Reflection #3

The No Child Left Behind Act was created to ensure that all students were getting a proper education and that no one was "falling through the cracks." Unfortunately, since its implementation, it seems that only problems have arisen instead of results and, more importantly, true education. Because of the system, many if not most districts now only focus on the standardized testing in order to receive more funding.

In my opinion, the only way to fix the education system is to put more time and effort into creating individualized curriculum for all students. Unfortunately, I don't see this happening any time soon. In order for this plan to work, the nation would need tons of people to put in the work required. Hiring more people to do this would require more paychecks, and America in the present isn't willing to give that up just yet.

One way that teachers have been able to include all students is through the practice of Inclusion. This practice ensures that students with special needs are receiving all that they need in regular classes. It is extremely important that future educators be well prepared in handling students of all needs. Aydin and Kuzu state that "...teacher candidates’ attitudes toward mainstreaming varied significantly with the variable of taking or not taking special education and mainstreaming courses, the group who had taken the courses showed more positive attitudes. With these findings, it can be once again stressed that special education and mainstreaming lectures should be included in curriculum of teacher education programs" (2013, p. 477). When teachers are better prepared to handle students with special needs, the students themselves will receive a more fulfilling education.

In my classroom, I have experienced several cases of students with special needs receiving attention. For example, the students who are ELLs are given special curriculum and translations to help them acquire language within the classroom. In another example, my classroom has several students who require small-group testing. There are also students who simply have difficulty reading on white paper, so they are provided with colored overlays or colored copies of the same handouts.

As a student teacher, I believe the practice of Inclusion is a very noble pursuit, but the amount of time and preparation needed is incredible. I would stress, as the article above mentions, that future educators need plenty of training to feel comfortable teaching students of all levels. I try to keep up with all the current pedagogy and strategies, but I must admit, it can all be overwhelming at times.

Aydin, A. & Kuzu, S. (2013). Teacher Candidates’ Attitudes Towards Inclusion Education and
Comparison of Self-compassion Levels. US-China Education Review, 3(6), 470-479.