Project 15: Interview

I interviewed elementary school teacher Dora Reams from the Mobile County School System. She teaches special needs students and has been teaching for 30+ years.

Why did you choose a career in teaching?

• She became a special education teacher because she has a sister who has special needs.

What advice do you have for first year special education teachers?

• Don't get frustrated because there is a lot to learn. Get a good behavior reward system. Have structure and stay firm with your students. Stay organized!

What roles and responsibilities do you have as a teacher?

• Prepare lesson plans, making and changing schedules, put grades and IEPs in computer.

How do you feel about the use of technology in the classroom? Do you use any technology in the classroom?

• She felt that technology has positives and negatives to it. She felt that the technology is good if it works properly. It's bad when it freezes and doesn't work.
  
• The only type of technology she uses in the classroom is the computer, overhead projector, and a tape player.

I guess because she has been teaching for many years that when I asked her the question regarding technology she didn't really know much further about other technologies. She did say that she didn't know how to use a smartboard and hasn't been trained in that tool.

Do you feel that having the majors elementary education and special education merge as one will make things better for the special education classroom?

• She wasn't sure how things would change, but since there is a need for special education teachers she understands why they decided to make the change. She says it will be a lot of work for that one teacher to take on so we all will have to see how things go with those teachers.