Special Education Essays

Special Education Essay
Special Education
In ancient Greece and Rome there are isolated examples of caring for and treating disabled
individuals, although those instances are thought to be family members taking care of their own
family. Typically early societies shunned people who were considered different. During the Middle
Ages the church provided care for physically or mentally impaired people. The development of
techniques associated with special education of today did not emerge until the Renaissance era. In the
mid–1500s Pedro Ponce de Leon succeeded in teaching deaf students in Spain to speak, read, and
write. Even though there was success with teaching the deaf, it was not until the late 18th century
that attempts were made to educate people...show more content...
She was an Italian pediatrician who became an educator and the backbone of a unique method of
training young intellectually challenged and culturally deprived children in Rome in the 1890s. Her
approach emphasized self–education through specially designed "educational materials" for
sensorimotor training. (Smith, 1998). Today this is known as the Sensory Diet. We are getting closer
to have specially designed, replacement curriculum that is scientifically based.
The history of special education in the U.S. began after World War II, when a number of
parent–organized advocacy groups surfaced. One of the first organizations was the American
Association on Mental Deficiency, which held its first convention in 1947. By the early 1950s,
fueled by the Civil Rights Movement, a number of other parent organizations were formed, including
the United Cerebral Palsy Association, the Muscular Dystrophy Association, and John F. Kennedy's
Panel on Mental Retardation. According to The International Council for the Education of
Exceptional Children (CEC) website the group was organized by a group of administrators and
supervisors attending the summer session at Teachers College, Columbia University, and their
faculty members on August 10, 1922. The Council began with 12 members. Elizabeth E. Farrell was
the Founder and first President, 1922–26. This is the main organization for special education
administrators, teachers,
Get more content on HelpWriting.net

Career In Special Education Essay
Time is passing and opportunities are opening for more students with special needs. Many students
in college are getting more interested in Special Education as career that will allow more
organization to have more workers with a big potential that will have an important impact on these
kids with disabilities. However, this will require more training for the students that organizations
around the country can give them. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics,"the career outlook
for special education teachers should remain steady through 2024, with an increase of 6%, the
national average for job growth in the United States. The median salary for this position is just over
$55,000 annually," ("Master in Special Education") The approach the...show more content...
Including the author in this website wrote that, "assistants who work alongside special education
teachers will see a 6% increase in demand until 2024. Jobs in Case Management is expected to
grow faster than the national average at 10% with a median salary of $u62,740 per year," ("Master
in Special Education") In their attempts to flit the number of demands for the assistants who work
with special education teachers, that could be benefited for what they doing. Regularly, the
assistant position receives less pay in the education area, but really the U.S has been making some
changes in their salary and they hope that, even if they don't have any ways to get another degree,
they will receive an appropriate economic income for their families. The article states that this can be
easier than everyone expect because they have been saying that they want to enlarge the payment
each year. The U.S government has made some changes for the well being of the students who are
interested in this

Essay on Special Education
The education system in our country was put in place in order to do service to our children.
Despite this, in many cases, children that have disabilities are neglected by their schools. As a
society, we all want to make sure that these children are being taken care of. However, there is a
large spectrum of students with disabilities, and more needs to be done in order to meet every
individual's needs. In some cases, they do not receive enough attention, and others receive so much
that it holds them back from succeeding on their own. Generally speaking, students with special
needs benefit from integration into general education classrooms when it is handled appropriately;
however in many cases, students are still being short–changed....show more content...
Koch says that, "By nearly all accounts, the law has been highly successful at educating students
once turned away at the schoolhouse door as 'untrainable'...". Julie Verdonik too believes that the
program can be successful, and has confidence in the special needs students at Maple Grove. With
all of this success, why is it necessary that the special education system be reevaluated? Despite the
potential for success that IDEA creates, there are many students whose needs are not yet being met.
Some states in our country ignore the act altogether, and do not provide their students with the
resources and materials they need to be successful. In many cases, teachers in general education are
not trained enough to handle students with special needs being a part of their classroom (Gable).
The two of these factors combine to create an environment that slows down the learning process at
no fault of the child. On top of that, many low–income areas do not receive enough funding to afford
to service their students to the best of their ability, further hindering the child. Misdiagnosis is also a
problem commonly found in low–income areas that holds students back from reaching their full
potential (Koch). Students that are simply falling behind due to overcrowded classrooms are
subjected to remedial reading and other needs–based classes when they don't actually suffer from
any disability (Koch). In some states, children with special

