Module 6 Reflection by Andrea Matthews

Hello and welcome to my module six reflection during this

module we talked about the guiding question of when should

students adapt to the expectations of my practice and when

should I adapt my practice and expectations to my students.

Learning all about this module, we looked at the special

needs of students That includes gate, which are gifted and

talented students, those who are culturally and linguistically diverse students

who are at risk students who have special disabilities, academic

and cognitive disabilities.

We also learned about individualized education plans um and a

504 plan, which is another plan that provides resources for

students who do not qualify under an I.

E. P.

Yet could still benefit from intervention.

And eight we looked at learning disabilities of math, reading

challenges, writing, attention and organizational challenges, which a lot of

time these organizational challenges are seen as Children who are

messy or lazy and they really just don't want to

admit that this is a problem.

So it's something that teachers need to be aware of

in the classroom and help to particularly engage with these

students. Also important is that we learn and show empathy

when it comes to learning disabilities.

As people with learning disabilities are important and intellectually capable,

they just possess and produce information that is different from

their neuro typical peers.

We also learned and were able to implement adaptations which

include accommodations, which change the how, what the child is

learning, which gives like extra time or other accommodations to

complete the task.

Voice to text.

Things like that would be accommodations, modifications is another area

that we learned about and those change what the child

is learning.

That is where content is provided at a lower grade

level. But the same information such as in math, where

a child with math challenges may look at multiplication using

a different strategy and maybe a lower level than those

at their grade level peers.

Yet they're still completing the math assignment at the same

type of frequency.

We also learned and looked at multi tiered systems of

supports which challenge all schools to have to change the

way they have traditionally worked across all school settings and

provides aid to students in the least restrictive environment.

We lastly learned about you.

D. L.

Which is the universal design for learning which is an

equal opportunity to serve the needs of all Children through

engagement representation and expression.

And this is something that we were able to put

into place through providing a lesson to students and actually

connect all of these dots and all of these portions

of this module into our culminating project.

Impactful Experiences to me throughout this module um were done

in a variety of ways.

Learning about the area of special education was interesting to

me as I have worked in the Special Education Department

for the last four years as an aid.

I'm used to providing special education services and interventions for

students and also connecting with their needs ankles with that

being said, it was impactful for me when I got

to meet with my special education teacher to ask questions

and receive her advice we usually visit on a day

to day basis on goals for the kids on things

that we need to reach.

But it was really neat to actually talk to her

on a different level.

And her insight really helped to open my eyes as

to the relationship between teachers and support staff and how

we can best work together to meet the needs of

the child.

Also, her giving me advice for the future was impactful

for me, as it really made my future and teaching

seem real and gave me lots of knowledge and tips

about the area of special education.

Giving that feeling from her of confidence and that she

really just trust what I can do in the classroom.

Was really just impactful for me that I am, where

I'm supposed to be and learning and guiding in this

process and understanding that it is a collaborative effort that

we all work through on a day to day basis.

Another impactful experience for me was through the assignment on

disabilities, challenges and empathy through the ted talk videos and

information that we were exposed to.

I was able to truly feel and understand these students

and how I can be a source of support and

light in their educational futures.

Next looking at my ah ha moment of this module,

it was actually a little different than I expected.

Usually the Aha moment is more of a personal connection

for me um than learning about the accommodations and modifications

in the classroom.

But this time learning about those aspects really made me

say, ah ha, like that is what they're actually doing.

This was because I've always seen teachers work at different

strategies in their lessons and connect with all students on

different levels.

I've also done this with my students and my own

Children as well as we all know whether your Children

are at grade level, above, below.

Um somewhere in between, we know that Children are not

an average one size fits all.

So, I think even in our own lives, were used

to adapting strategies and things that we do to reach

different Children and different students for that matter.

And learning that what I was actually watching and doing

in the classroom were accommodations and then learning other modifications

and other accommodations that I can implement in the classroom.

We're just really a ha moment for me in knowing

that we are able and intended to specialist instruction for

all students.

I love how natural this process is, and I hope

that it's natural for me in the classroom when I

go in as a full time head teacher as well,

because I really want to understand the needs of each

of my students, I want them to know that I

care for their education and that I'm able to connect

with their needs and design the curriculum appropriately for them.

Okay. Looking at changes in my mindset, skill set and

tool set.

My mindset wasn't too much of a change this module

as I've always seen inclusion and adaptive instruction as an

important aspect of the classroom.

Um that's something that I'm just naturally drawn to and

in being a special education aid, I've really had that

chance to connect with these kids on a different level.

Now though, I understand the background of it, the reasoning

and how for all of this education and strategies are

possible inside the classroom and how we put those into

practice. My tool set and skill set have changed because

I really understand and value the history of special education.

I wasn't aware that so much had been done in

the past to get us where we are today to

provide this inclusion and protections and legal obligations that we

have for students.

So I feel that this gives me a definite skill

set and a tool set of resources to lean on

and use in the classroom.

I've also earmarked and saved many different ideas from this

module for use in the future and I have a

great confidence in being able to use them in my

own classroom.

I think questions moving forward um after this module and

from this module are just how to plan for and

manage multiple levels and accommodations needed within the mainstream classroom

without students losing interest or progress or students feeling singled

out working now in a separate special education classroom, I

know how to implement just those strategies, but I'm very

curious on how just on a day to day basis

those strategies are implemented without those students losing progress or

the other students being bored, making students feel out of

place, and really just how you naturally reach all of

them. And I think a lot of that is just

going to come from trial and error from practice and

from just a lot of putting it into place in

the classroom.

I also want to learn the best system to continually

communicate, relate to and interact with teachers, support staff, parents

and the students for their needs.

Um that's one thing that I took away from talking

to the Special Education Department was how we relate to

one another at the school.

And so that's something that I do want to look

forward to having those open lines of communication with everyone.

I definitely look forward to implementing this in the future.

And in ending my Module six reflection, I found this

quote by George Edvins about providing individualized and universally designed

learning for all.

I feel that it's particularly important that every student can

learn just not on the same day or in the

same way.

And I look forward to implementing these different strategies and

accommodations in my own classroom.

Module 6 Reflection by Andrea Matthews

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