EducationNews.org

Making a Difference feature for Teaching Students with Special Needs in Inclusive Classrooms, by Diane P. Bryant, Deborah Deutsch Smith, and Brian R. Bryant (to publish with Allyn & Bacon in summer, 2007).

Below you will find questions created to guide these personal essays. The intention of this in-text feature is to offer inspiration to future general education teachers who will read this text as part of their course of study. Many of these future teachers will have students with special needs in their classrooms and will work with the parents of students with special needs. And most of them, studies show, approach this reality with a good deal of nervousness and anxiety. Your insights and positive experiences in "having been there" in combination with the excellent and research-proven teaching approaches the authors present in the text, will, hopefully, give these future teachers the confidence that they can and will make a positive difference in the lives of all the students in their classroom.

We are offering a $100 honorarium for each essay chosen for publication. The essays will be due (as emailed attachment) by December 22, 2006 (deadline extended). Those essays that are ultimately selected by our editorial team will be included as a "Making a Difference" feature in the new text, with full citation of its essayist (see below). It is possible that other strong essays may be selected for inclusion in the companion website product created to support and enrich the text material. We will notify all essayists of the results of these editorial decisions by February 2007.

If you want to submit an essay, please contact Erin Liedel (the
Development Editor for the book) to indicate your interest in submitting an essay, and for answers to any questions you may have. Erin will confirm your chapter assignment based on the chapters that other essayists may already have "claimed." You may reach Erin at erin.liedel@gmail.com.

General Information
* Essay should be in the 1st person
* Essay should be 250 - 500 words
* You may change the name of your child/student for privacy
* If you are a parent, please give us your name; you may choose to
include the name of your child within your essay, but that is completely your decision.
* * *
Ch. 2 High Incidence Disabilities (Learning Disabilities, ADHD, speech impairments, Mental Retardation/Intellectual Disabilities, Emotional Behavioral Disorders) - PARENTS only
Describe your child - his/her special need, unique qualities, and
talents.
Describe your family circumstances.
Describe your interaction or collaboration with your child's teacher(s).

Include, if possible, some or all of the following elements:

* a single moment or classroom situation/issue in which you
witnessed that your child's teacher(s) "got it" -- the welcoming
attitude, enthusiasm, thoughtfulness, sensitivity, knowledge and
competence of your child's classroom teacher, alone and in collaboration with your child's Special Education teacher and other school-based professionals, that led to a successful and motivating outcome for your child and your family.
* How this teacher affected your child's attitude toward school,
his/her social relationships, his/her participation in the classroom and school community
* The comparison and contrast, if applicable, of your experience
before and after this motivated classroom teacher entered your child's school life.


Virginia Lanigan
Executive Editor, Special Education and Counseling
Allyn & Bacon
75 Arlington Street
Boston MA 02116
p: (914) 232-1895
f: (914) 232-1942
virginia.lanigan@ablongman.com