PERSONAL PHILOSPOHY

ON SPECIAL EDUCATION
Artifact #4

SARAH-JESSICA WIKLE

Constantina Pappas | EDU 203

July 29, 2022

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Special Education is, first and foremost, based in compassion and understanding.

Throughout this class we have seen time and time again how big of a difference can be made in

a child’s life when a teacher takes the time to understand them, and work with them to achieve

their goals. Knowing how to teach them in ways they can truly take it in and work with it is vital

to these kids being able to turn all their hard work into real progress.

This time last year I was working in a bank, sitting at desk taking calls and making calls

day in and day out. I was so miserable there that it made me think, if I was considering leaving

such a well-paying job, what would I be able to replace it with to make the switch worth my

while. I realized that my whole life I been at my happiest when I was doing my volunteer work

at a scout camp or when I was a special needs tutor. The common thread through them was

working with special needs kids. I was both being blown away by these amazing kids and being

devastated by the knowledge that hardly anyone could see what I was seeing in them, because

hardly anyone was taking the time to understand them. When I decided I needed a profession

that provided me more than just money, I realized that there was only one thing I wanted to be

doing, and that was helping these kids show the world how great they are.

One of the things I loved to see in the videos we watched of real special needs

classrooms was the smaller classroom sizes that really allowed the teachers the time and space

to teach every kid the way exact way they needed to be taught. I know this is more ideal than

realistic for the majority of teaching, but it was amazing to see exactly how good these teachers

were at knowing their students and how quickly they changed their lessons halfway through to

better suit their kids. It only takes the exhaustive process of writing one lesson plan to know
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exactly how amazing that makes them, and how important patience is in a special needs

classroom.

Almost every teacher I’ve spoken to has said that the most important thing you can

teach a child is that they are amazing and have value in this world. Special needs children need

this more than most. They must work ten times as hard to achieve things that come so easily to

the other children. They are constantly being reminded of all that they are doing wrong, while

people forget to praise what they are doing well. Any video you watch of a working special

needs classroom you see the difference that a teachers praise makes in them. Giving the kids a

problem-solving process that they can actually use and praising them when they put it into

practice, even if you must do it over and over again, gives them an invaluable tool for the rest

of their lives. A great special education teacher is patient, kind, and above all, encouraging.

All my life I have, in one way or another wanted to be a special needs teacher. One thing

I have had to consider while in this class and my previous education classes, is if that would

truly be a good fit for me. I love the kids with all my heart but that is not all that goes into the

job. All the amazing special education teachers we watched at work were amazing at being

loving, but also stern. To give the kids the structure and clear boundaries that they need to

really thrive is vital. As I am now, I think I would struggle being that strict. In a general

education classroom, I was able to be just stern enough to keep the kids in line, but it did not

come naturally to me. It has made me evaluate If that is a skill I think I could learn quickly

enough in the rest of my schooling, or if I need a few years of general education teaching under

my belt before working my way into a special education classroom. I would hate to undo a

child’s progress because I am to wishy-washy to be clear on what is expected of the children, all
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for fear of being to rigid. In the classrooms we observed, finding that balance was all important

and so well done. One way or another I know where I want to end up one day, I just need to

decide if who I am now would truly help the children, or if that is a goal I need to work a bit

harder towards.

Throughout this course we have learned that being a special education teacher takes

kindness, forethought, strength, and patience. It takes a great love for your kids and the

dedication to work just as hard as they are towards their goals. But the most important thing

we have learned is that being a special education teacher will be the single most rewarding

profession we could have chosen.