RUNNING HEAD: BEGINNING AND END REFLECTION

Beginning and End Reflection

Maree Lowe
Ivy Tech Community College

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INTASC Standard
Standard #5: Application of Content
The teacher understands how to connect concepts and use differing perspectives to
engage learners in critical thinking, creativity, and collaborative problem solving
related to authentic local and global issues.

Brief Description: In the following assignment, I will be sharing my outlook on special

education prior to starting this course and my views on the topic after completing this course. I
share different experiences I have had both positive and negative. I will also share how these
encounters or view have impacted my understanding of exceptional learning.

Rationale: This assignment represents INTASC Standard #5 because in this assignment, I was
considered to be the learner. My way of thinking has changed dramatically from the beginning of
the semester verse the end. I will use the knowledge I have learned in my future endeavors of
being an educator, whether or not I choose to go into special education or stick to general.

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Beginning Reflection Assignment

In the following assignment, I will be reflecting on my views of exceptional learning. I
will base my views off of previous experience that I have endured working with special educated
students. I will also share my thought process as to why I would like to continue in the field of
special education in my future endeavors.
Teaching Special Needs
The thought of teaching a student or an entire class with special needs sounds very
appealing to me. Although there have been many instances where I have been overwhelmed with
more than a few issues that can occur on a day to day basis, I still love working with students
who may have special needs. It may become very challenging, but I feel as though I am willing
to take on that responsibility develop success in these kids because some educators dont seem to
give it all they have to make a difference in the students lives academically.
Educational Environment
The appropriate learning environment for children with exceptional needs vary depending
on the strengths and weaknesses of each individual student. When looking at a student with
Autism, they may be sensitive to light or sound and they may show more academic success if
they are in a dimmed classroom that is quiet. There may be others who need to hear sound in
order to work efficiently. For example a room what is playing calming music in the background
while they quietly do group work. I also think that students who may have ADHD and may want
to move around a lot should be placed in a classroom or have designated times in the day where
they can release their built up energy. I believe all of these are possible scenarios because I have
seen these idealisms actually take place in a classroom setting. I have noticed great success in the

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students who are involved with these education plans. They normally lead to a decrease to
behaviors in the classrooms as well.
Accommodations
I absolutely think that students who have exceptional needs should be granted
accommodations in the classroom if they allow the student to develop more success in their
setting. I dont agree with accommodations that are granted to students to just let them barely get
by. For example, some students who have test anxiety and need an extended amount of time to
complete it is an exceptional accommodation. If a student is always granted the accommodation
of having tests or books read to them, not allowing the student to be challenged to increase their
reading comprehension, I find that to be inappropriate. Students work should not be modified to
the point where they are not taking away new information, but just doing enough to get points to
put in the grade book.
Teaching Exceptional Learners
I would truly enjoy having my own special education classroom. I would also enjoy
working with gifted students as well. I think they both would present different types of challenges
and success stories that I would like to gain experience in. My thought process is, the more
experience I obtain, the more my knowledge will expand and will advance with working with
different levels of education.

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End Reflection
In this assignment, I am going to be reflecting on my experience taking my Exceptional
Learners course. I am going to re-evaluate my personal responses from my Beginning
Reflection. Some things stayed the same, while others detoured a tad.
Teaching Special Needs
Looking back at my first reflection before taking the course, my thought process toward
teaching students with special needs has changed. Although I truly love working with
exceptional learners as a paraprofessional (some may know it as a teacher aid) I do not think I
could start out my teaching career as a special education educator. I want to be exposed to just
teaching in general and do well at that first before jumping into exceptional learning.
Educational Environment
The environment learning takes place in plays a huge factor in the advancement of childrens
learning. As I stated in my Beginning Reflection, I provided a few different scenarios that are
likely to be seen in a special education room. In our course book, Exceptional Learners it
exposed us to other disabilities and gave us incite on what tools may be needed to develop
success in these students as well that I was not aware of. For example, I have not been very
exposed to students who have a severe case of not being able to see. In Chapter 12, they made
me aware of the importance of having magnifying tools to help students see better who have a
hard time. Since this was something I didnt know much about, it broaden my understanding of
the importance of having every tool available to help support specific students needs to allow
them to do their best and take away more educationally.
Accommodations

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Referring back to my Beginning Reflection, my feelings remain the same on this topic. I
think that students who desperately need accommodations to develop success in certain areas
should be granted in the classroom. Looking back at the videos we watched in Chapter 9, Taylor
Crowes story is a very good eye opener to the use of accommodations. He mentions often that
he would not be where he is today if it were for the support of his family and the community.
Additional support is an accommodation. In Taylors case, not only did he have a large amount
of support from these people, but they teamed up with the school and were all on the same page
to provide the best help for Taylor to be develop the skills needed to advance and do better for
himself in life.
Teaching Exceptional Learners
I would truly enjoy having my own special education classroom. I would also enjoy working
with gifted students as well. I think they both would present different types of challenges and
success stories that I would like to gain experience in. My thought process is, the more
experience I obtain, the more my knowledge will expand and will advance with working with
different levels of education.
Beginning Reflection, Maree Lowe (2016)
As much as I still agree with this, at this current moment in time, I do not think I would be
very successful in teaching special education. Ive been exposed to many of the educational
factors we have been presented throughout the course. All of these would be challenging, some
more then others. This is something I do not want to have to face early on in my career of
education. I want to build up my confidence and experience first. I have seen some people get
completely turned away from the profession due to the high stress it may endure. This is

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something I want to prevent and get good at what I do first and then re-think going in to special
education once I know the field effectively.

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9
References

Crowe,T.(Director).(2010).TaylorCrowe'sStory[MotionpictureonYouTube].United
States.
Hallahan,D.P.,&Kauffman,J.M.(2000).Exceptionallearners:Introductiontospecial
education.Boston:Allyn&Bacon.

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Beginning

10

End

Addresses each of the

questions above

Reflection addresses the

students thinking at the
time

Submission
is grammatically correct
and follows APA
formatting
Total Points per
submission

28/30
/30