Service Learning

In my field of Special Education I am also in a "Global Educators Cohort Program" which involves us, students, learning about how those in different parts of our world not other teach, but how they also learn. We discuss different topics of racial, cultural, and religious discrimination and how it can affect the classroom. Each semester the students in this Cohort Program are assigned to a specific course and this semester the class is TE 250. Within this class we have to participate in a teacher's assistant program called Service Learning. Our class can get placed in Elementary, Secondary, or after school programs to help disadvantaged students with their learning. Now before we were sent off to our assigned placements we had an orientation that involved getting to know what the program was all about. This community and it's educators focus mainly on the respect that we show the students we are assisting and to treat them as if they were one of our peers; to not look down upon them because they are younger or have a lower reading level. This program believes that each student should have an equal opportunity to learn as much as they can, and as you might have read in my previous blogs, I believe the same.

Special Education and the iPad

http://www.districtadministration.com/article/ipad—breaking-new-ground-special-education

While I was searching the internet for interesting stories in Special Education, I stumbled across this article involving the connection between Special Education and the use of the iPad. The article mentions how the iPad is significantly cheaper than the devices many Special Education students use, which is true, and how the features to the device, such as the touch screen and "light weight nature" make it very accessible for these students. To most, this may seem dangerous, but it essence, the use of the iPad in a Special Education classroom is very useful. As I stated in an earlier post, I volunteered my time to working in my high school's Special Education department last year and surprisingly enough more than half of the students used some type of Apple device throughout the day. Whether it was listening to music on the iTouch or playing an app on the iPad, the students were always very calm and intrigued. For our students, the use of these devices were to keep them on track throughout the day. Each period was structured that if they completed their work in that class then their "reward", if you will, would be to listen to their music or play an app. The students were classically conditioned to know that if they completed their work then they could play on the devices.

Now I don't mean to make the use of these devices just seem as bribes or an opportunity to have free time. Along with the fun aspect, many of the students that used the devices were also engaging in a game that heightened their learning skills, whether that be numbers, letters, or books. As the article says, "Many different applications can be downloaded to the iPad to maintain schedules, tell stories, learn lessons, and reinforce positive behavior." 

Works Cited"The IPad-Breaking New Ground in Special Education." District Administration Magazine |. N.p., 01 Nov. 2010. Web. 25 Sept. 2012. <http://www.districtadministration.com/article/ipad—breaking-new-ground-special-education>.

Classroom Operations

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cEOTMxlRn7c

Watching this YouTube video on the way a Special Education classroom operates, I saw a similarity in the way that they do things and the way that things were done in the Special Education classrooms in my high school. As the video states, each student has different goals that they are trying to accomplish. No two disabilities are the same which is why each student has a different way of learning throughout the day. This was also true of the Special Education students in my high school. During my senior year I volunteered my free period and was a Student teacher in the Special Education department. I worked with various students throughout the year and saw many different types of disabilities from a 2 girls with Autism; one of which was in a wheelchair, a boy that was non-verbal and used a device to speak, and a girl with down syndrome. Each child had a personalized class schedule, but two times during the day, all of the students would come together and have about 5-10 minutes of socialization which included each student either talking about their weekend, favorite color/animal, or simply saying hello. The main goal in a Special Education classroom is to teach each student life skills so that one day they will be able to be independent throughout the day. There is a sense of drive that flows through these students. They are much smarter than people give them credit for and just because they may learn at a slower pace and in a different way, does not mean that they cannot have a mature life like an able-bodied person.

Education and the Writing Process

To explore the writing process in the field of Education I interviewed my professor for my TE 250 class, Olena Aydarova. While speaking with her I quickly learned that the types of writing and writing style is very different for teachers. She explained to me that there are many forms of writing that she engages in on a daily basis. Those include lesson plans, journaling throughout class discussion and writing/responding to emails. She explained that in this field there are rarely structured writing pieces and that most writing done by teachers is very free. For example, when she designs her own materials for class activities, the process for formulating a product is fully up to her.

The process of writing an email was something that Olena stressed. She described it perfectly, "when you're sitting in a desk there is so much that is hidden from the teacher/students". She explained that emails are a great way to communicate and stay connected to your students. She also stressed that one has to be very careful when formulating and then sending an email to make sure that the tone of the email and its purpose is clear. She explained that there have been instances when an email that she wrote reflected her in a bad light because of the tone that was portrayed.

Finally, after talking about the writing process that goes along with teachers, Olena expressed her opinion that thinking and reading go unnoticed. She explains that while it's not your typical form of writing, your mind is constantly "jotting down" ideas that can better your writing. In conclusion, the writing process in the field of Education is definitely something much different than the the writing process in say, Accounting or Journalism, but that's the beauty of choosing a future, everything is so different that the field you choose is almost personalized to you.

