Reflective Essay: My Interest In Special Education

My interest in special education occurred gradually. I like the emphasis on the individual in psychology, and helping the individual reach their fullest potential. I want to work in a field that involves helping people. After taking an introduction to psychology course, I discovered I was interested in child development. I like learning about the cognitive processes underlying development, and also the developmental stages children progress through. I became interested in special needs children after taking a class on developmental disabilities. Children with special needs are unique type of learners. No two kids with the same disability are alike. I want to have an active part in helping them develop academically and socially. I look …show more content…
Special needs children are often overlooked in the academic system. They need individualized attention and instruction. I would like to challenge myself to help keep them focused and engage during classroom time. I understand that being a special education teacher can often times be challenging, but the rewards of helping students are endless. As a special education teacher I would help students set goals for themselves and celebrate any milestone reached whether big or small. I remember an important social milestone that Anthony achieved was learning the names of the majority of the students in class towards the end of the year. At first he had trouble learning the names. He would learn someone 's name and then usually forget it the next day. By the end of the year he had learned most people names. Although, this may be considered a small milestone it is something to be celebrated because it marks improvements in his memory and social skills. As a special education teacher I would be able to observe these milestones, and play an integral role helping each child achieve their