Interview With A Special Education Teacher
Mandy Sanguigni
SED 201–Mrs. Dean
November 27, 2015
Interview Question
Interview with a Special Education Teacher
1.Why did you choose to teach students with disabilities?
The special education teacher interviewed, did not expect to teach special education when she
graduated college. She got a job helping at a personal home with children ages 5–6 years old with
some disabilities. After her experience with this first job she loved it, and began to seek positions in
Elementary special education. However she was only able to obtain a position in a High School
special education classroom.
2.How many students do you teach who have disabilities or are at–risk?
The special education teacher interviewed, co–teaches algebra into three class periods. She is able to
teach up to 50 students. In her classroom she can teach children with disabilities or up to 25 at–risk
students.
3.How do you meet the instructional, social, and emotional needs of the students?
The special education teacher interviewed, talked about this goal to meet each child's need is
challenging to her especially in eleventh and twelfth grade. The teacher tries to strive towards their
educational goals, their need areas, and work on their strengths.
4.How do you set your teaching goals for special education?
The special education teacher interviewed, showed me that she uses the teaching/individual goals
related to each student's IEP. The teacher always tries to excel and reach the needs to relate

Special Education Essay
My focus for this standard was in the collaboration and trainings in the Special Education
Department in Middlebrook School as well as in the district. I worked with the other Special
Education Instructional Leaders (SPED ILs) to create similar SPED binders and google drives to
create consistency of practice from building to building. We also meet monthly with the Director and
Assistant Director of Special Education as a team. We worked to create a district wide transition
calendar for all students moving from school to school next year. We scheduled staffings for each
team of teachers working with the students and coordinating PPTs to ensure a seamless transition of
service and best practice for each student with special needs. We worked...show more content...
I invited SPED staff from other buildings to attend and shared our planning system and materials
afterwards. Feedback was not only positive but they asked for additional trainings and were excited
to use the skills with our students.
We are now analyzing para support need from building to building and reviewing best practice for
scheduling para support for children while still fostering independence. This is a challenge as
student IEPs are individualized for a reason, however, we are looking to create some guidelines
for staff to ensure efficiency of resources, as well as alternative and more creative ways to
schedule our human resources. The challenges we faced in scheduling the transition plan as well as
the paraprofessional trainings is three fold: time, culture from building to building and priorities of
all stakeholders. First, the time needed to do such work takes us away from our other obligations in
our buildings, most significantly, away from the students. The SPED ILs spent countless hours
working together to create a transition calendar that would work for all schools. This was
challenging when working around district and state testing, as well as building timelines for creating
master schedules. Secondly, the culture from building to building is different and while that is ok,
we needed to consider and respect each building's past

Essay On Working With Special Education Students
Everyday I am blessed to be rewarded with the opportunity to work with Special Education
students. Being apart of the students lives has always been a huge part of who I am, and has been
since I was a little girl. There is nothing more heartwarming than seeing the smiles on the student's
faces, because of you. I work with the students during school, and outside of school. With having
my own challenges, I have so much respect for who the kids are and what they go through every
day. Building relationships with these amazing people is my passion, and I want to build a future in
this path. People underestimate who the students are as a person. Behind all the challenges on their
day to day life, they all have something special about them. So many students are academically
brilliant, but can't express it through their words. A huge way students express how they feel is
through art or music. The students should be...show more content...
I put a lot of effort into my classes, but math has never been the best subject for me. In order to
learn the topic at the same pace as the class, I have to take a lot of extra time to process the work.
Growing up, I have struggled with the challenge of test anxiety. Not all tests give me the stress,
but the big tests do. I can study for hours and then when the test is in front of me everything goes
blank. My test scores don't show what I can do academically, I am a hard worker and a very
determined individual. If I was given the opportunity to do my studies at one of the top schools for
Special Education in the US, I would fully take advantage of it. Special Education programs at
schools are in need of determined workers, and it would be an honor to apply myself in such a
positive way. I want to become a special education teacher to change the lives of the students, just
like how they changed mine. It would be a dream of mine to build the path to my future at
University of

