Something I like to call the difference between a first year general education teacher v. a first year special education teacher.

Scenario One. 

Let’s pretend you are a first year general education teacher. You walk into a chaotic environment and have no idea what you’re doing. How scary, right? Phew. You have a reading curriculum to follow. Oh good, they also gave you a math curriculum. Oh good, they've actually planned your entire day for you. You know what to teach and when to teach it. Wonderful, you get 40 minutes planning with your team and 30 minutes to eat lunch. It’s going to be okay!

Scenario Two.

Now let’s pretend you are a first year special education teacher. You walk into a chaotic environment and have no idea what you’re doing. How scary, right? Hmm…it appears you have a reading curriculum….but you’re missing half of the materials, the teacher’s manual, and no one in the school has any idea where it is nor any idea how to use it. Hmmm…you found some old math manipulatives that no one else wanted….that might help for a day or two….

Hmmm…you have to create your schedule from scratch but unfortunately the only time you can see Johnny he is out at recess and the only time you can see Ann is when she is eating lunch. If you don’t see them, you are in violation of federal law.

Well look at the bright side! At least you get time to plan! Wait a minute, your phone is ringing and Jeremy just hit a student in the face. You have to diffuse the situation, deliver a consequence, call his parents, and inform administration. Not to mention you need a tranquilizer dart to calm down his classroom teacher as she is horrified. Today marks the 40th time you have explained to the adults around you that Jeremy has a disability that effects the way information enters and leaves his brain and he is using every ounce of energy to sit in your class and participate and sometimes, for a variety of reasons, it's just too much for him. It's not an excuse, it doesn't make it right, but he is working on it, and he needs your support. 

Hey, you still get a lunch! Oh wait, your phone starts ringing just as you are putting the fork to your mouth because Josh had an accident and is wiping feces on the walls. You need to go find a pair of pants, underwear, and 1,000 Clorox wipes. 

Wait a minute. Am I supposed to teach the general ed curriculum or do I focus on IEP goals? That seems like a super simple question, I’ll ask administration. Oh, they don’t know. Okay. I’ll ask the county office. After waiting a week for an email reply, they don’t seem to know either. I think they are ashamed of this and to avoid embarrassment have given a vague answer of, “It’s a case by case basis.” 

Okay well, what are they supposed to do in class? Their work needs to be modified right? I’m in charge of that too? Okay, well I’ll just ask the general ed teacher for the work in advance and surely they will send it to me. Oh, they don’t do that? Okay. Well, I can look at the scope and sequence and pull all this information right out of ass I guess. That seems like it will take a long time though, and I barely have time to wipe my ass. Guess I’ll put that on the back burner. 

But, I have teacher’s assistants! PHEW, that should help. Wait. I’m responsible for making their daily schedule, providing them with all the materials they need, telling them every detail about the children they are working with, and making sure they follow the IEP?? And they’re all old enough to be my mother and think I’m full of shit? Everything may not be okay...

....and that is the difference between us.