Running Head: PHILOSOPHY OF SPECIAL EDUCATION

Philosophy of Special Education

Rachel Goodman

Monmouth University
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Teachers are responsible for shaping the minds of future generations. After going through

my own experiences and many hours spent in the field, I know that I want to be a teacher that

ensures all of my students are awarded the same opportunities for success. As a teacher, I want to

reach all types of diverse students and help them to achieve their fullest potential. Within my

own family, I grew up having two siblings with disabilities and have been able to witness their

challenges and triumphs throughout the years. This has guided me to be a special education

teacher, so that I can ensure all students receive a quality education. Reflecting on this goal, the

main beliefs I have regarding special education are creating a positive learning environment,

using differentiation, and integrating the most recent and effective evidence-based practices.

One belief that I find extremely important for teaching special education is establishing a

positive learning environment. I believe that classroom management is a major component of

teaching in general, but especially within special education. Establishing rules and a routine for

the students creates a standard for the classroom right from the start and helps to reduce behavior

problems. This allows students to comfortably assimilate to the classroom and know what is

expected of them, while a disorganized classroom encounters constant redirects and causes the

teacher to have to stop teaching to deal with behavior. I have seen this firsthand, with a

disruptive student in my observation hours, I would help redirect the student back to his work

and ignore the student if they were being disruptive. Allowing the student to divert attention with

negative behavior can hinder learning in the classroom by taking away valuable class time and

leading the students to believe they can behave however they want. This demonstrated to me that

for students to learn they need to have a positive, consistent environment where all students feel

safe and comfortable.

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Another belief that I believe is extremely important is utilizing differentiation within the

classroom. Obviously, no two students are the same. So why would they all be taught the same?

As a teacher, I think that centering how the curriculum is taught around the students is the best

way to be effective. Of course, students with disabilities have specific accommodations and

modifications for their personal needs, but I think it should go further than this. For example,

within one of the classrooms I observed, the teacher and I established multiple stations for each

lesson. Each station would provide a different way of learning the same material. This allowed

for each individual student to understand the topic, while centering the lesson around their

strengths. The class was split into small groups and I was able to work with a few students at a

time to really gauge their understanding using a variety of ways. This contributed to my

understanding that not all students learn the same, which I why believe it is especially important

to teach in ways that target student’s individual strengths.

The third belief, which I think is extremely important for being a qualified teacher is to

utilize the most recent and effective evidence-based practices. As a teacher, I will be a lifelong

learner and aspire for my students to develop a love of learning for themselves. Recently, I

attended a school safety symposium which provided me with a lot of information on how to keep

students safe. Professional development meetings like these are a great tool to help ensure that

the practices used within the classroom will continue to be effective. As a teacher, you cannot

simply teach the same thing over and over again the same way, developing new tools for the

classroom can be an optimal way to make sure you are allowing all of your learners to be

successful.

The aforementioned beliefs describe my philosophy of special education. I believe that in

order to create the most effective classroom where every student is able to succeed regardless of
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disability, race, culture, etc., it is crucial to create a positive learning environment, use

differentiation, and integrate the most recent and effective evidence-based practices. I would

incorporate all of these ideals into my classroom by utilizing technology and various other

resources to help students realize their potential. I know overtime my personal philosophy will

continue to adapt, but my overall goal to help students learn and succeed will remain the same.