Special Needs Children

Question: Why do you want to work with special needs children? I'm going for an interview on Friday to work at a before and after school program and my local elementary school. It's working with special needs children. I know that this job will be perfect for me, because I love kids. But I'm not sure how to answer the questions that might come up in the interview. Such as "why do you want to work here?" and "what qualifies you to work with special needs children" or "Why do you want to work with special needs children?" I was just curious why YOU work with special needs children.

Answer: Your patient with children You are creative and you think outside the box. Meaning you can think of ideas that maybe the group of kids can do as an activity. Or maybe one student has difficulty with dexterity skills. You can figure a way so they can participate in a game or craft. You are willing to learn. --- Personally I was a learning disabled student back in my days. Today I work with students in a school. I try to be kind and not to yell at a student for their miss behavior. Example: If a student is miss behaved... I will say you can hang out with me or go to the wall. I make it sound strange, but yet they know I am being very generous for discipline.

Question: How do you think schools help special needs children develop? Im doing a school project on how schools help with special needs children growth and development. I need some personal opinions for my project.

Answer: May I suggest you visit a special school and look at what they do, ask what they see as the key skills they teach the student. Special education covers many aspects of the child development; Communication skills - either verbally, sign language, boardmarker etc. Social interaction/skills Physical development - through sports, physio etc. Musical theraphy - listening, playing Arts & crafts - painting, drawing etc. Computer skills - games, maths, spelling, writing etc Independent living skills; Cooking skills - meal preparation & cooking, includes shopping Personal care - hand washing, grooming, toileting etc Budgeting - paying bills etc

Question: How do I prepare for working with special needs children in a summer camp? This summer, a friend and I are working at a camp that specializes in children with special needs and their siblings. My friend has a little sister with autism so she has lots of experience, but except from some volunteering at school and my friend's sister I have very little experience with these kids. Does anyone have any advice on how to prepare myself and gain knowledge about how to help and serve these children in the most successful way possible? Thanks so much!

Answer: When I volunteered at an adult day care program. (a place for elderly or handicapped adults) It takes time to get to know clients. Just go with the flow. Meaning everyday will get easier. Getting to know the kids personalities and what type of things they need help with. Also, encourage them to do things on their own. Don't over stress yourself thinking every client or child needs help 100 percent of the time. If you need a 3 minute break. Tell someone at the summer camp. I need a bathroom or 3 minutes to calm down. I am sure they will understand.

Question: What qualifications do i need to become a teacher for special needs children in the UK? What GCSE are needed and what in. A level's ect and how long does it take? Basicly tell me as much as you can about teaching children with special needs in the uk! Also wages!

Answer: You need to get the grades at A level to get into teacher training college. You then need to get your teacher qualification and then further training. Look at these links: www.learndirect-advice.co.uk/helpwithy… www.prospects.ac.uk/links/SpecEduTeach… www.prospects.ac.uk/.../Explore_types_… www.schoolzone.co.uk/resources/article…

Question: What are different jobs that deal with special needs children? I would like a list of different jobs where you can work with special needs children.

Answer: job coaches work with special education students and adults. A job coach is someone who actually helps people with disability preform their job that they are interested in. Example: Sometimes you see a job coach working with a young or older adult with a disability bagging groceries at the grocery store. They are to help the client keep focused and encourage social skills with people in the community.

Question: What kind of music do special needs children like? I was hired by a school for special needs children, K-12, mostly autistic kids, to DJ after school for a few hours. This is the first time they have ever done something like this and they have no idea how it will turn out, let alone what kind of music the kids like. Though I have been DJ'ing for 5 years, this is the first time I have ever done anything for strictly special needs children. What kind of music do you guys think they will like?

Answer: Just because some children have special needs it does not mean they all enjoy the same kind of music. As with all other children their taste in music will vary greatly, try asking them just what they like.

Question: What careers involve working with children and/or special needs children other than teaching? I am in school to become a teacher for EC-6 generalist and all level Special Education. I am thinking that "teacher" is not the right career for me, but I do want to work with young children or special needs children. Any suggestions for jobs involving this that make decent money (not alot, but around teacher salary) and yes, I am willing to get a degree in whatever career I choose, I am just having a hard time figuring out exactly what I want to do. Thanks

Answer: Maybe speech or physical therapist. My son was born with a heart defect so he is behind so he needs special attention that regular teachers don't have time to give. But a speech or physical therapist is like a teacher but they give a special needs child one on one attention to help improve that child's life

