Garrett Kheshtinejad

PSY-230 4/13/15
Reaction Paper # 7

Dr. Nash changed many of my own perspectives about education

and child development psychology. At the beginning of her
presentation, she began to explain her background and what exactly
had inspired her to become a school psychologist in the first place.
There was a manual that was handed around the classroom detailing
some of her job requirements as a psychologist; moreover, it outlined
the rights that all students have in the U.S educational system. If a

child is struggling with a disability, they have the right to receive the proper
accommodations regardless of the severity or nature of their handicap. They also
have a right to be treated on the same footing as those who are not considered
handicapped. A student with a learning disability may need modified testing
materials and or different testing formats1. It is the responsibility of the school
psychologist to advocate for the child when their individual needs are not being
met in the educational process.
When Dr. Nash was asked about her personal philosophies, she
stated simply that everyone has a right to a free and public education.
I would agree with this based on the cultural practices associated with
1 U.S Department of Education. The Civil Rights of Students with Hidden
Disabilities Under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (Washington, D.C. 2005)

the U.S educational system. However, I do not believe that all cultures
follow these same guidelines. For example, women who attend school in
Pakistan are being marginalized, because the dominant culture encourages women to
contribute to society only through developing basic skills in the home. Economic
status also contributes to this. This poses a problem; is education viewed as
a human right or as a cultural privilege? Ultimately, it will be up to future generations of
educators to answer this question. I do think it is important to understand that our social
norms are very different from other cultures in regards to education.
While it may seem simple enough to receive an education in the
United States, there are a number of parties involved in the process
which include: parents, teachers, principals, school administrators and
so on. I believe it is very important for a parent to be actively involved
in their childs education but this requires a lot of trust. I would hope
that any parent is genuinely concerned with what is going on with their
children while they are in school; furthermore, that they want to help
their child improve if he or she is struggling. Dr. Nash shared some
anecdotes that outlined how parents often do not want to accept that
their child is different from other normal students. However, as a
school psychologist, it is Dr. Nashs job to research and make sure
these students receive the same privileges and instruction as others. I
support this cause tremendously.
For example, there was a student at school who had no hair and
was bald based on a deficiency. The schools principal was in

disagreement with the school psychologist about him wearing a hat to

class. Dr. Nash expressed that this student was going through a unique
situation where something like wearing a hat would make him feel
more comfortable around his peers. She saw that he was trying to from
his own identity and did not want other students lashing out at him
making fun of his hair loss. While this situation seems rather mundane
compared to others, it is the simple things like this that go a long way
in a childs life.
Another thing that intrigued me in Dr. Nashs presentation was
when she was asked, What the most difficult part about her job was?
She replied, Time management. I could agree with this answer based
on what she explained prior in regards to working with caseloads and
such but this still caught me off guard. I imagined the emotional
contagions that occur between teacher and student as being more
difficult to manage. She explained how she had fought and cried with
parents and students but that she does not let this get in the way of
her daily job.
I have a lot of respect for Dr. Nash and her profession. She
described how working with children of all shapes and sizes could be
tremendously rewarding. While education in the United States differs
from education in other cultures, it is important for a child to have
access to it. Education broadens the students view of reality and

every child has a right to be treated equally regardless of disabilities

that may be physical or pertaining to cognitive development.