Running head: SP.

POPULATIONS PHILOSOPHY 1

Special Populations Philosophy

Bernadette Thompson

Paris Junior College

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One thing I have observed in my brief time as a teacher’s aide is how different kids can

be. I service students with a wide variety of personalities, backgrounds, abilities, aptitudes, and

challenges. Each one is so unique and special in his/her own way, and I can appreciate something

about each of them that I love and admire. As a future teacher, I will strive to include and

connect with all of my students. I want to make them feel important. Teachers must be aware and

adaptable to students with physical, mental, and learning disabilities, gifted and talented students,

students of various races, ethnicities, languages, religions, and socioeconomic statuses, as well as

students of different genders. Students are individuals first, so I plan to treat them that way. No

case is the same just as no child is the same. I will take a very individualized approach to

teaching students in special populations.

At my job, I service several students with physical disabilities and specific learning

disabilities. For me, the most important thing is to be constantly conscientious of the student’s

particular disability. That is, put yourself in his/her shoes and consider what you can do to better

assist the student. For instance, I have one student with a hearing impairment. I make it a point to

always speak moderately loudly and clearly so that she can hear and understand me. If I am not

sure she is hearing me, I simply ask her. I am never rude or impatient if she asks me to repeat

something. Another point to keep in mind as a teacher is to be professional. Students with

disabilities need to feel safe in order to be able to learn. They need to know that you are on their

side, and you are there to help make things easier for them.

Gifted and talented students really hit home for me. I know what it’s like to be bored out

of my mind in a class where the teacher caters to lower-performing students only. I understand

that some kids need a challenge to fully engage in the learning process. I am also fully aware that

GT students may not like group projects as much as other students do. Group work can be a great
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tool for teachers, but not all students reach their full potential that way. I plan to be flexible with

gifted students. Some teachers will inadvertently crush their desire to learn. If a student wants to

challenge himself/herself or maybe does things a different way, I’m not going to condemn

him/her for it. Teachers need to encourage students to learn, not shame them for thinking outside

the box.

My hope for my future classroom is that we have a richly diverse group of students. I

want to have a tossed salad kind of classroom rather than a melting pot. I want to encourage

students to share pieces of their culture with the class. I wish to show them that where you come

from is something to be proud of and something of value, not something to keep at home or be

ashamed of. I’m not sure what ever happened to show-and-tell, but I will be bringing it back. I

believe that allowing students to embrace their culture and the things that make up who they are

creates a safer environment for students to learn. For example, in my future classroom, I will try

to motivate every student to participate in class discussions. Most students will not learn from a

lesson where only one or two kids are actively answering questions, but if everyone is openly

discussing, more opportunities arise to learn, connect, and relate.

In conclusion, my special populations philosophy consists of many ideas and concepts I

have come to grasp over the years in education, both as a student and as a paraprofessional. First

and foremost, each student is a uniquely individual person. Students are all different and

therefore have different needs. Teachers must strive to cater to those needs and help every

student achieve his/her best.