# data[].attributes.headline
Have you ever co-taught classes before?  If so, how was your experience with co-teaching? Were all of your co-teaching experiences in middle school?

# data[].attributes.subject
Have you ever co-taught classes before?  If so, how was your experience with co-teaching? Were all of your co-teaching experiences in middle school?

# data[].attributes.body
"I have co-taught two science classes when I was teaching in Rantoul.  I really enjoyed co-teaching.  It gave me a chance to collaborate and teach with another teacher.  There were days where I taught, days where my co-teacher taught, days we split into groups, etc.  I think having two teachers in there really benefited both the classes I did it with.  They saw both of us as the teachers and respected both of us in the same way.  All of my experiences were in a middle school setting when I taught 7th grade science."

# data[].attributes.headline
What is the most challenging part about working with students in your general ed. class that have disabilities?

# data[].attributes.subject
What is the most challenging part about working with students in your general ed. class that have disabilities?

# data[].attributes.body
"I would say the only challenge would be accommodating my lesson to fit the needs of all the students. Making sure all the needs are met of all the students is always a challenge. I have used UDL lessons in my class this year for the first time and I think that those definitely helped to fit the needs of all the students. I would say that is the only challenge.  Another small one would be finding time to work with or ask questions to the special ed. teacher in my building. We don't have similar planning time and sometimes I have questions about how to accommodate
a certain lesson for a certain student.

# data[].attributes.headline
What are you thoughts on inclusion?  Benefits for young adolescents? Disadvantages for young adolescents?

# data[].attributes.subject
What are you thoughts on inclusion?  Benefits for young adolescents? Disadvantages for young adolescents?

# data[].attributes.body
"I love the idea for inclusion. When I was teaching at Rantoul, there was more inclusion than there is at the school I am at now (St. Joseph). My favorite part was when the special ed. students got excited about being in my class everyday and seeing all the students treat them the same. Having all the students accept them for who they are was really cool to see. The benefits of inclusion for young adolescents is the social part of inclusion. The special ed. students are able to socialize with their peers and they are able to learn how to socialize in a different environment. It also benefits the students in my general ed. class because they are able to learn how to work with students with disabilities and learn how to accept them for who they are.  I don't really see any disadvantages to inclusion.  I would love for our school to incorporate more inclusion into our classrooms."

# data[].attributes.body
Stephanie Kinney: Currently teaches 8th grade science at St. Joseph Middle School

Years of experience: 16 years

Places taught:

- Rantoul Junior
High as a 7th grade
science teacher (8
years)
- St. Joseph Middle
School as an 8th
grade science
teacher (9 years)

Types of special ed. programs involved with:  - Has co-taught a few classes, never has been a special ed. teacher

Personal educational experiences/training

- Went to Parkland
Community
College for two
years and got
associates degree
- Went to Millikin
University to get
Elementary Ed.
degree (K-8)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Create a new document and edit with others at the same time -- from your computer, phone or tablet. Get stuff done with or without an internet connection. Use Docs to edit Word files. Free from Google.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
What Is an IEP? | Individualized Education Program Explained

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Create a new document and edit with others at the same time -- from your computer, phone or tablet. Get stuff done with or without an internet connection. Use Docs to edit Word files. Free from Google.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Create a new document and edit with others at the same time -- from your computer, phone or tablet. Get stuff done with or without an internet connection. Use Docs to edit Word files. Free from Google.

# data[].attributes.headline
Where do you see special education at in 10 years?  Even 5?

# data[].attributes.subject
Where do you see special education at in 10 years?  Even 5?

# data[].attributes.body
"Within our district, I hope to see more inclusion and co-taught classes. I think that it would be very beneficial for all students. I also hope to see the testing students have to go through, go away. Along with that, I hope they start developing tests that fit students disability (meaning like the PARC test or any standardized tests). Not only just have students get longer time to take it, but have certain tests that fit the needs of all learners and students taking the test."

# data[].attributes.headline
What is your school day like? (Meaning structure of schedule) How does this schedule benefit young adolescents?

# data[].attributes.subject
What is your school day like? (Meaning structure of schedule) How does this schedule benefit young adolescents?

