SABRINA PETERS

INCLUSIVE APPROACHES TO EXCEPTIONAL STUDENTS

PORTFOLIO

Table of Contents
Personal Philosophy of Inclusive Approaches
Personal Story of Special Learning Needs
Reflection on Personal Learning Needs
Sample of A Completed Class Review Web, Strengths & Weaknesses Chart,
Getting To Know You, and a Classroom Ecological Inventory
Reflections on Two Special Class Presentations
Sample of Three Behavioral Observation Techniques
One Page Review of a Manitoba Education Resource Document
Summary of an Interview with a Resource Specialist
One Special Education Selection of My Choice
Self-Reflection

Personal Philosophy of Inclusive Approaches

I believe an educator is an emotional partner that helps students
realize their full potential by providing an environment that is safe,
and supports the student in their developmental process. My
philosophy of inclusive education is a plan of mutual respect and
understanding; I strive to use the kind of language that is open
and inclusive. In a position of influence I believe in encouraging
self-respect, and nurturing a thoughtful attitude towards others. I make the most out of
teachable moments and lead by example. I consider it my responsibility to adapt the material
and modify the environment for the individual child to feel valued, and safe. To create a
wanting to learn environment where the student will feel belonging in the classroom
community, and to embrace each student's gifts to achieve success.
I connect my beliefs with a combination of theoretical perspectives including Bronfenbrenner
and Vygotskys developmental theories. Both have sociocultural perspectives that promote
development through social interactions with the adults in their environments. I think the
perfect approach to meeting the students emotional and educational needs is by
understanding child growth and development.
I believe the most important thing in the classroom is the relationship between a teacher and
a student. This connection will form the basis of a partnership in special education, in getting
to know each students background, interests, abilities, and take into consideration multiple
intelligences and various learning styles
The purpose of education is to help the learner develop practical knowledge, and problem
solving skills for real-world experiences. The purpose with respect to special education is to
involve the student with special needs in the classroom experience, as well to reach his or her
potential with the journey from school to community life.

A Personal Story of What I Hope To Learn About Special Learning Needs

My first thought on what I hope to learn about special learning needs begins with what is
special education? I have very little experience with special education and the exceptional
students within the programs. As a parent my understanding is limited because my own child
does not have any special learning needs, nor do I have anyone in my immediate family with
special learning needs. I am writing this after attending my first day in the course and
throughout my hope is that I will learn how special education works, and how children are
identified in needing the program. Are the parents involved in school decisions, and what
rights they have with regards to decision making?
I really do not know how I will know the difference if a child just needs a little extra help, but
not special education? I have worked with students that need more time with assignments,
but what are the identifying factors in deciding when a child should be placed in a special
education classroom vs. a regular classroom?
Would a child with special education needs normally be registered in a regular classroom or
would there be an interview held to determine whether the student is an exceptional student
and what are the best interests of the individual student.
How will I adapt the curriculum to meet the childs needs and meet the same learning
outcomes as his or her peers? Some students with special education needs may require
accommodation to allow them to participate in the regular curriculum and to demonstrate
achievement of specific skills or learning expectations, according to the law how can I decide
to adapt the material?
What are the rules and guidelines about the individual education plans and do they carry
forward to Colleges or Universities? I hope to find out about funding and who qualifies?
Who is responsible for planning related to leaving school? Are the student and family
members responsible for integrating into society?
As this story shows I have more questions than answers, and now I am looking forward to
finding out all the answers.

