MY TESTIMONY
My heart's desire for working with Special Education children is part of
my testimony. As a college sophomore, I really had no direction as to what type
of work I wanted to do. Sitting in church one Sunday, I became so involved in
a woman signing
the service to some students. I really felt called to do something
that would help children who needed a little extra "something". I immediately
sought counsel as to what it would take to become a Special Education Major and
began taking classes in this field. My certification is in Learning Disabilities and
Educable/Trainable Mentally Challenged Students. What a blessing these children
are.
In my eight years of teaching
public education, I taught Learning Disabled Children, Educable Mentally Challenged
Students, and Emotionally Disturbed Children.
With this came such titles as
ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder), ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder),
ODD (Oppositional Defiant Disorder), LD (Learning Disabled), ED (Emotionally
Disturbed), EMH (Educable Mentally Handicapped), OHI (Other Health Impaired),
OI (Orthopedically Imparied), MD (Multiple Disabled), DD (Developmentally Delayed),
Autistic, SLI (Speech and Language Impaired), and others.
While I worked with all of the above titled children, I worked mainly with Learning
Disabled and Emotionally Disturbed Children, and what a blessing these children are.
I think an exciting possibility is educating the special education student at home.
Certainly, this is not possible for all family situations, but much can be done
at home even if the child attends school. So much of the home education that I
currently am doing with my children is reflective of my years in public education.
For example, my children receive small group, individualized lessons. This is
exactly what Special Education is designed to do. It works out perfectly at home because
of fewer children.
TIPS FOR INDIVIDUALIZING INSTRUCTION
- BE INFORMED
It is important to know what services are available for the special needs child.
Many public school districts offer services as young as age two and through twenty-one
years of age. If you are planning to home educate, this may not be of benefit to
your family, but it is good to know your options. Some school districts have parent
resource centers that have many sources of informations about particular disabilities
that may be borrowed. Some even have workshops that parents can attend for more
information. The more accurate information that you as a parent have, the easier it will be to
make decisions for your child.
- BE STRUCTURED There is nothing more distracting to a Special Needs
child than disorder and disorganization. Order and structure are essential. It is
very helpful if children know what to expect and if the academic day flows with some
type of predictability. It also helps to have a quiet area to work in, free from
distracting noises.
- BE CONSISTENT
This is so important when dealing with instruction and with disipline and is
helpful to the special needs child as well as all children. It is essential that the
child knows that what you say is what you mean and that you will follow through with
consequences. For example, if the child is told to halt a specific behavior and
you have told them that without compliance they will lose the privilege of "free
play" later in the afternoon, make sure that they actually lose that privilege. This
is so very, very important in maintaining the structure and consistency, as
well as discipline that is necessary to instruct your child.
- PLAN AHEAD
To ensure the best possible education and success of your school day, plan ahead. It
is very difficult to "wing it" and try to have school time while grabbing a book here
and there and handing it to your child. Know what you are going to teach your
child before you sit down to actually teach. I have found it works best to have
a long range plan. What would you like to see accomplished at the end of the year,
the semester, the month? Have also weekly plans which specifically list what you
will be working on with your child on a daily basis. This lets them know that
you have a plan and really know what you are doing. It gives them confidence, as
well as you. It also makes the time go by in a more orderly fashion because you
have scheduled everything out and have all necessary materials on hand. This is
such a secure feeling for a special needs child. All children need this structure
and order. These children thrive on it. It is very necessary. Our God
is a God of structure and order and this is a great goal to strive for!
- DISCOVER YOUR CHILD'S LEARNING STYLE
What is your child's learning style? Does your child learn best in the auditory mode, the
visual mode, the kinesthetic/tactile mode?
What is your learning style? You may
tend to teach to your learning style when it would be the best for your child to
teach to theirs. If you learn best visually and have a kinesthetic/tactile child,
it will be quite frustrating for both of you if the teaching style is done strictly
in a visual way. There are lots of great books that discuss learning styles in
great detail.
- BE UNDERSTANDING
There are times when it is so frustrating for a special needs child. He or she
may feel as if no one else understands his/her feelings and this child just needs
love and support. It should not be acceptable that your child's disability becomes a
"crutch". For example to hear a child say, "I can't do this because I am Learning Disabled, so why
even try!" (and I have heard this many times) should not be an acceptable response. Realizing your child's frustration,
however, and finding new and creative ways to encourage your child to achieve should be
your goal as the teacher/parent. Encourage your child to take responsibility for
things, but offer a way that your child can do that and be successful. Also, help
your child to realize that even with the hardest of work and best of intentions, there
are some things that are just difficult. Strive to show your child his/her strengths
while building up his/her weaknesses.
God has gifted everyone with something.
The Bible tells us, "There are different kinds of gifts, but the
same Spirit. All these (gifts) are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he
gives them to each one just as he determines."1 Corinthians 12:4,11
As a parent, please be encouraged that the Lord knew exactly what he was doing
as he created your precious child because the Bible also tells us,
"For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I
praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full
well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the
depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your
book before one of them came to be."Psalm 139:13-16
I am not
in any way trying to say that as a parent you will not hurt for your child or
question why your child may have to struggle. But, it is possible that you as a
parent can rest in the knowledge that the Lord has a very special purpose, pre-planned, for your
child.
You as a parent, especially as a home educator, you can make such a positive
difference in your child's life. May God bless your efforts!
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