Documenti di Didattica
Documenti di Professioni
Documenti di Cultura
Bianca Yegutkin
Introduction:
As education students, it is imperative that we practice self-actualization and self-
reflection about our beliefs' regarding special education and realize the impact it will have on us
as teachers and our students.' Self-awareness is a necessary and crucial component in assisting us
in establishing our goals and guiding our educational path to becoming educators. Awareness of
our beliefs' and educational preferences' is a foundational requirement that will enable us in
The Profession:
What makes someone want to pursue a career in education, why did they choose to enter
such a challenging profession? Everyone has their reasons and inspirations, maybe there was an
exceptional teacher, or perhaps you loved playing teacher as a child. One's difficulties in school
can motivate them to join the profession and help others who struggle in school. Two out of the
three factors were right for me, and while they were inspirations, they were not my main reasons
for wanting to become a teacher. My reason for wanting to become a teacher has to do with
being involved in the process of helping a student achieve their own ‘aha' moment. There are
tremendous joy and reward in witnessing the awareness and pride on a student's face when they
However, the path to helping every student in achieving their ‘aha' moment is not simple
and requires teachers to strike a balance between their motivations, beliefs, and skills. I believe
that every student deserves to experience their own "aha" moment, how they experience it may
differ, which is part of appreciating that every student is an individual and unique. As a future
educator, I am very motivated to see students succeed in their goals. Knowing that as a teacher I
will have the opportunity to impact a student's life in positive ways is a great motivator.
whether as a student, employee, or parent, has always been a gratifying process for me. Yes, the
research and preparation can be tedious at times, but having the final product to deliver and share
with others is the best part. As a teacher I know I will be spending many hours researching and
preparing lesson plans, teaching methods, etc. I will continue to pursue my education and
understand that I must have the mindset that I can never be too knowledgeable or skilled in my
profession. Changes in laws, methodologies, and best practices are always evolving, and we
Clark County is the fifth largest school district in the country, providing educational
services to over 320,000 students (CCSD). With a large student population, the Clark County
School District faces the tremendous responsibility of delivering quality educational services to
their specific needs and achieve their academic goals. While the challenge is substantial, CCSD
is making strides in meeting the educational needs of its students by implementing successful
educational models, acquiring more funding, and emphasizing teacher competence and parent
involvement.
PHILOSOPHY OF SPECIAL EDUCATION PART I 4
Teaching Philosophy:
To help exceptional learners succeed teachers must be aware of both the benefits and
shortcomings of the different teaching philosophies. Being knowledgeable and flexible to the
fact that some aspects of certain beliefs may be beneficial for one student but a disadvantage to
another. In truth, it could be said that there are strengths and weaknesses associated with all of
the different teaching philosophies. Progressivism is a philosophy that encourages creativity and
independent thought. However, in the current climate of emphasis on academic results from
testing, the challenge may be how to practice progressivism while meeting Common Core State
Standards. As a fan of the arts, having a profound belief in the positive educational impact they
can have on children, perennials and aesthetics appeal to me. I also believe these philosophies
can help students to understand and appreciate cultural and social differences, which is very
important in promoting global awareness (Koch 2016). Conversely, when working with very
young students, certain aspects of essentialism are helpful in establishing safety and boundaries.
I believe that I lean towards progressivism because I favor a more student-centered approach but
would possibly use multiple aspects of different philosophies if beneficial for the student and
classroom.
Historical events show that progress and advancements for children and education are
heavily tied to essential movements to improve the quality of life for all individuals in our
society, such as the Civil Rights Movement (Gargiulo 42). Social advocacy and legislation have
played a pivotal role in advancing the rights and resources of people with disabilities and their
families. Another valuable lesson that is evident by looking at the history of legislation is that
there is always room for improvement and it is essential to continually find ways to improve the
Instructional Techniques:
As a teacher I will implement lesson plans that will present curriculum in a variety of
ways, building and expanding on students' existing knowledge. By creating lesson plans that
work for visual, auditory, and kinesthetic learners and adjusting plans as necessary to address
students' needs and variability. My approach to learning will be student-centered, having the
students take active roles by assigning projects, and providing choices, etc.
globally connected world with many technological tools, there are many ways to address this
issue. I can create projects and assignments with students from other cultures utilizing distance
education and digital technology. There are many safe and approved websites specifically
With the current emphasis on using standardized testing for assessment, it is beneficial to
student's knowledge. Students who have difficulty testing may have more success with additional
interaction, and careful teacher observation is an essential daily task to accurately gauging
Future:
There are many qualities and attributes that a teacher must possess to successfully
navigate in today's challenging and fast-paced world of education. Skill and competency through
PHILOSOPHY OF SPECIAL EDUCATION PART I 6
adhering to high standards are essential. Secondly is appreciating and valuing collaboration and
teamwork with others, which has been reiterated to me by successful professionals in the field.
would like to attain a masters degree, but right now I am focusing on my time at CSN. One of the
benefits of living in a technological age is the vast number of online learning opportunities
settings, for example, I would like to find out about working with adult learners in literacy
programs, or working with at-risk youth in the juvenile justice system. There is plenty to do, and
I am motivated to keep going. Grateful for every one of my teachers who helped me to find my
References
CCSD. Newsroom. About. Newsroom.ccsd.net
Retrieved from http://newsroom.ccsd.net/feed/
Gargiulo, R. Special Education in Contemporary Society, Fifth Edition. Sage Publications. 2015.
Thousand Oaks, California.
PHILOSOPHY OF SPECIAL EDUCATION PART I 7
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/01/