My Learning Portfolio

  My name is Simona Gulyas and I am a fairly new Ontario Certified Teacher. I finished teachers’ college in 2022 and this past September, I was offered a full-time contract in grade 2. Previously, I did do an LTO as an itinerant, and before that a grade 6/7 LTO. The principal at that time, gave me a Teacher’s Performance Appraisal and had mentioned that taking an AQ course in Special Education would benefit my teaching practice. We had many students with varying needs at the school, and many on IEP’s. This was something that was still very new to me. In school, we touched on IEP’s and special education, but we did not dive very deep into it. Knowing the many needs within our schools, I knew that this course would be beneficial for me as a new teacher. The reason I took this course was to learn more about how to write and support students with IEP’s, along with learning when to determine when a student may need an IEP. Looking at the various case studies, collaborating with my pee...

  All students are unique and have special qualities that make them who they are. Supporting inclusion  in the classroom means to celebrate these qualities and find ways to express them within the classroom  community. It “goes beyond merely placing students with disabilities into mainstream  classrooms: it embraces diversity as a fundamental strength of our educational system. Inclusive  education  embodies the principle that every learner deserves equal opportunities to succeed  academically  and socially, regardless of physical, cognitive, or socio-economic differences” (Inclusive  Education Canada, 2024. para. 3) . Source for  Inclusive  Education is a great resource for all teachers to  use to learn how to implement positive  inclusive  practices. Inclusion is an asset in the classroom  because it strengthens student’s sense of  belonging and  their learning skills. Teachers can do this by  ...

  Depending on the needs of your classroom and the supports that your student’s need, will determine the community resources and supports you will collaborate within your classroom. The Ontario Teacher Federation (OTF) provides a list of a variety of community resources and partnerships that teachers can and families can utilize to support their student or child with an IEP. Currently, I do not have any IEPs in my grade 2 classroom. Due to the magnitude of services, I will touch briefly on ones that are utilized within my school community, based on our current student demographic and needs. In the Education Act it states that “every board of education in Ontario is required to have a Special Education Advisory Committee (SEAC)” (Austism, Ontario, n.d. para. 1). The people within the committee are representatives from local associations that work together to support the well-being of exceptional children. They make recommendations to boards of education about developing special...

  The Thames Valley District School Board has a great resource for supporting students and providing classroom strategies for a variety of exceptionalities and mental health concerns. In regards to a behavious exceptionality and promoting a positive behaviour among all students, it gives a variety of strategies to implement.  Bissonette, Steven. (2016). Behaviour and Classroom Management.  [Image]. LD.   Effective Behaviour Management for Students with LDs and Behavioural Disorders - LD@school I will list a few below: ·        Predictable schedules and consistent routines ·        Model respectful behaviour ·        Use clear and concise statements ·        Begin each day with a clean slate ·        Give transition warnings When dealing with physical or verbal behaviour problems: ·     ...

  This course has provided me with the confidence to support students in my future classrooms with specialized needs. Not only have I gained insight and knowledge on what to look for and things to consider, I have also had practice in creating and writing an IEPs. I had very limited knowledge on IEPs prior to, and collaborating with my peers who may also have more experience in this regard than me, helped me in seeing diverse perspectives and strategies that support students’ individual needs. I have learned different ways to differentiate instruction for my students so that they can learn in their best way. I learned that Universal Design for Learning ensures all students have equitable access to the curriculum and that students can still meet the learning expectations and still have choice and voice in their own learning. Not only does this promote engagement, it fosters better success for all students. Multiple modes of expression, engagement, and representation are necessary ...