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Student Post-Philosophy Statement

Indiana Warrior

College of Southern Nevada

EDU 203: Introduction to Special Education

Dr. Dale Warby

May 10, 2021

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Student Post-Philosophy Statement

Over these past 16 week, I have been provided incredible insight into the world of special

education and deepened my understanding of the field that I am pursuing a career in. Upon first

receiving the textbook for this course I was pleased to see how the title included, “... an

Introduction to the Exceptional” as it expresses a joy towards special education instead of

creating a somber and pitiful outlook on students with learning differences. This phrase helped

define my personal philosophy and lay the foundation for which I would build my education and

teaching pursuits upon. Throughout the weekly lessons, as well as hands on experience during

the Field Observation, I am no doubt completing this semester with a more complex outlook on

my personal education philosophy. While all aspects of my personal philosophy have matured

and grown, at my core I still hold deeply to the belief that there is no such thing as a disability,

but instead a difference.

The Field Observation portion of this course had a particularly strong impact in

developing my beliefs of what a career in special education entails. I had the unique opportunity

to shadow the teacher of a student who I was tutoring. This allowed me to not only observe, but

to also put her teaching and advise into action as I worked with the student myself. During this

time I had to think critically about what role I played in benefitting the students' learning as well

as supporting the learning goals of my mentor teacher.

While observing my mentor teacher, my idea of the role of a special education teacher

has grown and changed. First and foremost, I believe that all educators must be advocates for

their students. All students must be raised in a school system that makes them feel supported and

let them know that they have a place in this world. As a special education teacher, this role is

even more imperative as students with learning differences may have a harder time connecting
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with peers and identifying where they feel they best fit in. In order to best facilitate this

relationship between students and teachers, teachers must work to build strong relationships with

their students in which their students understand that the support system of people who want to

see them succeed is abundant and readily available.

My ultimate goal for my future students is for them to feel heard and know that they

belong in this world and have so much to contribute. This is why I prefer the term difference

over disability. Similar to my philosophy statement when first starting this class, I still find the

term difference preferable to disability due to the negative connotation that can be associated

with disability and the inability to learn with the greater population. Difference however, simply

implies that one's way of learning is different, but not incorrect, from another. All students, no

matter their learning difference, are capable of learning and reaching their highest possible

potential. In order to best help my future students and make them feel heard, I believe that

educators must celebrate these differences and exceptionalities that contribute to each unique

student.

Furthermore, teachers can improve the education of students with special needs by

practicing patience and working to place themselves in the shoes of students with learning

differences. I think back to the “F.A.T” City workshop and the impact that it had on my learning

through this course. Of the many valuable ideas shared within the video, two stuck out to me the

most. The first being that a student with learning differences may need a longer time to process

the question to an answer however, this does not mean that they do not know the answer. The

second was that oftentimes, students with learning differences cannot understand what is wrong

about their behavior as people without learning differences have trouble sympathizing with this

concept. When working with students with learning differences, an educator must remember that
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a student's learning style may be different from their own however, it does not mean this is

incorrect or that a student is intentionally being disrespectful. We must work to place ourselves

into the seats of all students, with and without learning differences, to see where they are coming

from and how we can exercise patience when working to understand how to help them best.

Overall, I have so enjoyed this introduction to special education and look forward to the

years ahead. In the coming year I have applied to be a teacher's assistant at Vasiliades

Elementary School and work under the direction of the teacher I had the privilege of observing. I

am eager to gain experience and build from the 10 hours of observation as I begin a career

working with students with learning differences. I do not doubt that there is much more to learn

seeing as even the greatest of educators understand that one will always be a student as the

learning never stops. While this may be my current education philosophy, it is but one of many

drafts that will continue to be revised and improved upon in the years to come.