“The only disability in life is a bad attitude”
– Scott Hamilton
My experience in the field of special education
- Growing up with a learning disability has given me patience and a unique perspective on strategies for helping students overcome different challenges.
- In high school, I volunteered at the Miriam Home for adults with special needs. Two years later, I received at a job at this institution.
- One summer, I worked as a shadow for a child who had autism.
- My experience as a shadow inspired me to take a course in ABA (applied behavior analysis) therapy.
- Last year, I additionally I volunteered at the Jewish General Hospital After School Program. At this program, I worked with a group of 4-5 students who had academic and behavior challenges. I helped them with their homework.
Adaptations implemented during my Stage
- During individual class work, I helped students who needed extra support. Together, we reviewed class instructions and broke down assignments into simple steps.
- I uploaded speech-to-text software on laptops for I.E.P. students who had difficulty writing. This was also invaluable for one student who broke his arm.
- For one project, I had all of my students use laptops when writing. In this way, I.E.P. students who needed to use laptops did not feel singled out.
- Students on I.E.P.s were given the same assigned tasks as their peers but