I See Some ZPD.

This week opened my eyes to many new experiences. I learned about services that are available for special education, and how students use those services, at Meigs High School. The services these students are provided are able to benefit the students for the betterment of their education. I have mixed feelings about these services, but am glad I was able to experience and learn how special education is run.
There are options for special education students at Meigs High School. There are two social studies, two math, and two English teachers in the high school who are special educators. There are also three other teachers who specialize in learning disabilities. With this many qualified teachers, the students with special needs are able to get their core subjects taught by special educators instead of the regular classroom teacher. In these classrooms, the students have text books with large print and are easy to read and comprehend. During lessons, they learn from power points that are colorful, visually inviting, and have auditory clips incorporated to keep the students attention. The classes change activities at least once every fifteen minutes. This is the only way to keep the students attention, and keep them focused on the task at hand. The students were doing an exercise on nouns and adjectives. They were given white boards with dry erase makers to write their answers on. This was just another way for the teacher to keep her students engaged. In the 200 class we discussed the principals of educational psychology. I think this exhibits the second principle that explains that when students are active participants in the lesson they learn more effectively. When starting a new lesson, the teachers start out very elementary, and work their way up to the level the students are supposed to be achieving. The class continued to do exercises until every student in the small class were achieving the tasks. As I learned in EDTE 200 the students in this class were working in their zone of proximal development. They were able to produce the correct answers, but only with the help of their teacher. At the end of the exercise, the teacher asked the students to think critically, this left the students lost and confused. With the abstract question, the students were no longer in their ZPD. Even with the teacher’s help, they could not grasp the concept. When assigning the homework at the end of the class period, the teacher read over each question to make sure the students knew exactly what they were supposed to do.
Other options are available for special education students as well. Many of the students with exceptionalities are involved in the vocational programs provided at the school. These programs are not necessarily designed for students with special needs however the school accommodates so that all types of students are able to excel in these not so traditional classes. The special education students are provided with resource rooms. In these resource rooms there are teachers who are available to help out with the work the students were assigned in their vocational courses. The students are able to get help with the everyday work for the class, as well as receive help taking tests for their classes. The students are also allowed to spend time in the resource rooms during their study halls to receive additional help if needed. They are allowed to receive as much help as they want. Many times the students are able to retake their tests if they scored poorly, or even be re-taught a lesson that they did not understand in their regular classroom. Some of the students in these special education classes are required to work to make a living for themselves. If they are not interested in the vocational program, they are given a work-study option. With this program, the students will attend school for their core subjects, and then leave for the rest of the day to go in the work force. With this program the students are able to make a decent living for themselves. It is necessary for many of these students to make a living, because they are neglected at home and not provided with the basic necessities of life.
I believe that all of these options for special needs students are crucial and a good investment by the school. According to the 201 text book, the students, teachers, and school district are working collaboratively. They are all working together to achieve a shared goal that everyone wants the special education students to succeed. I think it is wonderful the district is trying to provide the students with options to help them excel in not only high school, but the work force as well. I am excited to know that all these things are available. I went to such as big high school that even though I knew there were special needs students; I rarely ever saw or had an encounter with one. I was never exposed to what they did during their day or how their teachers presented materials to them. I believe this knowledge will help me as a future educator. I watched how the teachers interacted with their students, and what modifications must be made to meet the standards set for the students’ grade level.
Honestly, I was worried about this week. I was forced to leave my comfort zone of the gymnasium, and observe other aspects of the school. Needless to say, I learned more than I ever thought I would. I am pleased to know that there are many serviced available to accommodate the students with exceptionalities. How these students use their services to benefit their education has become very intriguing to me. I think that special education is something that I will enjoy when I have classes of my own some day.