Final Reflection

As this course comes to a close and I reflect back on what I have studied and learned, I have to say that although I learned quite a bit I am still not where I would like to be as far as understanding  students with special needs. However, I do think that is a feeling that will develop through experience and interaction with my future students and getting to know them as individuals and getting to know their specific needs, challenges and abilities. I am grateful that I have been able to study some of the laws regarding the services that schools provide for special needs students, and to have gained an understanding of the changes that we as a country and culture have made in supporting, including and welcoming people with special needs.
One of the most impactful experiences for this class was the orthopedic simulation, where I spent several hours in a wheelchair and had some tasks that I was to accomplish. It was one of the most eye opening experiences of my life as far as understanding the challenges associated with being in a wheelchair. I experienced an enormous range of emotions as I attempted to accomplish each task; my emotions ranged from frustration to rage and back to despair as I realized that the place I was in was not designed for my current level of ability. I thought about how each person who is in a wheelchair may also feel those things and be faced with them every single day, on top of the ordinary day-to-day frustrations and challenges as well as any other additional emotional issues or mental health issues that affect any one of us. I thought that it would be incredibly easy to slip into a deep depression brought on by the experience of trying to live in a world that you cannot access freely. Since that simulation, I have looked at each person in a wheelchair as a person of deep strength.
Although the mechanics of this class were frustrating at times, I am glad to have been able to take it over the summer when I could focus on it a little more than if it were in a full-time semester. I had originally planned to be a ECSE major, but now know that ElEd is the right place for me to be. I will work hard to include, encourage and support all of my future students who have special needs.

Lesson 12 Reflection

This week we learned about making accommodations when evaluating student learning. There are many ways that we can create opportunities for all students to demonstrate their learning, and to achieve success according to their abilities and strengths. individualized grading is a way for teachers to accommodate students who may have a high-incidence disability or modified curricular expectations. They can monitor the student's development and represent their progress in a way that is meaningful for that individual student. A portfolio assessment is another way for students with special needs to show their achievements and progress. A collection of their work and other observable evidence is assembled and is then available as a reference on that student's progress.
I worked on the visual impairment mask challenge this week, and it was again such a powerful experience. I had to plan it for a day when I could be home and not need to drive anywhere. I developed quite a headache after straining my eyes for so long. I was surprised how hard it was to navigate even in my familiar home environment. It was surprising how many things I found difficult without my sight. I couldn't do my usual activities like reading or watching TV or going for a walk, without experiencing severe difficulty. These challenges have been so revealing.

Lesson 11 Reflection and Oral Expression challenge

The reading this week shared some strategies which can be used to aid students in independent learning. It was great to learn a few new ones and to know that I have these and can refer to them in the text as a resource. I am particularly interested in these kinds of things because as I have continued my education and experiences in the classroom, I am developing the sense that student-led learning is very powerful. If I teach strategies such as these to my future students, then I believe that they will be able to take an assertive stance in their own education.
I worked on the oral expression disability challenge this week, and it was again a humbling experience. I spent so much time beforehand thinking and stressing about what I could say without using the /l/ or /n/ sounds. I was really worried about repeating back to someone a portion of their directions that they said to me, and had to think about what I could repeat without using the specific sounds. These simulations are a very eye-opening and worthwhile project to participate in. I have found some good people though, who have been so kind and made sure that they looked me in the eye and stopped to listen to me and do what they could to assist me and make me feel like they were giving me their best.