Special Education Philosophy

As my career in special education is evolving through personal experiences, work experience, and graduate class so is my philosophy of special education. “Special Education is the means through which children who have disabilities receive an education specially designed to help them reach the learning potential” (Friend, 2014). This description is the goal of special education, but special education is much more; it’s the individuals that I service and the success that is achieved that drives my philosophy. While my overall values and beliefs about educating the special needs population are evolving, I believe that continual reflection allows me to put into practice my core values. My vision is to promote student success through collaboration,

I believe it is essential for children to develop positive self-esteem and social skills. Both components directly affect the achievement of students with exceptionalities. "Self-esteem refers to a person’s overall regard for himself or herself as a person” (Friends, 2014, pg. 186). With all the social demands children face daily, it is important that a student’s social functioning is addressed. Some student with exceptionalities may not understand appropriate social cues and need explicit teaching of how to interact with peers and

Accommodating the needs of individuals with disabilities does not mean lowering standards but rather adapting the program for student success. Providing the least restrictive environment for students is best to promote academic growth and skills necessary to be lifelong learners. The inclusion model is one way to provide these opportunities. I must consider as I develop plans for students with special needs the least restrictive environment. The LRE term originates as a principle of The Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA). Determining the appropriate placement for exceptional learners is fundamental in providing an adequate educational environment for the student to flourish; at the same time providing effective services and supports, both indirect and direct. There are multiple settings for educating students with special needs. It takes a collaborative effort to decide the best placement; whether placed in Section 504 or in Special Education. Section 504 comes from The Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and is the first civil rights legislation in the United States intended to provide protection for individuals with disabilities’ and is less restrictive than Special Education. Inclusiveness is not just about the physical location of where the teaching is occurring but rather how the individuals are accessing the learning with their peers. It is an expectation of The No Child Left behind Act (NCLB) that