In special education, it often seems more important to know every last detail about our students, especially if they can't effectively communicate their needs. However, in my experience, I have noticed that the information presented in their cumulative folders and by previous teachers is often skewed. If the child had some difficult behaviors, these are amplified by the reports. If the child had a particularly endearing personality, this characteristic is too exaggerated.
As a result of this inherent bias, I sometimes think it is best to begin with a clean slate and allow my own experience with my students in an educational setting to define my teaching practice with them. By giving each student this equal opportunity, I am able to run my classroom with best practice in mind and afford each student the opportunity to be him or herself.
I remember writing something about this for a job application when I was looking for a teaching position years ago. I am reminded of this thought this week because a student surprised me today. This particular student has some serious basic skill deficits, but she is placed in a regular education classroom. The deficits include things like basic reading and math skills. She can’t always read fluently and she often misidentifies numbers. In the fourth grade, these are serious issues. She and I spend a lot of time together reading, counting, writing, practicing, practicing, practicing…
There are so many reasons why she should be unsuccessful in school. She has a hard time with grade-level academic tasks. She still switches the letters b and d. She often can’t count past 29.
And yet, she is hanging in there. She is getting higher level concepts, like solving math problems with variables in them. She is passing her reading tests with minimal help from me or other teachers. She is trying – trying so hard – to be a good student. As a result of all of this trying, she is succeeding.
Is it perfect? Absolutely not. There is a lot of road to cover, but she is progressing. Tomorrow is her domain meeting before a case study re-evaluation in the spring. I am excited to report on her progress.
I read a book last year called “How Students Succeed: Grit, Curiosity and the Hidden Power of Character” by educational writer Paul Tough. It talked all about the things that make students successful. So little of it had to do with academic prowess.
Sure, basic skills are hugely important. Everyday I am reminded of all the ground that my students have to cover. These academic demands often mask their true abilities as people. They always seem so behind. But according to Tough, the things that make students successful in life are tenacity, will-power, stick-to-itivenesss and problem-solving.
This is what I see in this girl. She is determined. She proves that a good student, a great student even, may not be the typical “A” student. Instead, we have to open our minds as educators to see the great students that are inside of all of our kids.