Day 8: 7-26-10

This is my last day in assisting Mr.McCraw with his students( I should say our students). I observed every student and including the classroom all together. How the school provide special accommodation to students with an disorder or behavior issue. How the school expects the parents to reinforce the strategies they use to gain success in school work. And how the student to teacher ratio is a big factor, so every student receive the help that they need.
But what bother me is the labeling and teasing from students and sometimes teachers. When I was in elementary school we all knew that the students taken out of the class each day were special education students. We knew that those students were falling behind in class and did not do the "normal" work that we did. This was the assumption among the majority of the class.
The children taken from my class were not necessarily physically or mentally handicapped. Some did not even have a learning disability. Some of the children simply struggled academically. However, all children "labeled" as special education were removed from the class regardless of severity. We knew that the students were going to receive extra help from the special teachers.
Today special education programs are ran differently. Fewer and fewer students are being taken out of the regular classroom setting to receive extra help. More schools are putting special education teachers into the regular classroom rather than taking the students out. In fact, many children can benefit from having an extra teacher in the room, not just the special education students. While special education students receive the help that they need, special education teachers can also help other students.
I had fun with the students and teacher. I’m going to miss the classroom setting and assisting each student with my help. I really don’t know if I want to teach special education because right now I’m just want to get my teacher degree and become certified. I guess it wouldn’t hurt to become certified in special education along with general education.
I learned a lot from my experience with working with students overall no matter disability or non at all. I became attached to every student in the classroom and Mr.McCraw told me that I can come substitute since I have my associated already from HCC. I might take him upon his offer and advance my skills in the education settings and so I can have my foot in the door already before I graduate with B.S. in education from UHD.

Signing off with Love, Peace, and Happiness to all
Tina Harris