Self Study 2

Peter Bartmon
11/17/09
Practicum Seminar

Draft of Self Study 2


Within this self-study the reader will find my understandings of four key CEC standards that will and have helped

guide my professional development as a special educator. The standards are: foundations, communication, professional

and ethical practice, and collaboration.

The standard on foundations (1) is there to reflect my general knowledge of Special Education (the theories and

philosophies behind it), the laws that affect it (usually based on those theories and philosophies), the difficulties surrounding

Special Education (problems identifying students due to cultural, or linguistic differences, the impact that society's view of

Special Education has on effecting policies and the limitations this can cause, and the potential impact that differences

between home life and school life can have (culturally, different values, languages and customs). Lastly, based upon these

foundations that I have learned whether in the Wheelock Classroom, in life, or while student teaching, I am required to

articulate my personal philosophy in regards to Special Education.

The standard on language (6) is included in this report because using the correct language is an important skill

to have especially when one is in Special Education. For example, when talking with the parents of one's students, one has

to remember to speak in a way that the parents can understand, explaining any uncommon words one might use (technical

speech, names of disabilities, etc.) It is also vital that I as a teacher, understand that there is no such thing as the “normal”

child in terms of language development. Across different cultures and ethnic groups language develops differently both for

the typical child and the atypical child. I will also show that I have developed individualized strategies to help enhance

students' language development.

The standard on professional and ethical practice (9) is included in this self-study because through it I will show

my understanding of my own personal cultural biases and differences that affect my teaching. I will uphold high standards

of competences and integrity and use sound judgment in the practice of the professional. I will act ethically in advocating

for appropriate services. I will conduct professional activities in accordance with applicable laws and policies whether they

be school-wide, district-wide, state-wide, or nationally-wide laws. I will demonstrate a sensitivity for culture, language,

religion, gender, disability, socio-economic status, and sexual orientation of individuals. (RCI, student teaching., Life

growing up). I will conduct a self-evaluation of my instruction, I will access information on exceptionalities, and I will reflect

on my practice to improve instruction and guide professional growth.

The standard on collaboration (CEC standard 10) describes the importance of collaboration in regards to Special

Education. Without collaboration Special Education could not possibly function properly. Without discussion between the

teachers of a student's difficulties with learning, there could be no individualized educations created. If a classroom teacher

does not communicate with the parents of his or her students at home, there can be no continuity of learning between

school and home. Without collaboration between the administration and the Student Support Team, services vital for

creating the least restrictive environment for learning possible will not happen. In short one person/teacher cannot possibly

do all the things that a special education department at any school does.


Standard 1: Foundations


I have had a plethora of experience with Special Education From my education at Wheelock College as well as

the many personal experiences with Special Education that I have had first hand as both a teacher and as a student. I have

also had many experiences with the difficulties my family members have faced with Special Education. From this I have I

have developed my own personal philosophy of Special Education.I have coursework from classes I have taken at Wheelock

(HP290 Children with Special Needs). I will have examples from my student teaching in the fall of 2009 in terms of

assessment and the development of an IEP and the laws and policies that surround that.

In regards to the social history of Special Education, I have learned through coursework about the evolution of

Special Education. How it has evolved from complete separation from society itself, to complete integration in society and

in schooling. Through this coursework in HDP 290 I learned about IDEA 2004 act as well its predecessor Americans with

Disabilities Act. I also learned about how the No Child Left Behind act has affected Special Education. Through this

coursework as well as in my current assessment class I have been taught the laws and legislation regarding the rights of

students with special needs and their families. I have also learned the necessary steps needed to be taken in order for a

student to receive special needs. This includes, identification, assessment, evaluation, the IEP team, creation there of, as

well as the restrictions that the laws put on teachers trying to help students succeed. This knowledge fulfills the CEC

standard 1.1 (models, theories, and philosophies that form the basis for Special Education practice, and CEC standard 1.5

(issues in definition and identification of individuals with exceptional learning needs, including those from culturally and

linguistically diverse backgrounds.) From my coursework in Race and Cultural Identities I learned of the vast discrepancy

between ELL students deemed as having special needs with the regular student population.


My philosophy:


My philosophy in regards to Special Education is a fluid one, just as Special Education is ever-changing so is

my philosophy and understanding of it. My philosophy of Special Education is that its role in schools is to level the playing

field (or as close to it as possible) for students that are unable to function like the atypical student and succeed in school.

This can be done through a variety of ways whether it be changes in environment, changes in ways the student is taught,

use of assistive technology, and many other ways to ensure that a child with a documented disability, whether it is a

cognitive, emotional, physical, or learning disability, is given the same potential for an education as his or her peers.

Although Special Education only pertains to those with exceptional learning needs, it is my belief that the theories and

practices there of should be used with every student in every classroom across America.


Standard 6: Language


I have had many different experiences in dealing with different cultures. Whether from my own family (three

adopted sisters), my life growing up in the diverse climate of Amherst, in classes at Wheelock (RCI), and in my practicum

in the fall semester of 2009.

I have developed my own strategies in working with students with diverse learning needs over the years. It all

started in High school when I did an internship in a 4th grade classroom and worked with a student there who was in limbo.

