I know...

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Home : 2001 : December : 12

I know...
By Sue

When I was in school, my favorite class was diverse children.

In this class, every week I was assigned to ESL, ABC, CDC, Speech and inclusion classes. I had some of my greatest experiences and best advice from the students
and teachers of these classes!
We were required to hold mock M-team and S-team meetings every week. We were grilled in writing entire IEP's -- tested on entire the IEP.
At my Gen Ed internships -- I interned along with a Sped teacher who told me she had never even seen an IEP until she was placed at her internship. We had all the identified students on the grade in order to utilize

instructional assistants.

I modified tests (from 24 mathching to two-answer mutliple choice), and used teaching buddies and hands-on projects(for everyone). I had a great time with these students. Some of which were able to complete an entire test for the first time that school year. The happiness and pride in their faces was a memory I will never forget.

My experience with these students was very positive. And, these students were not always the behavior problems in the classroom.

Had I not been so far along in my major, I would have majored in Special Education.

Now in this class of about 30, we were polled about inclusion or not. The only students who said yes to inclusion were the students who were also parents. I don't know if that has anything to do with it -- but I always think about these students -- what if she were my little girl?

Now, I am on an advisement committee for my alma mater. They asked if they should expand into preschool certification or special education. I wholeheartedly begged for special education.