# data[].attributes.body
"In the morning we block reading and language which is 84 minutes long. Then the students go to life skills (my prep).  Then they go to lunch/recess.  After that we have math which is also blocked.  After math they go to PE and then back for science at the end of the day.  I have noticed that the block scheduling can be challenging for the students in my room and we have to take frequent breaks.  Especially in math, a block period is too long so we have to break it up."
1.) Language Arts/Reading (Blocked)
2.) Life Skills (prep)
3.) Lunch/Recess
4.) Math (Blocked)
5.) PE
6.) Science
"I find that this schedule really works with my students because it allows for a lot of breaks.  Most of my students need mental breaks throughout the day and this schedule allows for that.  We have breaks such as lunch/recess and P.E. in between are content-heavy classes."

# data[].attributes.headline
How is the structure of your special ed. classroom different from a general ed. classroom? Was your K-6 special ed. class structured the same as your special ed. class now? What is different about them? 

# data[].attributes.subject
How is the structure of your special ed. classroom different from a general ed. classroom? Was your K-6 special ed. class structured the same as your special ed. class now? What is different about them? 

# data[].attributes.body
"In my class, we rotate stations so that the students don't get dependent on their aid. We do a lot of stations during the day. In the special ed. classroom there is also a lot more differentiation that takes place.  In my classroom specifically, I have to differentiate for all the students in my class ad create 7 different lessons for each student.  Because of that, I have to hand make most of the curriculum.  (Side note: she showed me the hand made curriculum that she has made for about a month in advance that is dependent on where her students are academically).  Another aspect that varies is that in our special ed. classroom we meet each student where they are. This goes along with the differentiation and hand making the curriculum. My classroom set up now is similar to the one I had in my K-6 special ed. class but our class definitely does not run the same.  My classroom now with my 5-8 students is way more hands on and we have them get up and move a lot.  A lot of the students need frequent breaks so having stations where students move from table to table allows for those breaks to happen and allow the flow of class to not be disrupted entirely.  In my K-6 special ed. classroom we also didn't have the resources that I do now.  We had desks and chairs rather than circular tables.  It was set up more as a old school classroom  We tried to arrange it as best of possible for the students to all feel included."

# data[].attributes.headline
Have you ever co-taught classes before?  If so, how was your experience with co-teaching? Were all of your co-teaching experiences in middle school? 

# data[].attributes.subject
Have you ever co-taught classes before?  If so, how was your experience with co-teaching? Were all of your co-teaching experiences in middle school? 

# data[].attributes.body
"Yes, I have co-taught math and language arts classes.  My experiences within the classroom vary.  There were days when the general ed. teacher would teach and I would assist when needed and help the students after the lesson was over on whatever activity they were doing.  There were days where we both taught together.  There were days we would split up into groups and each teach a specific part of the lesson and then switch.  It just kind of depended on the day.  We would plan and develop unit plans and lesson plans together either during our prep or before/after school.  I really enjoyed co-teaching and is something I advocate more for our district. All of the classes I have co-taught have been in the middle school that I currently teach at.  I have never seen co-teaching happen in an elementary school.  The elementary school I worked at which was K-6 did not have co-teaching and I believe that the elementary school in our school district does not have co-taught classes."

# data[].attributes.headline
What is the most rewarding part of teaching special education? How are the rewarding parts different between working in a K-6 special ed. classroom rather than in a 5-8 special ed. classroom?

# data[].attributes.subject
What is the most rewarding part of teaching special education? How are the rewarding parts different between working in a K-6 special ed. classroom rather than in a 5-8 special ed. classroom?

# data[].attributes.body
"For me, the most rewarding part would be when a student finally understands the lesson and is progressing. Seeing the look on a students face when they finally get something they have been struggling with is, by far, the best part. Another rewarding part about teaching special ed. is when parents get excited about what their student is achieving.  When they are able to see how far their student has come and what they are capable of, it makes me feel like I am making a difference. With the second question, I wouldn't say one was more rewarding than the other but they were definitely rewarding in different ways. The biggest thing I have noticed is that typically, not all the time, young adolescents parent's have already accepted that their student has a disability and they have "gotten used to" how to work with their student. There will be times that the students in my middle school special ed. class now where students will get excited about accomplishing a small thing or something will finally click, and their parents are just as excited as they are.  To still see that at the middle school level is one reason why I keep doing it."

# data[].attributes.headline
What are you thoughts on inclusion?  Benefits for young adolescents? Disadvantages for young adolescents?

# data[].attributes.subject
What are you thoughts on inclusion?  Benefits for young adolescents? Disadvantages for young adolescents?

