Casta Garcia-Rosen

Graduate Program Special Education

5/7/15
Growth Statement
Final Reflection
Growth Statement

Since the beginning of the graduate program I have grown, both as an individual and as
an educator. At the start of the program I was unclear about the many aspect of teaching and
what it mean to accommodate the special needs of students. I had recently starting substitute
teaching and did not have any prior knowledge of what it meant to be a teacher. I was a career
changer and the concept of teaching and what it means to be a teacher was new to me. My first
course was a Literacy for At Risk and Disabled Students and I was intimidated about the
expectations of the class. However, after meeting Ms. Bernstein and the rest of the students I was
at ease to work with a welcoming group of educators. We participated in engaging exercises and
class discussions that illustrated the needs of the At Risk and Disabled student. We discussed
children who struggle with ocular movement, acquisition of sound, skipping words and the rigor
of reading and writing. The most memorable exercise was reading the passage about the The
Friembly Bog, written by a student who struggled with spelling and relied on sounding out the
words to write. I was astonished at how hard this passage was to read. It was only after several
attempts and with prior knowledge of the words that I was able to figure out the text. This
exercise was very informative as it allowed me to become familiar with the characteristics of a
specific learning disability. As I enter into the teaching profession its important to comprehend
what students with learning difficulties struggle with in order to help them. While there are lots
of ways to teach children with disabilities, I found the Wilson program very helpful. The Wilson

Reading System is a program I know I will use with students who struggle with literacy-based
disabilities. After learning about the program in class, I spoke to some teachers who currently use
it with their students and they recommended it highly. This is a program I plan on learning more
about in order to use with my students in the future. Im looking forward to applying it and using
it as I enter special education teaching. Furthermore, I asked a special education teacher in my
student teaching placement at P.S. 81 to observe her class while she used the Wilson program so
I could see first-hand how children learn using the reading and writing program. This class has
taught me how to teach children who are at risk and disabled while being creative.
Another course that was very useful was teaching Social Studies to English language
learners and special needs students. One of the highlights of this course was the classroom
discussions at the start of each class. Students were asked to share concerns about teaching and
talk about their experiences from the field. I learned different approaches to classroom
management that other teachers use with English language learners and special needs students.
For example, using a buddy system for English language learners creates a safe environment and
allows them to feel included in the classroom. The weekly articles discussed were also very
insightful as they informed me about the teaching profession. My favorite articles were about
poverty and its affects on learning and how to give constructive feedback to students.
Another aspect of this course that was helpful was learning about the social studies
framework, common core learning standards and Danielson rubric, all which support teaching,
learning and assessments. As a final project we worked in groups to create a unit plan that
required applying all these practices. I found this to be very engaging as my group figured out
how to best apply these standards to our unit plan. We learned how to focus on key concepts such
as essential questions, enduring understandings and content. We used the social studies

framework to helps us shape the unit plan. I really liked the course because it helped me develop
ways to teach social studies to special needs students. This is an important subject matter that
students need and after taking this course I have a better understanding of how to apply the social
studies framework and the common core learning standards.
One of my most memorable courses was taking Multicultural Education with Dr.
Nicholson. This was an insightful and engaging experience that challenged me to look inward
and reflect on who I was and how that was going to impact the type of teacher I would become.
At first this was a challenging course as it required everyone to self-reflect and share with others
in the class. Many of us who are in the field also shared stories from teaching which helped us go
further into how we can help our student appreciate other peoples differences. This class
emphasized equity issues and diversity in education which is something I value and feel strongly about. I
really enjoyed learning more in depth into race, social class, gender, exceptionalities, religion and sexual
orientation, and the impact it has on the classroom culture and the curriculum. In addition, we discussed
ways to handle difficult issues that stem from some of these social issues. Teachers need to be socially
responsible and apply teaching practices that engage students that come from poverty. There exist a social
culture within these communities in which students are a part of and it is important for teachers to
acknowledge it. This information was particularly useful because many of the students in New York City
come from poverty and need adults that support their specific needs and foster positive relationships.
After taking this class I felt better equipped to confront equity and diversity in education. I
learned so much about social injustices and the impact it can have on students. It was a rewarding
experience being able to share with classmates and learn from each other and discuss the different ways to
incorporate multicultural education in our classroom and empower students be more accepting.

One of the focus areas of the program is the field experience attained through
observations and student teaching. I feel this part of the program was very valuable in helping

me develop the necessary skills in applying teaching practices. The fieldwork experience in two
different schools was also very insightful as it helped me learn first-hand about the special
accommodations students with disabilities receive. More specifically, while taking Nature and
Needs course during one of my fieldwork observations in a 12:1:1 2nd grade class with several
students who had physical and learning disabilities I learned classroom strategies. I watched the
teacher and the paraprofessionals accommodate students by providing simple guided instructions
during the reading lesson and allowing frequent breaks. Furthermore, I also observed students
with ADHD in another class receive special accommodations by having the student seated next
to the teachers desk and a behavior management system to help the student control sudden
outbursts. These experiences were very useful as they helped me learn more and reflect on the
different ways to help students with needs.
Another aspect of this program I found beneficial was conducting an interview with a
family member who has experience with the needs and struggles of a disabled individual. I
interviewed a friend who has a mute and deaf cousin and I learned more about the struggles
associated with advocating for the student with needs, in this case it was her cousin who needed
a variety services. As a result of this interview I realized how important it is to do as much
research as possible in order to help the student and make sure the needs of the student are being
met.
My attitudes and feelings in regard to teaching disabled students from the beginning of
this program have improved. What I have learned in this program has helped me become better
equipped in how to help students with disabilities. For example, before this course I never knew
how to help students with ADHD and after learning more about this condition in class I feel
more prepared about addressing the needs of these students.

As a result of my field experience and courses I have learned more about myself as a
teacher and how important it is to differentiate and address the needs of students. I feel more
confident as I have a better understanding about the disabilities and the different ways these
students learn best. Through the graduate program I have been able to apply many of the
teaching strategies and practices that are important to becoming a successful teachers. I am
grateful for the opportunity to have been part of the Special Education program at Manhattan
College. I learned so much about myself and as a professional. The graduate program has
allowed me to enhance my learning in creating lessons and developing my teaching practices,
and focus on differentiation while applying creative aspect of learning as emphasized by the
multiple intelligence model. In addition, my experiences at Manhattan College were made
possible by the dedication and knowledge of my professors.