Philosophy of Education Essay: Advocacy and Transformation in Special Education

Standing Firm: A Life-Saving Decision Guided by Intuition and Advocacy for a Student’s Well-Being

One day asked to teach something that isn’t developmentally appropriate, how will your philosophy guide you? Because, in the end, all that fluff really doesn’t matter. I think I’ve become bolder. I listen but don’t react. I give myself time to process the caucus around me. I refused to put the child on the bus. I felt myself getting red in the face, I was never one to stand up for myself, but I found it easier to stand up for my student.

I dug my heels in and said, if you want this child on the bus, you need to call the hospital CEO, and he can escort her on the bus.

The nurse told me to put the student on the bus; the nurse supervisor told me to put her on. My co-workers agreed with me but said if something happens, it will be on the nurses because they said that she was okay. I thought about it, but I kept on hearing if this was my child, if this was my child. I will not. It was a long, long weekend, wondering how the student was doing and if I would still have a job when I showed up on Monday. I was called into the principal’s office in the morning and was told that my student was rushed to the hospital and underwent emergency surgery to remove her old shunt and insert a new shunt in her brain. It seems like the old shunt malfunctioned. If I sent her on the bus, she would have been brain-damaged. Go with your gut.

Philosophy of Education

My belief is that education should be a never-ending process. I believe a teacher needs to provide an environment where the student loves to learn. This environment needs to be a safe, nurturing, free from bias place where the children feel free to ask questions. I believe management is a major component of education. In order for a student to reach his potential, he must be in a structured environment. The environment must be organized with clear and concise rules in place. The consequences must also be clear.

The environment must be free of chaos, fear, and threats. The student must feel comfortable enough to ask questions. The teacher sets the tone of the classroom. The teacher must respect her students. She must also be sensitive to her student’s cultural differences.

In order, for such an environment to exist, a structured management plan must exist. One key component of the management plan is setting up class rules. The rules of the classroom should be explained on the first day of school. The rules should be visible at all times. The students should also participate in making up the rules.

Discovering a Passion: The Transformation from Parent to Special Education Advocate Through Inspiration and Empathy

As a parent, I grew to understand that each child has such a yearning for knowledge.I have been a student at Adelphi since the summer of 2004. My first class was Introduction to Special Education with Professor Anita Frey. She inspired me to change my major to Special Education. It was her encouragement that proved to me that I could make a difference. Taking this class changed my awareness of special education, as stated in the C.E.C. standard #1 foundations when it described the “field as evolving and changing.” Every topic we covered in Professor Frey’s class always started out with, “This is what we thought, and this is what we know now.” I am excited to think about what we will be saying in the next 20 years! I have also become more aware of the importance of the role that the family plays in the education of the special needs child.

As a special education teacher, I will always think of the child first and then the disability. One important lesson that Professor Frey taught me was to always become knowledgeable about the child’s disability but to always remember it is still their disability, and they need to have a voice in the choices that will be affecting their life.

Guiding and Learning from a Child with Down Syndrome

Since September, I have been a one-on-one aide for a 5-year-old with Downs Syndrome. This experience has changed my life. This child is extremely medically fragile and is a pleasure to know. She has given me a deeper understanding of who I am and where I want to go in life. She enjoys gym class, and even though she can’t jog around like the other children, she sits on the side and gives her classmates all a high five as they jog by. She is also very much aware that she isn’t like the other children. When she colors pictures, it is hard for her to stay in the lines and use pressure on her crayons. I observed her one day as she looked at her classmates’ drawings and then looked at hers; then she grabbed my hand and put it on top of hers, so I could guide her hand into normalcy. She is a child with a deep sense of humor. She is a smart, humorous, sensitive, and courageous girl who just happens to have Down Syndrome. By taking this job, I have learned that small moments of connection can radiate beyond anyone’s imagination.

I am also a volunteer at Schneider’s Children’s Hospital. I worked closely with the oncology and I.C.U. Families. I am amazed and encouraged by the strength of the kids I see. Every day I go there, it reminds me just how precious our children are.

As a special education teacher, I think I will value the diversity of each student. I believe every student brings a special quality to the classroom and to life. I want to help shape a child’s life. I want to grow the future of our country.

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