Running head: PHILOSOPHY OF SPECIAL POPULATIONS 1

Philosophy of Special Populations

Bailey R. Swindle

Paris Junior College

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Philosophy of Special Populations

In the world of education, there are so many things one must consider. Being an educator

is one of the most difficult jobs there is, and a lot of the time, this is not acknowledged. One of

the reasons this job comes with so many challenges is because of the variety of students in the

classroom. These ‘varieties’ are referred to as the special populations, which include the gifted

and talented, special education, homeless students, English Language Learners, and more. Being

an educator you must accommodate to every student you have, even if it means going an extra

mile for the ones who fall under these categories.

One of the special populations is the gifted and talented, which are students who

demonstrate high performance in academics and arts. These students require a program more

advanced than the regular curriculum. Just like students with disabilities need accomodations,

students who show they are on this level also need help as well. Gifted and talented students

need an outlet and a teacher who can help them explore things beyond the regular classroom.

These students are usually placed in a program where they are pulled from their regular class in

elementary, and are placed in advanced and AP classes in high school. It would be damaging to

not give those who fit in this category a place to express themselves and learn in an environment

built specifically for them and for their success.

As mentioned before, another special population is special education. Special Education

is provided to students who have exceptional needs, such as students with intellectual and

developmental disabilities. Special education is very broad and challenging, because each

student in this category is coming with a unique disability and degree of it. Students who fall
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under this category range from students with dyslexia all the way to students with autism. The

goal is always success, and placing the student somewhere where they will succeed, whether that

be in a special education class, a regular education class with an aid or accomodations, or being

mainstreamed, where they spend some of their time in both regular and special educations

classes. This is also where least restrictive environment comes in to play, which is one of the

most critical decisions to be made. As stated before, the goal will always be to place these

students in an environment where they will learn and be successful.

One of the most important things an educator will do in their classroom is build

relationships with their students. Truly knowing those you spend everyday with and creating a

bond with them will make everything else fall into place. With this being said, this is what will

make the difference when it comes to students who are homeless. Teachers should first and

foremost try to stabilize the needs of the child. Without basic needs being met, the student will

never be able to learn the way they should. Teachers can aid in this by providing things the

student needs, such as clothing and food. The next goal is to create an environment where the

student feels safe and be someone who the student will confide in. The students in this category

have enough struggles outside of school, so an important thing to remember for the teacher

should always be to alleviate any in-school conflicts.

Finally, another group under the special populations are those in the English Language

Learners. These students are those that come from backgrounds and homes where English is not

their first language. To learn in schools in America, knowing the english language is a must, and

without it, education would be a nearly impossible. These learners have accommodations and
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specialized teachers to help them learn english and with their school work to be as successful as

they can be.

Each group discussed all include individuals to be truly admired. Special populations

students work twice as hard as students in regular education classrooms. They work through

disabilities and trials while also completing their school work. As educators, it is our job to make

sure these students are successful, no matter what. Teachers should be advocators, mentors, and

friends. We must teach the standards, but the job most definitely does not end there.
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