A Survival Guide for New Special Educators -- Copyright -- The Authors -- Acknowledgments -- Contents -- Tables, Figures, and Exhibits -- Tables -- Figures -- Exhibits -- Introduction -- Overview of the Chapters -- Accessing the Online Content -- Part One: The Basics -- Chapter One: Getting the Right Job -- An Initial Priority: Find a Good Job Match -- Steps in Your Job Search -- Identify Your Priorities -- Investigate a Range of Options -- Develop Your Résumé -- Complete Your Application and Follow Up -- The Interview Process -- Before the Interview -- Preparing for Interview Questions -- The Interview Itself -- After the Interview -- Consider the Offer -- To Sum Up -- What's Next? -- Chapter Two: Great Beginnings -- Reality 101: What to Expect in the First Years -- Your Challenge: Become an Accomplished and Committed Special Educator -- Reflect on the Moral Purpose That Guides Your Work -- Develop Knowledge about Professional Standards and Ethics -- State Standards -- Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) -- National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) -- Learn about the Community and Key Policies and Guidelines -- District and School Community -- District, School, and Local Policies -- Special Education Policies and Guidelines -- Confidentiality -- Learn More about the Content Standards for Subjects You Teach -- Use and Refine Your Knowledge about Evidence-Based Practices -- Know Your Students and Systematically Monitor Their Learning -- Collaborate Effectively with Administrators, Colleagues, and Parents -- Protect Instructional Time and Balance Your Responsibilities -- Develop Resilience and Manage Stress -- Take Initiative for Your Own Professional Learning -- Making It Happen: Create a Network of Supports -- Emotional Support -- Feedback Support -- Professional Learning Supports -- Specific Support Needs -- To Sum Up.

What's Next? -- Additional Resources -- Chapter Three: Working with Others -- Be an Energizer -- Be an Effective Communicator -- Show Courtesy and Respect and Acknowledge Others' Efforts -- It's the Nonverbal, Unspoken Things That Say the Most -- Take Time to Listen -- Quit Taking It Personally -- Problem Solve, Don't Blame -- Working Through Conflicts -- Be Aware of Your Own Reactions First -- Never Respond in Anger -- Listen and Make Sure You Understand the Problem -- Describe Behaviors Rather Than Make Judgments -- Focus on the Goal of Communication -- Consider Multiple Ways of Addressing a Problem -- Admit When You Do Not Know -- Apologize -- A Great Start with Parents -- Ten Actions to Develop Positive Relationships with Parents -- Start Your Relationship on a Positive Note -- Show Respect and Appreciation -- View Parents as Experts on Their Child -- Remember That Parents Have Specific Legal Rights -- Make Accommodations for Parents of Students Who Do Not Speak English -- Communicate Frequently and Follow Through -- Share Resources with Parents -- Document Communication with Parents and Keep Copies of Correspondence -- Respect Confidentiality -- Exercise Care When Using E-mail and Social Networking -- A Great Start with Administrators -- Seek Clarification about Expectations and Responsibilities -- Determine if You Have One or Multiple Supervisors -- Understand the Chain of Command -- Become Familiar with Teacher Evaluation Processes -- Seek Solutions -- Listen to Feedback -- A Great Start with Your Mentor(s) -- A Great Start with Colleagues -- Avoid Blame and Power Struggles -- Involve Others in Determining Effective Solutions -- Clarify Responsibilities -- Request Professional Development (PD) -- Leading Effective Professional Meetings -- To Sum Up -- What's Next? -- Additional Resources -- Chapter Four: Special Education Law.

Key Laws Related to Students with Disabilities -- Education for All Handicapped Children Act -- Zero Reject -- Protection in Evaluation -- Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) -- Least Restrictive Environment -- Procedural Safeguards -- Parental Participation -- Individuals with Disabilities Education Act -- Meeting IDEA Requirements: From Identifying Children to Finding Placement -- IDEA Disability and Related Services Terms -- Additional IDEA Requirements -- Section 504 -- Americans with Disabilities Act -- Confidentiality -- Dealing with Legal Challenges -- Tips for Resolving Difficulties -- Resolving Disagreements -- To Sum Up -- What's Next? -- Additional Resources -- Chapter Five: Developing Quality IEPs -- The IEP Document -- The IEP Process -- Tips for a Great Start with IEPs -- Tips for Developing IEP Components -- Present Levels of Performance (PLOP) -- Annual Goals -- Short-Term or Benchmark Objectives -- Special Education Services -- Participation in General and Special Education -- Related Services -- Supplementary Aids and Services -- Accommodations in Assessment -- The IEP Meeting -- Required IEP Participants -- IEP Notification -- Parent Participation -- Transition Planning -- When Transition Plans Must Be Included -- Requirements for Transition Plans -- Participants in Transition Planning -- Tips for Involving Students in Transition Planning -- IEP Summary Forms -- Tips for Organizing the IEP Process -- Practical Suggestions from Special Educators -- To Sum Up -- What's Next? -- Additional Resources -- Part Two: Becoming an Accomplished Educator -- Chapter Six: Organizing and Managing Your Work -- Your Many Roles and Responsibilities -- Goals and Plans Equal Organizational Success! -- Keep a Workable Working To-Do List -- Use a Calendar -- Jot Down Notes -- Everything Has a Place -- Put It There! -- Send It Home or Throw It Away.

