Blog post #3 Accommodations for those who are exceptional.....

    I spent half of my time in the classroom for Special needs students. Even in a classroom of children with exceptional needs, there were students at many different levels and skills.  One of the little boys was a little higher functioning than most of the other kids so different accommodations were made for him when the class was taking a test.  The teacher had to read most of the instructions on each question to the whole class but the one boy who could read and understand on his own, was allowed to go at his pace.

    All of the students have a learning disability so laws like IDEA play a big role in the classroom. I was able to talk with the teacher about some of the protocols that they have to follow when evaluating students who may need special education classes. She said that it is pretty intense and parents are encouraged and usually quite involved with the process.

   I was amazed with the teacher and her aides, things ran very smoothly and they were so amazing with the students.  The classroom was very organized and the students were very well behaved.  I think this might have a lot to do with how structured the classroom was. The kids have a routine they follow and they know what to expect every day. Even though they are at a little lower level than other kids of the same age, they are so smart and surprised me with the things they knew.  They were all so sweet and were excited to see me each day. I had a great experience in the Special needs classroom.