Over the course of my time within the MAT Dual Certification Program at Queens College I have been able to get a better idea of what being an educator within a school actually looks like. It has become quite clear to me that the way teachers teach and what curriculum is focused on has changed since I was in elementary school. What I thought I knew about being a teacher has also drastically changed, for being a teacher is a lot more complex than I thought and even more so for a special education teacher. There are many elements that I never considered that make up the job of an educator and this is especially apparent in the New York City school district.
My primary goal of becoming a dual certified special education teacher is so I can have a positive impact on the development of children and how they will make an impact on society. I have worked for so many years in the customer service industry and have come to realize that we live in a very self-centered and demanding society. Adults from all walks of life act as if other people are here to serve them. I want to reach children before they become entitled adults to help teach and develop them in to becoming empathetic, respectful, accepting humans. Since New York has a very diverse population, I want my students to feel as if I empathize, respect, hear and accept them as individuals. In turn, I want my students to give that back to each other in and out of the classroom. Education is more than curriculum, it is developing community and making sure all feel welcome, respected, and included.
My quest for empathetic, respectful and included students starts with my classroom environment. I would like my classroom to be bright, cheery, and welcoming. The walls would be covered in colorful and purposeful tools to encourage literacy and serve as aides in the curriculum throughout the year. I want the students to feel like the classroom is theirs as well; meaning, I want them to help establish the core values and rules of the classroom. By completing this activity as a class, we will be building the foundation for our community. I want the classroom to reflect the diverse population of its students, therefore I will display as much of the students’ work as possible in order to help create discourse about their ideas. Knowing that my students come from many different backgrounds and cultures, I want to create a student of the week program, where we can get to know each student on a deeper level and gain understanding into their culture. I want my students, and myself, to learn from one another, because through a diverse community we can all benefit from each other’s differences.
With a diverse population of students comes a need to provide multimodal teaching methods that are utilized through Universal Design for Learning (UDL). I want to engage my students in the curriculum in many different ways so that my students have many scaffolds to help them understand the content. I want to be able to facilitate lesson plans using several high-leverage practices to fulfill the needs of all learners with the goal for them to make progress in their educational journeys. I want students have the tools to ensure their success in their educational journeys and introduce them to assistive and informational technology that will provide many benefits to their learning experience. I will help identify any areas of opportunity and adjust my teaching methods in order to help my students gain a better understanding of the curriculum. I will utilize my skills in Applied Behavioral Analysis in order to encourage and inspire my students properly, as each student is unique. When my students feel heard and respected, I believe they will give that in return.
As a special education teacher, I want to make it a priority to advocate for the needs of my students. I believe that each student does have unique special needs that are not always met by “what we always do.” By collaborating with the parents and the other participants of the IEP development team, I hope to address the needs of my students in a specific and personal way. I will maintain communication with the families of my students, so they feel involved in their child’s education. As a parent with a son on an IEP, I appreciate the communication with my son’s teachers and counselor. Each student deserves a teacher to advocate for their needs, and help provide the resources to them and their family. This is one way I will show respect and empathy to my students.
Another aspect of my educational philosophy that I want to mention is the importance of my own personal development. As a new teacher I want to learn from my fellow educators and administration. I think that having collaborative relationships amongst the faculty is an important way we can show our students how to develop an inclusive community. Having the ability to learn from my peers is extremely important, as they will have more experience than myself and can provide great insight and advice. Another part of my development is to stay up on certifications and attend seminars that can help me find new tools and develop skills that will benefit the way I teach my students. By staying on top of the latest data-driven research theories and curriculum, I will be able to build an arsenal of knowledge that can help me address the needs of my students.
As I continue through this program, I understand that my educational philosophy may adapt and change to address who I am as I develop and grow. The tactics in which I execute my educational philosophy may change, but the goal will always remain the same, to make a positive difference in my students’ lives.