Clinical Field Experience C: Learning Environments

During my field experience, I collaborated with the school principal about the learning environment in his school and how he can promote a conducive learning environment for all students. Through my observation, the principal promoted an inclusive environment for students with all abilities in many ways. First, he hired additional special education teachers. There was a lack of English subjects special education teachers as well as fewer facilities and resources in the school. The principal also held frequent training and professional development sessions. Best practices were recognized and coached by peers. Also, the number of cases allowed by the school was limited, and the principal indebtedly interviewed teachers so that their disabilities and backgrounds are known from the start. Another crucial strategy that the principal used was allocating money to cover student needs for buildings and resources (Bemiller, 2019). The principal ensured that co-teaching techniques are promoted because they are effective in inclusive education.

The school principal employed several strategies to ensure that all the staff stay up to date in training linked to disabilities. First, he unquestionably set clear deadlines for them to complete each of their course modules. This was achieved by providing them with plenty of time to finish each module of their training programs. The school principal also demonstrated to the staff that the training materials applied to their jobs to have an interesting and effective training program. Specific goals were established for the training programs and he successfully engaged the staff in communicating these goals. Nonetheless, the materials for training were concise and included real-world examples that were pertinent to the jobs and experiences of all staff.

Additional training and staff are also needed to promote a learning environment that is conducive for students with disabilities. Training can be provided at different times and places (including on-demand and online), and make it available on different devices and platforms (Braga, Taliaferro & Blagrave, 2018). Making generalizations about the skills of the staff should be avoided and they should be taught how to use learning technologies and platforms effectively. Additionally, the school should make sure that staff with limited hearing, vision, or other characteristics who may find it difficult to study may access learning materials. Additional staff such as school counselors, paraprofessionals, therapists, and class aides should be employed to provide conducive learning environments for students with disabilities.

As a leader, I use several ways to stay up to date with regulations about students’ disabilities within my campus. First, I maintain positive relationships with other staff on the campus to assist me in keeping up with prospective modifications needed in regulatory revisions. I also, regularly check the school’s websites for updated regulations for students with disabilities. Participating in school conferences and events helps me receive the most recent regulatory change updates. Nonetheless, I tend to conduct school audits to determine my present level of compliance and find potential discrepancies between current procedures and the new standards.

On my campus, I provide several services. First, I collaborate with teachers of general education to provide material in a way that is simpler to understand for students with impairments. I also, help general education teachers modify the curriculum to better suit the requirements of the disabled students enrolled in their classes (Caron, & McLaughlin, 2019). I also provide training to teachers in special education to assist students in learning fundamental life skills. In most cases, I create, coordinate, and assign tasks that are appropriate for each student’s skill level. Several types of disabilities are present on my campus. While there are many students with special needs, not all of them are similar. There are students with physical disabilities like muscular dystrophy or persistent asthma who are fundamentally different from kids with developmental disabilities like dyslexia and autism.

I can factor the services I provide on campus into my budget, using several ways. I can pledge to devote two to five percent of my wage budget to reinvesting in training. The most important thing is to select a figure I feel my budget can support. Based on my needs analysis, I can determine the amount I will use. I can also reuse materials, group train, and use electronic options for instructions.

There are several ways I can employ to ensure collaboration between special education staff that will encourage support for all staff. First, there is a need to hold IEP meetings. This calls for feedback from both teachers on the student’s additional plans, curriculum changes, testing accommodations, and progress toward IEP goals (Caron, & McLaughlin, 2019). I can also consider co-teaching. Numerous schools are implementing lessons that are co-taught by a special education teacher and a general education teacher in response to the evolving landscape of least restrictive environments (LRE). I can also encourage teachers to attend professional development programs together and share ideas.

I will use the findings in this study in my future professional practice to solve different issues affecting my students, analyze performance, get the right answers and predict trends, scenarios, and actions in special education.

References

Bemiller, M. (2019). Inclusion for all? An exploration of teachers’ reflections on inclusion in two elementary schools. Journal of Applied Social Science, 13(1), 74-88. https://doi.org/10.1177/1936724419826254

Braga, L., Taliaferro, A., & Blagrave, J. (2018). Inclusion in the 21st Century: Insights and considerations for teacher and coach preparation. Journal of Physical Education, Recreation & Dance, 89(6), 42-49. https://doi.org/10.1080/07303084.2018.1476938

Caron, E. A., & McLaughlin, M. J. (2019). Indicators of beacons of excellence schools: What do they tell us about collaborative practices? In Journal of Educational & Psychological Consultation (pp. 285-313). London: Routledge.