October is Disability History and Awareness Month, which aim to increase awareness and understanding of the contributions that people with disabilities in our state, nation, and the world have made to our society. Recognizing disability history also increases respect and promotes acceptance and inclusion of people with disabilities in schools and in all part of society.
In observation of disability awareness, we asked several teachers to answer a few questions to share their perspective about working with students in Special Education.
Heidi Schuler has been a Special Education teacher at Salk Middle School for 11 years.
What do you love most about working with students in Special Education?
I love seeing the overall growth and change that we get to witness from when a student arrives in middle school to when they are ready to go to high school. There is a ton of development that happens at this age!
What are the biggest challenges you have experienced in your position and how do you and your team overcome them?
The biggest challenge at the middle school level is knowing that kids can be different each and every day. They are deciding who they are going to be at this level, and it can be exhausting to keep up! Remembering that and giving them a fresh start each and every day is important!
As someone who works with and is an advocate for students with disabilities, what would you most like our community to know about your work and your students?
I think it is important for people to focus on what a student can do, rather than falling into complaining about what they can’t do. Every student has a starting point and if you just figure it out and start from there – you can help them make progress. It is especially important to remember that every student in middle school wants to feel included, involved and independent, and it is our job to help make that happen!