As an educator for students with special needs, the teacher has to fulfil a number of responsibilities, keeping patience, undivided commitment and hard work intact.
They, say knowledge is like a candle.
The more it burns, the more will there be light.
Teaching in itself is in a way quite selfless. Yet, an acute deficit is observed when it comes to skilled and qualified teachers in schools.
Normally, parents tutor their children or make them take tuition classes to give them a better understanding of the subjects. A child with special need, though, does not fall in the same category. Children who need extra support or care or by any means require an advanced programme of education to complete their learning successfully, are the one with special needs.
As an educator for students with special needs, the teacher has to fulfil a number of responsibilities, keeping patience, undivided commitment and hard work intact. We share a few ways in which you can turn out to be an effective teacher for children with special needs.
Follow the student’s schedule academically
Because these students need more time to organize themselves and in learning, make it a point to follow their academic schedule, rather than making a schedule all by yourself. Keep a track of their programs and follow up with their responses. If you’re handling quite a few students at the same time, you may want to learn about their specific learning methods.
Group study
Generally, students love studying in a group. But the ones with special needs may or may not be comfortable during the start. As a teacher, it is your responsibility to make them exercise their assignments with regular students. Group study helps in empowering self esteem and learning from each other in a better way.
Pictures and videos
As a child, every student likes colourful images and videos as a demonstration. Where a video or prototype is shown to normal students occasionally, students with special needs benefit exceptionally from a demonstration. It makes it simpler for them to understand things, and they remember every moment of the video. Though they are the ones who require special attention, there is something, which they can do, and others cannot.
Keep an open mind
The key aspect of working as a teacher for children with special needs, is identifying their weaknesses and strength on an individual basis, to create a safe, stimulating and supportive learning environment for them. Being mentally prepared for a great challenge, is your first step to success. Of course you would require a lot of patience, commitment and selflessness for that. But at the end of the day, you will be happy to see what you’ve contributed towards.
Being a teacher, all in itself is not an easy task.
Take out time for yourself and though you’re the teacher here, there is a lot you can learn from these students and implement in your life.