# data[].attributes.body
Benefits: "I love the idea of inclusion.  Students who have special needs are able to have role models to look up to for behavior to in the general education classroom. This benefits young adolescent students because they are able to interact and socialize with their peers. By having those interactions, I can tell that my students get excited when they are able to be included with their peers in the general ed. setting.   The students in the general education classroom are also able to challenge the students with special needs. With inclusion, all students, even the students in the general ed. classroom are benefited. I believe that the young adolescent students in the general ed. classroom would benefit just as much, socially, with inclusion as my special ed. students. They are able to learn how to how to interact with students with disabilities, which is something some adults don't even know how to do. I would love if our school incorporated more inclusion in the general education classroom. I think that it would benefit the students tremendously."
Disadvantages: "The only disadvantage I can think of would be that you can't put students who have extreme cognitive delays into the general ed. classroom. In that case, it wouldn't be benefiting the student because they are at a completely different academic level. I have had experience with some of my middle school students, where inclusion didn't benefit them when we tried it because they were at such a lower grade level than other students.  Other than that, I have only seen positive outcomes with inclusion in our middle school."

# data[].attributes.headline
How have the changes in special education, overtime, effect the way you teach?

# data[].attributes.subject
How have the changes in special education, overtime, effect the way you teach?

# data[].attributes.body
"The changes have given me a limited amount of time with each individual student. Also, since there are 7 different lessons going on in our classroom at once, I don't get a 42 minute group lesson. All the instruction is individual. The changes to special ed. effect each class differently. It depends on the students that are in the class."

# data[].attributes.headline
How have the special education practices changed throughout your time as a special
education teacher?

# data[].attributes.subject
How have the special education practices changed throughout your time as a special
education teacher?

# data[].attributes.body
"Lets see, one practice that has changed is the preparation for IEP's. I used to have to handwrite goals for every individual student. It used to take me hours to create the goals and I would spend hours writing. Now the goals for the IEP's are all online and it doesn't take nearly as long to do. (Side note: she showed me the process of creating the goals online and she said/showed a drop down menu for the goals that makes helps create them) Another practice that has changed is that now we have to collect data on every goal and skill. When I first began, it was not required that we did so."

# data[].attributes.headline
What is the most challenging part of being a special education teacher? Was it more challenging to teach K-6 special ed. than 5-8 special ed.?

# data[].attributes.subject
What is the most challenging part of being a special education teacher? Was it more challenging to teach K-6 special ed. than 5-8 special ed.?

# data[].attributes.body
"To me, the most difficult part about teaching special education is differentiating lessons everyday for 6-7 different students. Currently I have 7 students who are in my special ed. classroom all day and during that time there are 7 different lessons that are going on. There are some students working on life skills (counting money etc.), some students who are at a 3rd and 4th grade academic level, and some that are at a 5th and 6th grade level. I am thankful that I have 3 sometimes 4 different aids in my classroom throughout the day that help with the different instructions. To me, they are probably the same as far as how challenging they are/were. They both were challenging in different ways. When I taught K-6 special ed., it was in a very small school and we did not have very many students. However, in the K-6 building, students were starting to get IEP's so going through that process with new families and students was challenging. Currently with my middle school special ed. class, most students already have IEP's but they start to have a wider range of abilities and grade levels that they might be at.  My middle schoolers are also going through more, developmentally, that can make creating instruction more difficult.  So it just depends."

# data[].attributes.body
Types of special education programs  involved with:
- Worked in a K-6
Special Ed
classroom
- Worked as a
resource teacher
for 19 years (co-
taught for several
years)
- Currently works in
a 5-8 middle
school as a Special
Ed. teacher
Personal educational experiences/training:
- Received
Elementary degree
from ISU
- Received severely,
emotionally
disturbed degree
(major that is no
longer offered)
from St. Leo
University in Florida
- Received Masters
degree in
administration
from EIU

# data[].attributes.body
Sandy Bayles: Currently teaches special education at St. Joseph Middle School (grades 5-8)

Years of experience: 32 years

Places taught:

- Reading specialists
at Atwood Elem.
- Taught 3rd grade
in Florida
- Taught at a
psychiatric mental
institution (middle
school age-in
Florida)
- Taught k-6 special
ed. at Fairglenn
Elem. (in Florida)
- Taught as a
resource
teacher at
St. Joseph Middle
School for 19 years
and has been
teaching as the
special ed. teacher
for past 3 years at
St. Joseph Middle
School in Illinois