Question: How to respond to people who don't understand homeschooling special needs children? I am homeschooling my son who has PDD. We are relaxed about our homeschooling. It is not like i can say that we do this subject at this time and this subject at that time. I can say that i have homeschooled my older daughter- who has developmental issues, since we pulled her from school after first grade- she is now 17 and she has made amazing progress. Other people have noticed it as well. Now with my younger son, somehow i am getting questions and comments from people that are along the lines of, what do I plan on DOING with him- how long is he going to stay home doing 'nothing' when he can be in a special school where there are special ed teachers who can help him, and blah blah blah. What do I say to this? How do I even begin talking to these totally ignorant people about the subject of homeschooling children with special needs? In additon to having some tips on what to say, i'd appreciate being pointed to some good articles on the advantages of hsing special needs children The last person who did this was someone whom my husband and i approached to ask him to tutor our son in a subject that we felt we weren't able to teach our son ourselves. He ended up calling and telling me that our son needs a lot more than JUST his tutoring, and basically gave me the old 'it's not good for him to just be home...' routine. Well, as you all might have predicted, the tutor did not work out. We're on the lookout for another tutor now. I wish there was some way to 'smell' whether a potential tutor is going to 'give me the business' about homeschooling before he/she gets hired, but my feeling is it's often they just smile and nod their head at the initial interview because they want to get hired, and when they get the job they feel more free to tell you their two cents because they're already involved with your child and feel that it's now their business. I extended the question so i can hear more good thoughts on the subject. I hope to come back to 'pick best answer' but if i dont make it back online on time, let me just say 'thank you all'

Answer: I'm sorry you have to face this. There are some people in this world who seem to think they have all the answers, even when they don't know the situation. Aargh! If you feel you need to answer their "concerns", just say something like, "We've made a decision based on what is best for our family", then change the subject. If they persist, tell them firmly that you really don't want to discuss it any further - it is your decision and it was not made lightly. If they can't accept this, maybe it's time to cut them out of your life and find friends who are more supportive of your decision (and your child's needs).

Question: How do I become an art teacher for special needs children? I've been really thinking about being an art teacher for special needs children, but I don't know where to start. I'm still in High School, so I need a lot of information!

Answer: What a wonderful person you want to become! Don't ask here. Ask your own teachers and I bet they will give you more info than you get on here. Ask the people living in the real world! The people living in the real world who make a difference! You obviously want to make a difference so go for the real thing. I wish you well. It's people like you who make all the difference in this world. Good luck!

Question: What is a good curriculum book for teaching writing to special needs children? I will be teaching an elementary class next year with kids with special needs, (autism, down syndrom, MR, etc..) We had a meeting today about a good book or anything that can help teach these types of children basic writing skills. Not handwriting, actual sentences. Does anyone have any suggestions on a good thing for this? Thank you for your help!

Answer: There is a system where you divide a paper into 4 squares with the topic in the middle. Students start off by drawing pictures in the 4 squares and then move to words and simple sentences. For example, a 4 square could have the topic pets and the students would draw an example of 4 different kinds of pets someone could have. They could dictate a sentence to the teacher to write under each picture. This evolves into the student writing their own sentence.

Question: Can Occupational Therapists only work with Special Needs children? Can Occupational Therapists only work with Special Needs children in a hospital setting, or is that too limiting?

Answer: OT can specialize in a variety of things. These include mental health, acute care, hands, rehab, geriatric, and pediatric. In school you will work in all of these specialties. Once out of school, you pick. If you only want to work with special needs kids, you would probably like working in a school based setting. If you want to work in a hospital, you would probably, work at a children's hospital. In a hospital setting you will work with all kinds of kids, burns, preemies, traumatic brain injuries, sports injuries maybe, amputees, developmental disabilities, surgical patients.

Question: What should i name a non profit org that helps raise money for special needs children in san diego ? Ok. i am starting a nonprofit raising money for special needs children in san diego. im trying to think of names and im getting stumped. we raise money for different charitys and programs for children with anything from accute to secere mental retardation. if you have any ideas let me know. something catchy and short. thank you .

Answer: "Seeds of Blessing" I think the reason is: it's a blessing for the children who receive the funds and it's a blessing for the people who have a chance to help the children in need.

Question: How can I find a job working with special needs children or adults? I am wanting to find a job working with special needs children or adults, but I do not know what jobs are available or what schooling I might need.

Answer: look in the help wanted ads of the newspaper--especially on sunday if tehy have a big section look under education and social services there are jobs for people with a high school diploma through people with doctorate degrees

Question: how much does a teacher who specialises working one to one with special needs children earn yearly? My dream job is to work with special needs children. The only thing that is putting me off is the pay and how will I be able to survive in Jersey Channel Islands with such a poor wage. If I were to specialise in this profession, how much on average would I get paid?

Answer: To work one-on-one with a special needs student you don't need a teaching degree. You would be an aide, often to an autistic child to help him or her adapt to a general education classroom and provide any special accommodations as outlined in the IEP (Individualized Education Plan) for that particular student. Unfortunately, since a teaching degree, or any degree beyond a high school diploma for that matter, is not required, the pay is fairly low. You would receive much better pay being a regular special education teacher in a full classroom setting. With aides and usually much smaller class sizes, you have a lot more one-on-one time with individual students than general education teachers.

Question: Summer study group powered by mothers - For Special needs Children? I am thinking of starting a study group for the summer. I have a son with special needs and would like him to keep learning math reading etc over the summer. I know other mother's homeschooling over the summer - is it a good idea to combine our efforts while our children of different ages, different diagnosis are out of school for the summer? I was thinking the mom's could teach and the typical siblings could also help out. Any ideas? I'd have it in my home.