Special Education: The History of Special Education & The Pros and Cons of Inclusion
What is Special Education? Many of us in our society sometimes are not aware what special
education is or what it is about. We don't typically think about this because sometimes it does not
affect our children or us. Special education is a program that is designed to help those who have
mentally, socially, and physically and or emotionaldisability, in which it causes them to have some
sort of delay in learning. For that reason a traditional classroom is not fit for them academically.
They require more attention than a "normal" student. Typically we classify these students as
"Special Needs" or "Special– Ed"
Pre–historically, when babies were born, when child was born and showed signs that they were
abnormal they were often killed. For this reason, we don't ever hear of special needs children in
the beginning of history. But as history went on, special need students did start to show a mark in
history. They have always been in the bottom of society were they get killed or executed because
people believed that they were possessed by the devil. It wasn't until the Renaissances when people
developed the interest in helping special need children for the reason that life was being valued. In
the 1920's the US started rising the interest in bringing legislation and special education together.
After World War II, programs were started off for them and many small laws were established that

Special Education Personal Statement
Personal Statement "A teacher affects eternity; he can never tell where his influence stops." – Henry
B. Adams. For as long as I can remember, I have always wanted to play a big part in children's
education, which is why I have decided to enroll for an education course. I believe that educators
have a lifelong impact on their students and on the development of resilience. Thus, I aspire to
inculcate my love for learning into the next generation, by influencing and inspiring children all
through their formal education.
I have distinctly applied for Special Needs Education because special education has always been
what's near and dear to me in the field of education. Being a special education teacher would be an
inevitably rewarding job, in which I get to watch my students grow, as I celebrate their small
breakthroughs and victories with them. These small breakthroughs and victories will improve over
time and turn into giant leaps, which will leave a lasting impact and ultimately change the child's
life. Beyond just educating children with special needs, I aspire to educate the public about
children with special needs and special education. By doing so, I hope to remove any uncertainty
and fear the public has on this group of children. Not only do I want to impart knowledge on these
special children, I also want to advocate for them, which is something that goes...show more content...
I was exposed to a complete range of early childhood studies, all of which solidified my ardent
interest in the field. I also had the opportunity to study a handful of art and humanities subjects,
which have given me a fresh perspective on the world we reside in. By the same token, I will be
able to apply the knowledge gained from my ICT and Multimedia subject in creating a
state–of–the–art medium apt for young children in this era of

In this paper I am going to be talking about the pros and cons of inclusion for Special Education
children. By definition, Inclusion rejects the use of special schools or classrooms to separate
students with disabilities from students without disabilities. Special Education is a topic that is
important, even though people may not realize how important it is for the fact that they don't
understand what goes into Special Education for children in schools. "Negative beliefs many people
have about individuals with disabilities may often be based on fear, misconceptions, and lack of
knowledge" (Wright, 1998). There are many children who have Special Education in schools and I
feel that inclusion is something that parents think about for their children, weather it is positive or
negative thoughts. There is an issue weather inclusion is best for children or if it is hindering the
child's academic performance. I am going to explore if inclusion is better for children with
disabilities or if inclusion is not beneficial for children with disabilities. In my opinion, all educators
should have the knowledge they need when it comes to knowing what is best for these children and
what will truly benefit them throughout there life's. when it comes to Special Education, there are
parents with disabled children as well as non–disabled children, who have so multiple opinions about
inclusion. By the end of this essay, I want to know what sincerely is beneficial for Special
Educational children.

