Adequate Training for Special Education Teachers

1. Adequate Training for Special Education Teachers Rachel Cobb Korina Gill Ashley Gage Chelsea Spargo

2. Why does it matter? • Special Education teachers should be trained adequately to deal with individual situations in their classrooms. When a teacher has a child with Autism, it is important the teacher be trained to deal with outbursts or lack of communication. When the teacher knows and understands how to handle individual situations, the classroom environment is smoother and promotes better learning.

3. Hillsborough County • The Hillsborough County School Board held a workshop on Thursday, January 31 to discuss ways to make schools safer for special needs students. They recommended the following: • Making safety videos showing teachers and aides how to handle emergency situations • Offering more specialized training with pay for people who work with special needs students • Assigning additional staff to have direct oversight and supervision of aides • Considering salary increases Source: http://www.baynews9.com/content/news/baynews9/news/article.html/content/news/articles/bn9/2013/1/31/hillsborough_school_.html

4. Filling Cabinets? • A teacher in Texas stuffed a nine year old child with nonverbal autism in a filling cabinet. During the investigation, it was discovered that she had previously abused her students and even taught her aides how to hit them. The mother of the child with autism is working to put video cameras in the classroom to ensure documentation of such events. • Source: http://jobs.aol.com/articles/2012/06/20/texas-teacher-abused-autistic-child-stuffed-her-in-file-cabinet/

5. Dragging Around • Two New Mexico teachers drug a 6-year old who is blind down a hallway by his feet. He later complained of a headache. The student reportedly was being difficult when walking down the hallway to the next class, so the teachers resorted to dragging him there. • Source: http://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/local-news/teachers-suspended-after-blind-special-needs-student-dragged-down-hallway

6. Cardboard Boxes • A student with Asperger’s Sydnrome was in need of a “quiet place” in the classroom. This consisted of a cardboard box. The teacher used this box as a form of punishment. She told him to “get in his box” when he was acting out. • Source: http://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2012/02/29/teacher-allegedly-ordered-boy-with-autism-into-cardboard-box/

7. Autism • A teacher in Hollywood has been suspended for locking an autistic child in a chair for two hours, as well as improperly managing several other special-needs children. • Source: http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/2012-12-18/news/fl-special-needs-teacher-abuse-20121217_1_autistic-child-autistic-students-hollywood-teacher

8. The Message • Special Education teachers should know how to handle their students in all aspects of the classroom including but not limited to behavior, social, and physical incidents. • Contact Shelby Knight with the Arkansas Parent Training and Information Center in Jonesboro, Arkansas for further information.

9. Duchene Muscular Dystrophy • A five year old student with Duchene Muscular Dystrophy was placed in a strapped chair when his outburst became too much for the teacher to handle. This not only can harm his already degenerating muscles, but can make the situation worse. The teacher should know and understand proper detainment procedures with reference to a student with Duchene Muscular Dystrophy.

10. Letter to Congress To whom it may concern, It is important for teachers in the Special Needs area of Education to have proper and sufficient training to provide a healthy and safe environment for their students. One way to do this is for teachers to be required to attend incident training. We suggest each Special Needs teacher be required at least eight hours a year of professional development in this area. Sincerely, Rachel Cobb, Korina Gill, Ashley Gage, and Chelsea Spargo

11. Adequate Training for Special Education Teachers Guest Speaker: Shelby Knight Learn about how teachers should treat their students in all aspects of the classroom.

12. Resources to Collaborate With • www.familyhelpcenter.com • www.schoolbusfleet.com • www.starstraining.org • www.professionalregistry.astate.edu • NAEYC

13. Opposition • Teachers should be adequately prepared for these situations after they have graduated college with their teaching degree. Why should we provided extra training? • Teachers do not know what they will do in a situation until they are there. They should use the knowledge they have to get through the situation, and then seek training for if it happens again. • Teachers do not have time to deal with students and go to training. They have lesson plans and papers to grade. • A teacher should ALWAYS make time to grow and develop their methods in the classroom.