How to Teach 5th Grade Special Education

Special education can be an extremely challenging area to teach, but with the right tools and experience, it can be very rewarding. Fifth graders in special education require a special kind of teacher, someone with a lot of patience and energy to keep the classroom organized. Special education teachers certificated for elementary grades do not need any additional certification to teach 5th grade, but some teachers choose to work towards extra endorsements in reading, math and Spanish to supplement their teaching credentials.

Instructions

1. Challenge their minds. Fifth graders are exceptionally bright students. Children with special needs require a variety of work. Special needs children must be given a variety of work so they do not get bored.

2. Keep updated individual education plans (IEP) for each of your special needs students. This will ensure you're always fully aware of your students' abilities, as well as their inabilities. Be aware of your students' weaknesses, and modify curricula that are too challenging for them.

3. Brainstorm the ways you must present 5th grade requirements, and modify the curriculum to adapt to your classroom needs. Keep a notebook of successful lesson plans, and make notes about what didn't work. Ask co workers what they find most successful when teaching special needs children, and adapt those ideas to your needs.

4. Build a network of special education resources both from online resources, and from the community. There are quite a bit of resources online for teachers instructing children with disabilities. If you have a network of contacts it will be much easier to get help when needed.

5. Get to know your principal, and don't be afraid to ask for guidance. New teachers can benefit from this the most because principals are eager to help teachers be successful. They understand the difficulty in teaching special education, and may have resources to help you succeed.