We apply labels to a lot of things in life – food, supplies, clothes and people, to name a few – but they’re not always for the better. Labels are meant to help separate groups of things into categories for further examination or use, and the same applies to children with special needs.
The term special needs is defined as “particular educational requirements resulting from learning difficulties, physical disability, or emotional and behavioral difficulties.” Most schools offer special education services to those who require them, such as different types of classrooms (Inclusion, Self-Contained), different therapy options (Occupational, Music, Art, etc.) and many other resources.
Although the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), which was signed into law in 2004, aggressively details who and what does qualify for special education services, it does not take into account your child’s own set of circumstances and special needs, nor does it address the heartache and stress that securing special education services can bring about for your family.
As much as special education and special needs tutoring has grown over the last several decades, it’s still far from perfect in a number of ways. To start, the term “special education” is often used as a derogatory phrase to describe children who might be educationally limited in some way. Over the years, it has become synonymous with words like “lazy,” or “slow,” but these are simply labels given by those who lack the necessary understanding when it comes to a child with special needs. Your child is unique and very special, very important things to remember when encountering others who might not be as open-minded about learning as you are.
Children With Special Needs And Special Education Services
Special education services for children with special needs is slowly cracking under the pressures of the school system. The history of special education isn’t that old, before 1975 when the Education for All Handicapped Children Act (EAHCA) was officially introduced to the United States, children with special needs were, in a lot of cases, not allowed to participate in public education. The options for these children included homeschooling, private tutoring or being sent to an institution that was better equipped to handle the scope of their needs. None of these options took away the longing for an appropriate public education, however, and EAHCA helped to introduce special education services into the general lexicon.
Special education created a whole new sector of schooling that had never before been seen. Teachers started to become certified in special needs education and tutoring, classrooms expanded at a rapid rate, more schools were built to help accommodate the influx of now-qualified children with special needs and funding went through the roof. There was, however, no long-term sight in mind.
Today, classrooms are often over-capacity, teachers are either leaving the educational system or not signing on for special education and those that are left are grossly overworked as a result
It’s not all bad news, however. If your child has received a diagnosis of special needs by a qualified professional, you will be looking into a number of alternatives when it comes to educating your child in the best way possible, and there are several ways to go about it.
If your child is under the age of three, you will be enrolling them in special needs education through an early prevention service. This means they will be cared for and taught by education professionals who are trained in the art of handling special needs, including not only academics but also life skills as part of the lessons. If you are unsure where to start looking for these services your local family services office should be able to point you in the right direction, as well as offer information regarding other pertinent services you and your child might qualify for.
After the age of three, children with special needs are turfed to the general education system for their academic needs, starting with preschool and continuing on through the twelfth grade. A diagnosis of special needs qualifies your child for special education services through the school system, but it’s not always enough to help them learn in their individual ways. For those times when school alone isn’t the best option, it’s time to consider looking into special needs tutoring as supplemental education for your child.
Special Needs Tutoring
Special needs tutoring means your child will receive the one-on-one attention that is so often lacking from the special education services your child’s school offers. This is most often no fault of the school’s – they simply need to be able to educate groups of children all at once, and this sometimes translates to group attention instead of individualized lessons. Every child learns at their own pace and in their own way, and it’s our job as special needs tutors, educators and parents to provide access to a better way of learning.
Some children with special needs simply feel uncomfortable in a group environment, and perform better when they’re at home and in their own space. Others have behavioral issues when around other children, but are quiet and calm when they are not part of the ruckus. For these times, special needs tutoring is definitely an option you should look into.
Special Education Resource specializes in supplemental learning through special needs tutoring along with providing a variety of Special Education Resources. Our special needs tutors take the curriculum your child is currently being taught in the traditional classroom setting and mold it to fit their unique learning style. One-on-one support from a special needs tutor combined with the parents advocacy toward success, a child with special needs path to excellence can be made visible again.
At Special Education Resource, our singular focus is helping children with special needs and their parents. We understand how hard it can be to not only parent a child with special needs, but to get them the educational assistance they need to thrive and flourish within the confines of a traditional school system.
Our qualified special needs tutors know just how to handle a variety of academic needs, and can even help you address possible behavioral or other issues that make it hard for your child to learn in an appropriate manner. A free consultation with a special needs tutor is the first step in identifying whether or not supplemental learning is a viable solution for your child. During the call, the special needs tutor will answer your questions, offer guidance for you and your child, and also assist in creating a plan to help your child reach their academic goals.
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