Teacher Shortage II: Special Education

Some of the fields mentioned as having specific teacher shortage were Science and Special Education. One explanation for the shortage, according to the public radio article, was that teaching credentialing programs do not consult with the districts regarding their needs and thus not preparing teachers for areas in demand.

It might be true. I don’t know what kind of communication these institutions have, but facts that I observe are not matching the picture they are trying to paint.

Over the years that I have been in substitute teaching, waiting to come across the big demand for math teachers, I kept hearing about a shortage in science and special education. I even considered going back to school to get special education credentials (meaning starting all over again…). Then I was advised not to do it since others did take this route and still could not find a job. A colleague had suggested taking qualifying tests to become a science teacher, which I did, yet I meet science teachers working as substitutes because they cannot find a position.

Situation may have changed in science, but I don’t think there is a real shortage in special education that is not due to incredible inefficiency in the system.

It is a very sensitive issue, loaded with claims of injustice and lawsuits threats, yet, I would like to hear a good explanation to why a class of general education students should suffer overcrowding of 45 students, while a class of 5-10 special education students may have two full time teachers, and three full time assistants! I am not exaggerating! Many of my assignments are in special education classes, that are usually overstaffed even without me sitting there doing nothing.

In the ‘Mild to Moderate’ Special Day Classes (SDC), there is a known, but an unspoken, agreed lie. These classes are homerooms for a random collection of students, with completely different problems. Since it is impossible to find a common ground for students with behavior problems, learning disabilities, autism, ADD, ADHD and others, the class is just a shell for these individuals. It pretends to teach all the subjects, to do assignments and take tests, but in most cases SDC means permission to do nothing. However, since schools and district are sued for not providing adequate education, they have to play the game and pretend they do.

I was recently called to substitute at a school with block scheduling, two hours a block! It was a special education class with 5 students and two (unhelpful) aids. Teacher’s instruction were scribbled on the board in an untidy manner, with instructions to have students solve problems in a science book that they did not have, from a chapter that they did not read, that included experiments that they have not done, and probably will never do!

As it happens quite often in special education classes, it was a very long day, with very unmotivated students, no clear instruction or lesson plans, yet occupying three adults doing nothing, watching five students doing nothing… sorry… but I don’t call it ‘teacher shortage…’