Managing a Special Education Classroom Means Managing Adults, Too

By

Matthew Tucker, EdD

&

Kalli Kemp, PhD

This issue of NASET’s Classroom Management Series was written by Matthew Tucker, EdD and Kalli Kemp, PhD. There is research highlighting the importance of strong classroom management skills, however, special education teachers must also consider how to manage the adults too, through collaboration. Collaboration skills are identified as “important” in legislation such as IDEA (IDEA, 2004), and as critical skills for educators in professional standards (CEC, 2020). However, teacher preparation programs seldomly address these critical collaboration skills (Hamilton-Jones & Vail, 2014; McKenzie, 2009). Teacher preparation programs don’t have collaboration courses, and those that do, may only offer them to Special Education teachers (McKenzie, 2009). All special education students and classrooms are served by a multidisciplinary team (MDT) that collaborate to develop and implement the student’s IEP by providing the student with educational, related, and other supplementary services. A lack of attention paid to managing and collaborating with adults who work with the students in a SPED classroom may lead to difficulties with resolving conflict among staff.