Special Education Reflection

This reflection paper aims to use the knowledge that I have gained from the course and to use this knowledge to support students in the classroom as a special education assistant. This paper describes the information that I have learned, what I learned significant and how it improved my personality. It also analysis the influence of learning, my feelings, and my future goals. Moreover, the purpose of this essay is to reflect on my experience and skills gained during the course and learning outcomes.

From the beginning of the class, I expected to learn about the brain and various types of teaching and learning strategies, which mainly focuses on the brain and how learning can develop. I thought to use various teaching and learning methods in

It is so amazing that I gained a lot of insight into the brain parts such as cerebrum, brain stem, diencephalon, and cerebellum. I noticed that “Cerebellum is the main part of the brain which processes much of our learning” (Jensen, 2008, p.16). Moreover, I have greatly sharpened my critical thinking skills. Instead of focusing on brain and memory, I have learned how to implement the strategies of brain-based learning as an education assistant. For instance, pre-exposure is the first stage in brain-based learning which provides the brain with an overview of the new learning. “When prior learning is activated, the brain is much more likely to make connections to the new material” (Jensen, 2008,

There are several tools, methods, and tests which can help me to put my knowledge into practice. I would like to mention that before studying the course it was difficult for me to differentiate between visual, tactile, auditory and kinesthetic learners. when I did the VAKT test, it describes me as a visual and tactile learner. I become familiar with my learning strategies. Now, I can apply this test to differentiate learners according to their preferences. This test provides me guidance that visual learners learn best by seeing through images, auditory learners prefer learning through speaking and listening, tactile learners need to touch the things, and kinesthetic learners consider body movement is the best way for the learning. As an SEA, I can use this tool for better understanding of the learner’s learning style. However, knowledge of the human brain makes me able to support students in the classroom. For instance, as I studied that input begins from our senses and then routed to the thalamus, followed by the amygdala. Later, information is sent to the hippocampus, which will organize, and connect the memories with cortex for long-term storage. This understanding shows me that “all parts of the brain work together” (Stenberg college, 2016, p.11). When the students use their all five senses, the opportunity for learning increases and brain processes more information. By