Students with Special Needs Reflection

           
           Over the summer of 2010, I had the opportunity and privilege to work with students with disabilities at Crestline Elementary’s educational summer program, which specifically targets students with special needs that require additional reinforcement during the summer.  During my two weeks at Crestline, I observed, interacted, and taught students with mild to severe disabilities, and further learned more about the dynamics of teaching students with special needs.
            One student that I was paired with was an incoming fourth grader to Crestline, which I will refer to as Student A.  Student A has infantile cerebral palsy, as well as a learning disability in reading.  Along with his cerebral palsy come a lack of fine motor skills, and a struggle with pronunciation and articulation in speech.  While at Crestline, I fostered a caring relationship with this student, and tutored him in the content given by the overseeing classroom teacher.  While it was my “duty” to teach Student A, Student A actually taught me a great deal during my placement.  Student A taught me that in spite of his difficulties, he was a normal kid who wanted to do normal, everyday activities.  While Student A knew that schoolwork was difficult for him, he did not want to be pitied, and instead worked diligently to persevere through his disabilities. 
            During these weeks at Crestline while working with Student A, I focused heavily on reading, handwriting, and articulation, as these were the most difficult tasks for him to master.  Again, Student A worked hard through his disability, and quickly became a crowd favorite for his perseverance, personality, and wonderful sense of humor.
            Crestline Elementary School's summer program hosted many students with disabilities from a broad range of Mountain Brook City Schools; however, the staff of this summer program were mostly from Crestline Elementary School.  These educators were amazing, as their guidance, advice, and approach to students with disabilities was inspiring and beyond compare.  These educators were gave great advice on how to include a special needs child in the general classroom, as well as information on discipline and classroom management regarding children with special needs.  Furthermore, these educators demonstrated the laborious IEP, accommodation, and modification process.  Ultimately, it was concluded that these teacher’s love and dedication towards students with special needs was incomparable, inspiring, and simply amazing.
            Even though my time at Crestline’s summer program was short, I learned quite a bit about special education and students with special needs.  I was able to view multiple I.E.P.s, and I was further able to meet and interact with a variety of students that had a broad range of disabilities (ranging from mild Autism to severe Autism, to cerebral palsy, to mental retardation, to developmental delay, and, the most severe, to Cri-du-Chat Syndrome).  I have developed a deep appreciation for teachers that work with students with special needs, which has further inspired me to be a general education teacher that greatly accepts, accommodates, and includes a student with special needs in her classroom.