Synthesis Post- What Special Education is to me

Growing up my future profession ranged from me becoming a doctor, dentist, interior designer, or a veterinarian, but little did I know that certain life experiences would lead me to the major of Special Education. Two influential factors that were embedded into my life are my cousin, Sarah, who has special needs and my experience in my high school’s Special Education classroom. My now 11-year-old cousin, Sarah, is nonverbal and can only communicate through some signs and emotions. Words are scarce in her vocabulary, but seeing her grow up these past 11 years, I feel like she is just like any other 11-year-old. She always wears a great big smile on her face and plays with her toys like they are the most interesting things. I first knew I was attracted to the profession of being a Special Education teacher when I was about 16 years old. As a junior in high school I quickly latched onto the want to pursue this profession. Sarah was just so fascinating to me. I want to learn more about why she is the way she is and why she cannot develop the same way other children her age do. With these questions lingering in my head I decided to volunteer my time senior year of high school to help out in my school’s Special Education classroom. I learned many things and gained better insight into the daily struggles that each student goes through on a daily basis. As able-bodied humans, we take walking, talking, and simply eating for granted. The complexity of certain diseases and mental retardations are so severe that they do cause these imperfections. Each day I would always look forward to coming in and helping out, and I think that is when I knew that I was doing what I loved.

With this newfound love also came frustration. Most people do not give special needs students enough credit for all they do. I believe that Special Education students are the hardest working students in their school for the simple reason that they have more to overcome in a lesson than any other student and they still manage to complete their work. One misconception that is thought of in a Special Education classroom is that the students do not work on actual subjects and that they just come to school to have a place to hang out and rehab their bodies. But what these people don’t know is that these students work harder than any other student in their school. While the topics they are covering may be minor and not very difficult for regular education students, learning this basic material is going to heighten their abilities greatly. Special Education students work through pain, physical ailments, and emotional upheavals every day and they do not complain. They simply work through these struggles and complete each assignment. Able-bodied people take their everyday routines for granted like eating or simply saying “I love you”. Life is not as simple for everyone as some may think and a sense of compassion needs to be shown.

My passion for Special Education can probably be seen quite clearly through these words above. I feel that the major and profession of Special Education is something that matters because it makes me think of someone or something other than yourself and it makes me comforted when I can speak for a child who cannot speak for themselves. I take great pride in being a big supporter for those who society sees as different and weaker than students in regular education. I love being that advocate that says, “These students can do anything any other student can do. Maybe it won’t be done as quickly or as efficiently, but it will get done because they have a driving force inside of them that will never give up.”

Remixing SPED

While looking for a remix piece in my field of Special Education I came across a brochure that outlines a Special Education program and all that it offers a special needs student and what it does to make them feel just like any other student or person in our society. Looking through this brochure I noticed that there are the connecting ideas of showing families of those with special needs how they can accommodate to their loved one's needs and how they can assist them. In this brochure, ideas are organized very well in terms of presenting the background of the program first, then showing how it will improve each student's life, and finally, how family hand friends can and will be involved in the program. The points and details this brochure present are those of aspects to the program, for example, providing students with the opportunity to gain knowledge and experience in the workforce. Along with this idea is also what types of cases this program caters to such as deaf/hard of hearing and autistic cases. Finally, the idea of parent involvement is highlighted as well. The delivery of these ideas are very welcoming and geared toward comforting the family and showing outsiders that these special needs students have the capability to be fully capable citizens just like anyone else. In conclusion, the voice of this piece of writing is very honest and open. A voice that tells the truth about these students, but also highlights their strengths and all that can be accomplished. It's a voice of knowledge because it also carries along with it, specific vocabulary needed in this field of Special Education.

