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Are there any comments you wish to add to close this interview? 

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Are there any comments you wish to add to close this interview? 

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You will have deal with special needs kids and you'll see that they are not any different than the regular ed kids. Have great communication with the parents and look at their IEP's and accommodations. Just enjoy it!

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If you could choose another career field, would you? Please explain your answer in detail.

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If you could choose another career field, would you? Please explain your answer in detail.

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I would not choose another field, I wish I would of done this sooner...I was 39 years old when I became a teacher. I love this job and I love the kids.

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What changes, if any, would you make to the educational system with regard to special needs children? Consider such aspects as inclusion, funding, state assessments, etc...

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What changes, if any, would you make to the educational system with regard to special needs children? Consider such aspects as inclusion, funding, state assessments, etc...

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The biggest one is state assessments. When we first started they had kids take a modified assessment now kids have to take a general assessment with some accommodations. If we are not giving it in the classroom then we can't give it in separate settings for the test but we do for special needs kids, we have an alternate state assessments but not for those who are lower.

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What advice can you give me for teaching children with special needs in the regular education classroom?

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What advice can you give me for teaching children with special needs in the regular education classroom?

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Make sure you follow any accommodations in their IEP's (Individual Education Plan). Get to know all the kids, make connections, and learn to differentiate your instructions for the whole class.

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How does teaching children with special needs differ from teaching other children? What are some challenges you face in teaching special needs children? What are some rewards in teaching special needs children? 

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How does teaching children with special needs differ from teaching other children? What are some challenges you face in teaching special needs children? What are some rewards in teaching special needs children? 

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I've been in CWC's, interrelated, and skills classes. There is not a lot of difference, in fact some of the regular ed kids do less and don't try as much as special needs kids. Some of the difficulties I face is with those kids who have never felt successful and given up...the biggest thing I can do is get their confidence up. I had a student who tried to commit suicide and I told him he was smart and that I had so much faith in him. Later I saw him at the store and he told me "Ms. you changed my life, you had so much faith in me." We do make a difference, and that my biggest reward.

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How have your ideas towards teaching changed with each passing year of experience? Can you recall your ideas about teaching when you were a teacher education student like me? What were they? What are they now?

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How have your ideas towards teaching changed with each passing year of experience? Can you recall your ideas about teaching when you were a teacher education student like me? What were they? What are they now?

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Its not necessarily teaching special ed but watching the culture. Girls would be like "I'm just going to get married and have kids." And it was the Hispanic culture. The boys "Oh thats a women's job, thats a women's work." Now it's I want a future, I was to be self-suffienct.

I was older when I became a teacher. I just wanted to make sure they were taught the best they could possibly be.

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What made you choose the teaching profession and, in particular, teaching special needs children?

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What made you choose the teaching profession and, in particular, teaching special needs children?

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My son was 2 and I knew he was just wasn't speaking, he had temper tantrums...I took him to be evaluated and they said he was going to be mildly mentally retard. That got me interested in speech and trying to get him to talk. As I started working with him, I saw him blossoming thats what got me interested and I said I would love to work with kids. After working with him they said he had learning disabilities.

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How long have you been teaching special needs children? 

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How long have you been teaching special needs children? 

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This is my 23rd year.