Reference no: EM133317248

Question: You are a student teacher fulfilling the practicum requirements for your teaching certification. You have been placed at a middle school under the supervision of a PE teacher with 25 years experience. During your initial observations (for the first two weeks) you notice a trend in the way the teacher manages kids with disabilities. Each time an activity is introduced that is not suitable for those particular students, the teacher simply instructs the Education Assistants (the support staff that assist in the education and care of students with special needs) to "just go and do something else for a while!" When he was challenged by an EA regarding a certain activity during your first week of observation, the teacher quite certainly made it known that he is the teacher and that the EAs are "to do what I say!" Accordingly, the EAs do lead the kids with special needs toward other activities. However, you observe the EAs either allow their students to sit and watch the other students engaged in the activity or they engage in rudimentary physical activities that do not satisfy the lesson objectives and/or overall goals for physical education. After the initial observations you begin to lead the class instruction. You intend to include all students in the activities which you plan to modify as needed. Yet, each time you introduce a challenging activity (and the recommended modifications), your supervisor steps in and, again, directs the EAs to "go and do something else for a while!" He takes you aside after one of the classes and explains to you that "including those kids makes it much more difficult for the others to excel.

They have to play down to the lowest common denominator rather than be challenged by their peers of equal ability. Besides, most of those kids with problems won't be playing sports anyway! And if they get hurt ... Well, then I have to deal with their parents who want little "Suzy" to be normal when it is clear that she is not!" What is morally at stake? How ought you to respond to your supervising teacher?

Should you abdicate responsibility to those students and follow your supervisor's lead/directive? Should you advocate for those students and challenge the status quo?

How does your position of student-teacher and your dependence on the supervisor for your completion of the teacher certification process weigh into this case?