Blog 5: What am I doing to get my students ready to mainstream them into general education classrooms?

I had to think about this question and really look at what I am doing to make this happen.  I have two students that currently go to either a kindergarten general classroom twice a week for 30 minutes each day and I have a 1st grader who goes for 30 min twice a day.  My kinder loves to go and was doing well up until about the end of December and then he started to have some real behavior issues.  I spoke with the teacher and she explained what was occurring.  We agreed, he'd be sent back to my class if the behaviors started and she prompted him twice.  He needless to say, kept getting sent back. So, I sat him down one afternoon and we talked about why he was being sent back early.  He first said he didn't know and then changed his tune when I started to give examples of what he had done.
He asked what he could do so that he could go more often.  I explained he had to follow her rules in kinder as much as he follows my rules each day.  He said he didn't know the rules in the other classroom, like mine because he didn't seem them on the board.  I took a walk with him and we visited his kinder room.  I explained why we were there, the teacher said that the rules had been discussed and they had to learn them in the beginning of the year and so she had taken them down.  I then asked if I could have a copy of the rules so that I could work with him on it.  I then took and made a 3x5 card and laminated it and made a quick necklace he wears that has the four rules on it.  Each day he goes and earns a sticker from his kinder teacher for following the rules, he earns a star in my class.  If he has a star by the end of the day, my students get a treat from the treasure box before they get on the bus to go home.  Positive reinforcement goes a long way, especially if your kids are not in the same classroom day in and day out with the other gen ed students but are required to be one of them.  They need help remembering, they need modeling and sometimes manipulative's to help. No two classrooms are ever the same.
My 1st grader, has a rough time with his emotions and being able to control them when he doesn't get his way.  When I took the class in December he was being sent back to room 119 early because he would hide under tables if he didn't get his way.  I met with the teacher and asked, if him being under the table isn't causing a disruption, if he could stay, he might be able to calm himself down and continue his time.  After some reassurance that I would take the blame if something didn't go well she agreed.  After about three visits, he began to come back out from under the table and join in again without any prompt from the teacher.
I believe all teachers have good hearts and want what is best for all students.  I just believe that so many general ed teachers have so much on their plate that one more to have a "special visitor" can tip the plate at times so to speak...so to give them the tools or the knowledge that I will take the blame vs them...helps to give my kids a chance at a rewarding experience that most don't even realize how much they value.
My goal is to have all classes and teachers feel welcome, enriched, empowered and successful.  I want to create an environment where my kids can walk from my class to a gen ed class and feel confident, that they can and will be successful.  I want the gen ed kids to ask to come visit and see their friends classroom and feel welcome.  Whether in special ed or gen ed our children must feel welcome and respected and know that they can be successful.