Special Education Portfolio Analysis

I have always had a passion and enjoyed helping others. In fact, I have devoted my elective credits to be involved in assisting special education students. Since my junior year of high school, I have been a peer coach by working with students with disabilities. During my peer coach semesters, I have assisted the special education students learn communication and vocational skills. In the communication course that I peer coached in, I have had the privilege to work under the direction of a Speech and Language Pathologist and an Occupational Therapist. In the communication course, I helped students progress on their reading, writing, and communication skills. After the communication course, of my senior year, I worked with a special education

There are three main stakeholders for special education students being; parents, educators, and school district officials. Communication between these three groups of people will allow for better understanding in regards to plans and programs for students (Hughes, 2015). It also allows for everyone to learning new things as a group and ensure that all students are going to receive the best education throughout their years in a public school. Not only will current students benefit from the gathering and consulting of parents, teachers, administration, and others district school officials but all future students with exceptionalities as well. Every student is different and every school year there is a different issue that can be faced, however with proper consulting there is a higher chance of these students leaving at the age of twenty-one with skills and knowledge to become a member of

The leadership of the special education director is an essential role in the educational realm. Two of

I have had the opportunity to work with students in both the sub-separate and general education classroom to enhance students learning through their least restrictive environment. The working and teaching experience has allowed me to carry out the dedication that the Special Education program has for the students with disabilities in the current school system. I have been able to help students achieve educational success through providing a safe-learning environment for all students and helping students assessing curriculum and reach their full potential by promoting and supporting students diverse learning

My contribution to NYC public schools children in education has been extensive. I first began working in NYC public schools as a speech pathologist in 1980. I would examine expressive and receptive language skills of children and through task analyses develop strategies of language acquisition. In short, I was able to gets students to improve their reading and writing skills in order to master grade level competencies. In my educational journey, I was recruited by Principal Louis Rapport to become an Assistant Principal. Principal Rapport ran an after-school program for teachers who wanted to become school leaders. I worked in coordinating summer programs at George Westinghouse Vocational High School in 1986. I worked hand in hand with the principal to build community partners for our school which offered twelve or more trade programs and internships for students ranging form optical to jewelry making. In 1989, I was selected to serve as Assistant Principal of Special Education at Automotive High School, with Principal Steve Gilbert, who has since passed away. Principal Gilbert much like Principal Rapport was my mentors in leadership within the educational arena. With the support of Principal Gilbert, I was able to go to a Harvard Graduate School of Education and participate in a Summer Seminar in 1995. This was the season of “Inclusion in Schools”. Principal Gilbert recommended me for a program, Assistant Principal to Principal Program

One of the reason people chose a career in special education is job satisfaction. Special education teacher perceived their job to be rewarding. They get personal fulfillment and gratification in teaching special need students. “It truly must be passion to continue working in special education because we all know it is a tough job.”(Participate 2010,”Motivational factor towards pursuing a career in special education”)They have the opportunity to make a positive difference in the students’ lives. When the student who is struggling in school graduate it brings great satisfaction to the educator. The most important part of this field is to help a child develop to their highest potential.

Measurable annual goals are used to identify what the individual student is expected to achieve within one year to address what effects the disability has caused. Gibb and Dyches (2016) define the word measurable as “the behavior stated in the goal can be observed and measured to determine when it has been achieved” (p. 60). Therefore, in order to be considered a measurable academic and functional performance goal the goal must be able to be measured, must meet the individual student needs that are in relation to the disability and cause problems within the general education curriculum, and must also meet any other additional

As I grew older, I began to realize that students with disabilities have many significant obstacles to overcome. Seeing them get excited about learning things that we take for granted provided me with the desire to become part of their learning. For example, one kindergartner with Down Syndrome struggled daily to learn how to write the first letter of her name. It was such a joy for all of those involved when she finally succeeded. Working with these students furthered my resolve to not only fulfill my childhood dream of becoming a teacher, but I soon realized that special education is my niche. After 13 years of teaching in Glynn County, I still teach with the same fervor and enthusiasm as the first day I formally stepped into a classroom. My principal once said, “Teaching is not a job. It’s a profession.” I wholeheartedly believe in this philosophy. Education was never a back-up plan or alternative for me; being a teacher is who I am. As a special educator, I strive to

This is a Summary about my personal Philosophy of Special Education. I will be giving my thoughts on the Purpose of schooling, Nature of Learners, Curriculum, Instructional Methods, Classroom management, Assessment practices and Professional relationships with family and community.

