Welcome! As an itinerant teacher of the deaf and hard of hearing working with students who use a listening and spoken language approach, I spend a great deal of time on the road. I am fortunate to have a home base at Clarke Mainstream Services in Northampton, MA, where I am able to collaborate with colleagues, brainstorm solutions to challenging situations, discuss all aspects of the job, and seek advice or guidance. I’ve come to realize that not all professionals have these same regularly scheduled opportunities. At conferences, itinerant teachers often gravitate towards each other. We seem to be able to connect even in the largest of crowded exhibit halls, drawn together for the briefest of conversations and a momentary, “Hey! What do you do when…” exchange. The purpose of this blog is to bring itinerants together for longer than just that brief weekend conference. Here, we will build a community of itinerants -- a “home base” for those of us who spend our days on the road traveling between schools.
Hi Heather. Do you send out an introductory letter to the general and/or special ed teachers at the start of each new school year?
ReplyDeleteHi Jennifer,
DeleteI send out an email to my main contact at the school as well as the student's classroom (or homeroom for junior / high school) teacher. If it's a new district, I also send emails to the principal and special education director. I introduce myself and explain my role in working with my student and invite questions that these professionals may have. In the first week or so, I make it a point to connect with new teachers face to face as well as new principals and, when possible, special education directors (although they can be more difficult to reach!). The more people who know me and what my role is, the easier it is to advocate for my students.