The CEC Common Core of Knowledge and Skills Essential for All Beginning Special Education Teachers

Meeting the Challenge of Consultation and Collaboration

“…Variations of consultation, collaboration, and teaming have a legal basis and have been promoted by professionals for over 25 years. Most recently, support for this position can be found in texts (Idol et al, 1994;Sugai & Tindal, 1993;Thomas et al, 1995) and in the description of core skills for beginning special education teachers by the Council for Exceptional Children (Swan & Sirvis, 1992). On the basis of such feedback, it can be concluded that teacher training programs in special education must begin to systematically include consultation, collaboration, and teaming skills in their curricula.…”

Is the Glass Half Full or Half Empty?

“…The most obvious responsibility is teaching students. The Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) Common Core Standards provides us with guidelines for the general competencies that students should obtain by successfully completing their personnel preparation programs (Council for Exceptional Children, 1998;Swan & Sirvis, 1992). These competencies do provide individuals with essential skills necessary for successful teaching; however, the voices from the first-year teachers indicate there is more that happens during that first year.…”

From Teacher Preparation to Continuing Professional Development

“…CEC has also suggested that States should have a similar standards framework to facilitate reciprocity (CEC, 1995; Maple, 1983; Swan & Sirvis, 1992). These standards, which were validated by the field, were completed and published in 1995.…”

“…has also suggested that States should have a similar standards framework to facilitate reciprocity(CEC, 1995; Maple, 1983;Swan & Sirvis, 1992).CEC's standards setting efforts have provided a structure stressing that beginning teachers preparing to become special educa-tors need knowledge and skills that practitioners in the field have identified as essential. These standards include a solid grounding in: professional, ethical, legal, historical, and philosophical aspects of the field; human development, the characteristics of exceptional students, and the way partnerships skills that are characterized bymutual and reciprocal respect and responsibility; and communication skills that enable the professional to be sensitive, culturally competent, and effective (CEC, 1998).…”