Use Color -- Create a Routine -- Set Timers -- Just Say No -- Delegate When Possible -- Manage Your Time, Manage Your Tasks -- Setting Up Your Class for Success -- Considerations for Middle and High School Classrooms -- Student Seating and Routine -- Wall Space -- Class and Student Materials -- Use Technology -- The Teacher's Desk -- Get Ready for Your First Day of School -- Create a First-Day Checklist -- Plan for Fun and Knowledge -- Getting-to-Know-You Activities -- Rules and Procedures -- Instruction -- Start a Journal -- To Sum Up -- What's Next? -- Additional Resources -- Chapter Seven: Classroom and Behavior Management -- Tiered Approach to Providing Positive Behavioral Support -- Tier One: Classroom Management -- Tier Two: Small-Group Academic and Behavioral Interventions -- Tier Three: Individualized Interventions -- Evaluating the Intervention -- To Sum Up -- What's Next? -- Additional Resources -- Chapter Eight: Collaboration and Co-Teaching -- Fundamentals of Collaboration -- Defining Characteristics for Collaboration -- Understanding Collaboration in Varied Service-Delivery Models -- Self-Contained Classroom -- Resource Services -- Co-Teaching -- Consultation -- Tips for Special Education Teachers in Collaborating for RTI -- Collaboration in Inclusive Settings -- Strategically Match Students and Teachers -- Clarify Expectations -- Meet Student Needs in General Education -- Monitor Student Progress -- Check Your Bs -- Small Strategies to Make a Big Impact on Collaboration -- Set a Regularly Scheduled Time for Communication -- Provide Immediate Assistance -- Give Positive Feedback -- Helping General Educators -- Provide Accommodations, Adapt Curriculum, and Modify Behavior -- Communicating the IEP -- Co-Teaching -- The Co-Teacher Relationship -- Before School Begins -- Building Relationships -- Review the Student and Content Goals.

Make Important Decisions -- Characteristics Aiding in Successful Co-Teaching -- Barriers and How to Overcome Them -- Keeping Collaborative Records -- Assists Collaborative Team in Noting Successes and Challenges -- Provides Information for the IEP Team -- Serves as a Record of Your Responsibilities -- To Sum Up -- What's Next? -- Additional Resources -- Chapter Nine: Supporting Your Students -- The Student-Teacher Relationship -- Tips for Fostering Positive Student-Teacher Relationships -- Get to Know Your Students-Talk to Them! -- Share Appropriate Personal Information -- Be Available to Help -- Communicate High Expectations -- Find the Good and Build on It -- Have a Short-Term Memory for Negatives -- Motivating Your Students -- Show Your Enthusiasm -- Make It Relevant -- Find the Sparkle in Their Eyes -- Pinpoint Currency -- Pump It Up with Peers -- Let Students Take the Reins -- Set Them Up for Success -- Praise, Praise, Praise -- Advocating for and with Your Students -- Strategies for Advocating for Your Students -- Teach Your Students to Advocate for Themselves -- Facilitating Self-Advocacy -- Teach, Model, and Practice Self-Advocacy -- Collaborate with Parents -- Culturally Responsive Teaching -- Helping Your Students Stay Organized and Learn Responsibility -- Keep Organization Compact -- Color Code -- Use a Calendar or Planner -- Follow Routines -- To Sum Up -- What's Next? -- Additional Resources -- Chapter Ten: Assessment and Knowing Your Students -- Your State Standards and the CCSS -- Why Test in Relationship to the Standards? -- Educational Laws and Assessment -- Relationship Between the Laws and Your Assessment Practices -- Why Is Nondiscriminatory Evaluation So Important? -- Multitiered Systems of Support or RTI and Intervention -- Universal Screening -- Multitiered Instructional Supports.

Progress Monitoring and Curriculum-Based Measures.