https://padlet.com/raiso001/c3jkoqcgs11ct8s2 How "mainstream" teachers work with special needs students/ students with disabilities en-us 2020-11-24 20:14:56 UTC 2020-12-03 03:07:31 UTC hello@padlet.com raiso001 https://padlet.com/raiso001/c3jkoqcgs11ct8s2/wish/957766310 From what I have learned about disability and special education this last semester, I have come to see that there is a big issue with how teachers work with students with disabilities.
Many teachers do not understand disabilities, they get set in their ways, get easily frustrated with students with disabilities, and have a hard time working with them in the classroom. Future teachers are not well educated in the world of disability and that leaves these kids with disabilities at an extreme disadvantage.
My service learning was at a daycare for children with special needs, one big take away that I got from that is that is not easy to work with students with disabilities. It takes patience and understanding. It takes being educated about disability and special needs. ]]> 2020-11-24 20:17:35 UTC https://padlet.com/raiso001/c3jkoqcgs11ct8s2/wish/957766310 raiso001 https://padlet.com/raiso001/c3jkoqcgs11ct8s2/wish/957798592 This video, 1) broke my heart and 2) helped me understand disability a little more clearly and how important it is for a teacher to understand their students specific learning needs.
Teachers need to be able to accommodate to their students and to everything they can to help them succeed, even if that means letting them rock in their chair, or providing simpler directions, or tap their pencil, etc.  ]]> 2020-11-24 20:29:18 UTC https://padlet.com/raiso001/c3jkoqcgs11ct8s2/wish/957798592 raiso001 https://padlet.com/raiso001/c3jkoqcgs11ct8s2/wish/957811818 So many teachers have what is called "Ableism", and it most likely not intentional. 
In the classroom, it can manifest itself in sending a student outside for "misbehaving" when maybe they are just having a hard time coping with their surroundings, or not allowing a child to rock in their chair when they need to move in order to focus, or simply not adjusting your classroom and expectations to students with special needs.
Teachers need to be flexible and learn about their students and their learning needs. ]]> 2020-11-24 20:34:14 UTC https://padlet.com/raiso001/c3jkoqcgs11ct8s2/wish/957811818 raiso001 https://padlet.com/raiso001/c3jkoqcgs11ct8s2/wish/961422151 This article discusses how many teachers are not very receptive to inclusion of students with disabilities into their classroom, however teachers also express the need for improved "training on accommodating and adapting instruction/assignments, assessment techniques, variety of instructional strategies
to meet the needs of children with disabilities" (Fuchs, 30-31). Given that, maybe teachers who are better equipped and educated about disability would be more open to the inclusion of students with disabilities into their classroom. This is a really interesting article that further discusses the barriers to teaching students with special needs in a mainstream classroom from the point of view of teachers. ]]> 2020-11-25 20:20:08 UTC https://padlet.com/raiso001/c3jkoqcgs11ct8s2/wish/961422151 raiso001 https://padlet.com/raiso001/c3jkoqcgs11ct8s2/wish/961458868 I think that what is most needed to address this is to educate all future educators about special needs and disabilities, not just those specializing in Special Education. 
All teachers need to be well equipped to work with students with special needs, understand their learning needs, and accommodate their classroom to best help these students succeed. 
Even as general educators, we will have students with special needs, whether they are diagnosed or not, and we will have to know how to work with them and understand their experiences.]]> 2020-11-25 20:30:24 UTC https://padlet.com/raiso001/c3jkoqcgs11ct8s2/wish/961458868 raiso001 https://padlet.com/raiso001/c3jkoqcgs11ct8s2/wish/961479174 All of our students are extremely unique and therefore have extremely unique learning needs, whether they have a disability or not. Not only do we need to learn how to accommodate for the specific needs of students with disabilities, but we need to learn how to accommodate for the unique learning needs of all students. Learning extensively about disability and special education will not only make us better teachers to the students with disabilities, but it will make us better teachers for all of our students. Rather than looking at students with special needs as different, look at all students as having diverse learning needs and styles. Not only would this teach us more about diversity in disability but also help us to be more open minded and flexible in relation to diversity in all fronts. ]]> 2020-11-25 20:36:21 UTC https://padlet.com/raiso001/c3jkoqcgs11ct8s2/wish/961479174 raiso001 https://padlet.com/raiso001/c3jkoqcgs11ct8s2/wish/982266705 There are countless stories of students like Caleb that the school system failed. Students who have disabilities that teachers are not well equipped to educate and work with. It is essential for teachers to be educated on disabilities and how to work them to their students' benefits. ]]> 2020-12-03 01:29:56 UTC https://padlet.com/raiso001/c3jkoqcgs11ct8s2/wish/982266705 raiso001 https://padlet.com/raiso001/c3jkoqcgs11ct8s2/wish/982275966 Educating and training all teachers to work with students with special needs opens up so many possibilities. When all teachers are confident in their abilities to work with students with special needs, it allows for a much more inclusive setting for all students. It allows for those students with disabilities to be included in mainstream classrooms, extracurricular activities, and playing with the other students on the playground. ]]> 2020-12-03 01:35:06 UTC https://padlet.com/raiso001/c3jkoqcgs11ct8s2/wish/982275966