So, very last reflections on an amazing experience. The last day was bittersweet for me. One student brought me a little present in a gift bag, an ornament plus a small candle! Our favorite juvenile delinquent who has to be walked through the hallways by an adult sang a little song to "Deck the Halls" that went something like "Dr. Leah has to walk me to class, Fa La La..." I handed out business cards (they were very impressed!) and a flier to our local community Christmas dinner in case they wanted to attend. I got a hug from the special ed teacher (and a gift!).
Overall, though, what did I learn? I learned about the difficulties of taking one-point-in-time assessments and making sense of those without really "knowing" the students. I learned about the issues, positives and negatives, of working with paraprofessionals, particularly those who have been in the field a long time. I watched a special-general education pair work together, and reflected on that within the context of what we know about team-teaching. I was able to see how curriculum and instruction can work within an overarching system, or how teachers plan within the context of other general education classes. I was able to see the growth and development of a new program, and how that played out with personalities involved. Overall, I the experience was an unparalleled opportunity to look at what we discuss in theory, in practice. I was so very lucky to be given the gift of a genuine involvement with children, their teachers, and their community.
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