My civic engagement

placement
Mikayla tittsworth
 AN INTRODUCTION
I am assisting a special ed class at Valley Institute Elementary.

I arrive at my place of engagement at 8:30 am every Monday, Wednesday, and

Friday and leave right at lunch at about 11 o'clock.

During my time spent assisting, I am also observing each childs success due to
being in a focused style special needs class versus if they were to be one of many
in an inclusive style classroom.
 What do I do?
I assist in any way I am needed but I am mainly working with the teacher and
classroom aid with trying different learning technique tailored for each
students needs.
This is a never ending journey as each student is so different. It is completely
trial and error.
Throughout my time helping with this process I am reminded of our class
discussion about the qualities of a good leader. Mrs. Justus and Mrs.
Countiss are patient and they look at failure as just one of the steps in this
process.
 Jaxons condition is extremely rare, 1 in 30

This is Jax million to be exact.

It is called Antley-Bixler Syndrome and it is

characterized by malformations and
deformities affecting the skeleton and other
areas of the body.

85% born with this condition die shortly after

birth.

Jaxon is 4 years old and has had many major

surgeries including but not limited to a
tracheostomy, gastronomy, a cerebral shunt,
and 3 other brain surgeries. He has also has
many smaller surgeries in between each on
his fingers and feet.
Defying the Odds

Jaxon has defied all odds as he is

now walking (as he was told he
never would) and slowly
introducing solid foods.

And now. He has started pre-k!!

 Figuring out what was right...
Jaxons mother struggled for months to accept the idea of Jax attending school.

She got in touch with a few services in our area that would help her make the right choice.

She was handed a few different options, all being an inclusive style classroom which made her
hesitant.

Danna explained to me that she would have never known that the class at Valley was an option for
Jaxon until Jaxs speech therapist mentioned it one day.

The services working with Danna could not refer her to Mrs. Justus as the class has limited seats and
the children have to have a crucial need for focused style teaching.
First...the bus!
A school day with Jax
the kids have
breakfast.

This is where most of the learning

takes place. On this day they
Then they will do their
worked on days of the week.
morning meeting!
At about this time either the sign
Then the children LUNCH and recess!!
language interpreter or the speech
are asked if they
therapist will come do an would like to play
educational activity with the in kitchen or
children. cars they have to
sign and speak
their answer.

Lunch and recess are both inclusive

meaning they play and eat with the
other pre-school classes.
Meet Mrs. Justus and S
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Mrs. Countiss u
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a
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 Mainstream Classrooms
Katrina Countiss decided to share with me personal story about a student who unfortunately saw some
of the downfalls from the approach of an inclusive classroom.

She told me about a boy with learning disabilities that she worked with all the way from his first grade
year to his freshman year. Throughout all of his years he was in mainstream classrooms and Katrina was
his helper. She explained to me that he was always an outsider. She said that she could tell that he felt
every bit of the isolation because it made a negative impact on his confidence and potential. When they
finally realized that the inclusive approach was not working for Timmy, he was moved to a different
school that used more of a focused approach teaching and they also include time for socializing.

She has recently checked in on him a couple of times and says that he is doing much better and is finally
in the right setting to reach his potential.
 The Social Aspect
A common misconception about the focused approach is that it puts the
children in a separate bubble.
What many do not understand is that a focused group setting is intended to
benefit educational growth and development only.
This approach is in no way an attempt to keep the children from the harsh world we live in.
The class spends their one on one time with the speech therapist, and other
learning activities are spent in their focused group.
Then they spend recess, lunch, and reading time with the other pre-school
classrooms.
 The Issue...
As mentioned before, the services in our area cannot give the option of
these inclusive classrooms if there are not available to recommend.
Not only is there a lack of focused style teaching in our area, but those that
are available fill up quickly.
In just the time that I have been at Valley, I have lost count of the amount of
phone calls Mrs. Justus has received concerning prospective students.
Mrs. Justus explained to me that it breaks her heart but if they were to
accept every student, they would not be able give the attention needed by
each child.
 How I see Innovation Happening
Collaboration
For obvious reasons the special ed classes in most schools are kind of in their own box.
Mrs. Justus on the other hand prioritizes the childrens social skills and time integrated with
other classrooms, but she also takes the necessary steps to help other children understand
how to treat someone who has special needs.
This is not just her mission but the whole school approaches the issue with this same
mindset.
Social Capital
All teachers in the school attend conferences held concerning the special ed class.
I asked one teacher whose class is often with the special ed class in their free time, how she
got involved.
She said that she was actually asked to bring snacks to a conference and she decided
to stay. Now many teachers, in similar ways, are learning what they can do to involve
the special ed students and be of help to them.
 This Has Challenged Me With...
Patience
This is crucial for obvious reasons but also it is important because for children like Ellie that
have delayed responses. If you become short tempered they will not process what they have
done wrong in that short amount of time. You must use a stern tone and minutes later,
demonstrate to them what they did and why it was wrong.
Time Management
At first I was freaking out trying to plan a time for my placement.
I started out going on Mondays before my 12 o'clock class.
Now, I have fallen completely in love with this work and the children so I attend my placement
every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday and somehow holding up my grades.
I have improved my time management skills and have realized that if you are truly committed
to something, you will make time for it.
 Small Victories Make Huge Differences
I have physically watched these students grow and develop within only a
short amount of time and it is all about the small victories!
The rambunctious Ellie came into pre-k at the beginning of the year
completely non-verbal.
She now exclaims thats me! when doing attendance and is able to communicate her basic
needs such as using the potty, being hungry or thirsty, and she is slowly beginning to
understand that kitchen and cars are two separate things.
Four year old Haley came in behind on speech and trouble with swallowing
due to her diagnosis: Ataxia.
After reviewing her middle of the year evaluation, the teachers think that by the end of the
year she will be on her way to a regular level Kindergarten class!