Reflections of Your Personal Learning Needs

My reflection of my personal learning is how amazing it is
to me the information I have been able to process in the
short amount of time in the course, Inclusive approaches
to teaching exceptional children. Increasing my
knowledge of special education has been the focus and I
feel better able to answer all of my initial questions,
which at the start of the course were many. The first
answer of several was the fact that Manitoba Education has adopted an inclusion policy that
states educators will engage in practices that allow students with a wide range of special
learning needs to be taught together with their peers effectively.
Awareness of how children are diagnosed in terms of needing special education was an eye
opening experience for me in that it will be my responsibility to watch for red flags of disorder
symptoms, unless of course they have been diagnosed from a younger age before entering
the school system. I feel fortunate that this is a required course in the teacher education
program, since we are to a great extent, the initial contact person. As teachers we are in such
an instrumental position to be able to voice our concerns, and then take action to make the
appropriate contacts for the students educational goals.
I am pleased to find out that I will be part of an educational support team involved in the
learning needs of exceptional students. To know that there will be a network of professionals,
all concerned with supporting the individual child, makes me feel prepared to deal with many
issues and accommodations within the curriculum. Parents are extremely valued partners in
that team because they know their child best when it comes to strengths, abilities, needs, and
challenges.
In considerations for the future my role as a teacher will also be to assist exceptional students
in the process of transition planning by helping prepare students with their educational goals
in post-secondary, and towards being an independent adult in society.

Sample of a Complete Class Review Web, Strengths and Weakness Chart,

Getting To Know You, and a Classroom Ecological Inventory

A Class Review Web

A Strengths and Weakness Chart

Strengths

Weaknesses

Organizational Skills

Time Management

People Person

Too Focused On Work / Need To Make Time

For Self

Visual Learner

Working Under Pressure

Avid Reader

Technologically Challenged

Second Language

Public Speaking

Writing

Procrastinating

Empathetic

Empathetic

Focused

Attention Span

Interpersonal

Nervousness

Environmentalist

Memory

Reflections on Two Special Presentations

St. Amant Center
The St. Amant tour was a wonderful opportunity to meet the school principal Joyce Douglas,
and be a part of her presentation on the program, the teachers, and students. It was very
informative, St Amant is an Inclusive institutional environment that provides individualized
educational opportunities for children 0-22 years with intellectual disabilities who require lifelong intervention, and who live at 440 River Road. They also provide students living in the
community access to their services with help from the sending school division, or Family
Services. The students have many medical issues that cannot be dealt with in the regular
school system. There are too many interventions and medical equipment needed to support
the student in a regular classroom.
The tour was very valuable and allowed us to visit class rooms, observe the gym program,
and the music therapy program. We found the school operates on a year-round basis from
September 1 August 31, because they found that works best for their students. I really
appreciated that Joyce Douglas gave her opinion which is not a popular one about inclusive
practices, and her belief is that being inclusive is not for everyone. She feels that sometimes
an institution is best for certain students. The school works on Individualized Programs (IP)
not IEP. The School-Age Program works collaboratively to provide educational programing
based on the provincial curriculum. Not all teachers working at the school have special
education certificates, but considers teachers with abilities to think outside the box when
adapting curriculum. They design programs that include the application of behavioural
principles and procedures. The learning model is based in individuality, dignity and student
responsibility. The outcomes of teaching strategies are continually monitored and approaches
are changed when necessary.
According to Joyce families are encouraged to be part of a childs education but she does not
push because over the years she has found that every situation is different and people use
many kinds of coping skills to accommodate their family life styles. The best tip or advice she
gave our class to take away from the experience is to always focus on a students strengths.

The Film Presentation How Difficult Can This Be?

