Written by Michelle Yotter

Whether you have a class of 10 or 25, meeting each student’s needs can be challenging. This is especially true when working with students with special needs. Some may come struggling to understand math concepts or to grasp the strategies needed to comprehend informational text. Others may come with lots of energy but not the strategies or tools to channel that energy. Others may storm out of a room when something does not go their way or melt down into tears because that is the only way they know how to cope. Some may be a puzzle that is not figured out quite yet.

No matter what challenges each student brings as they walk into the classroom, each is a child of God. Each child is “fearfully and wonderfully made” (Psalm 139:14 NIV). As teachers, we have the privilege and amazing opportunity to share the wonderful news of salvation with them every day and help them use their God-given gifts and abilities.

Understanding and Supporting Special Needs Students
Many teachers, however, feel unprepared to meet the needs of this diverse and often challenging group of students (Brownell, Adams et al., 2006). According to Rosenzweig (2009),

Not only do general education teachers need to be knowledgeable and confident about different disabilities, learning needs and instructional strategies, but they also need to understand and be prepared to utilize the different types of adaptations and modifications that will be needed to address both curriculum and behavioral situations. (pp. 4-5)

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, over 7 million public school students ages 3-21 receive special education services (2021). Within WELS schools, over 1,500 students qualify for an IEP/ISP or 504 plan, and over 2,000 students receive strategic interventions (WELS Commission on Lutheran Schools, 2020). As classroom teachers, we face the challenge and opportunity to support a growing group of exceptional, diverse, and at-risk students. Meeting the needs of a classroom of 10-25 students can be challenging and daunting, but it can be even more so when working with students who qualify for special education services.

Determining what students who qualify for special education need and the best ways to support them can be overwhelming. Students may need support in understanding math concepts, regulating their emotions or sensory needs, learning how to make friends or resolve conflicts, processing auditory or visual information, building fine-motor skills, decoding texts, writing complete sentences, or one of many other areas. It can be challenging to support a student whose needs are complex and demanding. We may not know what is causing the struggles we see nor how to address the needs we see. Collaborating with trained special education teachers can provide the support and resources to help each student thrive.

Critical Need for Trained Special Ed Teachers
Trained special education teachers bring a wealth of knowledge and experience to the conversation. They have the skills and resources to work together with classroom teachers to determine what challenges the student is facing, what may be the cause of those challenges, and how best to support them. They can provide resources, tools, strategies, and information to support the student and classroom teacher. They can also provide intensive and individualized instruction to meet the student’s unique needs.

“The need for teachers who have both the knowledge and the ability to teach special-education students is more critical today than ever before” (Mader, 2017). With over 1,500 students in WELS schools qualifying for IEP/ISP or a 504 plan, the need for trained special education teachers in WELS schools is great (WELS Commission on Lutheran Schools, 2020). Out of the 2,838 teachers in WELS schools, only 166 teachers have a license/degree in special education or are a reading specialist (WELS Commission on Lutheran Schools, 2020). Having more trained special education teachers in WELS schools will provide more opportunities for us to reach out to more students with unique needs. It is an amazing opportunity for us to share with them how God loves each and every one of us and how he made each of us just as we are, unique and special in our own ways.

Michelle Yotter (MS Ed ’15) is currently teaching at St. Peter LES‒St. Peter MN.

Martin Luther College trains licensed special education teachers in both its undergraduate and graduate programs. CLICK HERE for more information about MLC’s MS in Education – Special Education with MN LD Licensure.

References
Mader, J. (2017). How teacher training hinders special-needs students. The Atlantic. Retrieved from https://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2017/03/how-teacher-training-hinders-special-needs-students/518286/

National Center for Education Statistics. (2021). The Condition of Education. Retrieved from National Center for Education Statistics: https://nces.ed.gov/programs/coe/indicator_cgg.asp

Rosenzweig, K. (2009). Are today’s general education teachers prepared to meet the needs of their inclusive students? Northeastern Educational Research Association (NERA) Annual Conference (pp. 1-27). University of Connecticut. Retrieved from https://opencommons.uconn.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1019&context=nera_2009

WELS Commission on Lutheran Schools. (2020). School Statistics 2020: SPED Summary. Waukesha, WI.