Potential

http://lc2.boe.loga.k12.wv.us/lcboeprc/special_education_border_conference.jpg

This picture shows a Special Needs boy in the marching band playing the trumpet in his wheelchair being pushed by an able-bodied boy also in the marching band. The slogan reads "I Am Potential" which is a very powerful statement because it empowers those with Special Needs and shows the world that they can do anything an able-bodied person can. Just because they have a handicap and can't do everything as a fast or efficiently as most people, doesn't mean that they have no chance of living a worthy life. This is the main reason that I want to be a Special Education teacher, I want to be an advocate for those who cannot advocate for themselves. It seems to give me a feeling of self-worth and makes me feel that I am bettering this world. 

Works Cited for "Barriers both Visible and Invisible"

"Including Children with Special Educational Needs in Physical Education: Has Entitlement and Accessibility Been Realised?" Taylor and Francis. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Sept. 2012. <http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/09687599.2011.644934>.

"Special Education Strategies And More..." Special Education Strategies And More...N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Sept. 2012. <http://michellespecialeducation.blogspot.com/>.

Barriers Both Visible and Invisible

As I searched the web for scholarly articles and blogs related to the topic of Special Education I immediately found two that seemed to be tremendously different in audience and in purpose. The scholarly article that I read was named "Disability and Society" which focused mainly on the audience of those who have had experiences in a Special Education classroom or situation. "Alongside this there has been a desire to enhance the opportunities young people have to access physical education (PE) and school sport. Previous research has shown that children with SEN (special education needs) often have fewer opportunities to access physical activity due to physical, social and emotional barriers to participation.” (“Disability and Society” 1.). This statement to me seems like the author is trying to target those who have experience and have been in situations when a Special Education student is denied the rights to participate in physical activity. The purpose of this is to raise awareness of this injustice and bring it to the people who are creating the injustice.

Finally, I found a blog online named “Special Education Strategies and More”, this writing was done by a high school student who has encountered a blind student and describes it as something eye-opening. “What I didn't fully recognize until this charming, engaging, delightful girl who happens to be blind was in my class was how heavily I use and rely on facial expressions and gestures.” (“First Week of School” 4.). This girl is trying to target an audience that is just starting to experiment with Special Needs and does not have much experience with different situations regarding various disabilities and handicaps. The purpose of this was to show other teenagers her age that not everyone is the same as us, that there are those who have it much worse and still celebrate their life.

Free Post: 10 Questions

Sitting in my TE 250 class, a requirement for my major (Special Education), many questions that I formulated from my writing class seemed to be answered. I always wondered what kind of a teacher it took to assist special needs students and if the definition of success was the same as in a regular classroom. Interacting in discussion topics I quickly learned that it took a teacher who looked past the differences and biases that go along with special needs students and possibly students of a different race or ethnicity. Whether one teaches students that are abled or disabled, the same respect applies. Looking closer that the definition of success we briefly went over how it is not seen as the same for most students but that success was defined as improvement of any kind. It is the little things that matter in a Special Education class. While these questions were answered greatly, I still had extra whose answers would have to be found in a text book. I first wondered what the likelihood of getting a job in this field of Special Education would be right out of college. The answer of a good likelihood definitely surprised me. The need for Special Education teachers is at a high in our world today so those with my same major will be fortunate enough to have great chances of finding employment. I then wondered what kind of changes might have been made in my field. In the classroom. Or in the realm of communication. This answer was very interesting because there was not the great big answer I was looking for. Rather, I found out that only changes in technology have really been made in this field and in the classroom. New devices are being used for communication and transportation. Now I did have other questions that unfortunately were not answered in the textbook that I wondered about like: How common is it to have a child born with special needs? How many students typically go into this field per year? And, what graduate schools have my program?
Sacks, Arlene. Special Education: A Reference Handbook. Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-CLIO, 2001. Print.

About Me

One main way I describe myself is using the word: writer. I never thought of myself as a critical thinker and writer until one day in my Sophomore English class. I realized that as humans, we are not so one-dimensional. The topic of discussion/writing touched on the idea of where we, as individuals fit into the world. I went back and forth writing that I am a family member, friend, student, and religious person. As I wrote that essay, I realized that as a writer I am a person of many words. When I transform myself into the dimension of a writer I make sure that every word matters and each one is counted. As a writer I love to write emotional pieces and leave the characters in my story feeling raw and naked. I realized that I am the type of student to focus in on my assignments and edit them until I feel satisfied and confident in my work and writing about what you believe. This idea of appreciating my work and believing in it made me interested in the idea of becoming a teacher. 

 Beyond being a student and writer, I am also a cousin. About 5 years ago, doctors noticed that my now 10-year-old cousin was non-verbal. This struck a nerve in my body and inspired me to become a Special Education teacher. I want to show students that have disabilities that they are just like everyone else. Although lessons may take a longer period of time to teach, I have gained a great amount a patience to aid in the process of their learning. I want to advocate for their rights and show them what makes them special. Just because they may have a disability that prohibits them from doing every day activities does not mean that they cannot be like everyone else.