SPED teacher here with a question

[Anonymous]

I am unsure where this question should fall within DCUM. I am newly SPED teacher. I teach within a middle school and the classes are cotaught. Meaning, there is myself and a general education teacher in the classroom. The classroom is “inclusive.” I put air quotes for a reason. There are a total of 30 children in the class. 26 students have an IEP and their needs are extensive. 4 students are without an IEP and not even borderline low. They would be considered high average. I can not seem to wrap my head around this being inclusive because they throw a handful, literally, of general ed kids in the class. It is literally like a SPED class. Learning can barely happen as everyone has high needs and I feel bad for the 4 students. I do not even think their parents know about the classroom set up. Is this the norm? Am I the confused one? Is there something I am not understanding? I am in MD.

[Anonymous]

This is totally wrong and your instincts are correct.

[Anonymous]

I have a son with an IEP and I think the 4 students in your class are being hugely disadvantaged. But furthermore, 30 kids who have high needs in a class with one special education teacher? That's insane. I'm so sorry. You can't do your job and they can't learn.

[Anonymous]

OP here. Thank you for insight. I dare not to say anything as I am new here and school has only been in session for a month but it seems wrong on both sides. I was not sure if this is the norm though and wanted to gain others perspective.

[Anonymous]

How can 24 of 30 kids have an IEP?? Is it this grade section, meaning they put most of the IEP kids in one section and there are more NT kids in the other sections?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Thank you for insight. I dare not to say anything as I am new here and school has only been in session for a month but it seems wrong on both sides. I was not sure if this is the norm though and wanted to gain others perspective.

My kid is bright and NT. He was put in a 9th grade science class where 2/3s of the kids were given extra time to take tests, and there was at least 1 parapro to structure assignments for a child with some severe issues. That child watched TV on their phone a lot. This cohort really affected my son's interest in the class.

Then this cohort rotated after fall semester to a new science subject and teacher. But there was no parapro. The teacher asked the students who were succeeding, including my son, to buddy with the others to help them. I felt bad for the teacher and asked the principal what was happening. The principal looked into it but there really wasn't staff available to improve matters. She did say that it appeared the class was imbalanced terms of student abilities. But in January, it's not possible to tear up schedules.

TL;DR maybe see if you can provide extra content to the 4 kids just by putting them in reading or discussion group together. Maybe with extra worksheets. Anything that lets them work at their pace together. Kind of like early elementary reading instruction.

[Anonymous]

Give the 4 kids their own class.

[Anonymous]

What class is it? Middle school students have different teachers for different classes.

In our middle school the kids with learning disabilities have a separate class in the learning center. There are typically less than 12 students in this class at a time. The math, English, science, engineering, civics are all in regular class.

I would bet it’s 90% ADHD students.

[Anonymous]

I believe this. So many IEPs. Maybe not all have this many in classes, but many do.