OACS News Service

Special education teacher focuses on strengths of students
Heritage school introduces position to meet needs of families
Friday October 9, 2009 -- Michelle Strutzenberger
Sheri Harbridge says she believes every child has areas of strength that are God given, and it is with this perspective that she is approaching her new role as a special education resource teacher at Heritage Christian School in Lindsay.

“It is an awesome privilege to be a special education resource teacher,” Harbridge tells OACS News.

“My role as an educator is to develop (the) strength (of my students) and encourage them to use their strength to bless their classmates, schoolmates, family, church and community.”

With more than 17 years of teaching experience, Harbridge says one of the biggest changes she has observed is the increasing levels of anxiety in children.

While speculation is ongoing about why anxiety levels are on the rise, Harbridge is striving to help the children in her programs become more at peace by “listening, caring and teaching to their particular level.”

Helping them identify their strengths and see themselves as special from God’s perspective is also important for creating a greater sense of confidence in children, she says.

“I strive to show them where their strengths are as a learner and their unique giftedness that God has blessed them with.”

Heritage Christian School has introduced the part-time special education resource role this year in order to meet the needs of existing families, according to principal Kim Bolton.

“We haven’t had a resource teacher for the last couple of years but we felt there was enough demand to go ahead with that,” says Bolton.

“I think our board really saw (that) . . . to keep existing families, we need to be able to meet the needs of their students better.”

About 10 students are part of the special education resource programming.

Harbridge says the field of special education has changed dramatically over the years, with the biggest asset being the technological advances available to many students.

“Technology can open the window of opportunity for students who struggle with reading, writing and math,” she says, noting there are programs which can help organize essays, give word cues for those who struggle with spelling, help with reading, as well as provide a myriad of other supports.

Developments in brain research have also had an impact on special education programming, revealing that many students are affected by neurological challenges resulting from brain injury, environment and social issues, which can have a profound effect on their learning abilities.

“We need to continue to learn more about these children, and the strategies of teaching academic and social skills to them,” says Harbridge, noting the traditional approach has tended to see all behaviour as a choice of the child that requires correction.

Brain research has also shown that children are very visual learners today, possibly the result of TV and video games, and there is a need for teachers to adjust their methods to meet these differences in learning styles.

But most important for helping students succeed is the need to create a loving and accepting environment in the classroom, says Harbridge.
 
“It is important for children to know they are loved, accepted and needed.  My desire is to see each and every child succeed and see their self worth in Christ.”  

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