- The author was initially nervous about working closely with students who have learning disabilities but kept an open mind and prepared herself for challenges. - She worked with two first grade students, mainly on reading, and did assessments to track their progress. - The goal of the project was to provide one-on-one time and attention to students needing extra support, though the students worked with were not severely disabled. Each member worked with different teachers and grade levels. - At first the students were reluctant but became more comfortable, and with encouragement seemed motivated to improve weak areas. The experience taught the author different teaching strategies and that working with students with learning disabilities can be rewarding.

1. Give Real HelpAllison Carrollcallison2009@knights.ucf.eduApril 23, 2010EEX 4070

2. Early PerceptionsAt the beginning I was a little nervous about working so closely with student’s who have learning disabilities. Even though I am very comfortable working with students and I have been in contact with students who have disabilities, I have never tried to help them excel in school. So I thought this could be a difficult task.

3. I kept and open mind and heart and prepared myself for whatever was thrown my way. It did get easier as the class went along. I had to remind myself every week of all the things we have talked about over the course of the class.

4. Introduction to the Setting

5. Demographics

6. Personal DemographicsI am a full time student in the College of Education at UCF.I substitute teach during the day for elementary schools.I also work at Outback Steakhouse as a server.I love my family and friends. I try to spend as much timewith them as possible.I love being active and playing sports of all kinds.

7. Engagement ActivitiesI worked with two students inparticular in first grade, but also helped with the slow reading group as well.I started in February coming to the school every Tuesday for about an hour or an hour and a half.

8. I worked with my students mainly on reading. I would help them in different areas as needed, but they were really struggling in reading so that it where I wanted to help. I did reading assessments on them also to see if they had progressed.

9. How Get Real Help Started..My sister is in the Third grade at Real Life Christian Academy. So I have connections there through my parents. Also, Sara Wickham a fellow classmate has worked there for three years and encouraged us to work with the students there.They were more than happy to work with our Service Learning Group in getting into the classroom to gain experience with more challenging students.

10. The goal of our project was to go into the classrooms and provide one-on-one time to students who needed it.Although the children we worked with were not severely disabled by any means, as we have learned in the EEX 4070 course students with LD, or ADD are going to be apart of our future classrooms and experience with them is needed as well.

11. Participant DemographicsEach member of our group worked with different teachers and different grade levels..First GradeMs. Shirley (Heather & Sara)

12. Second GradeMs. Mills (Allison Love)

13. Fourth GradeMs. Stevens (Tiffany & Rebecca)

14. Fifth GradeMs. Perkins (Wendy)Ms. Dove (Sara)

15. Reflection of your ExperienceThe students seemed reluctant at first to want to work with me individually. But when they got more comfortable with me, things got better.With encouragement the students really seemed to want to work on their weak areas.Working with students who have a learning disabilities is the same as working with a student who doesn’t. I just think they needed a little more TLC to succeed.

16. Working with these students taught me a lot. I now know different teaching strategies to keep children's’ minds engaged. That was a hard task to over come because the students seemed so distracted all the time.I really do feel that things were accomplished over these two months with my students and I. Not only did we form a bond and successfully conquer reading skills, but I also learned that working with students who have a LD can be very rewarding.