According to Hallahan, Kauffman, and Pullen (2015), “exceptional learners are those who require special education and related services if they are to realize their full human potential” (p. 5). I was able to gain in–depth knowledge visiting various special education environments and making observations of exceptional learners, to see first-hand, these services implemented in the classroom. Through my observations, I was able to capture the essence of what a day in the life looks like for a special education teacher, as well as gain more understanding of how a general education teacher manages a highly inclusive classroom.
Many exceptional students with particular characteristics or needs spend the better part of their day, if not all, …show more content…
The sensory room included a small trampoline, bikes, balls, plastic toys, soothing music, bean bags, basketball hoop game, along with other various sensory objects. This room provided an oasis of relaxation which is crucial to the students’ emotional health and helps to encourage hand and eye coordination as well as foster learning social, language, and communication skills. According to the National Autistic Society, children who are autistic struggle to relate to others in a meaningful way. Building and maintaining friendships is generally limited, as they have a difficult time understanding the emotional expressions of individuals (http://www.autism.org.uk). I noticed very limited social interactions inside the self-contained classroom as many kept to themselves or only wanted to engage in conversations with adults. By promoting this form of mental and physical relaxation offered through the sensory room, I noticed more occurrences of social interaction, a dramatic reduction in stress levels, as well as aggressive behaviors diminished. This is a place where children can just be themselves in an unstructured environment without some of the stressors that result from …show more content…
More and more students, with these unique challenges are being placed in the least restrictive environment with nondisabled peers as much as possible. It is imperative that in order to provide the best education for these children, teachers have strong communication ties with teachers, parents, and professionals. I feel that a teacher working with these exceptional children, needs to be very supportive, caring, and patient as the day-to-day struggles can be exhausting. I am walking away from this experience with a more visual image of what it will take to become a great educator in today’s classroom, where accommodations and modifications often have to be
Many exceptional students with particular characteristics or needs spend the better part of their day, if not all, …show more content…
The sensory room included a small trampoline, bikes, balls, plastic toys, soothing music, bean bags, basketball hoop game, along with other various sensory objects. This room provided an oasis of relaxation which is crucial to the students’ emotional health and helps to encourage hand and eye coordination as well as foster learning social, language, and communication skills. According to the National Autistic Society, children who are autistic struggle to relate to others in a meaningful way. Building and maintaining friendships is generally limited, as they have a difficult time understanding the emotional expressions of individuals (http://www.autism.org.uk). I noticed very limited social interactions inside the self-contained classroom as many kept to themselves or only wanted to engage in conversations with adults. By promoting this form of mental and physical relaxation offered through the sensory room, I noticed more occurrences of social interaction, a dramatic reduction in stress levels, as well as aggressive behaviors diminished. This is a place where children can just be themselves in an unstructured environment without some of the stressors that result from …show more content…
More and more students, with these unique challenges are being placed in the least restrictive environment with nondisabled peers as much as possible. It is imperative that in order to provide the best education for these children, teachers have strong communication ties with teachers, parents, and professionals. I feel that a teacher working with these exceptional children, needs to be very supportive, caring, and patient as the day-to-day struggles can be exhausting. I am walking away from this experience with a more visual image of what it will take to become a great educator in today’s classroom, where accommodations and modifications often have to be