Field Experience Reflection Paper

I had the opportunity to observe High School students in a couple special education classrooms. There were a total of seven students in the largest classroom I observed. There were several IDEA categories that the students were being served under. There were multiple learning disorders, a couple health impaired disorders, a few emotionally impaired, and one seriously and emotionally disturbed.

I observed two freshman students in an entry-level math class the most frequently. There were only two students in the class, one boy and one girl. The girl was a student with a learning disorder, and the boy was a student with a seriously and emotionally disturbed health disorder. They both were shy when I first observed, but in the end they opened up to me. The teacher was very patient and motivating. This was the closest I was to the real classroom. The curriculum consisted of math principles that the students struggled with. They worked on various scenarios of weekly, monthly, and yearly counting. I also watched the students convert decimals into percent, and vice-versa. They learned how to count money and add the tax to the total, a fun game we played was like monopoly, getting paid and paying for property and different living expenses.

In the larger classroom with another teacher, the classroom averaged about seven students every class period. The curriculum was based on what the students’ goals were on their IEPs, their skills, their age, and their study skills. All students worked on behavior problems, like acting inappropriately, and also worked on what their weaknesses were, like comprehending a reading or article. The juniors and seniors mainly worked on transition skills and becoming more involved, like joining a sports team or a fine arts class. The teachers were preparing them for college and helping them with things like registering for ACTs (American College Testing), and applying for Universities and FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid). I observed a freshmen girl getting questioned about her future, like what she is interested in, if she wants to own a car, or if she wanted to live on her own. The whole class participated in a daily activity, like discussions over responsibility and advice. I took part on the advice talk, and the teacher asked the students about different situations and who or who not to take advice from. They also practiced giving advice to others, with different scenarios. None of the students used any assistive technology, but there is one student in the Madison Middle School who does, but I did not observe the Middle School.

The teacher I communicated with the most was in charge of the larger special education classroom. We talked about the NCLB (No Child Left Behind) and IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act), and its direct affects in the classroom. She has many opinions about it, likes and dislikes, and it was interesting to listen to her perspective. For the most part, she thinks the IDEA is positive and supporting to the special education classroom, but adding the No Child Left Behind is very frustrating to Special Education. She feels that the students are almost forgotten, and it is really hard to apply their IEPs to the NCLB act. In their IEPs (Individualized Education Program), specific goals are noted and that is what the teachers need to teach and help them improve. In NCLB, they need to be able to learn everything, according to requirements, even if it is at a higher level for them to comprehend. For example, when a student with a cognitive disability has trouble with converting a certain tax percentage into a decimal and then calculating a total cost, it is really difficult for them to figure out the total if they do not know how to convert percentages into decimals. She made a comment that was very opinionated, but I believe it is appropriate to discuss. She asked what the point of an IEP was, if it was not going to be used to the full extent. If a student needs to work on converting percentages into decimals, then how can the NCLB act expect them to be benefiting from the test? This teacher also believes that NCLB does not benefit students in the regular classroom either. She thinks that some students are advanced enough to where they are not being challenged through the testing. It is hard to find a happy-medium throughout the whole school, because not everyone learns the same or has the same level of intelligence. State standards are much more different than some student’s IEPs and ability level.

This teacher gave me some very valuable information regarding communication with the parents and students. She said that emails can be the hardest way to communicate through, and it can also be the easiest. The first thing to do is to make sure to add a delivery receipt, so that you have proof that the parents and students opened the email and are aware of it. The second thing to remember is to add both parents and the student. She said that the bad thing about emails is that parents can take things the wrong way very easily. Like texting and instant messaging, interpretations of messages can really change the tone of the conversations. She said the best thing you can do if the parent takes an email the wrong way would be to call them. Phone calls are still the best way to communicate if not person to person. Hearing the tone and content over the phone makes communication much smoother. Sometimes phone calls are not accessible, and in that case this teacher advises to have another teacher or principal help write an email back to an unhappy parent. She usually has at least two people proof read and make additional comments to the email, making it sound as professionally and still personable at the same time.

I really enjoyed observing the high school special education class at this high school. I have a much greater appreciation now for special education teachers than I ever have. They are very patient and encouraging, and I really admire that. I have thought about being a special education teacher, and it still interests me, but my heart is really leaning me towards teaching business classes in the high school. She told me that I am already a step ahead in that job, because I got to observe so much in the special education classroom. She helps her students with their class schedules, and she usually always puts them into a personal finance class or an economics class because they are the most interesting to them. She’s had many students report that they learn a great deal in the regular classroom of personal finance, because reality makes sense to them. Her students know that they need to work to pay for the products they buy. Managing a checking account or filing a tax form is all things that they have to do when they are older and on their own.

I was given the opportunity to help a student with his English homework. This student was the freshman student who is seriously and emotionally disturbed. My corresponding teacher said I did an excellent job not giving into his commands, even though he was very trying. I was pretty impressed with myself, but also disappointed. I was impressed that I was encouraging and fun to work with. After we finished ten questions, I let him have a stretch break. He really enjoyed it, and took it way too far. It was hard to get him back to work, but once we did I started to go easy on him. This is when I became disappointed in myself, because I was practically giving him the answer! I noticed myself doing this, and I tried to stop – because it was his homework, not mine. It was much easier to hint the answer to him, instead of teach the answer out of him. I’m sure he enjoyed my free answers.

My corresponding teacher taught lessons about advice. She discussed the importance of taking advice from valuable sources and still making a wise decision on your own. She had an example of telling the students what to do and what classes to take, but in the end it is all up to them. She could give them all the answers, but what would they learn? I think she is a great teacher, and she really taught me a lot as well. I had to remember not to tell the student the answer, but help him realize it himself.

When I am a teacher, I want to motivate and encourage students just like special education teachers do. I think real life lessons should also be incorporated into teaching at any classroom, and yet still teaching the subject matter. I am very excited to teach and to have a diverse group of students in my classroom. My main goal is to let students excel in that they are great at. I want them to build self-confidence up, and let it take them far. I am so thrilled about the thought of having my own classroom!