Teachers in Action!

Lets Talk, Dance

and Sing!

Brittany Davis
bldavis23@knights.ucf.
edu
7/15/2016
EEX 4070

Deerwood Elementary School

Special Needs
Diversity

Engagement Activities
Lack of help equals lack of attention.
Activities including, reading, dancing and singing.
Done with all kids in the room for an hour.
The last few weeks of school, I volunteered Mondays,
Wednesdays and Fridays for 1-3 hours each.

Involvement

Two years ago, I

began volunteering
at Deerwood.
Eventually, I began
working there and
made many
connections within
the community.

Participant Demographics

The participants in this classroom age

from 7-12. There are two African
American students, three Hispanic
students and two Caucasian
students. The Hispanic students are
spoken to in Spanish and English.
According to I.D.E.A., students with
multiple disabilities are included. The
students in this classroom had
multiple disabilities that ranged from
mental to physical.
According to I.D.E.A., students must
have a disability and with need of
special needs services, they will
progress in school.
This project served seven students in

Service in Action

Perceptions of Differences

My initial thoughts coming into this project was

not as bad as it was two years ago. I know these
students a little but I never initiated my own
ideas for class. When it comes to students with
disabilities, I used to be scared and very
sympathetic towards them. I feel very helpless
when I see a student with a sever disability
because I feel like theyll never live a happy life
because they face so many hardships.

My thoughts are completely different than how they

were two years ago. Even at the beginning of this
project, I was still a little scared. Eventually,
constant interaction showed me that these students
were just kids. I didnt really see them as students
with disabilities anymore. Just kids living life. When
I sung songs with them, hearing them sing with me
really changed everything.

Connections to Your Course

Im enrolled in EEX 4070 for this project.
I understand I.E.Ps a lot more. For these students they have different goals in learning and after
witnessing the teacher speak with some parents about progress and what works and what doesnt
work, it opened my eyes to a bit of the process. I understand the different types of disabilities that
affect children on a more personal level. Disabilities are of a wide range and I have only experienced
a portion of it based on the children I work with. I am also more familiar with assistive technology.
From the course content to the classroom, I was able to read, understand and see firsthand the
assistive technology used.
Through the service learning project, it opened my eyes a bit more to the course content. It also
shows that this isnt all laws and formalities. The course content and professor wants us to aim for
ways to help students and to really aim for that personal level of teaching. Many people, like me,
have feared and gave the victim mentality towards these students. With all the technology,
strategies and plans for these students, they are far from being victims of learning.

Civic Engagement
I always thought that civil engagement was important. We all live on one Earth and I feel like we should
all take care of each other. Many people are less fortunate than others and do not have the resources to
participate in certain events or activities.
Civic engagement hands down gives people purpose. Whether its a support group or helping those with
disabilities, it helps those who need it. This encourages those who are helped to go out and continue
helping others. Just the sheer feeling of doing good should be fulfilling. It helps people learn about giving
without expecting material things as a reward.
Service-learning, like this project is great because it gives us students a chance to use our own ideas to
make the community better. I usually hate going to service projects because its a chore to get hours
instead of making a difference.
This experience definitely encouraged me to participate in more events and volunteering.
Id encourage service learning, only if the service is meaningful. Helping a teacher in the classroom does
nothing but bore students. I want to see full interaction in the classroom and outside of the classroom .

Final Thoughts & Reflections

To be honest, I dont know what I could do besides inviting people with me. Its up to an individual
to participate and if they enjoy helping others. I know that all people arent the same, so all I can do
is continue my own work and hopefully those that see how fulfilling it is will participate.
Teachers are always looked up to for advice on all academics but are scolded for doing or saying
things outside of that. It can be tough and I dont think teachers should be help responsible for it.
However, things that aim for responsibility, goodness and everything else nice is something a
teacher should encourage. With great power, comes great responsibility. Uncle Ben (Spiderman)
Teachers are the greater good in my eyes. That was the main reason I wanted to be one. But
parents and everyone one else in the world should aim for the same thing.
This was a fun project because it pushed me to participate in something that scared me for the
longest. Im glad I did it.