I enjoyed the facilitator Richard Lavoie as he simulated conditions for teachers and parents, to
experience the challenges that children with learning disabilities face in classrooms where
teachers are unaware of the conditions. Having a glimpse into the childs perspective is
incredibly valuable to me as a teacher to learn how I can stop exclusion in the classroom.
I realize how frustrated the child must feel if teachers cannot recognize the conflict going on
inside them. Before watching this video I wondered how I could possibly know what is wrong
if Im not told, but I have learned there are warning signs that children display that should get
our attention. There are tools that teachers can use for supporting and recognizing symptoms.
First off the facilitator showed us if a teacher uses sarcasm and embarrasses the child in front
of their peers, it is very upsetting and damaging for the relationship. Teachers shouldnt force
kids to look at them if they are the ones causing the source of anxiety, because its contrary to
what you want to do in that situation. Generally students do not volunteer in class because
they do not like surprises, and the child wont take a chance on being embarrassed when
wrong, and when there is no positive reinforcement when right. The tool I think will be useful
is having a private conference to make arrangements to not call on a student unless we work
out a signal between us and then the child is aware of my expectations.
Children with disabilities are slower at processing information, so while some kids are
processing an answer, some are still processing the question. He showed how silly it was to
use a bribe or to take privileges away in order to get kids who cant do something to try
harder. Another mistake teachers can make is blaming the victim if the child is not trying hard
enough which speaks to motivation, such as when they were doing an activity of seeing a
photo and perceiving the picture, but some could not do it. I really thought it was clever how
he accepted the answer I dont know, so that students have the ability to pass if they cant
answer. I will use many of these strategies in my own classroom remembering the feeling of
the frustration and anxiety I felt while watching the participants in this video.
Fairness doesnt mean equal for all kids; I think kids should get what they need, even if we
have to treat them differently. I believe focusing on students strengths, and not weakness is a
wonderful plan. They need us to be informed with the best possible approaches to suit all
students, to allow them to grow, and progress.

Sample of Three Behavioral Observation Techniques

Sample 1. Anecdotal observation
October 13, 2013
I was driving home from church at 11:45 a.m. on highway 247 in La Salle, Manitoba I was
heading southeast. The sun was bright and the sky was clear, the road conditions were good.
I was not wearing my sunglasses. I came to a stop sign and then turned left onto highway
330, there was a car following me which turned out to be a police car, he turned on his lights
and I pulled over along the right side curb. The officer approached my car he asked me for my
licence; I did not have my purse with me. I responded and told him that I did not have my
licence with me because it was in my wallet, which was in my purse, which was at my home.
He told me that my signal light was not working, and asked me to provide the vehicle
registration. I reached into the cars glove box to get the papers and gave them to the officer.
He looked them over then told me to continue to drive home as he would follow behind me to
my home in order to retrieve my licence. When I reached home I went into my house to get
my licence, returned to the police man and gave it to him. He told me the importance of
always having my licence in the car at all times, and he would be writing up, and serving me a
ticket for that reason. He went into his car, wrote the ticket, and returned to give me the ticket.

Sample 2. Time Sampling

20 minutes to target someone in our classroom and report at 5 minute intervals
October 15, 2013
9:00 student sitting at desk listening while the professor gives the lecture
9:05 student fidgeting with a pen while listening to the professor
9:10 student leaning their head on their hand with elbow on desk
9:15 student has legs stretched way out under desk listening to the professor
9:20 student has his head on desk, eyes open, listening to the professor

Sample 3. Event Coding

October 15, 2013
Professor Skwarchuk 8:30 a.m. - 9:45 a.m. Class
Inclusive Approaches to Teaching Exceptional Students
The number of times Johnnie talks without raising his hand during the professors lecture

The number of times Johnnie kicks a classmate

The number of times Johnnie interrupts other students when they are talking

The number of times Johnnie gets out of his seat

One Page Review of Manitoba Education Resource Document

Towards Inclusion: A Handbook for Individualized Programming Designation,
Senior Years
In the document Towards Inclusion: A Handbook for Individualized Programing Designation,
Senior Years, it describes the Manitoba special education policies regarding senior years,
My understanding of individualized programming is that it is intended for students whose
cognitive disabilities are so significant that they do not benefit from participating in curricula
developed or approved by Manitoba Education and Training. Each student will have goals
and outcomes that are identified in advance in documents named Independent Education
Plans (IEP) and/or Individual Transition Plans (ITP). The students are expected to meet these
objectives according to their individual learning requirements. Students who do not need to
have the curriculum modified by 50 per cent or more and are still having trouble may be
candidates for a modified program. Students with IEPs do not write provincial exams or
tests, and their marks are reported on the same report card as used for other students.

