My Experience/Perception of Special Education Today

     I have some experience with special education today because my cousin has downs syndrome. Her parents had a therapist come to her house to help her when she was younger. Then when she was older she was in the classroom which helped her so much with her behavior. She also does the Special Olympics which is so fun to watch and has helped her hand eye coordination and teamwork skills. Also when I did field experience my freshman year I was at Wayne Middle School in the special education department. I think the special education program helps the kids a lot. They are included in the classroom a lot but also get extra help they need. I think the special education program has improved so much and is helping kids everyday. It can always improve but I think it is working to make teachers better aware of disabilities that they may encounter in their classrooms. I think teachers could be better educated when going into teaching about special education. However I know now all education majors have to go through a special education class which is great because I feel that some teachers now say that they do not feel adequately educated to teach special education kids.
     I feel that teachers have to be aware of the different ways students learn in order to be able to teach differentiated learners. I think they have to be able to adapt ways of teaching to teach to different students. Lesson plans have to be flexible and taught in different ways in order to teach to all students. I think teachers have to study the ways students learn and think so that they can help all students.