Special Education Laws And Policies Essay
There are a number of topics that relate to law, policy & contemporary issues: Standards &
Accountability, IDEA, NCLB, ESSA, Advocacy, Inclusion/Collaboration, Positive Behavior
Supports, Parental Involvement/Home–school Connection, and Cultural Responsiveness in Special
Education. Some individuals familiar with these topics and their stand point on Special Needs
Education and others have are clueless. It is imperative to "be in the know" of Special Education
laws and policies. Part of what makes everything so confusing is the way the legal process works.
First, Congress passes a law. For example, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)
was most recently reauthorized in 2004. At that time, several substantive changes were made in
the law. Next, the U.S. Department of Education writes regulations to help explain the law. The
public was asked to give input, and a lengthy process followed. The regulations for IDEA 2004 are
expected to finally become part of the federal code and made available in late 2006, two years
after the law passed. Meanwhile, each state has to make sure its laws are in compliance with
federal law (GreatSchoolsStaff). This means that new laws had to be passed by state legislators in
order to be in compliance with IDEA. While states must offer at least what the federal government
requires, they may choose to provide more.
Raising academic standards for all students and measuring student achievement to hold schools
accountable for

Field Questions My first interview was with a special education teacher, Marie Argenio. Ms. Argenio
teaches 7th and 8th–grade students in English, reading, and writing, this is a pull–out program. Ms.
Argenio also co–teachers a 10th–grade science class for one period. 1. Do you feel that co–teaching
is helpful or effective for students with exceptionalities? Yes, I do feel that co–teaching can be
effective. Added question: Why is it effective? By keeping the student in the general education
classroom, they are still being challenged while receiving the necessary accommodation. Sometimes
pull–out classes are below level. If necessary I can pull them out at any point and work with them
individually. 2. How do you meet the needs of the students with IEP's in the co–taught classrooms?
In the co–taught classroom, I use specially designed instruction. For example, I will give the
students word banks to use or give note skeletons. Actually, the science teacher has me give all the
students the word banks because they are good study guides. I also make accommodations during
tests, such as crossing out two of the multiple choice answers. Being in the science classroom, allows
me to check on each students' progress with their homework. 3. Do you think that having students
with exceptionalities in an inclusive classroom poses a distraction for other students? At times it
does because some students may be disruptive. Sometimes the issue can be severe if the student is

History of Special Education Essay
History of Special Education
Introduction
Special education has faced many changes during the last century. During this time there have been
many opinions on the way students with differences should be taught and treated. This paper will
discuss the history of special education during the twentieth century. We will also discuss the laws
associated with Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Finally we will discuss the
current and future challenges that the laws have on special education.
History of Special Education
For most of our nation's history, children with special needs or disabilities were shunted aside. In
spite of mandated education laws that had been in place since 1918, many students were denied
education and...show more content...
Parents and supporters of students with disabilities were able to use this case to improve
educational opportunities for their children, and "established the right of all children to an equal
opportunity for an education" (Heward., 2009, p. 26). Individuals With Disabilities Education ActIn
1975, the Education for All Handicapped Children Act (EAHCA), which is also known as Public
Law 94–142, was passed by Congress and has been reauthorized and amended by Congress five
times since it passed. In 1900, congress changed the name from Education of All Handicapped
Children Act, and enacted The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act instead. This law was
later reauthorized in 1997 and named Public Law 105–17, the Individuals with Disabilities
Education Act Amendments (IDEA), was passed into a federal special education law, with final
federal regulations being published in March 1999, and retained all of the earlier versions of Public
Law 94–142. In 2004 this act was again reauthorized and became The Individuals with Disabilities
Education Improvement Act (IDEIA), also known as IDEA 2004.The Individuals with Disabilities
Education Act, requires that public schools serve all students and "ensures that children with
learning disabilities have the ability to receive a free appropriate public education that

Special Education Interview Essay
Interviewing the special education supervisor has made me aware of how important my role is as a
regular education teacher to special students who need additional support in my classroom. The goal
of the teacher is to ensure that the IEP is followed to ensure the academic success of all students.
IEP stands for Individual Education Plan and the plan is usually developed when students have
several deficiencies in certain key subject areas such as: reading comprehension, basic reading,
reading fluency, written expressions, math calculation, and math reasoning. Students are referred to
the special education department usually in elementary school, additionally; according to the high
school special education supervisor there are very few referrals

