Core Beliefs Related to Special Education

The name Special Education, I would argue, has both a positive and a negative connotation and both carry with it a label of sorts. Every student has the right to an education that is differentiated to their unique learning style and ability. This differentiation makes their education special and their learning meaningful. Conversely, if not done correctly, the “specialness” of a student’s education can carry with it a stigma or an identification that the child’s parents may not necessarily
want associated with them.

Larry Leverret in an Edutopia article entitled Closing the Achievement Gap: “All Children Can Learn” states that while we all are familiar with Ron Edmonds(1982) original battle cry “All children can learn”, we also know that certain things must be in place for this to happen, like “varying instructional approaches to match the learning styles of students, differentiating instruction, providing access to high-quality preschool programs, consistently exposing students to high-quality instruction, generating support from families and communities, and consistently scaling up implementation of best-practice instructional strategies and approaches in all classrooms and in all content areas.” Socio-economic status, the colour of your skin, your ethnic background, medical diagnosis etc. should never be factors that determine the quality of what you learn or whether you can learn at all. Every child can learn something if planned and presented appropriately.

I demonstrate my belief that all students can learn by creating a climate of high expectations for all my students and for the staff that I work with. For students, there is an expectation to meet standards as articulated in the Ontario Curriculum and additionally in their IEP if a student possesses one. For teachers, there is an expectation to teach the curriculum in its fullness to their students and to consider any accommodations and modifications that some students may need in order to be successful. My philosophy of leadership in special education incorporates a growth mindset because at its core is the belief that students can always be encouraged to excel beyond their ability especially if the instructional programme is appropriately tailored to facilitate ongoing growth. Likewise teachers are not only encouraged to create and deliver a programme of instruction that meets the learning needs of their students, but one that can also suitably challenge them.

Many teachers definitely believe that all children can learn and have adopted a growth mindset regarding their learning. They demonstrate this belief by differentiating their instruction, exposing students to high quality instruction in addition to forging valuable relationships with the community.

I believe that fostering and maintaining a set of core beliefs about how students learn should be an ongoing endeavour. To this end, one should explore professional learning opportunities around the Ministry’s Learning for All document with staff.