Course registration is the inevitably stressful week long period during which students scramble to enroll in classes with the most engaging professors, the most manageable workload, or the most exciting subject matter.  Despite the chaos involved in figuring out how to work the "old-school" registration system that has a display screen resembling that of the world's very first computer, I was lucky enough to claim a spot in a course entitled Working with Families and Human Service Agencies.  

This class explores the dynamics of families with a child affected by special needs and the services available to them outside of the school.  I will learn about the impact a child with disabilities might have upon the family, the stages of acceptance experienced by parents, and available community supports.  One of the major class assignments involves locating such services in our local area.  

As a student studying special education, I oftentimes focus solely on what goes on in the classroom.  Does the child's IEP call for certain services?  What kind of accommodations might be useful?  What can I, as a future teacher, do to help the child succeed despite his or her disability?  In doing so, I sometimes forget about how important everything that goes on outside of the classroom is, especially the child's family.

Take for example, the parents who might be in denial of their child's disability.  Refusing to acknowledge that their student might need some extra help and special attention, they do not seek out services or, in extreme cases, refuse to accept them.  The student therefore struggles with his work, lagging further and further behind his classmates.

On the other hand, a parent who in fully involved in the child's education and who understands and accepts the implications of raising a child with disabilities might be more likely to pursue services that will be beneficiary.  They might be especially motivated to demand certain therapies or accommodations.

Parents are extremely important to the education of children.  Knowing this, I am extremely excited to take this course next year.  Being aware of this subject matter will help me to become a better special educator by being more understanding of the family dynamics I am working with and the services I might recommend to those parents and children who are struggling outside of my classroom.