Professional Expectations​- The  Grit and Growth Mindset​- When 
student I observed was always  the student is faced with a 
accompanied by a teacher from the  challenge like difficult coursework, 
time he got on the bus in the  he tends to put his head down on 
morning from the time he got off in  the desk in an effort to avoid the 
the afternoon. Teachers mainly help  work at hand. To help motivate the 
keep him focused on the task at  student, teachers constantly 
hand. Even though he is  provide positive feedback even if he 
non-verbal, he is still expected to  gets the problem wrong. If that 
contribute to group lessons just like  does not work, he is given the 
every other child. Questions in  opportunity to take a quick walk 
these lessons are modified so he  around the school which helps him 
can communicate through other  to refocus. 
ways such as pointing.    

Cultural Competency​-The student  Instructional Best Practices​- The 

currently attends a school where  student has an IEP, so the teachers 
there is a lot of diversity. For  have been focusing on specific 
instance, there are students within  educational goals. All of the 
his classroom who speak a variety  one-on-one and independent 
of languages. To my knowledge the  lessons he completes are tailored to 
student was born in this country  help him reach his goals. For 
and understands English; therefore,  example, he has been working on 
he has the ability to be in a  matching and sorting, so everyday 
comfortable learning environment  the teachers make new worksheets 
while engaging with children from  and hands-on activities just for 
different cultures.  him. 

Civic Engagement​-Even though the  Overall, my assumptions regarding 

student is non-verbal, he is still  special education have been 
given the opportunity to  challenged ever since I have started 
communicate through the use of his  on-site. I did not expect to see so 
talker. His talker is a tablet that  much positive reinforcement and 
has words an automated voice says  the teachers genuinely enjoy 
when he presses them. In short, his  working with the children. As I 
tablet talks for him. The teachers  observe, I have tried to focus on 
are persistent in ensuring that he  being open-minded which has 
uses his talker at all times. Their  resulted in me seeing the potential 
hard work has paid off because I  of all the students. 
have seen him communicating more 
independently as each week goes 
by.