Personalized learning

This week I was given the task of writing a "reflection on the role personalized learning plays in special education today, how you see it being addressed in tomorrow's world, and reasons to justify your opinions."

As I was reading up on the role personalized learning plays in special education today a few different contents got my attention, Finland's response to special education, the National Center of Learning Disabilities web page, and how one of my colleagues has been using personalized learning for his students in special needs. When I was watching Finland's way to respond to special education a few things in particular really popped out at me.First they said that the help students receive is so common that students who don’t get a little extra help. That the try to detect issues at an earlier stage, theys say that earlier detection is key, that a lot of issues could be resolved if the child was detected earlier. The other part that really got my attention was when they talked about who was involved in the care of a child, the principle, a special ed teacher, a school nurse, psychologist, and the classroom or subject teacher. I think that kind of help is crucial to the success of any student, especially that of a special need student. The third thing that got my attention in the time put in the student. The teachers met with each other twice a month for each child, they plan out a detailed personal plan for their education. The plan put out for learning sounds amazing. To have teachers sit around and discuss how and what can and should be done to help the students using attainable and measurable ways. It brings to mind the old saying “It takes a village to raise a child.”

Using the National Center of Learning Disabilities I found out what a personalized learning plan looks like and what it includes and benefits of a PLP. I found that learning plans include competency-based progressions, flexible learning environments, project based learning, learner profiles, blended or online learning, and personal learning paths. This helped me understand what it entails and what it could look like in a class. This last year our Special Education teacher asked how I would feel if I would try out integrating a student who has a developmental and learning disability into my art and drama class. I said that I would love to and we worked on what the expectations were for him, since this is his first time to be integrated into a regular class we used project based learning for him as well as flexible learning environments. And from that experience I can see what the National Center of Learning Disabilities is saying the benefits are. The site says that it increases student engagement and achievement, Encourages growth mindset, builds decision-making and self-advocacy skills, reduces the stigma of special education, and gives students who think differently multiple ways to show what they have learned. In the experience I saw the part of reducing stigma and gave the student more chances to be engaged and achieve the same standards that the other students achieved. I would meet with his special needs teacher once a cycle to touch base and could hear what the plan for him was.

The last thing that gave me some understanding, was as I reflect on my own opinion on personalized learning was my coworker, the special education teacher. How I have seen him use personalized learning plans and goals has been inspiring. I have seen his students, that in some societies are seen as a burden, grow with skills that others might not have seen because of his use of a personal growth plan, helping them achieve goals that they plan together. And with what I’ve seen him do in his class, the information about Finland's program, and National Center of Learning Disabilities website, I see that using a personalized learning is the future of education! I think this is the future of education. But, not just for special education, instead for all students. Just like in Finland a student would be considered special if a student has not used extra help that is available. Think about it, wouldn’t it be great if the future of our education, took a page out of the special needs program, valuing each student and planning a way for the child to succeed the goals that have been set out in front of them. As the success rate increases as more students achieve, I can see the main stream starting to use the same techniques.