Special education and paperwork?

Enriqueta Steffen: It is difficult and I am often in trouble for not keeping up with the paperwork. I choose to spend my time serving my students.Other teachers have no idea how much paperwork there is and how time consuming it is. They think it is similar to the higher number of papers/test they grade. If you are lucky, you have an administrator who understands the importance of the paperwork and gives you more time to do it during the day.I often do IEPs at home so I can spend more time with kids at school. Because my time with students is generally positive and rewarding, I focus on that as the reason to do the paperwork....Show more

Cortez Badolato: I agree that it does sometimes feel as if you are drowning in paperwork and the amount is often far greater than anyone knows. It is a very important part of the job and the trick is knowing how to balance it with actual teaching. Both aspects are equally important to the overall effectiveness of a Special Educa! tion teacher.Besides the lesson plans which every teacher needs to do, the special ed staff must :administer and write assessments, complete revaluation forms and state/federal forms, write IEPs, compile portfolios for students on alternative assessments, etc. Each of these tasks are often under very strict timelines for individual students, so it can be stressful in that sense; however, a good teacher will know her deadlines well in advance and plan for them accordingly. Organization is the key to making the paperwork manageable. I have come up with my own "tracking system" via charts and tables on Word and Excel. I will show them with the teachers I supervise, but I urge them to develop some that works for them. They don't have to use my format, but I expect to see some form of paperwork organization; not for my needs, but so each teacher will ultimately find the right balance necessary for him or her to be effective and happy in the position....Show more