Main Responsibilities of a Special Education Math Teacher at Teach For America
Shaneli's main responsibilities as a special education math teacher involved "advancing students onto the next grade," which went beyond simple instruction to include individualized support, addressing "the disconnect between why they sometimes get problems wrong," and fostering a classroom environment where students felt comfortable taking risks. This involved tailoring instruction to each student's needs and creating a supportive atmosphere where "it is okay to get a question wrong as long as they are trying their best."
Education, Teaching, Student Development, Instructional Strategies, Classroom Management
Advizer Information
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Shaneli Mirpuri
Recruitment Manager
Teach For America
UCLA 2020
Relay Graduate School of Education; Masters of Arts in Teaching
International Relations & Affairs
Education, Nonprofit, Foundations & Grantmaking
Human Resources (HR)
Video Highlights
1. Shaneli's main responsibility is to help students advance in math, which includes small group instruction and one-on-one work to identify and address individual student needs and learning gaps.
2. A significant part of her role involves fostering a classroom environment where students feel comfortable asking questions and taking risks, recognizing that making mistakes is part of the learning process.
3. She emphasizes the importance of understanding individual student learning styles and adapting teaching methods to best support each student's unique needs.
Transcript
What are your main responsibilities within your current role?
As a special education math teacher in a middle school, I was responsible for advancing my students to the next grade. It's much more detailed than just teaching. I always say I'm not teaching myself; I already passed sixth grade.
There are students who sit down every day, take out a notebook, and start taking notes immediately. Some students even color-code their notes. For those students, I can often put a YouTube video in front of them, and they'll teach themselves.
What I'm there to do is advocate for and help every single student advance in their math work. This involves small group instruction and one-on-one work, figuring out a student's areas of expertise and growth. It also means understanding the disconnect behind why they sometimes get problems wrong.
It's a huge puzzle to try and figure out because every student is different. A math problem that was easy for one student might be challenging for another. My main responsibilities were to consistently reflect on who my students are and how I can best help them.
At the same time, I had to ensure they were comfortable raising their hands in class, which can be terrifying. A big responsibility of my role is making sure students feel comfortable with each other. They need to know they can ask questions when they're stuck.
It's okay to get a question wrong, as long as they are trying their best and continuously learning from their experiences.