Jake Fishbain

Special Education LBSI Integrated Reflection III

December 12, 12

Phase III is quickly coming to a close as I approach my final semester at the University of Illinois in the LBSI program. There are a number of things Ive learned this semester pertaining to every realm of communication among professionals and families, as well as between teacher and student. I can honestly say that, while it was not my first choice of placement by any means, nor my preference, I have learned more at Central High School in the functional life skills program than I have in any previous placements. We always hear that our least preferenced placement, phase III, will grow to become what we love. While this did not exactly happen to me, I learned and grew so much as an individual through the relationships formed. Just recently I have realize how real teaching and interspersed relationships can be. Finding the line between coworker and friend is very hard especially when the person we are discussing makes it such. I have tried my hardest to create lasting and trusting relationships with the paraprofessionals in this placement as well as the teachers, yet sometimes contradicting ideas make that very difficult. I do believe having these experiences really shaped me as a professional in that I will surely see them in the future and have to deal with them in different roles as I progress through my professional career. Another very eye-opening experience in regards to comparing a life skills classroom to an academic or behavior one as I have experienced before is the realm of assessment. My experiences placed my in two vocational settings this semester, one nursing home, and one at the Champaign public library. Assessment for these students really occurred through the maintenance and generalization of skills in their respective

Jake Fishbain

Special Education LBSI Integrated Reflection III

December 12, 12

settings as opposed to a written test or spelling vocabulary words. This type of assessment seemed really applicable to their settings and I can even wrote about foreseeing one of the students in a restaurant business as he move up through his skills and acquisition. Watching these students strive to succeed and flourish at their own unique skills and mindsets was absolutely boggling and unbelievably exciting for me at the same time. At our last seminar we were asked to share our favorite parts of the semester. I think that may have been my hardest assignment yet. I would like to leave this reflection sharing two more of my most memorable and compelling stories, one regarding each of my students. The first involves the girl who works at the library. She has a behavior plan yet is one of the most advanced academically in the FLS classroom. One of her diehard interests is Star Wars. One day, after completing work at the library, she checked out a Star Wars Alphabet Book. Just days later, the entire succession was memorized, and this once shy subdued girl was reciting Anakin-Z-falcon on the public bus! The next story comes at the nursing home where my other student clears the breakfast tables and resets for lunch. My supervisor was observing so I was conversing with her prior to the normal routine when the student comes out and has me help him tie his apron. All in one instance, DL came out and I paused conversation to help him. Looking away from my supervisor, I turned toward him only to see a smile from ear to ear. We had used twisty-ties from county market to help hold the loops together for tying a bow in the past, but this time I looked down to see a perfect tied bow without ties. Speechless, DL brought me back to reality saying, Mr. Fishbain, its time to start.