get when it comes to making school safe, running effectively, and appreciating all parents and guardians that want the best for their child.
Are there special programs that assist the special education classes? There should be community assistance in order to give the students hands on visuals in order to understand the classroom lessons. Sometimes children learn more when they actually see it. For example, a fireman wears the gear, drives the truck, and helps to contain a fire but having a fireman come to the class room dressed in gear and tell stories of their jobs is much more effective for some students. This is sometimes easier for children to learn while others can learn strictly by studying it in a book.
You also want to see how often your child’s teacher will be performing parent teacher meetings. Once a month is ideal even if it is over the phone but if it needs to be more often then you should be willing to do so. It’s important that you and your child’s teacher work together to create a working plan for your child’s education. After all, your child is the reason why you are there to begin with. If you cannot establish a good working relationship with your child’s teacher then you may be fighting with the system all year and the only one who suffers from this is your child.
