Special Education by Ravyn

Special Education by Ravyn - November 2020 Scholarship Essay

When I was in fourth grade, there was a boy from the special needs class that came for math time in my classroom and he sat right next to me. He was very smart, and he really loved math, but when he would get frustrated with his work, he would yell. Sometimes he yelled odd things like “apple.” Some of my classmates would tease him and laugh at him when he would do this. It always made my blood boil. When he would get upset, I tried to help him with whatever was making him mad. We became good friends and soon my teacher asked me to continue to be his “math buddy.” There were times when I would get very upset with my classmates for the things they would say to my friend. These experiences in my fourth-grade class, almost eight years ago, have impacted me and led me to what I want to do for the rest of my life. I want to work in special education.
There are so many different aspects of SPED that people don’t even think about! For multiple years in elementary school, I participated in what was called the Schoolwide Enrichment Model or SEM. This is another part of special education for children who might be considered gifted. In this class, there were about 6 students pulled from each class for 45 minutes to an hour. We got to do higher-level thinking activities. We played complex games, like Krypto, that really made our brains think. It was the highlight of my week when I got to go. I think being able to do those things really helped boost my confidence because I knew I could do difficult things. I think this a very important aspect of special education because students who are ahead of their class can get bored very easily. I think it is important to cater to every individual’s needs as much as you possibly can.
Another way that the special education system has impacted my life is through my own special needs. When I was in sixth grade, I started to have pseudo seizures, which are seizures that are induced by stress and do not show up in your brain wave patterns, along with panic attacks. When this started happening to me, I was terrified because doctors could not figure out what was happening with me for almost five years. This made my school life hard especially for my teacher and classmates because when I would have a seizure, they had to take care of me. I was not able to finish out my sixth-grade year because of my health issues. It was devastating for me. Fortunately, though, I was able to have a 504-plan put into place which was there to accommodate my needs and give me any help I might need. I met many wonderful people, administrators, 504 aides, and even district workers, that were there to help me navigate my tricky and hard situation. I had a 504 aide all the way up until the end of my sophomore year. Because of this plan, I could stay in school, and I was accommodated whenever I had a problem. Luckily for me, I was finally able to get my seizures and panic attacks under control so I don’t have to rely as heavily on these accommodations, but they are still there in case I ever need them again.
In the midst of my problems with the pseudo seizures and panic attacks, in eighth grade, I was able to start taking a peer tutor class. I have been a peer tutor since eighth grade and will continue to be one until I graduate this year. This is where my love for children with severe needs began to grow. I was loved by the students in each of the classes, and they loved me. We became close friends. This would not have been possible if it weren’t for the peer tutor program that is offered in schools. I loved that I got to see how closely the teacher and aides worked together to make sure that their students had the best and most effective learning experience possible.
I am grateful that special education gives all students an equal chance to learn and grow. I have seen that there is no child left behind because of it and I hope to see that continue in my future career as an occupational therapist working in schools. This aspect of education has touched my life and changed it for the better. I am most thankful for special education.