Scott Towaij 4797198

Personal Philosophy

One of the biggest problems, facing persons with exceptionalities, is how they are perceived by society. You need look no further than the local news and hear stories about disabled persons rather than persons with disabilities. On the surface this may seem like semantics but it really speaks to what society sees first, is it the person or the disability? There are organizations like people first who have attempted to dispel some of the myths that surround people with exceptionalities but it all comes down to the comfort level of those within mainstream society and their willingness to accept people who are different than they are. Society fears anything that is not deemed to be normal, as if anyone actually is normal. There is such a high level of fear in society because people often fear what they don’t understand. For the past 22 years I have supported people with exceptionalities in the private sector in every role from caregiver to residential and day program manager. I did consulting and training for the BC government and was part of the advisory board for the manual entitled, “Preventing and responding to abuse of persons with disabilities” which was distributed throughout the entire province. I have spoken to caregivers and their employers over the years about our own attitudes towards the people we have been employed to support.

As an inclusionist, I believe that everyone has the right to be educated and supported in a way that will maximize their potential and allow them the highest level of success. The problem with terms like fair and equitable is how they are perceived. Everyone gets the same verses everyone gets what they need to level the playing field. If someone can’t walk and needs a wheelchair they should get a wheelchair, this doesn’t mean that everyone should get a wheelchair. The same is true with adaptive technology, some children have visual or auditory processing issues so they benefit from laptop computers and the dragon software for example but this does not mean that every student should be entitled to their own laptop. As much as possible teachers need to use the universal design approach in lesson planning and even the way that the classroom functions, if this is done more students will experience success

Some children may need a 1:1 support person with them however with funding issues they may only get that support for that language arts block and not have it for math. Other students and parents may see all the extra support that the child with special needs gets and become frustrated that their own child is not getting the extra 1:1 time but that is where it becomes our responsibility as educators to teach the learning community, which includes the parents, as issues arise so they understand that fair and equitable does not mean that everyone gets the same thing.

We live within a society that celebrates it’s diversity and we understand that no two children are the same. Every child regardless of race, gender, socio economic reality, ability or disability is entitled to a high quality education. Every child has something to teach and every child has something to learn. Part of our goal as educators must be to dispel some of the myths that surround children with exceptionalities and present these kids every opportunity for success. We must strive to find the best possible way to deliver special education that differs according to each child’s unique needs and abilities. We must accord every child the dignity of choice and guard against doing what we think is right verses doing what is right for that child.

My Top 10 Teaching Beliefs

1. I must set a high standard of professionalism for myself so I walk the talk and be the kind of person children would want to be like as an adult. This includes my behaviour both at school and outside of school.

2. Every child is special, has a gift or talent and can succeed. I must find a balance between challenging and supporting my students so we can find out together what their gifts are. Once those gifts and talents are found it is my job to help develop them.

3. There is no such thing as a bad student, only a bad teacher: If a child is not learning what I am teaching then it is my responsibility to find a way to reach them and change my methods and approach accordingly.

4. I must above all teach love and compassion, without that I will help to create educated monsters. Education without a conscience is as dangerous as the invention of the atom bomb.

5. I will never sacrifice my beliefs or principals for my career even it means passing up great job opportunities.

6. I will strive to have balance in my life and not put all my energy into teachings other people’s children while neglecting my own family. Part of this process demands that I continue to engage in activities that bring me joy like playing guitar, writing and recording music.

7. I can’t teach if I stop learning therefore I will make a life long commitment to improving myself, upgrading my education, skills and qualifications on an ongoing basis. I will remain teachable, open to new ideas and methods and always welcome constructive criticism and feedback.

8. I will make my classroom environment welcoming and work hard to ensure that the children are excited to be in my class. My enthusiasm and joy for teaching will be obvious.

9. If I wish to be viewed as a professional I must dress as a professional. Wearing a suit and tie everyday will have an impact on how the children, their parents and other staff both view and interact with me.

10. I will employ clear and consistent classroom management strategies from day one to ensure that an environment of mutual respect exists.