Culturally responsive practices are often integrated only at a surface level in special education. Brief professional development sessions leave educators with an incomplete understanding, which is insufficient to address the complex needs of students from marginalized communities. Without deeper systemic changes, these efforts risk being more performative than impactful.
Tag: Special Education
Teacher Feature: Celebrating Khadijah Putney-Blanton: A Beacon of Light in Special Education
"I was blessed to be able to see ALL sides of teaching, even coming in on weekends to my mama’s school to help her prep for the week. Of course, I saw the challenges too but to see the joy that you can put on a child’s face made it all meaningful."
Spotlight on Excellence – Celebrating Ibijoke Idowu-Holiday’s Impactful Journey in Education
Ibijoke Idowu-Holiday's journey from a young tutor to a special education teacher in Seattle Public Schools showcases her unwavering dedication to equitable education. Her innovative use of assistive technology and commitment to family and community involvement highlight her approach to inclusive learning. Ibijoke's advocacy for high expectations and equitable opportunities for all students, especially those marginalized, underlines the transformative power of education. Her story is a beacon of inspiration, urging us to support and celebrate the profound impact of dedicated educators.
Revolutionizing Education: Bridging the Divide with Virtual Science Labs
Many special education students are pushed out of science classes, which can have dire consequences for their future success. With virtual science labs, we can provide a safe and accessible environment for these students to engage in science experiments, just like their peers. This not only helps to improve their academic performance but also provides a sense of inclusion and belonging, which is essential for their overall well-being.
I don’t want a pat on the back! We need to be upset!
While I enjoy acknowledgment and I strive to be the very best educator that I can be. I wanted people to read these words and be upset. I know that a lot of what I said did not fit the overall theme of the article, and what is written is real but a little sugar-coated. That is not a knock against writer Jamie Swenson, with who I had some very positive conversations. This is an article highlighting the fact that UW helped put me in a position to fight inequity that our Black and Brown students experience.
We demand change!
We want to connect equity to every component of Education. That only happens if we are willing to eliminate ineffective support strategies our children receive and build the elements necessary to create a positive, systematic approach to equitable Education for all students.
Thoughts Processed: Special Education – Social & Emotional Learning
Discussing Special Education and the need to change how we approach Social & Emotional Learning.
Thoughts Processed 