Special educators are guided by the profession’s ethical and professional practice standards. Special educators practice in multiple roles and complex situations across wide age and developmental ranges. Their practice requires ongoing attention to legal matters along with serious professional and ethical considerations. Special educators engage in professional activities and participate in learning communities that benefit individuals with ELN, their families, colleagues, and their own professional growth. Special educators view themselves as lifelong learners and regularly reflect on and adjust their practice. Special educators are aware of how their own and others attitudes, behaviors, and ways of communicating can influence their practice. Special educators understand that culture and language can interact with exceptionalities, and are sensitive to the many aspects of diversity of individuals with ELN and their families. Special educators actively plan and engage in activities that foster their professional growth and keep them current with evidence-based best practices. Special educators know their own limits of practice and practice within them.
Reflection:
Ethical issues have always surrounded the world of special education. From the first years of Itard and Victor of Aveyron (also as known as the wild boy) to the modern day concepts of applied behavior analysis and assistive technology our field has evolved along the societal norms and believes of the world that we live in. Many things that we take for granted today have not always been the same. Court litigations and the civil rights movement have shaped our moral and legislative guidelines. As a special education teacher I learned through all the classes that I took, that it is essential to our profession to understand, protect and apply the concepts and believes the generations before us fought for. It is also important to realize that in order to better serve our clients it is necessary to continuously improve as professionals by keeping up to date with research based practices, legislation issues and actively engage in learning communities and organizations.
The job of a special education teacher is also not limited to the four walls of the classroom. It is our duty as professionals to work with each other on improving our interventions and educational approach towards our clients. Special education teachers should also include parents and families of the students they are working with for a more comprehensive understanding of their background and interests. However, even with the most recent achievements of science it is very important to realize that each one of us has his own limitations and that we have to communicate this with the clients or with the families that we work with. In situations like this the special education teacher should refer the case to a team of specialists where the issues are discussed among different professionals.
A concrete example from my practice is that I always ask the assistance of a speech therapist to either help in the classroom addressing communication needs of some students or just follow up on some of the goals that I work on and that have a few steps that require a few language skills.
Artifact:
For this standard I chose part of my long-range plan: the APS 10. In this section I explained how I collaborated with other professionals in the school and outside of the school to plan for instruction and fulfill other responsibilities. The project also contains information about preventing bullying in the school and complying with rules and policies.
Special educators are guided by the profession’s ethical and professional practice standards. Special educators practice in multiple roles and complex situations across wide age and developmental ranges. Their practice requires ongoing attention to legal matters along with serious professional and ethical considerations. Special educators engage in professional activities and participate in learning communities that benefit individuals with ELN, their families, colleagues, and their own professional growth. Special educators view themselves as lifelong learners and regularly reflect on and adjust their practice. Special educators are aware of how their own and others attitudes, behaviors, and ways of communicating can influence their practice. Special educators understand that culture and language can interact with exceptionalities, and are sensitive to the many aspects of diversity of individuals with ELN and their families. Special educators actively plan and engage in activities that foster their professional growth and keep them current with evidence-based best practices. Special educators know their own limits of practice and practice within them.
Reflection:
Ethical issues have always surrounded the world of special education. From the first years of Itard and Victor of Aveyron (also as known as the wild boy) to the modern day concepts of applied behavior analysis and assistive technology our field has evolved along the societal norms and believes of the world that we live in. Many things that we take for granted today have not always been the same. Court litigations and the civil rights movement have shaped our moral and legislative guidelines. As a special education teacher I learned through all the classes that I took, that it is essential to our profession to understand, protect and apply the concepts and believes the generations before us fought for. It is also important to realize that in order to better serve our clients it is necessary to continuously improve as professionals by keeping up to date with research based practices, legislation issues and actively engage in learning communities and organizations.
The job of a special education teacher is also not limited to the four walls of the classroom. It is our duty as professionals to work with each other on improving our interventions and educational approach towards our clients. Special education teachers should also include parents and families of the students they are working with for a more comprehensive understanding of their background and interests. However, even with the most recent achievements of science it is very important to realize that each one of us has his own limitations and that we have to communicate this with the clients or with the families that we work with. In situations like this the special education teacher should refer the case to a team of specialists where the issues are discussed among different professionals.
A concrete example from my practice is that I always ask the assistance of a speech therapist to either help in the classroom addressing communication needs of some students or just follow up on some of the goals that I work on and that have a few steps that require a few language skills.
Artifact:
For this standard I chose part of my long-range plan: the APS 10. In this section I explained how I collaborated with other professionals in the school and outside of the school to plan for instruction and fulfill other responsibilities. The project also contains information about preventing bullying in the school and complying with rules and policies.
APS 10