Aisling Kennedy Growth Statement Special Education

Although I started my teaching career prior to embarking on my graduate education path, the two collectively have provided me with a sturdy foundation to continue to learn and grow as an educator. My teaching experience has been unique, as it has taken place in a rural private institution in the Bronx. Additionally, I have taught as an assistant teacher across grades ranging from Pre-K through 2nd grade. Over the last few years, my teaching journey has been interestingly juxtaposed to my fellow classmates experiences and at times the discourse has been eye-opening from both perspectives. Over my years at Manhattan College, I have taken away an immense amount of knowledge and life lessons from my classmates, professors and my students. I am no longer a timid, fresh out of college, twenty something with no clue what to do. Through my studies and experiences, I have established a working toolbox to help me be the best teacher I can be. I have the strategies and knowledge base to know how to help all of my students with a variety of learning styles. Although I currently do not work with a Special Education population, I feel as through I have gained workable knowledge about assessments, IEPs, CSCs, classroom techniques and strategies, classroom management, and all aspects needed to excel. Blythedale was quite a change from my current teaching placement. It was a great learning experience as I was coming from a general education population into a hospital school setting. When I began my placement I was slightly overwhelmed and honestly a

little scared of the unknown. I had never dealt with students in a special education population as well as students with such a variety of needs. Although it was sometimes draining, my placement at Blythedale really helped to prepare me for my future career as a special education educator. Throughout my time, I acquired different strategies for differentiation and teaching. I was particularly interested in my work with children that were primarily sensory students with no speech or output for the most part. Learning techniques about touch, smell, and stimulation were the most intriguing to me. Smelling lotion or spraying water and seeing the change in their facial expression was quite moving. Throughout my graduate classes, student teaching placement and current teaching placement, I feel as though I could go forward to teach students from an array of backgrounds. I know that its okay to make mistakes and that each time it is a chance to grow learn and become stronger. I look forward to the unknown path my educational career will take me on and will be willing to embrace new and difficult challenges.