He had definite learning difficulties (he had a 1st grade reading level later diagnosed to be due to dyslexia), as well as

struggles with writing and interacting with his peers. His IEP team and his mother were having a hard time creating an IEP

they all could agree on and meanwhile he wasn't doing any work and the teacher I was interning with felt like she was

babysitting him. I went with him out of class with the worksheets he wasn't doing and realized that the problem was they

were setting him up to struggle by making him read the worksheets and write them without any help thus frustrating him

further making him not want to do the work.

I, on my own accord, set out to rectify this problem. I sat down with him in the library and would read the

questions to him and write down his answer. Instantly, we were able to crank out these math worksheets that he hadn't

been doing before. I also rewarded him by agreeing to reward him for every math sheet we finished (I would read a couple of

pages of Tin Tin, a comic book both he and I enjoyed). Finally, he had an IEP created and programs were put in place to

help him. However, this meant that I was no longer needed to work with him so I went back to the regular classroom.

This experience taught me a valuable lesson, sometimes when a child struggles in one area such as reading, it

is important to not let that struggle impact his abilities in another area he has great potential in such as word problems in

math. When teaching vocabulary that students might not have ever even heard of such as a chandelier to a student from a

low-income family, one has to be prepared to further show students what the word means.

I have helped all of the students in my class with several writing assignments using the computer to help them

type a neat, professional-looking, finished draft. All of the students in my practicum are provided with a dictionary. Anytime

they do not understand a word they look it up. If they still do not understand the word they can raise their hands and I or

my mentor teacher will go over and clarify it further. When going over vocabulary in class on 11/2/09, the lesson vocabulary

were words one might use in describing the “unique natural features of the pacific northwest.”

I have evidence of cultural understandings through papers written for RCI, I am currently teaching in a very

diverse classroom with students of all races and many different cultures (ethnicity, religion, race.) I am working with a

multilingual Hispanic mentor teacher who I have observed talking with a parent in their native language of Spanish.

When there is a set curriculum and a set program to go by it becomes increasingly hard for a teacher to be able to

successfully modify the curriculum in order to teach his or her students in the best way possible. (differentiated

instruction). During a lesson in reading that I was teaching to a class in Jamaica Plain, I was supposed to be teaching my

students the abstract idea of “drawing conclusions.” I also was supposed to be teaching them concept vocabulary such as

the word offers. However, the way in which the reading program “reading street” had me doing this was by using a cattle

ranch as an example. How are these kids from the city going to be able to draw conclusions about words they don't know

when we are talking about something they know nothing about? I had to modify this lesson somewhat and shift the focus

back on them. I asked them to think about if they have ever offered to do something. Such as raising their hands when I

ask for someone to read something out loud. (CEC standards 6.1, 6.s2)


Standard 9: Professional and Ethical Practice


Through coursework and work in the field I have come to understand some of the cultural biases and differences I

have had when working with a diverse group of students. In a class, Racial and Cultural Identities, I was asked to study

myself, judge my personal self in terms of racism and prejudices. This was done through a reflective paper based off a self

interview I gave to myself at the beginning of the semester. Through work in the field I have come to realize that I must put

aside any biases I have towards my expectations of students based off either their disability or their race. (CEC Standard

9.1) While in my practicum I have not let a student tell me they cannot do something. I tell them of course you can do it. I

will then sit down and work with them and give them any help and support they need in order for them to be able to do

whatever it is they were working on. (CEC standard 9.2)

Although I have not formally advocated for a student yet, I have done so informally as mentioned above when I

was in high school I advocated for a 4th grade student who was getting screwed by the system and losing valuable learning

time because there was a disagreement about his IEP. (CEC standard 9.3) I will follow all laws regarding special services

based off of the 2004 IDEA act as well as the Americans with Disabilities act. This is on top of local state laws governing

Special Education.

Throughout this semester I have been paired with a mentor teacher who has not done a good job following CEC

standard 9.6 in regards to sensitivity around religion. He has repeatedly teased two students for being Jewish asking when

are they going to bring in Matzoh ball soup for him. Throughout this semester I have made sure I was sensitive to

differences between me and my students in regards to religion, sexual orientation, language, gender, disability, and socio-

economic status. My mentor teacher also on numerous occasions told the students that they could always go home and

look up more information on a subject online on their computers. It killed me inside because I knew that not all of these

kids had the internet at home let alone a computer. (CEC standard 9.6)


Standard 10: Collaboration


Throughout this semester I have had to type up numerous letters to send home to parents either in regards to

an event in class, or permission for something, as well as on the rare occasions regarding their student and missing work. I

also recently wrote a letter to a student who has been doing poorly on math tests that me and my mentor teacher are here

for her and if she needs extra help to just let us know. (CEC standard 10s3) This past Monday, November 16th, 2009, I

was being observed teaching and I did a fabulous job in modeling how not to yell at the students when they were off task. I

showed my mentor teacher how I could use a calm voice and let the student(s) know that I did not appreciate them being off

task. (CEC standard 10s8)

Throughout my own school career I have had many experiences in which I was able to collaborate with my

peers either in the form of a project and/or a presentation. Through these collaborative experiences I have come to the

realization that when people work together, they are able to do so much more than if they do things alone. It brings to mind

the saying, “two heads is better than one.”