For this assignment I chose to focus on the topic of exploring resources outside of my
assigned school which are part of the larger body of resources available to students within the
special education community. During my exploration of events and resources that I could attend
I was able to find a local event that was being put on by the local Special Olympics program.
This event was held at the local park and was being put on by the Student Government club at
the high school. They invited students from each Student Government class as well as students
from the special education classroom to meet at the park and compete in a series of activities.
Being that I have a cousin with down syndrome and seeing how much she gets excited over
activities like this, I knew I had to attend and ask to bring her with me to compete. I was able to
get permission from administrators and her parents for her to join me in the field day.
Throughout the day of the event it was heart warming seeing each student interact with each
other and the joy that the simple events brought all of the students. Some of the events included a
50 yard dash, corn hole, a beanbag race, hula hoop competition, and a game of kickball.
After participating in the Special Olympics field day I was able to fully understand how
impactful events like these can be for students with exceptionalities. The biggest insight I got
from this experience was understanding how much students with disabilities love being included
in things that their peers are doing. This will help me in the classroom as I plan my lessons to try
and differentiate my lessons so that each student is able to learn and feel included. Making
students feel welcome and safe within my classroom invites a sense of community with each
other and allows students to learn about each other.
