Living the Speducator Dream

 Importance of Special Educators Building Relationships with  General Education Teachers Being a special educator can be isolating - especially if you are the only one in your building! Often, professional development or staff meeting topics don't apply to us. We are told to "join that group," even though it won't benefit us professionally. It's hard to feel like we're not on an island. For introverts like me, it can be difficult to meet people at work - especially in a new job/position/school. Also, I feel like I am on the go from the time I get there in the morning until the (late afternoon) when I leave. I often work through lunch, eating over my keyboard. Is that the right thing to do? Of course not! But there is always so much to do! As I reflect on the friends I have made across the years and across elementary, middle, and high school settings, though, I think about why it is so important to leave our comfort zones for personal and professional relations...

 Beginning of Year Elementary Special Education Case Manager Checklist While no case manager's beginning of the year is the same, there is a checklist I use for myself to make sure I'm doing everything I need to before we start small groups - and to make sure general education teachers feel supported when new students start in their classrooms. There are so many areas we have to prepare - and it's not just setting up our room or planning for small group instruction. We have to review student IEPs/BIPs and other case management related tasks; we have to prepare our paraeducator team; create a small group master schedule (that somehow aligns to the building master schedule! 😅); give general education teachers information, materials, visuals, IEPs and BIPs at a Glance, while reviewing important accommodations; and finally, we have to prepare for small group instruction across content areas, like reading, writing, math, social skills, behavior, and adaptive. Whew! It's alw...