Teaching is going to bring its fair share of difficulties and controversial subjects. There are not ever going to be groups of people that you can agree with people on. This kind of came to my attention when we talked about funding for students with disabilities after our class watched the video about the family with their three sons who had severe autism. Funding from the government is such a frustrating issue to discuss because I think that we all agree that if there was enough money, then we would love to be able to provide each child with an education that best allows them to grow and learn to the best of their ability. Unfortunately, that is not the case and it gets even trickier when the money issue impacts people who genuinely need it (like the family in the video). It is such a difficult issue to think about, and try to figure out because there is definitely no easy answer. I do not know how to change the way that people see each of these controversial issues, but I think, as teachers, it is our job to make sure that no matter how each student walks into the classroom, they walk out more confident and with a feeling of being valued. That is as far as we can impact them, and yes, it would be phenomenal if our classroom was the best place for them, and they could reach every goal that they set for themselves, but we also have to deal with the fact that this may not be the case. Even if it is not a disability that causes this lack of connection, it could be something as simple as a student walks in and doesn’t connect with how you teach the class. We can definitely help spread awareness about how to reach different types of students. Its not fair that some students cannot be in their best environment all the time, but we have to do the best we can with what we have.
I completely agree with you. While it is very unrealistic to think that the goverment, especially with the economic deficits we have now, can provide for every child in the best way possible, children can still grow in the environment they are in. Even if our class is not the ideal place for them, it may be the best the school system can do. All we can do is to make the best of our situation and try our hardest to help the children experience at least some sort of improvement. If the classes in public schools for autism, like the one in the video, all tried their hardest to really make sure each child makes as much progress as possible and were taught good strategies, students could probably improve as much in those rooms as in the special schools.
ReplyDeleteI agree with both of you and even though the funding situation is bleak, if teachers had more positive attitudes and worked the best with what materials they do have, school systems could be dramatically improved simply because more effort would be put into teaching our students.
ReplyDeleteI definitely agree with you. America's dependence on money can be very hazardous. Of course, learning is more easily facilitated if more resources are available, especially in the case of special education students. However, in my opinion, the mere ability for teachers to use their skills in order to convey information is the most valuable resource in education.
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