The support system that must be in place for the Individual program to run smoothly is an in
school team consisting of principals, teachers, resource and guidance, teaching assistants,
parents, and other supports can include clinicians, community workers, and psychologists. It
is critical that this team have administrative support and leadership at both the school, and
divisional level. The support team is responsible for the program, and all members have input
and are in collaboration for the student. The in school team reviews the IEP/ ITP and creates
an individual timetable with strategies, and evaluates the progress on an ongoing basis.
As a vocational teacher my specialty area is in the senior years program. In vocational
training students are in a lab environment with a minimum of 50 % of the time spent on
performance tasks. During my practicum I have encountered a couple of students with special
needs in the cosmetology program. I was told that one student with an IEP had outcomes
concentrating only on correct handling and use of brushes, combs, and curling irons. Another
student had a modified program and was not following the same performance outcomes as
other students, she needed more time to complete the assignments, and was not assessed
with the same measurements. I believe inclusion in a vocational setting is achievable with
some very creative strategies, and commitments from all educational partners.

Summary of an Interview with a Resource Specialist

Ms. Linda Callaway

Resource Teacher
Sturgeon Heights Collegiate
2665 Ness Ave,
M3J 1A5 Tel: 204-888-0684
I had a very nice conversation with Linda Callaway who is a resource teacher in the Sturgeon
Heights Collegiate where I do some substitute teaching for the Hairstyling department. Linda
had been teaching in a regular classroom for 7 years before she decided to go back to school
full time and 20 years ago that meant going back to school for 1 more year to do a post
baccalaureate, and she has been working as a resource teacher ever since.
Linda works with students, teachers, parents, and social agencies with regards to IEP, BIP,
ALP, and ITPs. On a daily basis she meets with funded students, and non-funded which she
said takes up even more of her time than funded. She checks in with them on a regular basis
to make sure things run smoothly. She has done team teaching in the past but not for long, as
the case loads were too heavy that particular year for her to be in a classroom. She said that
every day/week/year her job is not the same and it all depends on the students.
Linda said the most rewarding part of her job is the students, and assisting them towards their
goals. The challenges are many, because in a team of people everyone comes to the table
with different ideas, therefore it is not easy to be in agreement, and with people being busy
theres many scheduling conflicts, also not easy to accommodate all involved.
Linda talked about this field as having a high turnover in that it is a very stressful position and
can be very frustrating in dealing with all of the politics working with many different agencies.
She feels in 5 years there may be changes to the program in there being more graduates
from special education because there is a high need for resource teachers. She knows of
many people on stress leave and she has even considered it herself recently.
Vocational education works well with the high school student with special needs because it
allows the opportunity to explore possible career choices just as regular students. She feels
that vocational teachers are not always open to having a student with special needs in their
classrooms for the obvious reasons of safety, but with adaptations there is always a way.

One Special Education Selection of My Choice

The Winnipeg Regional Health Authority (WRHA) provides training in URIS group B health
care needs to school staff on an annual basis. They shared knowledge and the skills required
for emergency responses to anaphylaxis, asthma, seizure disorders, diabetes, cardiac
conditions, bleeding disorders, and steroid dependent conditions. As a substitute teacher I
feel it is important to attend the training as we are responsible for all children in our care in
loco parentis. I attended the training session on Thursday November 14, 2013 at the Louis
Riel School Division, where Claudette a community healthcare nurse from the St. Boniface/
St. Vital area was the trainer.
In Manitoba, all students have the right to an education; this is guaranteed under the Public
Schools Act which also supports Manitobas Philosophy of Inclusion in where every individual
has a right to feel accepted, valued, and safe.
The Manitoba Public School Act section 41(1) Every school board shall
(b.1) ensure that each pupil enrolled in a school within the jurisdiction of the school board is
provided with a safe and caring school environment that fosters and maintains respectful and
responsible behaviours;
Also in section 47.3 Anaphylaxis policy
Each school board must develop an anaphylaxis policy to meet the needs of pupils who have
diagnosed anaphylaxis. The policy must also meet any requirements prescribed by
regulation under The Education Administration Act.
As a member of the Manitoba Teachers Society the Code of professional practice states:
1.

