Preparing Future Teachers of Students with Behavior Disorders: New Roles and Challenges

Due to challenging social conditions such as poverty, homelessness, illiteracy, unemployment, and drug abuse, teachers are faced with taking on new roles in order to meet students' needs. The roles of political activist, advocate, resource developer and manager, counselor, and vocational specialist are discussed in terms of their relationship to teachers of students with behavior disorders. Programs that prepare teachers of students with behavior disorders need to: (1) encourage and facilitate political activism among preservice teachers; (2) train students to become advocates; (3) emphasize resource development and management; (4) prepare teachers in therapeutic interventions appropriate for school settings; and (5) stress vocational and functional skill development through transition-oriented and community-based instruction. Along with the new roles for teachers, there need to come commensurately higher salaries, better working conditions, and improved status. (Contains 10 references.) (JDD)