5 Back-to-School Tips for New Special Education Teachers

5 Back-to-School Tips for New Special Education Teachers

The first year of teaching for many new special education teachers is often a trial by fire–riddled with unexpected challenges and seemingly endless questions. New educators can feel extremely overwhelmed and stressed while starting their careers, from adjusting to new IEPs and organizing seasonal classrooms to coping with the anxiety of working in a constantly changing environment.

Beyond teaching students, new educators must also assume an incredible variety of special education therapist roles: social worker, advocate, career advisor, disciplinarian, counselor, and more. Despite their postsecondary training and student teaching experiences, many new teachers and educational therapists often feel underprepared or unsure of where to start once the school year begins.

We want to remind new special education teachers to take a deep breath and realize that they’re not alone. Thankfully, our team of therapy staffing experts has assembled a helpful list of their top five back-to-school tips for new special education teachers. We hope our advice will prepare every rookie teacher to handle any difficult situation and achieve long-term career success. 

  1. Meet-and-Greet Parents

We can’t reiterate the importance of building positive relationships with your student’s parents or guardians as soon as possible. Begin the academic year on the right foot by calling or emailing each student’s parents. 

Upon meeting parents, be sure to introduce yourself, ask questions to gather valuable information about their child, and establish positive rapport to develop an effective partnership. After all, parents will be more receptive to hearing from you in the future with less favorable news or asking questions regarding concerns about their children. 

  1. Review Students’ IEPs

As a special education teacher, planning your months and deadlines is critical. Before the school year begins, carefully review each student’s IEP and ensure that they are in compliance

Write down any critical due dates on your calendar or scheduler, such as upcoming IEP meetings or reevaluations. Doing this can minimize teacher stress and burnout during the busiest months and make you feel less overwhelmed by endless paperwork and meetings. 

  1. Build Authentic Relationships

Many seasoned special education teachers will agree that building authentic, positive, and meaningful relationships with students is valuable–if not essential–for classroom success. Particularly, when children sense that their educators care for them, they tend to feel less anxious, have a greater sense of purpose, and are more engaged while learning. Also, new special education teachers should be especially considerate towards children from under-resourced backgrounds, abusive homes, or traumatic pasts. 

  1. Plan an Agenda for IEP Meetings

Facilitating IEP meetings can be stressful, intimidating, and tense–even for the most seasoned special education teachers. However, rookie educators can combat their anxiety by developing a well-organized plan in advance. 

Before the IEP meeting, new teachers should have a comprehensive understanding of the child’s current IEP and create a plan that features proposed new services and goals. Arriving with a well-prepared agenda can help new special education teachers appear professional, prepared, and competent while instilling trust and respect in their colleagues.

  1. Collaborate With Related Service Providers 

When working with students who require related services, new special education teachers should contact all related and pediatric therapy service providers as soon as possible, such as (but not limited to): 

By touching base during the first few weeks of school, new special education teachers can conveniently determine a schedule that works for everyone: themselves, students, related service providers, and other school professionals. 

In conclusion, we understand that starting a career as a special education teacher can be extremely overwhelming and even daunting. However, our five expert tips will help new educators remain resilient and professional while working under pressure and in challenging situations. 

By staying organized, frequently collaborating with others, and being knowledgeable about students’ needs, we’re confident that new special education teachers can prepare themselves for a prosperous first year of teaching.

Special education teachers! What beneficial tips have you received while working in your school districts? Please share with us in the comments below to inspire other educators and therapists.

Want to get activities and apps sent to your inbox monthly? Visit txsource.com/newsletter.

If you’re looking for a therapy or teaching job, check out our current openings: https://jobs.txsource.com.