Tricia Maybaum Phase 2- Integrated Reflection Spring 2012 This semester I was placed at Edison Middle School working

with students on a mainstream curriculum. I was there every day for a resource class, a self contained math class, and a co-taught English/Language Arts class. This was a very different placement compared to last semester when I worked with 3rd-5th grades in a cross-categorical classroom. I learned a whole new variety of things at this site, and really saw how varied jobs in special education can be. At Edison I was lucky enough to be in a co-taught placement for part of the day. Not all practicum students get to be in a co-taught setting while in our program so I think this was a great opportunity for me to get to observe all semester. I got to see what goes on behind co-taught classrooms doors and how teachers collaborate to make sure they are on the same page every day in class. What was really special about my placement was that the general education teacher also had a student teacher this semester, so the gen-ed student teacher and I got to co-teach lesson plans, and even whole units together. It was a very unique opportunity that I dont think many students in my program will get to experience and I am very fortunate to have been given it. I saw just how important collaborative relationships are within the classroom, especially when you are teaching the same kids together for one or more periods. It is so important that both teachers know exactly what is going on in the classroom so that one teacher doesnt tell a student one thing while the other teacher tells them the opposite. When the gen-ed student teacher and I planned lessons and a unit together, we made sure that we had adequate preparation time so that

we both knew exactly what was coming up for the week. This is such an important aspect of co-taught classroom, and I hope that all teachers are given common planning time to make their classroom cohesive. Additionally, while in the co-taught classroom and in the self contained classroom I learned about how important instructional delivery is. There are many different ways to handle a co-taught classroom, and may different ways to teach to it; therefore, you and your co-teacher need to figure out which form of co-teaching will work best with your lesson for the day and try it out. There is no way to tell if a class is going to respond to a type of teaching without just trying it. In the self contained classroom I kind of had a rude awakening when I arrived in the beginning of the year and treated my students as I treated my 3rd-5th graders from Thomas Paine. I quickly learned that middle schoolers cannot be given as much freedom as younger kids because they will take it and cause trouble. I never had to deal with kids who got in-school suspensions or discipline referrals, so when I arrived at Edison I was unsure how to instruct them. However, I quickly learned how to treat the kids with respect while being strict so they knew I was serious. This was a serious wakeup call that I needed, especially if I ever enter a high school during this next year. Altogether, this semester presented itself with multiple learning opportunities, especially at my practicum site. Being in a different type of environment than I was last semester taught me many new things, and I am hoping to get a completely new site next semester that will teach me even more!