In addition, M&R teachers need a thorough knowledge of the available instructional materials and resources that can be utilized to the best advantage in the student’s program. This makes a background in special education useful. However, most of the teachers felt that these things could be learned on the job.
M&R teachers need to be good at setting priorities and at organizing. Materials have to be assembled and paperwork completed while monitoring continues and new cases are picked up:
There has to be on underlying organization to what you’re doing and you have to have a long range plan of what you expect in the next two or three months.
I’ve learned that I have to be very organized. If I’m not, and I think this is one of the problems I had last year, I just keep thinking there’s so much I’ve got to do and I just have a sense of panic. This year I’ve learned that I have to be organized, deal with what I think is most important and work my way through. Sometimes I don’t get to the bottom of the list but I’ve found being organized has helped me a lot.
Teachers have different teaching styles and students have different learning styles, meaning M&R teachers need a thorough knowledge of alternate teaching strategies in addition to the school curriculum. They must have a sense of what approach is likely to be most successful with an individual teacher or student. At the elementary level, knowledge in reading, language arts and mathematics is considered the most important. At the junior and senior high levels more attention is paid to course content in social studies, sience and vocational subjects.