I have distinctly applied for Special Needs Education because special education has always been what’s near and dear to me in the field of education. Being a special education teacher would be an inevitably rewarding job, in which I get to watch my students grow, as I celebrate their small breakthroughs and victories with them. These small breakthroughs and victories will improve over time and turn into giant leaps, which will leave a lasting impact and ultimately change the child’s life. Beyond just educating children with special needs, I aspire to educate the public about children with special needs and special education. By doing so, I hope to remove any uncertainty and fear the public has on this group of children. Not only do I want to impart knowledge on these special children, I also want to advocate for them, which is something that goes

In the profession of a special education teacher, a person commits to helping children achieve their best and to help “students overcome their obstacles” while finding a way that the child can effectively learn (Hollingsworth). My mom’s career as special education teacher for twenty-two years, allows me insight and experience into the tougher aspects of this career, but also the rewards to the job. My mom helps me understand that a special education teacher guides a child to expand their strengths, develop strategies to overcome weakness, and to make best use of all available resources. Through helping her, and learning from her experiences, she taught me that a career in special education can not only challenge me, but may also become a

While taking my credential program courses, we focus on students learning but also on how to advocate for our students. As a special education teacher my goals is always encourage my students learning, but also to advocate for their goals in life. Teaching students how to advocate for themselves will empower them to continue their education to a higher level. Students can also educate their community on how to advocate for people with disabilities, and how to look beyond their disabilities. Being an advocate for student with learning disabilities is an important component to being a special education teacher. I want my overall goal as a special education teacher is educate student and teach them how to become their own

My name is Alyssa Fusco and I am on the path to becoming a special education teacher. In the course of my first few weeks in the Special Education course, I am not only learning how to be a better teacher, but training my mind in such a way that I can improve the lives of others. My interest in working with students with disabilities stems from my experience with Senior Experience at Calhoun High School. This program has developed a framework for my future career aspirations by observing how not only the faculty can make a difference in these students lives, but also the teachers facilitate an environment that promotes the integration between students with and without disabilities. Through mainstreaming these students, Calhoun High School showed me what type of difference I could make in the world through combining my passion for teaching and the place students with disabilities hold in my heart.

When I was asked to reflect on my experiences in EDSE 316 and the fieldwork, I had to think long and hard on how I would sum up four months of classes and fieldwork into four pages. I have learned so much about the various disabilities and how it has change the world of special education. I think a better term would be the “endless possibilities of education”. It wasn’t too long ago when children with disabilities would be stuck in a room in the back of school only to be seen in the beginning and end of the school day. They were the ones who rode the other buses and no one really talked about. This class has allowed me to speak of my own family and how special education impacted my life. I have a brother whose whole life was spent in the special education class, and my own sons with speech and learning disabilities who are now receiving special education services. It also allowed me to reflect on my own participation in the special education program in my early elementary years when I was struggling with my own speech disability. This class gave me the chance to see the timeline of special education, from its earliest beginnings to what it is now.

In discussions with Ben Robertson and Matthew Rose on what our topic for the Instructional Leadership Action Plan (ILAP), we all believed that providing teachers with more information on the Special Education Process would well serve the needs of all teachers. Ben and I both talked to our principals about having the ILAP at our respective schools and both principals agreed that the need for it was great in both buildings. However, when discussing travel for Matthew it was decided that we would have the ILAP at Nickelsville Elementary and would later hold the same ILAP, based on our feedback from teachers at Nickelsville Elementary and our cohort, at Gate City Middle School.