Collaborative Leadership Reflection

Introduction: For the past three years working in the education field, I have demonstrated collaborative leadership, critical thinking in addition to ethical and professional practices as a special education teacher. This teacher emphasizes the importance of these three fundamentals in the classroom everyday. Implementing alternative communication methods for students with limited communication is one example of collaborative leadership. I demonstrate critical thinking by creating individualized alternative lesson plans to develop the most effective learning environment for my students. Lastly, I demonstrate ethical and professional practices by taking responsibility of the actions of the paraprofessionals within my classroom.

Collaborative Leadership of a Special Education Teacher:

In September, this candidate began teaching in a substantially separate classroom working with students facing a vast majority of learning disabilities. This Early Childhood Center provides students with the appropriate resources needed to achieve the utmost success. I face several challenges when trying to communicate with my students. Due to the fact that a majority of the students are diagnosed with Pervasive Developmental Disorders including Autism Spectrum Disorders and other severe disabilities marked by communication, social and cognitive delays. As a collaborating school, this candidate took part in leading a discussion during a professional development meeting with co-workers regarding communication with students. After months of research on assistive communication methods, I launched the idea of implementing a Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) as a school wide communication