Belma Rueda

Edu. 203 1004

Professor Hudson

Field Observation

I completed my field observation at C.P. Squires Elementary School. My cooperating teacher was

Heather Blood who teaches primary autism (grades k-2). Ms. Blood decided to become a teacher when

while being a nurse a special program opened for teaching and she decided to take advantage of the

opportunity. She stated the main challenges she faces as a teacher in special education is parent

support. I found it extremely disheartening when she mentioned how most parents of autistic children,

she had taught during the years basically give up on their kids. Meaning, parents have reconciled the

idea that their children are autistic and do not expect them to learn because they are autistic, they have

no greater expectations from them. This is very sad because I have personally seen the potential these

children have.

The first day of my observation when I walked into the classroom, I felt it was inviting and very

spacious. There wasn’t a lot of furniture or posters around, so the room seemed empty since it is a big

room. There were 4 tables placed around the middle of the room, two of the tables were big, seating

about 10 students each and 2 smaller tables on the sides seating 6 students each. The room also had 2

computers for student use, a couple storage cabinets and cubbies, a sink and the teacher’s desk in a

corner. The décor was minimal, there were 2 goal boards, and a board with letters, days and numbers.

At first, I thought the layout was a little odd, since there was so much empty space in the room but after

spending just a few minutes in there I realized there was a reason for this. Some of the students were

very attracted to anything that was on the walls and within their vision height. For example, the

backpacks hanging on the rack, just about their heights, kept getting taken down by students. The tables

are arranged in that matter since they are used as stations or centers, the big table is used for group
work and snacks where all the kids sit together. There is much empty space because as communication

and speech is an issue with some students in this class, tantrums happen regularly, and the empty space

keeps the students away from potentially hurting themselves with furniture or objects.

The class is only 8 students 3 females, 5 males. All student in the class are on different areas of

the autism spectrum. Some show more characteristics of autism while a couple show few or none. I was

very pleased to find out that two of the students in the class were doing so well that they would be

starting to spend some time in the gen ed classroom. I was unsure how the transition process worked

beforehand, and I am grateful I got to experience a little bit of it. The process starts with a general

required assessment which placed these two students at or above their grade level. The teacher sent a

letter home with the results, and a letter to authorize the student to spend 30 minutes a day in the gen

ed classroom. If the parent agrees the student, then goes to the gen ed class with the special education

aid who is there to make sure the transition is easier. Depending on how the week goes, time is added

until the student is spending full day in gen ed.

I was able to observe the students in two distinct specials, physical education and music. One

was a very pleasant experience while the other was disheartening at best. Starting with physical

education, both instructors were patient, calm and included the students in all activities along with the

second-grade gen ed class that was also being taught. The instructions were repeated and

demonstrated. The special ed kids were included in groups and helped along the class. The students who

could not or would not participate in the groups were still somewhat participating in the physical part.

For example, the activity included hula hoops the students who did not participate in the group still had

a hula hoop to do some type of physical activity, although most students were still persuaded to

participate in the groups. The second special was music, the music instructor seemed hesitant to

include the students along with the rest of the group. The students were all in a circle and the instructor

gave every other student a hand drum, the special ed kids did not get them. students played the hand
drum to a tune and then were instructed to pass the drum to the person to their right. At this point all

the special ed students were holding a drum, the instructor then proceeded to take the drum from 4 of

the 7 special ed students present that day and gave it to the next person. One of the students was

obviously upset and the instructor asked the aide to take the student outside as she was interrupting

the class. By the end of the class 3 students were sent outside and only 3 others participated along the

rest of the class, 4 students were left completely out of the activity.

I must admit the first day I went in I felt so useless because I wasn’t sure how to interact with

the students. I went home dreading going back, I didn’t know how to communicate with most of them

and I just felt sorry for them. that first day I only observed and stayed out of the way as much as

possible, whereas other observations I was very hands on. By the end of the day I felt defeated and

thought that this was maybe not for me. I told myself that I was unable to educate special needs

students and if so, how would I ever be fair to children with special needs even in an inclusion

classroom. I left feeling like a complete failure thinking how impossible it would be to teach these kids

who seemed to not understand what is being asked from them.

The next week I went in on my assigned day hoping to have a better day or at least to have it go

by quickly and be done. When I arrived, the students were heading into specials, specifically music.

When I observed the treatment the special ed kids received from the instructor I felt so upset and

realized how close-minded I had been with my previous thoughts. These kids deserve so much better

than that, they deserve an education like every other student, because they are capable of learning like

every other student. Maybe not the same way or at the same rate but they can learn just the same.

Throughout the day I found ways to interact with all the students all I had to do is pay closer attention to

them. I did not feel useless anymore because I was able to communicate with them in a way where they

understood me, and I understood them. I did not feel sorry for them anymore, why should I? these kids

have a disability, but they have such high learning capacities. They find ways to communicate, they’re
resilient and they’re so smart. All they need is just a little extra help, extra patience and slight

accommodations. They do not need me or anyone else to feel sorry for them or set little to no

expectations from them because they are autistic and somehow that means they are incapable of

learning. They are not incapable of learning maybe some of us are just incapable of teaching them.

That second day I was hands-on and loved every second of it. I learned so much from everyone

from the teacher, the aid and specially the children. I learned that Tymire who had not spoken a word

on my previous visit can spell aloud and write his name perfectly. Michelle who is echolalic can

participate with students very well in groups and uses proper words not repetition to ask for an item.

Enedina who is non-verbal will follow hand on instruction like building blocks stacked a certain way she

can follow the pattern over and over. Victor who is a kindergartener can count to 100 in 1’s, 5’s, 10’s

and 20’s, not only that but he can add and subtract to 10 and write all his numbers. Jonathan stutters

when he gets excited but can sing every nursery song out there and Andrew who is also non-verbal

knows the names of most dinosaurs.

I am very humbled and grateful I could have this experience at this time. Special education was

not a choice I had considered before, then that first day it was something I definitely wouldn’t consider

but that second day completely changed my opinion. I now feel comfortable and confident I can teach

all students including special education. Now I really do not see a difference between teaching a gen ed

and a special ed classroom in terms of difficulty or preference. I went back a third day and like the

second it was great. I was invited to stop by anytime by the cooperating teacher and I plan on going back

to see the progress the students have made. I learned a lot of new tips and tricks to aid in small things

such as proper pencil grip that have already came in handy with my own children. I am glad in a way I

was able to experience the different treatments students get and I hope to never forget that so that I

never purposely exclude a student for any reason.