Jade Botello

Student Teaching
Dakota State University

I completed my student teaching in the spring semester of 2024 at Dakota State

University. My student teaching was in the areas of Special Education at Tiospa Zina Tribal

School. I had two different placements throughout my student teaching, my first one being in the

Elementary Resource Room at TZTS. In this placement, I worked with students that had specific

learning disabilities in either the areas of reading, writing, and math or all three. These students

ranged from grades three through fifth grade. In this placement, I taught students through the

means of curriculum based lesson plans. I enjoyed this experience, as I typically do not have

any interaction with students this young, however I disliked the curriculum that was being used

for reading and math. I felt as if it left little to no room for creativity within the lessons.

My second placement was in the Middle School Resource Room. This resource room has

students ranging from sixth grade through eighth grade. This placement I worked with students

with specific learning disabilities in the areas of reading, and math and or both. I also worked

with a student that qualifies for Special Education services as a student with a cognitive

impairment. This room was the Math resource room, so I only taught math to these students.

This experience was overall an enjoyable experience. As a student, I have experienced

academic hurdles of my own due to math, and I was surprised at how I was able to teach

students math, even though I am an individual that struggled with math when I was at their

grade levels/ and or ages.

I appreciate the knowledge that I have gained through this experience, and I can see myself

working with Elementary Students in the near future.