entry #2

There are many great teachers out there in our country, and there is scertaintly good teaching going on in the classroom. SOme may ask, Then why is there a need for special education services? The reason for that is because every student learns very differently. Some kids are exceptionally smart while others take a little longer to learn and understand the material. Although there are great teachers in the work force, there is no way that one teacher can handle teaching children from every range on the spectrum in one classroom at the same time. These children need special attention and no matter how well the teacher teaches, there is still almost twenty other kids in the classroom that need her attention as well. Sometimes the teaching styles just wont work for certain students and they need more one on one time that a teacher of a class of 30 some kids, just cannot give him or her. Just because special edducation services are needed, does not mean that the teacher is any less of a teacher or does her job to any less of her duties. It is simply because there is such a vast range of students out there that all need individual help.

The six principles of the public law 94-142 are as follows
~ZERO REJECT- this section of the law says that all children, especially those that have disabilities must be provided a free and public education. No child will be discriminated against or turned away because of the abilities or disabilities that they may or may not have.
~NONDISCRIMINATORY EVCALUATION-this section says that every student who may be considered for a special education program must be tested to see what their abilities and disabilities are. This also must be done in accordance to the childs cultural and linguistic background meaning you must adapt the test so the child has a fair and accurate way or showing their abilities and disabilities through the test. If you do not do this, you are not getting the full picture of what the child really needs.
~IEP- this stands for an individual education plan. Every student who enters a special education program must have an IEP telling about their abilities, disabilites, and what the plan is to help them succeed. This also includes the level that the child is on in the classes and what goals they have to accomplish by the end of teh school year.
~LEAST RESTRICTIVE ENVIRONMENT- this says that the child deserves a right to be in the least restrictive environmnet possible. Nobody wants to be felt like they are being left out. Children with disabilites have enough to deal with, they do not need to be excluded from all the other children as well. THis is also helpful for the children who are not disabelled. If they have a student with disabilities in their classroom, it makes them more aware of them and that everyone is different and they learn to accept them the way they are.
~DUE PROCESS-this is a legal procedure to make sure that the enducator and the parents of the child are making all the right decisions and doing everything they can for this child to have a fair chance in learnign and making sure everyone is accountable for that childs learning.
~PARENTAL PARTICIPATION-this states that the parents are welcome in every discussion that there is about their child and the plans that the schools and educators have for him. THey have access to their childs record and are to be present in the discussion of the IEP and can have a say in evey process there is to deal with their child in the special education system.