# data[].attributes.headline
Are there any comments you wish to add to close this interview?

# data[].attributes.subject
Are there any comments you wish to add to close this interview?

# data[].attributes.body
"Have a thick skin. Do not take things personal especially when you have parents coming after you, and stand up for your beliefs."

# data[].attributes.headline
What are your thoughts and experience in regards to special needs students and inclusion?

# data[].attributes.subject
What are your thoughts and experience in regards to special needs students and inclusion?

# data[].attributes.body
"It used to be where we were pretty isolated. The only things that we had our class in class were P.E., art, and music, and that was it. We then tried total inclusion and then we realized that there is a happy balance that it doesn't work for all kids to be completely in the classroom or completely pulled out, and there is a balance that we need to meet the child's needs not just academically, but emotionally. Now, we are pulling out some kids that just can't handle it in a regular classroom because of the activity, noise level, etc. They need a chance to come into a calm quiet situation so that they can calm down and focus on their work. Class within a class is great and I think it helps the kids because it models proper behavior and it gives them chances to interact with peers, but they should have that entirely."

# data[].attributes.headline
If you could choose another career field, would you? Please explain your answer in detail.

# data[].attributes.subject
If you could choose another career field, would you? Please explain your answer in detail.

# data[].attributes.body
"Well not now because I am going to retire after this year! But in the past, I think I don't know I probably would have been a vet, but then I would be sad all the time because I'd want all the animals but that would be it. But now at this age NO!"

# data[].attributes.headline
What changes, if any, would you make to the educational system with regard to special needs students? 

# data[].attributes.subject
What changes, if any, would you make to the educational system with regard to special needs students? 

# data[].attributes.body
"My biggest complaint is that special needs students are in special education for a reason, yet they are made to take the state standardized test at grade level instead of ability level and I think that is the stupidest thing we do because if they can take it at grade level then why are they in special education then? Why can't we wait and have them take it at the appropriate ability level? That is what I would change."

# data[].attributes.headline
What advice can you give me for teaching students with special needs in the regular education classroom?

# data[].attributes.subject
What advice can you give me for teaching students with special needs in the regular education classroom?

# data[].attributes.body
"Patience and realize that every student is special and don't think that they have to be your friend. Establish rules and expectations. You can still be friendly and have fun with them, but you are not their friend you are there to educate them and the more consistency you have with them the better you will be."

# data[].attributes.headline
What are some rewards in teaching special needs students?

# data[].attributes.subject
What are some rewards in teaching special needs students?

# data[].attributes.body
"It's just neat when you see that light bulb go off and they are like 'oh I get it now!' you know that aha moment. That is the best."

# data[].attributes.headline
What are some challenges you face in teaching special needs students? 

# data[].attributes.subject
What are some challenges you face in teaching special needs students? 

# data[].attributes.body
"Right now, probably with the situation we are in with the lack of teachers and the lack of paras I would say just the personnel and trying to make sure all the needs of my kids are being met and having enough time to meet with my paras in order to see if that is happening."

# data[].attributes.headline
How does teaching students with special needs differ from teaching other students? 

# data[].attributes.subject
How does teaching students with special needs differ from teaching other students? 

# data[].attributes.body
"I don't think there is any difference. There really isn't. Every child has there own kind of need whether they are gifted or 'normal' but every child is special and every child needs patience, understanding, and a special-ed child may work at a slower pace but you just have to find their pace and style of learning and go with it, but we should be doing that with every child. So, to me I don't treat my special-ed kids any different than any other kid in that classroom. I have high expectations for my kids granted they aren't the same expectations.  So, if I said there was a difference it would be in the expectations. My expectations are the same number of steps for a child to accomplish, but they are not the same steps as other students. For example, I still want all of them to achieve so many points on the RCBM. If one student is reading 20 words per minute, we always say our goal is to read 20 more next time so that student’s goal would be 40, but another kid reads at 180 so his next 20 is going to be 200. Still same number of steps just where our base line is, is the only difference."

# data[].attributes.headline
How long have you been teaching special needs students? 

# data[].attributes.subject
How long have you been teaching special needs students? 

# data[].attributes.body
"I have been teaching for 36 years, and next year will be my last year before I retire."

# data[].attributes.headline
Can you recall your ideas about teaching when you were a teacher education student like me? What were they? What are they now?

# data[].attributes.subject
Can you recall your ideas about teaching when you were a teacher education student like me? What were they? What are they now?

# data[].attributes.body
"My level of understanding is different, and now I understand that I am not going to be able to save everyone, and not everybody can learn to the expectations I want them to learn, but are they learning? Comparing myself then and now I would say I am a little more realistic in my expectations of where they can achieve to now because yes, every child can learn but how much can they learn before they can't learn anymore because of their disability? Also, I probably have learned better behavior management techniques to correct inappropriate behavior.  That has probably changed the most where before I kind of reacted and help everybody to a different degree then I should have just because I wanted that total control."

# data[].attributes.headline
What was your experience like during your student teaching?

# data[].attributes.subject
What was your experience like during your student teaching?

# data[].attributes.body
"My student teaching taught me more than anything I ever did in college because it was practical, applicable, and it was more meaningful then reading something out of a book or listening to an instructor talk. I was in the class and saw what was happening and unfortunately when I was going through, we didn't have a lot of what you are doing now where you get to go in and be part of a school and see how things run and you know just see the day to day."

# data[].attributes.headline
How have your ideas toward teaching changed with each passing year of experience? 

# data[].attributes.subject
How have your ideas toward teaching changed with each passing year of experience? 

# data[].attributes.body
"It's disappointing to see that the district wants us to do more and more gives us less and less resources less and less time and less and less support and then the parents don't back you. So, I see a real sadness in education because teachers are no longer held in high regard where when I first started, you know, if you were a teacher you were held with high regard now, we are not. I feel like we are garbage pickers sometimes you know."

# data[].attributes.headline
What made you choose the teaching profession and, in particular, teaching special needs students?

# data[].attributes.subject
What made you choose the teaching profession and, in particular, teaching special needs students?

# data[].attributes.body
"Through college I was actually going through physical therapy and then I helped out with special Olympics, and . . . I don't know I just liked those kids. I was actually going to go into adaptive P.E. but then I went into a gym and was like 'oh that's not for me' so I went into special education."