Special Education Transition Essay
A special education student's transition from school to adulthood is important. Several things need
to be addressed and obstacles need to be overcome in order to do so. Specific student evaluations to
assess emotional social and academic levels are necessary are beginning steps in this transition.
Parents along with their child are the main part of this plan. As a parent or guardian they have the
most knowledge on the student's abilities and future goals. The parents will help the child complete
an age appropriate assessment which asks questions regarding their likes dislikes preferences and
interests. Along with the student, the parents must also fill out a forty six item assessment tool to
measure the students' knowledge and maturity on transitions and placement. A parent or guardian
must also be open about the placement of the child when they graduate. This may include living at
home or seeking an assisted...show more content...
Katie who is a high school teacher. She recently was involved in a transition meeting for a twenty
one year old girl who is in her last year of school. She currently lives at home with her family and is
diagnosed with Schizophrenia. The student's goals include working, taking art classes and meeting
new friends. During the transition meeting Ms. Katie presented her evaluation. In the evaluation
were reasonable goals and agencies that could help her achieve them. The student would life to live
independently but cannot live entirely on her own. Step by Step, a company I work for is where the
student will be living. The school sent her evaluation and application for living to the company for
the student. She was accepted and will be moving immediately when she finishes school. Marywood
University runs an Art Therapy program with their art students. The class runs through the year and
the student was enrolled. She will start in the winter when classes return from

Special Education Personal Statement Essay
National Louis University's M.A.T in Special Education would provide the foundation to fulfill my
lifelong dream of becoming a Special Education teacher. I hold a Bachelor's of Science in Family
and Child Studies, with an emphasis in Family Social Services. My undergraduate degree presented
an amazing internship opportunity in Tucson, Arizona. I was fortunate to intern at Liberty Center for
Language and Learning, working with children who have Autism and other developmental
disabilities. Upon completing my internship, I was inspired to continue my education and a career in
a field for which I am passionate about. My job as a teacher assistant has been instrumental in
providing hands–on experience in a high school special education setting.

Special Education Career Path
My career path to education is one that has evolved over the years. Growing up I always know I
wanted to work with children. Within my undergrad experience become a teacher seem to feel like
it was where I belong. Being in the position of starting my path as a special education teacher for
mild to moderate, I can see how my role as an educator can have an impact on students' lives.
Becoming a special education teacher has become a career path for me for the past 4 years. My first
job was working at an after school program that gave me the experience of learning how to work
with a diverse group of students. When I first began working for the Realizing Amazing Potential
(RAP) Program as a Program Leader (PL). I began to fall in love with the school culture of
working with diverse students. The responsibility of working for RAP Program was creating
activities that implemented disguised learning with a variety of hands on activities. Students are
constantly engaged in activities while learning something new as well. Within the program I have
moved from being a supervisors assistance, which gave me responsibilities of working...show more
content...
While taking my credential program courses, we focus on students learning but also on how to
advocate for our students. As a special education teacher my goals is always encourage my students
learning, but also to advocate for their goals in life. Teaching students how to advocate for
themselves will empower them to continue their education to a higher level. Students can also
educate their community on how to advocate for people with disabilities, and how to look beyond
their disabilities. Being an advocate for student with learning disabilities is an important component
to being a special education teacher. I want my overall goal as a special education teacher is educate
student and teach them how to become their own

Ethical Principles In Special Education
All the ethical principles stated on "Council for Exceptional Children," play a vital role in the
special education field. I chose the three ethical principles that are most important to me, i.e. the
essential ethical principle that any educator must have in order to serve a special needs student
and their families. Principle number five states that, "developing relationships with families based
on mutual respect and actively involving families and individuals with exceptionalities in
educational decision making;" I truly believe that, effective communication between educators
and families of special needs students is the key for success; not only for the educator, but also,
for the student. My daughter has an IEP and, it took me and my family a few years to fully
understand the system and also, understand what kind of learning disability she has. There was no
support and effective communication between the school and our family, hence, the process was
extremely hard for me and especially, for my daughter. When I left my job about 3 years ago and
decided to return to school, my biggest motto was to receive my degree and eventually, be an asset
to families and their special needs child. Principle number five which is, "protecting and supporting
the physical and psychological safety of individuals with exceptionalities," is another essential
ethical principle that applies not only for special needs students, but also, to general education
students. I truly believe that, as