Answer: This would just be similar to a homeschool educational cooperative. You can find lots of co-op ideas online. Yes, they are wonderful ideas. You just have to be firm about the rules - many people do not understand the definition of the word *cooperative*, and will try to pawn off their kids on others just for some free time.

Question: can i work with special needs children? I'm currently doing a NVQ 3 Child care learning & development home course but would love to work with special needs children as a few people have told me its very rewarding & you can learn a lot from it. I have a year to complete the course & in september im doing voluntary work in a nursery to start me off. How would i then move on to special needs children?

Answer: Your course does allow you to work with children who have special needs, as the qualifications needed are the same as working in a mainstream school... Whoever told you it is rewarding is completely right ins aying so! It's really amazing, just watching what they can do, because everyone usually feels sorry for people who have disabilities! So yeah! Your course should allow you to work in SEN school, but i think it would be as a classroom assistant, there are other courses you can do, especially for working with children who have special needs, although i don't think there essential :) Volunteer in the nursery like you've said, then keep a look out for jobs in SEN schools, then you have your NVQ L3 & you'll have a good reference, if you can get into a SEN schoool, look out for one to one posts... :) Tiny pointer, if you get an interview with a SEN school, dont say special needs children... it really wouldnt look good, the person should be seen before the disability, therefore spoken about in the same manner :)

Question: Are there any online groups for parents of multiple special needs children in one family? I have 4 children the 2 have special needs , one is diagnosed with Aspbergers and the other with bipolar.I am looking for information on groups who offer support for parents, coping with multiple issues at once.

Answer: Hmmm...well this might not be exactly what you want, but it may help. Yes there's a lovely support group called "Dailystrength.com" Once you're there, you can join the groups that you need to help you. There's groups for parenting, family and friends of bipolar, bipolar disorder- teen, asbergers and any of problems that you're going through. You can start discussions, ask for advices, write journals, and talk to people that are going through what you're going through. I wish you the best. By the way, I have bipolar and my mom just asked my therapists for advice of how to take care of me. Plus, after a while, they'll know what they want.

Question: Does Sarah Palin think that autistic children do not fit under children with special needs? Palin was making a speech promoting help for special needs children in one breath. In the next breath she denounced fruit fly research. Doesn't she actually know about the cell study that is helping the medical field get a better understanding of autism? Does this woman need some education before speaking or does she just need to shut up?

Answer: Sarah Palin does not know that fruitflies are frequently studied in genetic research. She probably attributes most birth defects to the hand of God rather than to either genetic or environmental causes.

Question: Outdoor play and special needs children? To all early childhood educators, nursery assistants, preschool workers, early practitioners, etc. How outdoor play environment supports children with special needs? Are special needs children taking into consideration when planning for outdoor play learning? I'm about to start a research about it but I want to know peoples view on the question. Grateful for your response.

Answer: In schools and nurseries, SEN children are definitely taken into account when planning the outdoor play. Children with a physical disability will often benefit from the wide range of physical activities. A child who finds walking difficult will be able to use the swings and slide, and may be motivated to try to walk more. A child with a visual problem will benefit from the wide range of multisensory experiences provided for young children. Many activities will benefit those with a learning or developmental delay. For example, there are gross motor activities which SEN children often benefit from, but are more difficult to provide indoors. Tricycles with two seats (or space for a second child to stand) encourages children to play together in a non-communicative way. This is particularly useful with children with autism or communication difficulties. Different textures and surfaces outside allow children to experience a wide range of sensory experiences. For example, there may be grass, concrete, play surface, sand pit, bricks, wood and metal. This can be beneficial when teaching fine motor skills to SEN children. Of course, there may not be any formal planning in terms of the SEN child (so you wouldn't plan that X will do this activity in order to learn something). But in the foundation stage activities are planned to cover the entire spectrum of ability from mark making and discovery about the world to complex role play and writing. So there will always be activities that the SEN child can benefit from in some way.

Question: What necessary skills are required in order to work with SPECIAL NEEDS children as a teachers aid? I've been working as a teachers assistants for quite a few years now but this is the first time I'm actually going to be working with SPECIAL NEEDS children so im trying to build up my resume because i have a big interview coming up soon. I pretty much have it all completed except for the "skills" section. Any ideas on what i could put under that category????

Answer: Here are some essential skills for you to develop if you don't already have them: 1. Listening- You need to hear and heed the teacher's instructions. Don't take things into your hands without being instructed' 2. Patience- Special needs children may need more time than you are accustom to allowing for a task. 3. Impartiality- These children are sometimes sensitive to seeing differences in responses to same behavior. Be ready to explain in terms they can understand. 4. Enthusiastic- Show your commitment and joy for this position by embracing every opportunity to learn and share with the class. 5.Communication- Show the use of good English/grammar with students, parents, and staff when speaking and writing. 6. Classroom management- Be knowledgeable of techniques to curtail inappropriate surface behavior. 7.Dependability- Your commitment to your word to your teacher, students and the program should be honored.