My Reflections on Supporting Students with Special Needs

Initially I was frustrated with the common response of “it depends” to most of all my questions related to special needs, but now I understand. Like most things in education, there is no “one size fits all” to supporting students with special needs. The category of “Special needs” is a broad and dynamic arena that is even more layered by student’s age, socioeconomic status, culture and general persona. Over the course of the year I have come to learn that labels like “ES” “MR” or “SLD” are not telling of who a child is.  When one takes a view of a child that is solely based on the label next to their name, they are taking a deficit view and surely missing key aspects.  

Although social stigmas might suggest other wise, I believe all of my students are endowed with unique gifts. Moreover, as there teacher it is my role to figure out how to draw upon those gifts. In short in moving forward in my practice I will approach each of my students with two big questions: what are your dreams and gifts? And how can I support and build upon them?

Spring Break

Unlike other programs in GSE TEP’s  Spring Break is aligned with the School District of Philadelphia. So this past week students and student teachers were able to get away. Nonetheless, somehow my break slipped away from me. Instead of going home, I decided that I would use the break to search for jobs, go on interviews, work on my master’s portfolio and get ahead on planning. Unfortunately, the position I informed you about in the last post, is not guaranteed for next year.  As one might predict only one of those (on my spring break laundry list) really happened. I was able to arrange four different interviews and two demo lessons with schools in NY. After much grooming by our GSE career services representative Jim Alton, I went in and tried to make my resume come alive. I have received one job offer thus far (yay!) and will be waiting to hear back from others. Meanwhile, in thinking about the future I let the present slip away. So in short I will spend the rest of my weekend getting ready to teach next week, working on my masters portfolio and hopefully sleeping. 

A New Position

Hello World,

With so much going on I have not had time to update you. So as you know, I am currently a student in teacher's ed., getting certified in Secondary Social Studies. Upon the recommendation of the school principal at my student teaching placement, I was recently site selected to be emergency certified in English, in order to teach in a pilot academy for repeat ninth and tenth graders. As a result, I teach both English and History; and function as a student teacher and a certified teacher within the school. (crazy right!) So in short the past month has been intense. I teach two English II courses, one English I and I am still teaching my ninth grade World History course. Oh yes and I am a full time student at Penn. Yet with all the craziness this position has been such a blessing. While I had intended to add on an English Cert., I will now have real experience teaching both. Moreover, I also have real incite on what it means to be a full-time teacher, plus I have my own classroom (yipee). The academy started March 5th (yes mid school year) and we have been pushing forward ever since. On March 3rd some of my wonderful friends and I came together to help me Christen my room. Lesson planning and grading for three different courses and four different groups of students is well, no joke but what can I say I love the rush.. Stay tuned more updates on this endeavor.