Causton Chapter 1: The General and Special Educator: An Interdisciplinary and Intersectional Approach

“Marsha and I worked in separate rooms last year. She was down the hall where she worked with special education students. I taught fourth grade. We really only saw each other at faculty meetings, though sometimes we would run into each other in the copy room. But now we spend nearly half of every school day teaching together. And we plan together a lot! There are so many benefits to co-teaching . . . mostly for our students with special needs, but really to all the students. . . . I know Marsha has definitely made me a better teacher, and I would like to think I have taught her a thing or two.”

—Lisa (general education teacher)

The Last Room on the Left: Room 33

Image source: https://www.yourtherapysource.com/blog1/2022/03/17/self-contained-special-education-classroom-2/

Guiding Questions:

1. What is the significance of Room 33?
2. As a paraprofessional, have you had a student like Matthew? If so, how would you describe that student who was like Matthew? How would you describe their strengths and areas for improvement? And why?
3. Based on the interactions that Causton and her colleagues had with the school, what hidden messages did you feel/think were being communicated, directly or indirectly, about Matthew and special education at that school?
4. What if any, special education law, assistive technology, and advocacy content was being used or communicated from the narrative of Matthew in this section of the text?

The First Room on the Right

Image source: https://images.app.goo.gl/3Cj31EXcb5V9xPcA8

Guiding Questions:

1. What factors and/or pedagogies led to Matthew’s transition from Room 33 to the general education classroom?
2. What was the context(s) and feel of how the authors described Matthew and his transition? What implications can you take away from the narrative in this section of the text to your skills, knowledge, and dispositions as a future inclusive elementary teacher? And why?
3. What were the academic, social, and emotional dimensions of Matthew that were highlighted and why do you think they were highlighted? How if at all could these elements be connected to student Individualized Education Programs?
4. Are special education and general education systems one system or two? Explain your reasoning.

Recognize that Educators have been Wrong

Source: https://www.syracuseculturalworkers.com/products/poster-label-jars-not-people

Shifting Our Thinking

Image Source

Guiding Questions:

1. What is thinking? And how is it related to practice?
2. What is the ethics of being a special and/or a general educator?
3. Are labels good for kids?
4. How can we encourage critical thinking and feeling in the field of general and special education, without blaming teachers?

Additional Resources: 

Biklen, D., Bogdan, R., & Blatt, B. (1997). Label jars, not people. Children with Special Needs: ACT’s Guide to TV Programming for Children, 1(3), 3-10.

Collaborative Teachers Have Increased Creativity

Source: Dally, K., Dempsey, I., Ralston, M. M., Foggett, J., Duncan, J., Strnadova, I., ... & Sharma, U. (2019). Current issues and future directions in Australian special and inclusive education. Australian Journal of Teacher Education (Online), 44(8), 57-7

Guiding Questions:

1. What does collaboration mean to you personally, professionally, and programmatically?
2. What does creativity in collaboration mean and how does it feel, sound, and look like?
3. How can you seek information about collaboration from others?
4. What does collaboration mean with your students? colleagues? families and caregivers?

Design Purposeful Academic Learning Experiences

Source: https://udlguidelines.cast.org/

SETT Framework (developed by Joy Zabala)

provides a helpful guide for deciding which technology tools will help an individual student

• Focus on:

• Student

• Environment

• Task

• Tool

Guiding Questions:

1. How can you design a Universal Design Classroom? What does it sound, feel and look like?
2. What is Universal Design for Learning?
3. What is the SETT Framework and how could you use it to collaborate with your students and help them meet their academic, social and emotional goals?
4. What is the role of student voice in your classroom? What is “student voice”?

Engage in Humanistic Behavioral Supports

Source: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1bubiC_3OCFCoUnmPBlcK2wDYyBgoiAlz18cVT7itKvE/edit#slide=id.g152ba619188_0_211

Source: https://learningpolicyinstitute.org/product/educator-learning-sold-report

Guiding Questions:

1. What is behavior?
2. What are some norms that you had in your classroom?
3. How can we build norms in the classroom with our students and parents?
4. What is culturally responsive teaching? How can positive behavioral supports be culturally responsive?

Facilitate Genuine Social Relationships

Source: https://www.vawlearningnetwork.ca/our-work/infographics/childrensunique/index.html

Guiding Questions:

1. Given Matthew’s story, how can you work collaboratively with his IEP team to provide the best and ambitious education for his individual needs?
2. What are some supports that can be provided to students like Matthew in order for them to be comfortable in their learning environment?
3. How can social-emotional competencies be used to support students in building relationships in the classroom and outside of school?
4. How would you build a culture of understanding and empathy in your classroom to facilitate guinea social relationships?

Develop Purposeful Support Systems

Source: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1-vmXVvN_5_R0SCIcegaXDWcYhTYE0YTwHmFSCiQqZNM/edit#slide=id.p

Guiding Questions:

1. Does special and general education need to be two separate systems?
2. Do special education and Disability Studies in Education need to be two separate paradigms?
3. How can we best serve students at their intersections of difference?
4. What do students think and feel about school systems such as special education and general education and where they are provided services?