Persuasive Essay On Special Education
Special Education is an umbrella title for an educational department that focuses on the rehabilitation
of students and providing services for students who require extra academic support to be successful
in the school setting. The Merriam–Webster Dictionary defines special education as "classes or
instruction designed for students with special educational needs" (Merriam–webster.com, 2017). To
assist students with disabilities, the United States government continues to use the current
reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) of 2004 properly known as
Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) of December 2015 (Department of Education, nd.). Per this
amendment, the law states
"Disability is a natural part of the human experience and in no way diminishes the right of
individuals to participate in or contribute to society. Improving education results for children with
disabilities is an essential element of our national policy of ensuring equality of opportunity, full
participation, independent living, and economic self–sufficiency for individuals with disabilities."
(Department of Education, nd.).
From the implementation of IDEA and the ESSA amendment, it is consequently up to the discretion
of each state how to implement the educational laws and which programs are offered to meet the
needs of the students. Therefore, many school districts currently use the traditional Special Education
structure of offering inclusion, resource settings, or the

Career in Special Education Essay
In the profession of a special education teacher, a person commits to helping children achieve their
best and to help "students overcome their obstacles" while finding a way that the child can
effectively learn (Hollingsworth). My mom's career as special education teacher for twenty–two
years, allows me insight and experience into the tougher aspects of this career, but also the rewards
to the job. My mom helps me understand that a special education teacher guides a child to expand
their strengths, develop strategies to overcome weakness, and to make best use of all available
resources. Through helping her, and learning from her experiences, she taught me that a career in
special education can not only challenge me, but may also become a...show more content...
The necessity of education for students throughout the United States and the world continues to
grow, making it necessary for teachers in all areas. Though most special education teachers work in
public school settings, the need for teachers in residential areas or as tutors in homes or hospital
settings still remains ("Teachers–Special Education"). Within the school setting, special educators
can take on different roles. Their role may include supporting the general education teacher in the
regular education classroom or they may offer resources in a special education setting. The term
"inclusion" is often used for special education services offered by supports and accommodations in a
regular education classroom with grade level curriculum. "Pull out" services are often in a special
education classroom in smaller group settings with academics adjusted to meet their needs. The
duties of a special education teacher often combine these responsibilities by determining what will
best meet the needs of students.
A special education teacher needs to acquire a variety of different skills in order to succeed. "The
majority of young men and women who major in special education bring a heaping helping of heart,
personal commitment, and passion to the profession" (Hollingsworth). A special education teacher
must enjoy working with children and developing activities and lessons to help them learn. Qualities
necessary for

Understanding Special Education Essay example
Understanding Special Education
Introduction
Education is a birthright of every child. Special education involves the education of students with
special needs in a way that addresses a students' individual disabilities and requirements. These
programs are designed so that special learners may learn skills which will assist them in coming
closer in learning to children without disabilities.
The field of special education has moved from a perspective of protection and caretaking to an
emphasis on learning and growth. The question is not whether students can learn but how much they
can learn, and what type of support and instruction is required to achieve that end. While early
intervention is a recommended practice, learning can occur at...show more content...
Assessment Process
A thorough assessment of the child's functional level of abilities and social maturity is conducted.
The assessment procedure and its subsequent report provide the foundation for all training and
educational planning of a child with special needs. It is therefore necessary to comprehensively
evaluate and explain the areas of the pupil's strengths and learning needs.
Assessment is the key to effective teaching and is the starting point for instruction. Assessment
strategies encourage children to show what they know and can do, rather than focus on what they do
not know or cannot do. The main focus of assessment is on informal diagnostic assessment of prior
learning and selection of instructional methods intended to support ongoing learning and
development. An initial assessment report that outlines the level of functioning of the student is
prepared. This report also mentions the core areas and subjects that require intervention.
Development of the student's Individualized Education Plan (IEP) is based on the initial assessment
report. The IEP development team then decides what and how many goals should be included in the
student's annual plan from the curriculum checklists. IEP (Individualized Educational Plan)
A student's IEP is developed, implemented, and monitored in a collaborative manner. The educational
growth of a student is best accomplished through the mutual efforts and

Special Education Essays

Recommended

Recommended

More Related Content

More from Paper Writing Service Superiorpapers

More from Paper Writing Service Superiorpapers (20)

Recently uploaded

Recently uploaded (20)

Special Education Essays