Why I Had to Develop a Unique Learner Profile to Meet the Needs of My Students
April 4, 2018
By: Sean Arnold
Source: EdSurge
As a special education teacher, I work with students who struggle academically. Many of them have a low tolerance for frustration—but the same kid who gives up after trying a math problem once will watch Super Mario fall into a hole a dozen times and try again a thirteenth time to get it right. Why is that? And why isn’t learning the same way?
This may sound like some trite aphorism, but every learner is unique. Working with students with special needs for over 13 years, I can attest that the adage, “If you’ve met one person with autism, you’ve met but one person with autism,” holds true about the individuality of all learners. I’ve learned that I need to know my students academically and personally so I can modify instruction to be as effective, engaging and rigorous as possible, so every year I craft personal learner profiles for my students that go beyond their IEP goals and basic personality surveys.