All students do have the ability to learn. I am a special education teacher and I have seen many different types of students and different types of learners from students labeled SLD to FMD. All of the students who have special needs are able to learn and have learned something while working with me. It might not be core concepts or even to use the bathroom independently but, all of these students are able to learn. Teachers have a great influence on the learning process and capacity to which students are able to learn. For example, if students are put in a room and are expected to “hang out” all day without access to curriculum or even life skills then they will not learn much and what they will learn they will pick up from conversations or their surrounding environment. On the other hand, if teachers are able to meet students at their ability level and teach them in ways they are able to process and understand then those students will be able to learn many different skills and information sets. Students capacity to learn is a lot about their ability level, but all students have the capacity to learn it just depends on the knowledge presented and how that knowledge is presented. The fact that all students have the capacity to learn makes my instruction in my classroom more student based. I always assess what my students know and then how they best learn and work on teaching them important and relevant information that is taught in a way they are interested in and can understand.
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As Special Education teachers, I think we are the proof that everyone can learn! Like you said, it's not always necessarily the same kinds of learning for each person, but those definite progressive steps are a sign that when given the tools, each student has the potential to excel beyond expectations.
ReplyDeleteI agree that everyone has the capacity to learn and that this is nurtured by many along the way- including teachers. I also think that while everyone has a capacity to learn the way that they learn and the strengths that they have may be different but this does not change their capacity- does this make sense?
ReplyDeleteSarah,
ReplyDeleteI agree with your statement presenting the knowledge students need in order to learn. I agree it needs be presented in the way they can understand according to thier learning styles. I think it starts with taking the time to know your students. I agree that every student has the ability to learn.