EDF 2085 Reflection Paper #10

Jackie Lawrence
EDF 2085
Reflection Paper #10

This morning I went to North Miami Senior High School, where I plan on conducting my service learning hours to gain a broader perspective of what my career aspirations truly consist of. The school psychologist gave me a walk-through and showed me a little bit of where and how the special education students are taught. Boy, was I in for a wake-up call!! I left there today feeling anxious, nervous, and incredibly overwhelmed. Thank goodness for the article “Strategies for Inclusive Teaching!” After reflecting, I feel slightly more confident that I just may be able to handle what’s in store.
Teachers must focus on individual student needs, even though classrooms will be filled with obstacles to overcome. It’s important to get to know each student on a personal level; showing an interest in understanding their backgrounds and belief systems will encourage them to trust you. As a teacher, you must be comfortable addressing issues of race, gender, culture, and social class in an appropriate and respectable way. This will influence your students to do the same. Making students feel important and included facilitates learning and academic success, along with success outside of the classroom. Group involvement may assist in addressing many issues that will inevitably arise, such as religion, spirituality, prejudice, and stereotyping. It also might help to give students questionnaires concerning such topics throughout the semester. This will aid in measuring where your students are at in their heads; maybe they have even experienced a paradigm shift or two. Additionally, encourage your students to ask questions and promote classroom discussions. Children who feel free to actively engage will enjoy class time more and most likely receive higher grades as a result. Setting ground rules and a trusting atmosphere early on is important so students can feel comfortable to openly express their opinions and learn from others. When initiating the pedagogical cycle, use anecdotes that students can easily relate to. Role playing, visual aids, an organized syllabus, and fair grading scales are also important. Most of all, make learning fun. I can’t imagine a better feeling then knowing that my students are looking forward to what I have to offer them.