Module 2

I now have new found respect to Special Education Teachers.  These teachers take the time to make sure that all students no matter what the limitations are taught in a way they can contribute to society.  The students don’t want to be left behind, they want to succeed and achieve the same success as their classmates and other students their age.  Special Education goes beyond just physical and mental limitations.  Often we think of special education as those with noticeable disabilities.  This reminds me of The Cosby Show episode when Theo Huxtable (played by Malcolm Jamal Warner) discovered that he was dyslexic.  Good looking young man, high motor skills, everything you would classify as normal.  Better yet parents very well off, a doctor and a lawyer.  You would have never thought that he had a learning disability or different learning style.  That goes to show that you cannot judge a book by its cover.  I currently work in the school system now and see students walking around like any other student but are classified as a special education student.  On the opposite end, the ones that has noticeable signs of special needs are extremely intelligent and it takes special educators to bring that out.  There is caution before we try to accommodate students' learning style.  The students may not be the best judges of how they should learn.  Helping the students think about how they learn you can develop thoughtful self-monitoring and self-awareness (pg. 135).  I really appreciate the team of special education teachers that I work with and those who aspire to be.

Another big push in education is diversity.  This goes along with understanding the student and how to educate them.  I was taught in the suburbs of Chicago from 2^nd grade thru High School, and the area was very diverse.   That’s not to say as a black male I didn’t feel discriminated against in my diverse area, but I cannot remember being discriminated or not properly taught in my diverse school.  It wasn’t until I got to college when I felt that I was being treated differently.  Being at a liberal arts college we had to take courses like Music in America.  In that course being the only black student, it was automatically assumed that I listened to rap music.  I do listen to rap music, but I am one that appreciate all music although I don’t major in music or play an instrument.  This is the dangers in stereotyping.  I was very interested in the course, but after that public assumption by the professor, I was less interested in her.  I understand that all students cannot be taught the same, but they should not feel different.  Now this is not the only time that I felt prejudice thrown my way in college.  Bringing the awareness of diversity to light is a good step for the teachers and students that we are all here to learn no matter what our culture background is.