http://www.sccoe.org/depts/specialed/docs/brochure_Special_Education.pdf

Accommodating those in Wheelchairs

Something that I feel is not covered very much in Special Education classes and learning is how to accommodate those in wheelchairs. When I was researching how to better assist these students I came across an article that discussed how to adjust the room to better fit their needs. The first way that was mentioned was to make sure that the doorway is 100% clear and that objects around the frame of the door are tucked away to ensure that the student can move freely in and out of the classroom without assistance. This feeling of independence will help the student grow in the classroom and will make them want to come to school and learn. Another big component to school is having a locker or cubby space. One way to ensure that those students in wheelchairs will have a full experience is to make it so that they can readily access their locker/cubby as well. For example, in my high school the students in the Special Education room would all have lockers and instead of their being a combination to lock it, they each had their own key to their own locker that would hang on the door. The keys were hung low enough so that those in wheelchairs could reach them and the key hole in their lockers were positioned low enough as well. This will also heighten the students' independence at school and make them feel like any other student. Finally, having assigned desks or places in the room for each student is a great help, not just for organization, but for that individual attention that each student needs. Those in wheelchairs should be placed at tables convenient to the height of their chair so that they feel that they have a place to feel comfortable in the classroom.

"Tips For Teachers: Simple Tips For Helping A Student In A Wheelchair." Essortment. N.p., 2011. Web. 08 Nov. 2012. <http://www.essortment.com/tips-teachers-simple-tips-helping-student-wheelchair-52338.html>.

The Importance of Special Education

While I was searching for a news article that would stress the importance of Special Education I came across an article about a Special Education teacher receiving the award for "Teacher of the Year". While I was reading this article the passion that Charlotte Land had for her students and her job just radiated the importance of classrooms such as this. She talks on the personal level of being a vital part of her students' lives and the importance of having a good relationship with their family. She states, "We must have sensitivity towards these families as they cope with the ongoing needs of a disabled child at home. We must respect the challenging journey knowing with humility that we are only a small part of that journey" (Bridges 22). This deep respect for her students and the way that each one of her Special Education colleagues will be cheering on each student to succeed is the reason Special Education is so important. As I have said in my past blog posts, the students in these classrooms just wanted to be treated normally and seen as an equal by their peers. Their families, along with their teachers need to be their biggest cheerleaders because they are the ones that spend the most time with them. Special Education is important because it gives a voice and a defense for those who cannot stand up and speak for themselves. Helping others when they cannot help themselves is the most selfless act in this world and that is why this profession matters. 

Bridges, Kathy. "Land Named Haymon-Morris' Top Teacher." Land Named Haymon-Morris' Top Teacher. N.p., 29 Oct. 2012. Web. 02 Nov. 2012. <http://www.barrowcountynews.com/section/11/article/18231/>.

Fundraising for Special Needs Children

As I browsed the web for different fundraisers that have gone on/are currently happening I can across an event named "Walk Now for Autism Speaks". This fundraiser is clearly a walk to raise money for Autism research and awareness. Multiple walks have happened all across the country in almost all 50 states. This just goes to show that Special Needs reside all around the country and that this is something that people care enough about to participate in. Now the way the money is raised in the form of having a walk is in the form of donations whether that is a flat rate or in the form of someone paying $1 for every quarter mile someone walks. It is incredible how much money can be raised in the type of situation. For example, their upcoming walk in Washington DC happening on November 3rd has already raised $448,246! That is just tremendous to me. I think it is great that awareness is being spread worldwide and that more research is being done to create better, more efficient medicine for those with the disorder to live a more normal life. If anyone is interested in finding a walk near them or donating please visit "Walk Now for Autism Speaks" website:

http://www.walknowforautismspeaks.org/site/c.igIRL6PIJrH/b.7683511/k.2EFB/Walk_Now_for_Autism_Speaks_Home.htm

What is Special Education and How did it come about

For my free post this week I thought that I would go over what Special Education actually means and how these classrooms came about. For many, there is a grey area that causes some confusion over what types of cases come through the Special Education classrooms. By definition, Special Education means education of physically or mentally handicapped children whose needs cannot be met in an ordinary classroom. Special Education classrooms got started with a man named Louis Braille. He first opened up a school for the blind in Paris to give those that could not see a better opportunity to grow and learn mentally. As more cases began to surface classrooms for the deaf and mentally handicapped children were created. This is how the evolution of sign language came about. As for the education of those with mentally disabilities, those classrooms were started by Jean-Marc-Gaspard Itard. The ideas of Mr. Itard then rubbed off on Edouard Seguin and Maria Montessori. To me, the evolution of those specific classrooms is just amazing. Seeing how technology and techniques have advanced gives me hope for a brighter future for these students.

