Information for new special education teachers on preparing for a successful school year as found in "The Exceptional Teacher's Handbook" (Third Edition) by Carla Shelton and Alice Pollingue

1. By: Adrienne Woolley

3. Strategy 6:
Establish a
Communication
System
Strategy 4: Strategy 5:
Identify Orient Assigned
Essential Tasks Paraprofessional
Strategy 1: Strategy 2: Strategy 3:
Get to Know Allocate Time Locate a
Your School for Reflecting Mentor Teacher

4. Schedule an
appointment with the
school’s principal.
Discuss:
• School’s mission &
vision statements
• School improvement
plan
• School profile
• Principal’s
expectations of
teachers
• School schedule

5. • Maintain a journal to
record daily or weekly
thoughts and feelings
about his or her
school experience.
• Conduct a self-
evaluation at the mid-
point and end of year.

6. How a mentor teacher
can help you:
• Serve as a role model
• Share knowledge &
skills
• Provide support and
encouragement
• Act as a listening ear For best results, have weekly
contact
with your mentor teacher.

7. Essential Tasks:
• Special education
administrative tasks
• General classroom and
instructional tasks
• Non-instructional tasks
• Professional learning
tasks

8. What should the
teacher include in the
orientation session?
• Define the individual’s roles &
responsibilities
• An outline of classroom
expectations & procedures
• Discuss the rules of
confidentiality
• A tour of the school
• Review of the faculty handbook
• Basic school information
• How paraprofessional will be
evaluated

9. Create an informative
and user-friendly web
page
Conduct an orientation
session, parent
workshops, and
information sessions

10. Resource:

11. Page 2: http://www.ridgecounseling.org/back-to-school-back-to-
school/
Page 6:
http://www.teachervideocourses.com/courseDescriptions.php
Page 9: http://blog.volunteerspot.com/volunteer_guru/2012/07/
back-to-school-night.html#axzz2KcuPqqLF