What's a Day in School Like for Special Needs Children? Insights from a Teacher Interview"

Have you ever considered what a Day in school is like for a Special Needs child? What are their thoughts; how do they communicate; what do they feel? Why "Special Needs" in particular? Because kids are kids, and they deserve the same treatment as any other kid. I've always wondered what it's like to be a kid with disabilities, what they need, what their daily life is like, what challenges they face, and how they manage to overcome them. Can we do something as a community for these children to help them integrate into the community?

Therefore, I got out there and tried to reach out to special education teacher(s) who are teaching "special needs" children to get an actual insight into what a day in life at school for these children may look like and what it means to be a "Special Education" teacher. I got lucky and had the opportunity to interview a special education teacher at an elementary school who brings a breadth of experience teaching special needs classes over several years. 

Before I begin sharing my experience/ what I learned during this process, I am not at liberty to share the identities of the individual(s) / school over here. Therefore, I am going to work with some imaginary names. Everything else about this blog is true to my learning experience, including the work of students I would share as pictures in my blog.

During the interview, I learned what it means to teach children with disabilities, including the challenges a special education teacher may face.

One of the challenges that Mrs. Lynda, the special-education teacher, faces is something that most teachers in a regular classroom setting also share: "simply managing an entire class with the everyday things teachers have to do: go to meetings, check homework, etc.". However, when we look at a special needs class, what makes it unique is that the work is done at an individual level with each child. All the children in this class have some disability or the other. Therefore, each of them is different and has unique needs and wants. Working with each child individually, considering their strengths and weaknesses, makes planning a simple lesson plan for a subject complex, as only some children can sit and listen the entire time, Mrs. Lynda shares. 

One challenge that sticks out to me is that a child can become extremely disruptive in the middle of the lesson. They may begin screaming or crying or start to squirm around the class. This is not only disturbing for the teacher (s), but it can also become disturbing for the other students and may result in a domino effect. Has this happened? Many times. Mrs. Lynda explains that she and her other co-teacher(s) must adapt in multiple ways to address a situation like this by considering each child(s) disability and the various means they may have to use for every child to be able to calm. It may be boards, headphones, etc.  

It was interesting to see that these boards consisted of stickers with emojis reflecting an emotion or a problem the child may feel or tokens or rewards the child enjoys. Mrs. Lynda and her assistant teacher(s) work with these boards by giving them to students who may be screaming /squirming to draw their attention so they can point out their feelings. The child generally points on the board, sharing what they are feeling and what they want. They can't express feelings verbally like us. Once the child is distracted, they often want to do something other than the activity being taught or the task they were on. Mrs. Lynda and the assistant teacher(s) work very patiently to motivate these children by making them understand that completing the task would lead to a reward that the child can pick. This is just one of the significant challenges any special education teacher faces in providing the student with whatever support is needed.

Example of boards: 

Another challenge that children with disabilities face is having to sit still for an extended period of time and learn. Many of them have difficulty doing this and react in various ways. Most of the students in Mrs. Lynda's class have separate schedules, allowing them to move between activities. This allows them a constant change, making them feel excited and wanting to learn. A day in Mrs. Lynda's class could look like working on a math sheet followed by snack time, reading the alphabet, iPad time, or going to the gym. In a nutshell, it's a learning task followed by a break. This kind of schedule is incorporated because, unlike me or student(s) in a regular school setting, most of the children with disabilities have trouble sitting still and working on academic or educational activities for extended periods; the constant breakup in activities allows for them to focus and absorb all the information they have learned.

Schedule: 

Children with disabilities are unable to learn a vast curriculum. The skills that come naturally to us without us having to be taught can be challenging for children with disabilities. 

For example, in a regular school setting, lunch and recess are a time to relax from the day's workload. We all gravitate towards our friends and look forward to building fun memories. However, this is not the case for children with disabilities; for them, how to have fun or play also transcribes into a learning experience. The simple things in life that we take for granted or do not think about, like how to eat, play, or socialize - children with disabilities may not know them. They must learn how to eat, interact, or play with others. They may struggle to hold a spoon or how to throw a ball. Therefore, Mrs. Lynda must mix activities that she knows that the children in her class a) know how to do and b) enjoy doing these activities because it not only makes them comfortable but also gives them confidence, allowing them to have an easy day and yet be open to learning something new. 

Some of the primary activities that children with disabilities may have trouble with are:

• Brushing teeth

• Using the restroom

• Reading a book

• Throwing a ball

• Playing simple sports like basketball and soccer

• Knocking on a door before entering

• Greeting people

The opportunity of going into the classroom of "special needs children" and getting to spend some time and learn from Mrs. Lynda and the assistant teacher(s) has taught me not only to be grateful for what I have, which is good health but it has also taught me that the special education teachers are so extraordinary in their ability to adapt and look at each child as an individual and help them towards learning the essential tasks of life that we take for granted. It is these teachers who help and guide the children with disabilities to be able to integrate into the regular world. It reminds me of a famous quote: 

"However difficult life may seem, there is always something you can do and succeed at. It matters that you don't just give up." Stephen Hawkins

How wonderful would it be if we could all join the forces in whichever way possible to support children with disabilities in our communities? This could be done in various settings, not just in a school. For example, Mrs. Lynda shared we could begin by saying a simple "Hi!" to a child with disabilities or waving at them; not only would it mean a lot to them, but they would learn how to respond because children with disabilities are excluded a lot throughout their lives. In a school setting, all children should be inclusive and have the patience to play and interact with children with disabilities, even if it is just for a few minutes. All these tiny little things would help a lot to not only these children but also mean a lot to the families of children with disabilities, who are overjoyed to see their children being included in society and by their peers.

I am sure you would agree: "We all crave inclusion." 

I look forward to joining Mrs. Lynda and the assistant teachers in early April in fundraising efforts for Autism and exploring how I could support children with disabilities. I hope we all can make a small beginning in our lives towards helping children with disabilities and helping them integrate into our community.