Eric Flores earned his Education Specialist Instruction Credential with a specialization in mild/moderate disabilities from the Teacher Education Program. He is moving next to San Marcos High School, where he has accepted a special education teaching position.
GGSE: What drew you to teaching?
Flores: I didn’t realize I wanted to be a teacher until I started coaching wrestling. I was an assistant wrestling coach for Santa Barbara High School from 2015 to 2019, and it was such a great experience! Through teaching technique and organizing and leading workouts, observing student athletes grow and push themselves beyond their perceived limits was rewarding. I realized that I was able to effectively foster positive relationships with parents, teachers/counselors, and student athletes in support of their goals. I saw the positive impacts that I had and that wrestling had on these students' lives and saw myself as an effective teacher.
GGSE: Why did you choose to become a special education teacher and to specialize in mild to moderate support needs?
Flores: During undergrad (summer of 2018), I volunteered for a local non-profit called PeerBuddies, which is a summer camp for kids with disabilities. I worked with kids with autism, and cerebral palsy on social skills, such as joining group activities, reciprocating conversations, and coping skills, to name a few. My ability to apply ABA (Applied Behavioral Analysis) techniques and strategies to support their goals was rewarding. This year was the first year TEP facilitated a Special Education (SPED) mild/moderate program. During the interviewing process and based on my experience, Dr. Amber Moran and the SPED staff recruited me for the newly added mild/moderate program. Looking back throughout my TEP experience, I now realize that I was best suited to manage a variety of behavioral issues for students with mild/moderate disabilities by fostering positive relationships, which is paramount for these students.
GGSE: Tell us about your placements. What are some important takeaways from your time in the classroom? Any standout memories/valuable experiences?
Flores: My first placement was at Kellogg Elementary School. It was my first experience working with elementary aged students and I loved it! This unique opportunity helped me realize how important it was for these students to learn how to read at this developmental stage, because I saw the effects of the educational gap that grew once they transitioned to middle school. During my time at Kellogg Elementary School, I facilitated small group instruction using Direct Instruction curriculum for students requiring the extra support in the resource room. My duties also included “pushing into” the general education classrooms to support our students, collect data for particular students, and collaborate with general education teachers. I would say my takeover practicum was the most worthwhile experience. For two weeks, I was the head teacher and responsible for the daily schedule of 7 paraeducators, case management for 26 students, and communication with parents at the end of the day. Needless to say, I learned a lot about my own strengths and stretches when it came to facilitating a resource room.
My second placement was at La Colina Junior High School. It was at the secondary level where I found my niche. My CT [Cooperating Teacher], Nathan, facilitated a Reading Interventions class that was for students who needed extra support in reading. I was also involved in co-teaching an 8th grade English college preparatory class with my CT and the English teacher. The first two periods of the day, I co-taught and led a “writing into the day” followed by a classroom discussion once a week. This was a unique experience for me as it allowed me to observe and participate in a co-taught model and engage with students outside of my caseload. During my time in Reading Foundations, I facilitated a small reading intervention group where we focused on decoding and phonemic awareness skills. The reason I say “I found my niche” is because I was able to construct lesson plans that were individualized to support their needs all the while implementing evidence-based classroom management strategies. I was making headway with students who were considered “at-risk” or “difficult to work with,” allowing them access to the general education curriculum through reading, and the students enjoyed coming to my small group!
GGSE: How were your placements affected by COVID-19?
Flores: In my co-taught English class, the majority of students came to class; however, there were some WHO just stopped coming. The English teacher tried reaching out to them through their school email, through their parents’ email, etc., with limited success. This class went from two 55-minute in-person periods per day to a 30-minute period every other day. The workload was condensed and/or modified to accommodate the rapid change.
In my Reading Foundations class, attendance was cut in half. My CT made efforts to contact these students and/or their parents with limited success. So, with 3-4 students consistently showing up, we did our best. I led a lesson plan for these students to write a creative writing piece. This was a fun and engaging unit that the students really enjoyed and we enjoyed reading their stories. These students met twice a week for one hour.
What this pandemic has revealed are some of the inequalities in our educational system. Some students, especially those with positive support systems in place, were able to transition to the distance learning platform with ease. Other students had a more challenging time to consistently attend class for various reasons, such as a lack of consistent internet connection and familial roles and expectations (e.g. taking care of younger siblings), to name a few.
GGSE: What's next? What do you hope to do after earning your credential?
Flores: I have recently accepted a SPED teaching position at San Marcos (SM) High School. Because of my experience as a coach in high school wrestling, I will also be assisting with SM’s wrestling team, which I am psyched for!
GGSE: What piece of advice would you pass on to future students in the Gevirtz School?
Flores: Be ready for an intense year and take on opportunities that challenge you to learn about yourself and your teaching. Get to know your students! Building positive student relationships is the best way to create “buy-in” into their education.
GGSE: Is there anyone in the Gevirtz School you would like to thank?
Flores: I would like to give a special thanks to Amber and Emily [Evanstein, TEP teaching associate], who were a great team throughout this whole experience and displayed the utmost professionalism and flexibility when we transitioned to the distant learning platform. Their ability to problem solve and collaborate with me and my colleagues on a variety of teaching scenarios gave me the confidence that I was in good hands and could rely on their sound advice.
GGSE: What is one of your favorite memories of your graduate school experience?
Flores: My favorite memories were every Friday when our cohort came together during seminar to discuss our placements and go over general concerns about teaching. Friday seminar offered us the opportunity to reflect and consult with our colleagues and supervisors in a non-judgmental space. I will definitely miss Friday seminar!
GGSE: In lieu of an in-person ceremony, how are you celebrating your graduation?
Flores: Just enjoying my summer by backpacking portions of the Los Padres National Forest, biking, running, and relaxing at the beach.