"Special EducationAbout Our Definitions: All Forms of a Word (noun, Verb, Etc.) Are Now Displayed on One Page." Merriam-Webster. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 28 Oct. 2012. <http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/special%20education>.

Job-Shadow

Quick Facts: Special Education Teachers
2010 Median Pay	$53,220 per year
Entry-Level Education	Bachelor’s degree
Work Experience in a Related Occupation	None
On-the-job Training	Internship/residency
Number of Jobs, 2010	459,600
Job Outlook, 2010-20	17% (About as fast as average)
Employment Change, 2010-20	77,400

While I was researching job expectancies for Special and came across this table that perfectly described how likely it is for me to have a job out of college and about how much I could make starting out. This table shows me that between the years of 2010-2020 the need for jobs should increase about 17% which is said to be the average increase for most jobs which is good in a field like Special Education. This percentage also shows that the need for teachers will increase because there are more students enrolling in school, both in regular and special education. Lastly, this chart shows me that having an internship year or some type of experience in a classroom will increase your likelihood of getting a job right after school is over. This is not a concern for me because the way Michigan State's Education program is set up, we all participate in a 5th year or Internship year. This will increase my knowledge and practice in the classroom and according to this chart, will help me become more marketable in the job market after I graduate.

Placement Controversy

While researching controversies that come up in the are of Special Education, I found that there is a controversy over placement for children into Special Education classrooms. Those that are placing students into regular Education and Special Education classrooms go off of ability and base the placement mainly on skill, but what this article is saying is that those with physical ailments such as being hospitalized for health reasons are not getting the proper care that will heighten their educational abilities. While it is hard to really teach those that are physically handicapped, lesson plans should be made to foster their needs as well. It's not just about the students in the Special Education classroom that are ill for their lifetime that are being targeted, it's the ones that may need physical therapy and months of hospitalizations to recover. Those children need to be put into Special Education classrooms and given attention to maintain their knowledge and keep up with those their age. Finally, adaptability is something that is also very important in the classroom for these students. They need the proper equipment and devices to succeed and the controversy is that some schools don't have enough money to foster these needs which is a problem.

"NASET.org Home Page." National Association of Special Education Teachers: Controversial Educational Issue Legal Technology AASEP. N.p., 2007. Web. 22 Oct. 2012. <http://www.naset.org/2258.0.html>.

The Importance of Education

In one of my Education classes the class was split up into 3 groups and each group had to read a different book over the course of a couple weeks. The titles of the books all were very different and seemed as thought that they did not correlate heavily to one another. For class on Monday, each group was assigned to a different teacher in the College of Ed to participate in a book club where we talked about key ideas, concepts, and how we could teach this book in our future classroom. Today in class we all came together to compare and contrast the books and one thing that we realized was that each book stressed the importance of education. One book that was in the voice of Frederick Douglass, another that was set in the times after the Vietnam War and another that was set in a reservation area and followed the life of an Indian boy.
While at first glance these books seemed to be very different, we quickly learned that they are one in the same. Whether we are looking back at the past, living in a poverty stricken area or looking into times of depression, the struggle for a good education is all the same. Each main character was a part of the subordinate group in their society and therefore wanted more for themselves. They each wanted a better life for themselves so they pushed the envelope of Education and challenged themselves. This immediately reinforced why I want to be a teacher. I want to be that teacher that already challenges students to be their best selves and I want to show students that their education is something that creates a future for you and something that should be taken seriously. I cannot wait to continue to take more classes in the College of Ed to instill in me, the ways in which I can be an effective teacher.

