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Personal Philosophy of Special Education

Janisse A. Badere

College of Southern Nevada (Henderson)

EDU 203-1002

October 19, 2019

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Personal Philosophy of Special Education

Prior to taking this course, the overall knowledge I had about special education and

individuals with disabilities was minimal in terms of being able to simply list a few

characteristics of disabilities or early interventions. Most of the information I had about those

with disabilities was centered around symptoms and behaviors of autism spectrum disorder

(ASD), when in reality, there is a plethora of other types of disabilities and what type of aid they

may receive. After reading through the textbook, as well as interacting with fellow classmates

through online discussions, I am able to identify causes and characteristics of various disabilities

such as intellectual ones, learning, and emotional/behavioral disorders. In addition, I am now

more familiar with the concept of various technologies that may be able to benefit students with

disabilities such as no-tech, low-tech, and high-tech devices such as pencil grips, markers and

text-to-speech devices.

In my “Pre-Philosophy Statement” about special education earlier during this course, I

stated my opinions about what an educator’s role is in a special education class. The role of a

special education teacher in the classroom is to be able to provide several ways of presenting

information to their students, as well as assess any needs of individuals if they need additional

help or clarification. For instance, if a student needs a talking calculator for their math problems,

an educator should be able to provide one and teach their students how to operate such a device

or any other assistive technology their students may need. Also, if a teacher needs to present the

material through a game, with manipulatives, or through repetition, I believe it is necessary to do

so, as well as maintain a positive atmosphere. The educator must also provide support for their

students with disabilities and encourage them to be independent as it will benefit them to have a

higher self-esteem and courage as they grow older. Educators serve an important role in their
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students’ lives as they are the primary adult they may see throughout the day besides their family

unit, so it is important that teachers are well-trained individuals and keep in mind that their work

is extremely important for not only the students’ academics, but also for their futures.

I previously explained what the classroom environment should look like in my essay at

the beginning of this course. For example, I previously emphasized on the idea that a special

education classroom should be comfortable, include specially trained/educated teachers, and

include appropriate materials for that classroom. However, I failed to specify or elaborate on

what a comfortable classroom looks like or what materials were deemed appropriate for a special

education class. Following this course, I have come to understand that in order for a classroom to

be comfortable for the students and for them to learn best, an educator must first learn how to

interact and speak to individuals with disabilities such as avoiding stereotypes, using terms of

pity, using person first language and focusing on the person rather than their disability. Also, I

have learned that appropriate materials may vary on the students in the classroom; however, text-

to-speech devices, seating accommodations, SmartBoards, calculators and manipulatives are all

examples of some assistive technology/appropriate materials for a special education classroom.

If all students are accounted for in regards to what assistive technologies they may need, as well

as consistent schedules and support from their educators, I believe this is how they may learn

best since they have opportunities to inquire and learn efficiently in a comfortable environment.

Goals for my future students with special education needs would be to reach some sort of

improvement by the end of the year. Whether it is in a particular subject, finding assistive

technology that helps them learn best, or improving social skills, I think that any form of

improvement goes a long way. In my previous essay, I stated that students should have

individual lesson plans that are different from the core standards or curriculum of the rest of the
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school. However, in the duration of this course, I have been able to understand that sometimes,

individual sessions are necessary or recommended, but full-inclusion classrooms may still be

available for certain students or other forms of teaching such as community-based instruction or

cooperative learning.

Qualities that an effective special education teacher should have would be maintaining a

positive attitude, and having patience. It is important for an educator to refrain from showing

frustration or irritation while in the classroom because it may affect their students. The way that

a teacher treats an individual, whether they may have a disability or not, has a direct impact on

their development including their mental states, behaviors, and interpretations of

adults/emotions. For instance, a student that witnesses their teacher being frustrated while

attempting to help them can cause the student to feel like a burden or socially inept if they cannot

return/react to their educator’s emotions. Furthermore, it is important to have patience along with

a positive attitude because students with disabilities may need accommodations for more time

with learning concepts or repeated lessons to fully understand materials. In my previous essay, I

recalled a memory of a child I interacted with at a daycare that I used to work at. This child

could not express his words properly, even though he was already 3 years old, and he began to

hit his head on the floor out of frustration. As a teacher, I could have shown distress which would

have made the situation more difficult to deal with and the other children would witness an

outburst of negative emotions that may impact their development. If a teacher is not patient, they

might erupt in front of their class or at a specific student which is inappropriate and detrimental

to a student’s mental health.

I believe that all students are capable of learning, no matter what the circumstances or

disabilities they may have. I think that it all depends on whether students have the right resources
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for further information, a teacher that is willing to clarify on questions or display lessons in a

various amount of ways to adhere to different learning styles. As I stated in my “Pre-Philosophy

Statement,” I still believe that individuality is to be noted for each student. There is a plethora of

different ways that students may learn something, whether they are visual learners, auditory or

hands-on. Educators have access to various resources that they may present their lessons, so by

using different devices such as SmartBoards or manipulatives to help with understanding math,

students will have the opportunity to determine which ways they learn best. Also, exposing

students to different learning styles, they may feel encouraged to seek more information on their

own.

Teachers owe their students with special needs opportunity, encouragement and patience.

It is a teacher’s responsibility to provide a proper education to their students by means of access

to technology or materials they may need. By having access to an education at all makes way for

a path of future opportunities such as careers or learning or otherwise.Teachers should also give

encouragement and support to their students. It is important for teachers to redirect their students

while dealing with problematic behavior, or help their students recognize their inappropriate

behavior. It is imperative that a teacher has patience, as stated in the paragraph prior to this

current one.