Five weeks ago when I walked into Britton, I was pretty sure special education would not be my expertise, but after this experience I'm considering earning a degree in this area. When I used to think of special needs, I assumed that all of these students were the same, and that I didn't have the patience and the knowledge to help them conquer each day by day challenge. After working with these students in a behavior unit, I've learned so much about what special education is, and how a little hope and inspiration can go such a long way for these children. For many students, they don't have the support from peers or even general education teachers to help them succeed, so even a simple congratulations can boost these students to a positive environment. Despite the program special education students are involved in, I now understand how much they really do need teachers, and it's evident that they are all very grateful for the help they receive. Each accomplishment to those individuals is seen as something to be proud of, even if it's simply filling out a worksheet, but those students value their work much more than everyone else. Working with these students has opened my eyes to what education can truly be defined as, for it is not simply teaching material, but it is teaching true qualities that these students would likely never receive without this program. When most people think of special education, they assume that these students are segregated to their own classroom because they can't handle what the other students work on. But, from Mrs. Hart's class, I have learned that this is not the case, for every child should have the opportunity to learn from students who are different then them, whether that is a student on an IEP, or a student without one, everyone can learn from a special education program, so there is no need for students to be isolated form a general education class. Therefore, it is amazing to see the opportunity Britton gives these children every day to accomplish more then the stereotype allots for the individuals, and I'm so happy that I've been able to play a part in their lives.
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The Map of the Learning WorldAlong with me as your tour guide, you'll also find I've added my daily journal entries, or blogs, to help guide you through the learning world. Feel free to check them out! Archives
May 2016
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