Education Is Special For Everyone

In this rhyming picture book, children learn about accepting others who may be different than yourself.

Reform in education has focused mainly on development of new programs and procedures to increase the achievement of the student in the classroom. Teacher evaluations are now based on how students perform in their classrooms on yearly standardized tests. The advent of integrating students with special needs into the regular classroom has brought both benefits and concerns for average and above average students. Special education in the United States has evolved from institutional and segregated environments to inclusion in the regular education classrooms. We examine how the practice has affected all students and question whether this change has created equal opportunity for those students without special education needs. This book researches and reports on issues of current practice: e.g., teacher preparation, placement of students with special needs, implications for the average and above in the classroom and the financial costs driving placement decisions in the education system. We examine the lowering of standards so all can pass tests, report on loss of engagement of students by middle school, and mourn the squandering of creativity to appease a mandate. Sir Ken Robinson relates that, “Education is meant to take us into a future we cannot even grasp.” Yet we continue on a road that lowers our educational ranking internationally. We recommend to provide services for all students, and take the system from its current state to one that provides a “Free and appropriate education for all!”

Revitalizing Special Education presents neither a pessimistic nor a Pollyannish view of past or future, but rather is a careful assessment of some of the greatest threats to robust special education posed by distorted and misguided thinking about what special education is and does.

As a teacher, Jim Yerman has "lived with autism" for over thirty years. In many ways, his students have become part of his family. And, as with a family, he has learned to laugh and find humor in the absurdity of everyday situations, for they certainly exist! This book chronicles some of those situations. Most of them are humorous, some are sad, and a few are downright surreal. But they're all real, refreshing, and honest experiences about autism. Each student and each story has important lessons infused. Ride through Jim's teaching history from Ohio to Florida, from working in an integrated university school, into a center for only special-needs students and back to a regular middle and high school. You're in for a wild ride!

Everyone has a gift. Every gift is different, and every gift is special. Our world needs you to share your gift. What is your gift? How can you use your gift to help others? We Need Everyone empowers children to identify their gifts and use them to overcome challenges, achieve goals, and strengthen communities. Inspiring and uplifting, this interactive picture book celebrates diverse cultures, perspectives, and abilities through playful illustrations. Perfect for reading aloud.

A great resource for teaching assistants, NQTs, and school leaders and principlas wishing to establish a collaborative and consistent SEN setting where their students feel safe and successful.