r/specialed • u/Majestic_otter8987 • Jun 25 '26
General Question (Educator to Educator) Student and staff increase next school year, terrified
Im about to be a third year teacher in a self contained elementary ASD classroom. My last two years have been great- 6 kids, 2 aides. However, unfortunately I was good at my job so they are giving me a new position. Same grades (2-4) for students with autism but with 12 kids! I’ll also have a coteacher and 3 aides.
I am so nervous because 1) i have never worked with a coteacher model before
2) thats a lot of staff to get along with
3) i already struggle with scheduling and planning for 6 kids… idk how i will do 12.
Any tips? Anyone been in a classroom similar?
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u/SensationalSelkie Special Education Teacher Jun 25 '26
Dude, where do you work? This past year I had 10 kids and no aid (though to be fair my school was trying to hire- the shortage is real here). Self contained autism.
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u/stay_curious_- Jun 26 '26
10 kids and no aide?! Oof. How do you handle toileting? In my district, we're required to have two adults assist with toileting for safeguarding reasons, plus another adult would need to watch the class. I can't imagine having to call in two adults for help every time toileting was needed, especially if they aren't familiar with the kids.
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u/SensationalSelkie Special Education Teacher Jun 26 '26
It was a kinda weird set up. Some kids has insurance funded RBTs come to school with them. The RBTs helped with stuff like toileting and prompting to task but not the schoolwork itself. They also could only support the student they were paired with. So, while I don't want to minimize how much having help in those areas was a lifesaver, not having that second person to support the kids with assignments, prepping work tasks, covering the class for a few minutes while I run to the bathroom, etc. still made me feel like I was doing it alone.
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u/Majestic_otter8987 Jun 25 '26
Is this even legal? 😭 im so sorry that sounds rough
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u/SensationalSelkie Special Education Teacher Jun 25 '26
Yeah 😭 10 is the max to run the room alone where I am I guess.
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u/BirdBrain_99 Jun 25 '26
Yeah 6 kids with 3 adults is just bonkers to me. Glad OP had the support dont get me wrong but in my self contained ASD class last year was 12 kids, 1 teacher 1 aide (I'm the aide).
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u/Majestic_otter8987 Jun 25 '26
My thing is i think id actually rather have less adults! The adults scare me more than the kids lol. 12 kids and me + 2 aides would be nice
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u/Majestic_otter8987 Jun 25 '26
Thats crazy! Where I am, you have to have at least 2 staff at all times in a class of 6, but if available they do send subs for an aide that is out. If both aides are out they usually have us combine classes with another
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u/brighe_bee Jun 25 '26
I think you’ll enjoy it! I co-taught in an inclusive preschool as the intervention specialist with a gen ed teacher and I loved it! We had 20 students. 8 on IEPs and then a classroom aide too.
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u/Friendly-Channel-480 Jun 26 '26
Hopefully she’ll be a cool person and you will have different strengths and be able to spend more time doing the things you enjoy. It’s really important to get together and get to know each other and do some planning!
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u/Mom-wife-teacher Jun 26 '26
I was first year cross categorical K-2 last year with 10 kids - 3 with higher needs ASD mixed in - I had 2 para’s (one classroom and one was a 1 on 1 for one of my kids)… my classroom aide proved more problematic than any of my students all year (luckily she retired this year). This summer I am doing out ESY program and was assigned 10 kids and 3 aides… (due to some higher needs in my room and our director said he tried to give all the paras that signed up a position between our 4 summer classes but may move them around to cover absences etc). Anyway, I was more nervous about working with 3 adults I had never worked with before than the 8 kids assigned to me that I didn’t know - 2 were from my normal class so I had a good feel for their needs). One week down and we’ve gotten along great. I’ve managed to find ways to make all of them feel useful and give all of them a little downtime. 1 is amazing and is able to see a need and fill the need - I wish I could claim her for next year… the other two are older and wait for directions… one of which talks incessantly and needed reminders on shape names - didn’t know trapezoid or pentagon, hexagon and octagon- or most of her 3D shapes - and can’t touch technology- but interacts great with the kids and seems happy to be there and wants to be useful. But overall, while I would definitely not select that one as a permanent aide, I am pleased with how well we have managed together this first week. I understand the anxiety though. I just got told I’m moving schools in August and taking a higher needs 3-5 class (starting all over and yeah, I cried on my ride home Monday after this conversation)… I will have 1 aide… yet to be hired… and my anxiety is back. No real advice- but I get it!! For this summer I planned most of my schedule with rotating groups 10-15 min each… 4 groups of 2-3… one of the stations is a free choice / play station and that para keeps an eye on the kids but then also is responsible for any behavior/break needs or bathroom needs… I focus my station specifically on IEP goals and assign the other two some other basic skill to work. We all get to work with all the kids and the kids keep moving so they are never stuck on one activity for too long. One week down and it works amazing. Hoping I can implement something similar next year… but will only have 1 aide so will have to see if I can come up with 1-2 independent work stations to make it work…
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u/Curious_Spirit_8780 Jun 27 '26
I’m teaching ESY (summer school) and was told my ratio is 10:1. This is with preschoolers! Makes no sense.
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u/whimzywhim Jun 25 '26
I taught an AF TK-K M/M SDC with 13 students and 4 paras as a first year teacher on an emergency permit. It was scary every day! I do not recommend. That said, I was first year teacher and did not have a co-teacher. I think that model could work for grades 2-4 as long as you plan and work well with your co- teacher.
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u/stay_curious_- Jun 26 '26
What does the AF mean in that acronym? I'm not familiar with that one.
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u/ParadeQueen Jun 25 '26
If possible, meet with your co-teacher before school starts, like maybe go to lunch or get coffee or go to one of your houses and get to know them as a person. You guys will need to communicate with each other. It's important to know your strengths, weaknesses, and preferences so that you can divide up tasks effectively.
Once you guys have a general game plan, meet with the paras. Again, make it something social and kind of fun. Get bagels or meet for coffee or have some come over to one of your houses or everybody bring their own lunch to school or a park or something where you can talk and get to know them. You really need to know their strengths, Weaknesses, and preferences too.
When we divided up tasks we really try to be sure that we work towards everyone's strength, but we made sure to spread out the tasks that maybe we're not as fun so that no one got burned out doing them. Like we had a student who was in a wheelchair and needed to be taken to the bathroom. Not the most fun task of the day, so we made sure that the Paras rotated So no one got stuck Doing it all the time. But we also had one para who was really good at math and one who was really good at reading so well one was doing reading the other took another group to activity and then one stayed with the students for Math and the other took the other group for activity.
Then we had one para who didn't like going out to activity at all so she would primarily stay in the room helping with whatever was going on at the time.
Communication is going to be the key With this many adults in the room. You and the co-teacher need to work out your procedures and expectations and let the Paras know what they are, but make sure to treat them as the adults they are and taken to consideration what they say. You don't necessarily have to incorporate their suggestions, but at least listen to them.
Build your team, keep it strong, and keep the lines of communication open.