​ Student Post Philosophy Statement 1

Sasha Ilic

October 15th, 2020

EDU 203-1001

Student Post Philosophy Statement

Student Post Philosophy Statement

My original purpose has changed because I now understand the history of special

education more clearly from this course, as well as the challenges that have been presented

throughout its history. I originally had insight only through my own personal experiences having

family members who are disabled and who are of school age. I knew that an IEP is required for

students to receive the accommodation and assistance needed to ensure they receive an

education, but I did not know all that entailed for them just to receive the IEP at all. In this

course, I learned how teachers must first identify the possible need for special education before

an evaluation process is completed. Following the evaluation is the IEP meeting. I learned that

the meeting is made up of different professionals in the form of a team and then afterwards the

IEP must be strictly followed. For a teacher to dedicate themselves to special education, these

steps need to be implemented and they need to have a higher level of patience and knowledge.

In my original statement, I wanted to learn what was required of me to be able to identify

a student who requires special education or services, because I wanted to make sure that students

are not falling through the cracks in my classroom. Through this course, I learned about the

different disabilities that I may encounter, along with signs to look for and what assistive devices

and modifications can help that student to be able to learn in a least restrictive environment.

Through this course, I learned that there are many different learning disabilities as well and if
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unnoticed can create behavioral issues and setbacks for a student. Now, I understand that there

are so many things to be vigilant of and that I need to continue to learn and stay on top of those

signs so that I am adhering to my original statement of not wanting any students to fall behind or

be ignored.

I also very much wanted to help students whose first language is not english or whose

families immigrated to America like my own. Before this course, I didn’t realize that ESL had as

much to do with special education as it actually does. I just thought it was something that would

be integrated into my normal mix of students and that I wanted to do my best to ensure they are

included and not fall behind. I learned that different schools implement different methods to

teach students who are ESL. There are methods I do not agree with and there are methods that

seem to be the most successful. This made me very curious as to why a greater focus is not put

on ensuring the most successful methods are implemented in every school, regardless of its pace.

My original statement in wanting to ensure students who are ESL are granted a fair education is

even stronger now that I have learned that many ESL students do not receive special education or

related services which is a disservice to these particular students. My philosophy has changed

only in the sense that I want to be even more of an advocate for these students to be seen, heard

and awarded the education they deserve, especially if they need special education. Since Nevada

does have such a huge migrant and youth homelessness issue, this could partly be from many

families who have immigrated here. Many ESL students could fall under these categories as well

and it’s important they receive a strong education so they can create a better future and

opportunities for themselves and their families.

The role of a special education teacher is to provide an education for students with

disabilities and to have the ability themselves to cater to the many different accommodations and
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needs of these students. I also feel that it’s their role to provide a safe space for these students to

learn and grow without the fear of judgement from others. All students, regardless of disability,

can learn. They can learn something whether everyone else sees it as a big accomplishment or a

small one, it doesn’t matter. What matters is that they are learning something they did not know

before they came into the classroom. So it’s important that special education teachers know that

any accomplishment is positive and they need to nurture every milestone that is overcome.

Special education teachers need to be especially patient because of this. They should know what

a student is capable of and push them towards those goals, yet be cautious of ensuring that

students learn at the pace that is suited for them and their abilities. I also believe that the role of a

special education teacher is to be an advocate outside of the classroom as well. They need to be

someone who fights for the rights of those with disabilities as members of the same community

as them and members of society who deserve the exact same rights and inclusion as anyone else.

My goals for my students with disabilities fall in line with my expectations for a special

education teacher. No matter the disability, there are goals that can be set for that student. My

expectation is that they are working as hard as they can and doing the absolute best that they can

to reach their specific goals. For the future, my goal for them is to be as included as possible.

With my help I will ensure that my students with disabilities along with my students without

disabilities, are working together as much as possible so that they understand there are little

differences between them. I want them to understand they can live and function alongside each

other in a positive, respectful and loving way. In turn, I believe this will benefit students without

disabilities as they will learn at a young age to advocate and stand up for their fellow students

and bring that mutual respect with them into adulthood so they can continue to live their own

lives with the inclusivity of others.

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I believe that all educators can improve education for students with special education

needs through the use of mainstream classrooms and inclusion. I am a huge advocate for this as I

have witnessed it’s benefits and believe that it benefits everyone involved. Because mainstream

classrooms do not exist in every single school or school district, I believe that teachers and

leaders in education need to fight for it to become mandatory in every single classroom. I do not

see this topic spoken about enough and there are not enough parents who even know that this is

something that their child can experience in school. Information should be shared with parents

and so should stories of successful mainstreaming. With more funding, and more teachers,

mainstreaming and inclusion could become a reality, but there needs to be more people in the

field advocating for it. The benefits for both students with special needs, and students without, is

enough to implement inclusion in the classroom nationwide. If something has a positive outcome

for students with disabilities, then it needs to be fought for.

In conclusion, my pre philosophy has changed because it has become stronger with the

knowledge I have gained from this class and my observations. I understand that all children want

to learn regardless of their circumstances or even their handicap. All students want to learn and

they can learn successfully. However, they need teachers to support them along the way.

Although I have not fully decided on becoming a special education teacher, I feel that I am

gaining the tools needed to ensure that I am providing the most inclusive classroom environment

possible. I will bring these newly gained tools with me as I continue to advocate for the rights of

individuals with disabilities in the classroom and around the world.