Soleil Dixon-Widman Clinical Field Experience C_ Roles and Responsibilities of the Special Educator

docx

School

Grand Canyon University *

*We aren’t endorsed by this school

Course

500

Subject

Sociology

Date

Jan 9, 2024

Type

docx

Pages

Uploaded by DeaconPorcupine3911

Clinical Field Experience C: Roles and Responsibilities of the Special Educator Soleil Dixon-Widman SDP-521-0500 November 23, 2022 Being a teacher in general, I learned that you wear many different hats throughout the day. You are a mentor, cheerleader, disciplinarian, parent, counselor, and nurse, to name a few. How you become more than just a teacher to a learner is by collaborating in some kind of way with these kinds of people in your community. Reach out to them and get the resources you need to pass information to your learners. You can also add this to your resume from all the training you received. I explored how to balance these roles and how they go beyond the classroom. I find joy when working with the emotional support class here at McDaniel School. Their case manager is Ms. Sharper, and she has a classroom of ten boys and one girl, so in total, eleven learners. Ms. Sharper has a teacher aide named Ms. Tee, and three one-on-one adults are in the classrooms. Having so many adults in the classroom would be stressful and overwhelming because I would want to know who is in charge if I were a learner. Ms. Sharper said it is a blessing to have extra hands on because their triggers can sometimes be a domino effect. She also said that everyone understands their role and part in the classroom, which is essential. Imagine if that was not understood and clear, she asked me. I said that I would be very overwhelmed and stressed out.

An essential responsibility Ms. Sharper and I discussed is differentiating lesson plans with general educators and teachers. Not all of her learners can join a general education setting, so she teaches all subjects to help learners succeed. I asked her how she planned her lessons, having different grade bands in one room. She explained how Ms. Tee helps her with small groups and the one-on-ones with the learners. There are three classes, 6th grade, 7th grade, and 8th grade. They are broken down into two different groups based on the placement levels they are placed at. Ms. Sharper said she does not keep any legal or confidential information about the learners inside her classroom. These files are placed inside a closet in a locked cabinet which is a safe and secure place. If she needs access to any of them, she must request permission from the school's Special Education Liaison. These same documents are also on her computer. Emotional Support classrooms can be a handful when behaviors are displayed when trying to teach. For the most part, the staff can calm learners down, but some like to elope during the process. When learners elope into the hallway, it is then handled by the school safety officers in the hallways. We must be very involved with our learners because they require much attention. It helps when all are involved in the IEP. In some cases, it is hard to get families fully involved because they are overwhelmed or do not want to be bothered. Not forcing families to get involved immediately but slowly getting them on board with the resources available at any given time helps.

As a special education teacher, you are also responsible for communicating and working with families while the learner is in your care. We are advocates for learners and help families advocate for their children. We mentor these families so that they can practice what was taught at school and have them work on it at home. When working with families, you get to discuss different resources and strategies that can be used to ensure that the learner receives all the services needed. Ms. Sharper is the oldest special education teacher left in my building. This makes her a fantastic resource for my special education journey. During our many conversations, I appreciated her sharing her journey from her first year of teaching up until now. She explained her strategies and how they change throughout her teaching journey. Ms. Sharper always attends professional development to gain new knowledge and skills; when I cannot attend, she leaves me her notes. Entering the field, I will implement many of Ms. Sharper's strategies. I am eager to learn and take constructive criticism from not only Ms. Sharper but members of the special education team to be an effective special education teacher in my school's community. I had so many questions as I observed learners pushing in with a group of other self-contained learners for the bulk of their school day. I wanted and needed guidance about adjusting my pull-out grouping schedule, which I got during this observation. I got to see how the routine schedule works and when it does not because of a change in schedule due to unforeseen circumstances and behavioral incidents that disrupt the learning environment. Ms. Sharper and I discussed making the necessary accommodations and modifications for student learning. Also, it reinforced the importance of using the school-wide behavioral modification program and incorporating

Your preview ends here

Eager to read complete document? Join bartleby learn and gain access to the full version

Access to all documents
Unlimited textbook solutions
24/7 expert homework help

a classroom incentive program. Overall, I learned a lot of new insights from this field experience and from working with Ms. Sharper. I plan to take on everything I have learned to better myself as a teacher. I will also continue to learn and take in new information to build my knowledge and improve my skills as an educator.

Related Documents

WEEK3-ASSGN-Fulton.S.docx

observation 4.docx

MD1AssignErnstD.docx

MD6AssignErnstD.docx

Copy of Cultural Competence in the Classroom.docx

Soleil Dixon-Widman Clinical Field Experience B_ Administering, Analyzing, and Applying Assessment

Soleil Dixon-Widman Determining the Least Restrictive Environment.docx

Selena__Kisnasawmy_HIS_200__Applied_History-8.docx

Recommended textbooks for you

Social Psychology (10th Edition)

Sociology

ISBN:9780134641287

Author:Elliot Aronson, Timothy D. Wilson, Robin M. Akert, Samuel R. Sommers

Publisher:Pearson College Div

Introduction to Sociology (Eleventh Edition)

Sociology

ISBN:9780393639407

Author:Deborah Carr, Anthony Giddens, Mitchell Duneier, Richard P. Appelbaum

Publisher:W. W. Norton & Company

The Basics of Social Research (MindTap Course Lis...

Sociology

ISBN:9781305503076

Author:Earl R. Babbie

Publisher:Cengage Learning

Criminalistics: An Introduction to Forensic Scien...

Sociology

ISBN:9780134477596

Author:Saferstein, Richard

Publisher:PEARSON

Sociology: A Down-to-Earth Approach (13th Edition)

Sociology

ISBN:9780134205571

Author:James M. Henslin

Publisher:PEARSON

Society: The Basics (14th Edition)

Sociology

ISBN:9780134206325

Author:John J. Macionis

Publisher:PEARSON

SEE MORE TEXTBOOKS

Recommended textbooks for you

Social Psychology (10th Edition)
Sociology
ISBN:9780134641287
Author:Elliot Aronson, Timothy D. Wilson, Robin M. Akert, Samuel R. Sommers
Publisher:Pearson College Div
Introduction to Sociology (Eleventh Edition)
Sociology
ISBN:9780393639407
Author:Deborah Carr, Anthony Giddens, Mitchell Duneier, Richard P. Appelbaum
Publisher:W. W. Norton & Company
The Basics of Social Research (MindTap Course Lis...
Sociology
ISBN:9781305503076
Author:Earl R. Babbie
Publisher:Cengage Learning
Criminalistics: An Introduction to Forensic Scien...
Sociology
ISBN:9780134477596
Author:Saferstein, Richard
Publisher:PEARSON
Sociology: A Down-to-Earth Approach (13th Edition)
Sociology
ISBN:9780134205571
Author:James M. Henslin
Publisher:PEARSON
Society: The Basics (14th Edition)
Sociology
ISBN:9780134206325
Author:John J. Macionis
Publisher:PEARSON