Questions and Answers!

I am interning in Yankton, SD in the Special Education room and find the view point of this class and the view point of the SPED classroom to be clashing. We are learning how to be constructists teachers, in which we help students obtain knowledge, in Math Concepts. In the SPED classroom they do direct instruction where the answers are practically handed to them on a silver platter. My question is can the constructivist way of teaching be modified for SPED students or do I need to stick with direct instruction? I comtimplated this idea for awhile and even talked with my intern instructor at Yankton Middle School. She told me that most SPED students do not have the patient's or background knowledge to be able to use the constructivst way of teaching. She than preceeded to metion that if they had been started out learning in that way they probably would be able to now, but since direct instruction is the easiest and only way they have been shown than introducing something like that now would only be a set back. It makes me sad that these students are being pushed along and forced to memorize information just of pass the standarize testing. Anyway, I kind of would like you thoughts on this!

Ruthie