What is SPECIAL EDUCATION?

Special Education, also known as Special Ed or SPED, is a set of educational programs or services specially designed to meet the unique needs of students with disabilities that cannot be sufficiently be met using traditional educational programs or techniques. Special education services and programs may be provided individually (one-on-one set-up) or in a group with other students with similar educational needs.

Special education is in one sense a profession, with its own tools, techniques and research efforts all focused on improving instructional arrangements and procedures for evaluating and meeting the learning needs of children, youth and adults with special needs. At a more practical level, it is the individually planned and systematically monitored arrangement of physical settings, special equipment and materials, teaching procedures, and other interventions designed to help exceptional children achieve the greatest possible personal self-sufficiency and academic success.

Philosophy/ Rationale of SPED Program

The idea of establishing a SPED program At Paco Catholic School came about as a result of encounters by the Early Childhood Education teachers with children who are cognitively capable but exhibit behavioral problems. As a quick fix these problems, the school collaborated with professional like developmental pediatricians or SPED diagnostician for assessment and parents in addressing the problems of their children. However, being responsive to the needs of its students, the school took a proactive stand by putting in their timetable the availability of a SPED program effective school year 2006-2007 to handle this current and future clientele.
The decision to design a complete SPED program from Early Childhood to Transition employment services program comes from the fact that they can attain a high percentage of success in the implementation of the program due to the advantage they have because of the school’s location. The reality that being at the center of so many commercial establishment can produce multiple employment alternatives for these students with special needs to lead a productive, self-sufficient, and rewarding lives in the community in their own unique way.

How to Determine if your child needs special attention

Does your child….

• …seem to be unable to see the difference between b and d, p and q?
• …make strange spelling mistakes?
• …seem not to fully understand what he/she reads?
• …have difficulty with the multiplication table?
• …pay attention to everything and have difficulty focusing attention to a task?

These could be the early signs of a specific learning disability

Does your child…

• …tend to be very talkative and impulsive?
• ...have difficulty in following instructions?
• … seem too often distracted and forgetful?
• …always leave his seat and roam around inside or outside the classroom and seem to be always “on the go”?
• … often throw tantrums?
• …seem not to listen when spoken to?
  …fail to finish school work?
• …too often fidget with hands/feet or squirms in his seat?

• …too often can’t wait for his turn?
  
  
  These could be the early signs of
  Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (AD/HD)

     Does your child…

• …always fidget/wiggle his/her hands and walk to and fro?

• …”look through” people?

• …have a tendency to retreat into his/her “own world”?

• …talk to him/herself and prefer to be alone always?

• …have a tendency to be disinterested in making friends?

• …always interchange “he” with “she” or “I” with “You”?

• … love to repeat sounds of words?

• …resist being held and touch?

• …get obsessed and become rigid with something?

These could be the early signs of Autism Spectrum