A members first professional responsibility is to her or his students.

The benefits of in loco parentis to the students in our charge with relation to
Bronfenbrenners Ecological System theory is that the relationship between teacher and
student is extremely important in child development. At the microsystem and mesosystem
level, like a parent, caring teachers and a supportive school environment can have a huge
positive impact on a childs development, when helping to reassure students that their wellbeing and safety is a top priority. I believe any kind of meaningful involvement helps to
strengthen the relationship between the structures and is valuable for all involved.

Self-Reflection
The course Inclusive approaches to
teaching exceptional students has been
extremely valuable to me as a teacher. The
current information provided by the course
has been relevant as whole and not only
for certain aspects of teaching exceptional
students. The key thing I have learned in
this course is that I have been given a very
good understanding of Special Education
in Manitoba, starting with the Inclusive
policy which provides exceptional students
the opportunity to learn alongside their
peers. It is possible to meet students
unique needs by accommodation,
differentiated instruction and/ or alternative
assessment strategies for the student to
succeed academically. It was important to identify all the terms and become familiar with the
amount of modification that is acceptable before the step towards an IEP. Reassuringly I will
be part of a support team in providing a written plan which describes the individual students
goals. It identifies learning expectations that are modified from the expectations given in the
curriculum policy document that I must work within..
I made some new discoveries in going into this course, I assumed there was one structure in
place for special education classrooms and that resource teachers were the only ones
involved in that process, to find out I will be contributing has been an amazing eye opener. To
be informed of certain disorders, and the symptoms, was extremely useful in understanding
the red flags, and as well to have education in the intervention plans necessary.
The strategies for observations were wonderful first steps in figuring out where to begin. The
paper work required was intimidating at first glance, but in fact a very good part of the course
was exposure to understanding the documents needed for the specific funding available.

All aspects of this course will be useful when I am teaching; I feel this course has given me
the tools to produce a much needed confidence with regards to inclusive education. If I had to
pick one part that contributed to the confidence it would be learning about the different
theories of child development. It is reassuring to know I have the backing of many research
models such as Bronfenbrenners Ecological Structure theory, and Vygotskys Zone of
Proximal Development which are proven in their area.
What stands out for me is there is no one perfect approach and its up to me to find what will
work. Ive learned that effective teaching requires patience and flexibility. Teachers need to
adjust plans because students respond differently to various instruction and assessment.
In creating a positive learning environment one of my strengths is using a strategy to structure
the physical environment, to create a climate of learning. I understand the comfort and
safety that should be addressed within the classroom for exceptional children.
When it comes to a partnership with parents, I am aware of the concerns that most parents
have, and being a parent, I am able to relate to them. Not to say that you have to be a parent
to form a bond, I believe just having genuine affection for the student in your charge is
enough to impart to parents. I understand the importance in providing the best possible
environment for children with special needs, and I consider their input as valuable insight.
Before learning can take place, meeting a basic need of support, is critical to success in the
classroom, I feel it is important to make myself available as someone who is able to help,
whether it is in the role of a teacher or as someone on hand to listen.
One of my strengths is my desire to be a constant learner, while focusing on being more
effective and productive. The ability to learn and adapt is important to me, in bringing my
ideas to the profession. There are so many variables when it comes to teaching that we must
have a well prepared yet flexible plan to be successful. An ideal environment would be that
educators are continually provided with resources to attend education workshops to gain the
most recent material.
I would love to receive an A mark for this work, because of the energy involved and the time
consuming nature of the project, but it has been to my advantage to explore the research, as I
have received such useful and important information in these course teachings. The value to
effectively apply what I have learned from your classroom goes beyond the mark received