In this experience, I was able to get some more insight as to how special education teachers and program leaders are struggling with in their daily school lives. The biggest issue I saw was making sure all kids have access to a general education system. Because if we don't give them that, why aren't we?
I followed the speech language pathologist (slp) around at Odessa schools this past Friday. After this lovely experience, I was made aware of the difficulties special ed programs go through in rural schools. There was one kid who is a senior this year and has the opportunity to walk and graduate with his class, or continue on for three more years until he is 21. He made it aware to me that he wishes to someday be a mechanic or a chef. Our small, K-12 school no longer has a home economics class and I feel that this really hurts some of the kids in their life after graduation. He is not learning the skills he needs after graduating from Odessa and if he were, he would be able to find himself a job. Kids in special ed feel extremely appreciated when they are given a task to do. It is important to them to finish this task at their very best efforts.