Evaluating Sources

I read an article named "What's 'Special' about Special Education" by Douglas Fuchs. This author makes an argument saying that those students that are placed in Special Education classes are not just those with Autism or Down Syndrome, but those also with ADHD and various learning disabilities. Douglas talks a lot about how those that learn differently or slower than others are seen as the students that are "unteachable." Douglas states, "they (full inclusionists) believe that general education historically has used, currently uses, and forever will use special education settings as dumping grounds for children it deems "unteachable" and that general educators typically consider children with severe mental retardation to be the least teachable" (Fuchs 5). Thinking about this idea of students being unteachable is something that took me by surprise. Going through just one class, now, of Education classes, I have learned that every student learns differently and that there are stereotypes within the classroom that have to be broken. In my opinion, it is up to the teacher to make the students feel safe and comfortable in the classroom so if a student does learn a little slower it is your job to pay extra attention to that student or to find a curriculum that will suit their needs. So what is "Special" about Special Education? What is "special" about them is that there disability is something that prominent in their life. Not only does it interfere with their school life, but it also interferes with their every day life. Teachers need to realize that there is a difference between a student needing extra attention and a student being Special Needs. 

Fuchs, Douglas. "What's "Special" about Special Education." Questia.com. N.p., Mar. 1995. Web. 11 Oct. 2012. <http://www.questia.com/read/1G1-16765755/what-s-special-about-special-education>.

We're More Alike Than Different

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-cA3t1HW1Ow&feature=related

Those who do not have Special Needs would look at the people in this video as different than themselves. As humans we judge people, whether we like the admit it or not. We "judge a book by its cover" and stereotype them as "less than" if they don't fit our norm of what a "normal" person is. But who really knows what "normal" is. Since those that are able-bodied are seen as the dominant group in society, we automatically think that we can justify what is "normal".
But what I love most about this video is that it highlights the things in the lives of those that Special Needs that able-bodied people love as well. One girl said that she is in college! That is something that most able-bodied people would not think a Special Needs person could do and another girl is getting married and starting a family of her own. I don't know how many times I have to say it, but those that are Special Needs are JUST LIKE EVERYONE ELSE. They may look different or sound different, but as they say, "We're more alike than different." Us, able-bodied people just have to learn to embrace the differences and realize that that is what makes them who they are and what pushes them to acquire respect from their peers.

Jones, Jeff. "We're More Alike Than Different." YouTube. YouTube, 27 Sept. 2009. Web. 11 Oct. 2012. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-cA3t1HW1Ow>.

Defining Ethics

When looking through the Code of Ethics for Special Education I came across a very important one: 

"Promoting meaningful and inclusive participation of individuals with exceptionalities in their schools and communities."

I think that treating children that are in Special Education as just another student is the best thing you can do for them. Obviously tailor their schoolwork to their own personal knowledge, but also teachers need to make sure that they feel included. Society already shows them as "less than" or "weaker than" those that are able-bodied and I think it is my job as a future teacher to give them a voice; to speak up for them and fight for them when they cannot do it themselves.

As I prepare to become a teacher I am involved in things that enhance my capabilities for being in this field. Some of those things include taking classes that are specified to the type of teaching I plan to make a profession later on in life and having that class teach me that there are differences all throughout the classroom that go unnoticed. Second, I am in a sorority that does philanthropic work for children that are underprivileged which will help me gain a better appreciation for those students that don't have as much. And finally, I am part of a Service Learning Program through the University and I help those students that are finishing their GED and trying to graduate high school. It gives me a closer look into their struggles and the way they study and gain more knowledge on their schooling journey.

"CEC Ethical Principles for Special Education Professionals." CEC. N.p., 2011. Web. 07 Oct. 2012. <http://www.cec.sped.org/Content/NavigationMenu/ProfessionalDevelopment/ProfessionalStandards/EthicsPracticeStandards/default.htm>.