On a meet held for parents with autistic children, a father of a five year old remarked, “at times I am so angry at fate for giving me a special child, why did it have to be me?” At which a renowned psychiatrist answered, “It’s not the child who is
special, but it is you, because God thought you capable of taking care of him”.
Teaching special children is a special experience in itself. Not only does it push your patience but you also end up being a different person altogether. The experience can be so much more productive when you hear what people in the field have to say and advice.
The following fifteen blogs provide you with loads of ‘experience learnt’ tips, suggestions and some interesting thoughts and reflections. You’ll also find helpful special education strategies for you to incorporate in your teaching practice, written by teachers and educational professionals from their own experience and research.
- Reality 101 : Each School Year, ‘The Council for Exceptional Children’ (CEC) selects special education professionals who share the successes and challenges of their career. In their archives, readers can find valuable blog posts by veteran special educators from the time when the blog started.
- About.com Special Education : Having spent 18 years as a general and special educator, Jeery Webster on his blog provides you with comprehensive information on special education, from early intervention to lesson plans and classroom management.
- About.com Learning Disabilities :School psychologist Ann Logsdon writes about various educational and developmental disabilities, their diagnosis, types and coping strategies.
- Teachers at Risk : Elona Hartjes’s blog is dedicated to teachers who teach ‘students at risk’. She shares her strategies and insights to help teachers as well as parents to deal with the special needs of such students.
- Successful Teaching : Unlike previous special education blogs, Successful Teaching addresses education from a general, all inclusive perspective. Although Pat Hensley does not directly address the needs of special children, you can still pick up helpful insights and tips from her suggestions.
- Special 2 Me : Leila, blogger at Special 2 Me and a former special ed teacher says, “I definitely believe that teaching special ed lets me be me.” Teaching in a high-crime, low-income school in L.A didn’t damp her spirits because her students’ rising test scores kept her moving. With a passion with this intensity, you’ll surely enjoy reading all that she has to share.
- Special Education Strategies and More : Interestingly, this blog tries to work on the strengths as much as it tries to take care of weak points of special children. Also the blogger brings together ideas from different teachers, so that one can help many. If you are a parent or a teacher, you can find information for the academic, emotional and social betterment of the child.
- Teacher Sol : Blogger Maria Angela is an Exceptional Needs Specialist, who believes in education in an action oriented and self leading way, constantly trying to set better and higher goals and improvements. On her blog, you can read about her in-class experiences.
- Teaching Students with Learning Difficulties:
Looking for a special ed space especially dedicated to high schoolers? Vienna shares resources for teachers and staff dealing with special students aged 16 and above.
- Life in Special Education : Elementary school teacher Karla Banks presents some creative ideas used in her classroom, with pictures in accompaniment. Here, you get a chance to grab some freebies too!
- Special Education Advisor : Denisse Goldberg, herself being a parent of a child with special needs, started this blog as an initiative to let parents and educators become aware of special education rights and services. As the name suggests, you’ll find heaps of advice on Special Education and Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) here.
- Ms. Rachel’s Room : Here you’ll find first hand commentaries on what’s going on in this blogger’s special ed classroom. From strategies to daily experiences and challenges, Ms Racheal delivers it all here.
- ESU 4 Special Education : Another informative blog, here you’ll find help for teachers and administrators in special education. Additionally the blog discusses staff development and ILCD.
- Special Education and Learning Differences : PCI Education offers tips and tools for special education in classroom, share teaching resources and informative articles on IDEA. ARRA and many more special ed topics.
- The Cooke Special Education Blog : Find faculty advice on the blog of this New York based non-profit, special ed centre.
If you have been involved in special education, you would agree with many people who say special children love you so much more than other children, once they are friends with you. So read these special education blogs and let them help you in making our special friends’ educational journey all the more special for them, for all the love they give us.
