My Story Connection-II

Connie Miles Cole
October 2, 2008
EDL 7065
Story Connection

How or where does my story connect with my research interests? I would not have been capable of answering this question without the writing and thoughts from my autobiographical sketch. I really do not think I would have ever thought about this question without the sketch. After the writing of the sketch, I realized my research is closely connected to my autobiographical sketch and my career path.

Through writing, I discovered my personal experiences as a child led to my research idea. I, like many students today, struggled with reading and writing beginning early in my childhood. Even though, I struggled in the areas of reading and writing, I had regular education teachers who inside and outside of the regular education classroom that would not give up, encouraged me to do my best and provided interventions/strategies. My teachers actually could have easily given up, but they did not allow me to go through the special education process. Because of my teachers, I did not become another minority labeled in special
education. I guess you can also say my early years journey, led me to a career in special education.

Today, regular education teachers are finding it difficult to catch the child being “left behind.” This is in part of the mandates handed down from the state and federal statutes. Now teachers must follow a curriculum schedule when delivering lessons to students. Due to this schedule, teachers do not have the time to give those who do not quite understand the lesson the extra help. What- ever happened to “every child can learn”? Teachers must also make sure all materials for testing are reviewed before the actual test is given towards the end of the school year. These tests are so important to teachers because the tests are used to grade the teacher and the school. There is more pressure on teachers now than there was when I was in school. I never had to worry about the End-of-Grade nor the End-of-Course tests. My teachers were more relaxed than what teachers are today.

Some students in classrooms today are left behind because teachers do not have time to address their individual needs in the regular education classroom. This means many students, especially minorities, get referred for the special education program. I myself was given the chance to be successful. Does this hold true for struggling students today?

The No Child Left Behind Act has forced school districts realize something must be done to address a child’s needs before referring them to special education. Districts now must make sure at-risk students are provided a fair chance in the general education classroom, which means implementing strategies and interventions that are considered research-based. Research-based interventions were put in place to help all students, not just the one’s considered at-risk. Do these research-based interventions actually work in the general education classroom if implemented appropriately? If teachers had the tools and knowledge to apply research-based interventions in the general education classroom, would these strategies decrease the number of minority students referred to the special education process?

Thinking back to my early years in education, I wonder what would have happened if I did not have teachers who were willing to take the extra time to implement strategies and interventions to help in my education? I really do not
feel some of the students that have been labeled or categorized in special education deserve to be in the special education program. My profession as an educator of students with special needs allows me to monitor and make sure students actually qualify for a special education based on policies, state criteria, and individual needs. My passion is to look into minority student cases before they are referred to the special education process, because I was given the chance to succeed without special education.