Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Special education sustitutes.
There have always been questions for me surrounding the individuals who substitute in special education classes. What type of training have these individuals received before being placed with students who have a wide variety of disabilities. Are they trained on how to lift, toilet, handle seizures, read braille, deal with behavior problems? Where do the standards for "highly qualified" come into play when it comes to substitutes? While most are very nice individuals, the substitutes I have encountered have been placed in situations in special education classes that really require specialization. I also feel that schools sometimes simply have a "body" covering these classes which places the students at risk and the substitutes in sometimes dangerous situations. Then there is the problem of not having enough substitutes. Often there just are not enough to cover the classes needing a sub. What happens then? Anyway, there are many issues surrounding substitutes in special education.
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As far as I know the qualifications for a special education substitute is no different that any other substitute. It seems strange though, right? But when you think about, if subs had to go through an extensive training program to be a special ed sub, then there would probably not be many subs in special ed. Usually, if it is a self-contained setting, like a CDC room, the paraprofessionals are trained to handle most situations.
ReplyDeleteSpecial education substitutes receive the same training as regular education. I teach CDC and when we have a sub, they do not lift, change, or do anything of that nature since they are not trained to do so. I have educational assistants and mid-day assistants who are there to help in all situations.
ReplyDeleteSubstitutes receive no special training other than orientation. I know schools have a hard time finding a sub for the special ed class. I was at Nolensville Elementary on Thursday. The special ed. teacher switched the EA or Paraprofessional's schedule (the assistant was out) so that the day would run smoothly.
ReplyDeleteIt does seem scary that no training is required to be a substitute. Now that I am in a school system I get to see and talk to a lot of substitute teachers. Most of which talk about how they love substituting, but I actually had this very conversation with one lady one day because I addressed that I would feel so unprepared as a substitute. Do you think if they required more for substitute teachers that people would stop becoming subs, which is why they do not require training as you speak of?
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