As Special Education teachers, we’ve all heard the phrase “I don’t know how you do it” or “I could never do your job”—especially when it comes to self-contained classrooms. I know I’ve heard this and just brushed it off my shoulder. But that got me thinking: How can we better help our General Education teacher colleagues understand what we do in a self-contained classroom?
Here are some ideas to help bridge that understanding.
Ideas for Teaching Peers About Your Self-Contained Classroom
- Please ignore the behaviors you see in the hallway unless asking for assistance: is that child supposed to be running down the hall? No — but we are just thankful they are going back to class after laying on the floor for the last 15 minutes.
- Don’t be afraid to pop in to say hi: our students love getting to know the other people in the school. Once they know who you are, they’re more likely to say hi to you in passing and feel comfortable with you being around.
- Our quiet is different from your quiet: so when you’re recognizing classes for doing their job and staying “quiet” when it’s needed, please remember to consider what that looks like for a class of children who sometimes can’t help but make self-soothing noises.
- Elopement: here are some pointers you could share with your Gen. Ed. peers to help. If you have a walkie-talkie, it helps us if you also keep it on in case we have a student who elopes and need help. If you see a student leaving the area, please avoid chasing them — especially if they’re looking at you and laughing. They want you to chase them. If you have met that child and they recognize you, it’s okay to try to get their attention.
- Self-contained classes are not a dumping ground for Gen. Ed. students who “don’t fit the mold.” Please don’t assume that just because your child is behind, has a behavior, or even a diagnosis, that they need to be in our class.
- If a Gen. Ed. class is doing a cool hands-on activity, having a celebration/party, or even going on a field trip, please ask us if we would like to be included.
- We would love to have a “buddy time” where some of the Gen. Ed. kids come and do some reading, puzzles, games, coloring — really any social activity — with our students.
- Communication is key: our students want to try and communicate with you and your Gen. Ed. classes. If you notice they are having a hard time, it’s okay to ask how they communicate best — we would love to teach you and show you.
- Always use confidentiality: if you find yourself needing to talk about one of our students with someone else, we would appreciate it if you didn’t. But if you absolutely must, please remember confidentiality and privacy.
- Teach your students how to interact with and respect our students the way we do to you.
Additional Essential Practices and Reminders
- Accommodations and modifications are not optional. They are part of a legal, binding document (such as an IEP) and must be implemented. Just because a student looks like they “could do more” than the plan states does not give permission to skip the accommodations.
- Understand the distinction between accommodation vs. modification — both play critical roles, and the correct implementation is necessary.
- A student who is on an IEP is a general education student first — they are part of the general education classroom, not separate from it.
- The role of the paraprofessional is for support — not a replacement for your role as the teacher. The general education teacher remains the teacher of the whole class, including those with IEPs.
- Inclusion and co-teaching: our students should participate in general education instruction (in whole group or appropriately modified settings) and not simply be placed on a device or separated.
- The general education teacher is responsible for providing access (via accommodations/modifications) to the curriculum. The special education teacher and support staff can help, but access in the core classroom is yours, too.
- Attend IEP meetings — participation is mandatory, not optional — and collaborate proactively.
- Respect the professional roles in the room: special education teachers are teachers (with master’s degrees in many cases), not aides. Recognizing this fosters respect and better teamwork.
- Collaboration is essential: general education and special education teachers must work together, share lesson plans with reasonable time, communicate about accommodations/modifications, monitor data, and adjust instruction as needed.
- Students who receive supports should not be talked about as “your kids” or “my kids.” Every teacher in the building shares responsibility for all students.
- Behavior is communication — when a student is responding to trauma or other unseen factors, it’s not simply defiance, laziness, or “choosing not to try.”
- Students doing well with accommodations does not mean they no longer need them. Compare it to someone who uses a prosthetic and continues to run: removing the device because they started running would be unfair and unsafe.
- Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) doesn’t always mean full inclusion; what matters is access, appropriateness, and progress within the framework of Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE).
- Grading and assessment must honor the supports listed in a student’s plan. When in doubt about how to grade or evaluate work for a student with accommodations/modifications — ask and collaborate.
Remember…
If you’re given the opportunity to present any of this information to your staff, now is also a great time to ask: What do we want for our students? What do we want for our team? What do we want for our school?
This kind of mission-focused conversation makes everyone feel included and demonstrates that it’s okay to ask questions, be involved, and seek support for student success.
It’s okay not to know, but it’s not okay to not ask, learn, and try rather than assume.
