<p>Hello parents!
I’m 17 years old and a senior in high school. I’m starting an internship as a teacher’s assistant in a special education classroom in my high school next Monday. I’ve been in a spec ed classroom and taught a few classes before, but this will be the first time that I will have a steady role in the classroom, and this will definitely be more hands-on. I have yet to receive any details about what my duties will be specifically, but any advice on being in or teaching in a spec ed classroom will be appreciated! Thanks!</p>
<p>Listen carefully to the teacher in the classroom. The students have specific things they should be doing and the teacher will tell you what to do, how to do it, and what your responsibilities are.</p>
<p>Above all…remember that the information you get in the classroom is very confidential and you should not share it with ANYONE ELSE.</p>
<p>I am not a special ed teacher. </p>
<p>But I pay attention to what the kids understand. I ask them “how is it going?” “How can you tell?”</p>
<p>Thank you both. Does anyone else have any advice?</p>
<p>Remember that many kids in special ed are there because their brains work differently, not because their brains don’t work at all. They may have trouble reading and be brilliant at math; they may not be able to do any school work, but read people like a book. Every single person in a special ed classroom has something that makes them wonderful and interesting. Try to find out what it is.</p>
<p>It’s funny that you say that, dmd77, because that’s one of the many factors that attracts me to this field, and I addressed that in my college application essay.</p>