Reflections SPED
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School
Kennesaw State University *
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Course
3310
Subject
Philosophy
Date
Apr 3, 2024
Type
docx
Pages
2
Uploaded by LieutenantFogSalamander37
All my life, I have tried to live the life God has for me. I have made it my mission to follow God’s purpose for me and I have come to realize, now at the age of 41, that purpose is teaching children with special needs. I recently became employed as a Special Educator teacher in grades kindergarten and first. My philosophy for working with primary students in elementary school is to help create and foster a foundation of learning that they can build upon and not just pass them along in the system without providing them the tools needed for learning. I have made it my mission to show students with disabilities that they do have the ability to do what any other child can do. All it takes is someone to take time with them and work with them. The article “The Importance of Early Intervention in Education” states that “early intervention in special education can improve developmental trajectories for children with disabilities and improve outcomes with regard to health; language; and cognitive, social, and emotional development. It can also help families care for their children, advocate for services, and gain access to systems of
support. However, intervention is more likely to be effective if it is done earlier in life”
As Special education teachers and case managers, we are the bridge that connects students with disabilities to the school system and general education teachers. According to author Danielle Smyth, “
Special
education
advocates help students and their families acquire and retain special
education
services that best meet their children’s needs. These advocates work on behalf of their clients to assist them with understanding how the relevant systems work and to help them get the services they want or need”. We as advocators make sure our special needs students are receiving the general education they should be afforded by law. We advocate to help
parents make sure their child’s special needs are met and they are given the same opportunities as any other student. We advocate by identifying learning challenges our students have and how we can modify and provide academic support to help them face them. We advocate by helping the students and their parents understand what services, resources, and support are available to them to succeed in getting an education and being successful in life. We advocate to let our students know that they are more than conquerors and can do all things through Christ.
I have a personal connection with students with learning disabilities. My youngest nephew and my youngest niece were both diagnosed with autism. My nephew is non-verbal and deals with communication, while my niece is high functioning and deals more with social skills. Since their diagnosis, I have been an advocate for education and the rights of children with special needs. When my niece was 3, I began my second bachelor's degree program in education. I was able to intern at her school as a Pre-K Special Education intern. This is where I fell in love with teaching
and found myself having the heart to assist students that had physical and learning disabilities. The bonus is that with the experiences of caring for my niece, I have a personal connection that fuels my hunger for being an exceptional and effective educator.
Some traits and skills that are necessary for an effective educator can be found in Galatians 5:22-
23. They include love, passion, persistence, courage, empathy, creativity, meekness, patience, and faith. With different students, come different learning styles and abilities. Every student does
not learn the same. Some students are more prone to hands-on learning, while others learn with written or verbal instruction. The key to being an effective educator for each student is to know your student and nurture their particular learning styles and abilities. Some students or more oral,
while others are timid and love to write. By incorporating multiple learning styles into your curriculum, you are increasing the chances of all students understanding the lessons.
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