I am a Special Education Teacher in Minneapolis, MN writing about my journey to create joyful, affirming, literacy-forward classrooms for our most complex learners – and the systemic challenges that arise.

Every year in my field, I feel more pressures and barriers placed on me and my colleagues that prevent us from doing what we are here to do – effectively teach every child that comes before us in our classrooms. Worse, we are forced to be party to environments that are understaffed, underfunded and often flat-out unsafe.

I am here to try to process through what I’ve come to see as deep failures of special education in our public schools; the warping and co-option of “inclusion” to mean “seen, if not supported;” under-trained teachers and support staff who are unprepared to approach challenging behaviors with curiosity and compassion; systemic and ongoing exclusion of nonspeaking or “challenging” students from literacy learning; and so much more.

And, I am here to envision – with the help of what I learn from so many educators, autistic advocates, assistive technology specialists, SLPs, OTs, and other professionals and experts – classrooms and schools that truly support complex students to be Learners. By this, I mean full, active, engaged participants in robust. rigorous, and joyful instruction.


Thank you for being here.

Macks