NWR: Special Ed. teachers

Hi ladies,

I just got my masters in Special Ed. I dont want to teach Special Ed. at my school bc the administration does not offer any support and you are basically on your own the WHOLE YEAR. Next year, since my principal knows Im getting my masters and will be done, Im afraid she is going to put me in as a Special Ed. teacher. Can she make me a Special Ed. teacher if I am not certified? Can she find out if I am actually certified? I just got certified too..... it's just such a nightmare there- Oh and I teach in an Elementary school. What do you ladies think?

Naturally, we all wind up becoming special ed teachers in our own right--how many of your general ed students have IEPs or 504s? I'm not a certified special ed teacher--music k-12, teach elementary orchestra--but I would have to say that between two schools, I probably have 25 kids out of 220 who have IEPs or 504s, which makes me a de facto special ed teacher. The support that I get is so-so, depending on the child. In one of my schools, the support staff is AMAZING. If I'm ever having an issue with a classified or soon-to-be-classified child, we're hammering out solutions faster than you could call Superman. In my other school, which claims to be sensitive to the needs of special ed students? Apparently, they don't need help in orchestra. This is why I'm SERIOUSLY considering getting a second masters in special ed, but not the certification.

If you're not certified special ed forthright, I don't think they could stick you in a self-contained situation. If your district has a collaborative general ed setting (two teachers in the classroom, one is special ed certified, teaching--four or five students in the class who should be self-contained but aren't are in the class), you could most certainly wind up there.

You cannot teach Special Ed. unless you have certification in NYS. (In a public school at least). NYS will make SOME acceptions, for example if certification is pending and they want to rush it.

Your administrator can find out whether or not you are certified. They have access to TEACH online which tells them what areas you are certified in.

If you have any questions, FM. I'm going through something similiar in terms of getting certification.

I could be wrong, but I think if you are in NYC they can't force you to teach another subject because then you would love your tenure (if you already have it).

And they will be able to see if you are certified through the TEACH page.

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Posted by mdawg

Why would you get special ed certified if you dont want to teach special ed?

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I had to in order to graduate so that I could substitute my full-time student teaching... since I am already working full-time. I didnt want to leave my job to make NO money, ya know.

Oh no, so she can find out if I am certified?? UGH I got my masters for the experience and a way to help out students who werent classified to be in special ed, but really needed the extra help. Every couple of months she asks me if I graduated yet, oh godddddd its like shes waiting to just put me in there. My school is NOT supportive AT ALL!!! You are on your own!



Edit:
So now that I know they have access to the TEACH online page, then I cant lie about that....

How can I get out of this??? I wont have my tenure until after this school year.


OH WAIT WAIT- I just thought of something!!! You know how you write down what 3 grade levels you want to teach for next year (in the city).... Dont they HAVE TO PUT YOU IN ONE OF THE 3 Grade levels you chose???????

u can graduate without applying for certification cant u?

My Dh did his masters in early childhood and didnt realize that he would have to student teach and since already teaching full time he couldnt quit his job to student teach...so his school told him he can graduate with his masters in early childhood but he just wont have the certification

Did u take the spec ed tests?

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Posted by ILOVEBRIAN2008

u can graduate without applying for certification cant u?

My Dh did his masters in early childhood and didnt realize that he would have to student teach and since already teaching full time he couldnt quit his job to student teach...so his school told him he can graduate with his masters in early childhood but he just wont have the certification

Did u take the spec ed tests?

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At my college, I had to have my certification in order for the full time student teaching to be waived. I then, had to take another class in place of the student teaching. I took the Students with Disabilites and passed in order to receive my certification and needed that to graduate.

This is really stressing me out.... ughhhhhh

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Posted by mlcvln129

I know that in one of my schools, there were some girls who requested 2nd grade but got 4th this year even though it wasn't on their request list. I guess it depends on what a building's needs are.

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Oh wow, I thought that by law you have to be put in one of the 3 places that you requested. Do you think that if I put lets say..... 2nd grade general ed., 1st grade general ed, and 3rd grade general ed..... that would work? lol I just dont want to be miserable all next year.

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Posted by lg3016

The don't HAVE to put you in one of the choices. If they need you somewhere else they are allowed to 'call you down and ask you' and then you move you to what best fits them. It happened to me last year but i was lucky they put me back in gen ed.

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Did you ask to be put back in general ed?? I wonder.... how are the special ed classes on Long Island? My school just sticks you in the classroom and puts all of the burden on you. Maybe if Long Island isnt bad, I wouldnt be as upset.... I dunno- can you ladies fill me in on your experiences teaching Special Ed. on Long Island?