In presenting my goals in regard to my career, I first must acknowledge that they are inextricably linked to my educational ambitions. The connection is not, of course, unusual; any trajectory in a field or career relies on such a grounding. At the same time, I cannot ignore the reality that my further study will likely take my career in directions not necessarily foreseen by me. I now know that I seek to pursue work in Special Education, and with an emphasis on those aspects of it addressing vision impairment in students. This is, in fact, the object of the doctorate study I desire to undertake. Nonetheless, given the inherent potential for education to introduce new ambitions, let me then constrain my goal to what I am committed to at the present, which is as thorough a doctorate-level foundation in Special Education as my abilities will allow, and one with a distinct focus on how vision issues impact on the field.
It would be agreeable, and also somewhat
convenient, if I could express just how my profound interest in Special
Education began and evolved. I can
assert confidently that the study of it at King Saud University, where I
obtained my Bachelor's degree in the subject of learning disabilities,
reinforced my commitment, So, too, have
the graduate courses I have undertaken in Vision Rehabilitation Therapy from
Western Michigan University strengthened my resolve, and attaining my Master's
has been yet another confirmation of my larger intent. Each class and each academic acknowledgment
has provided me with a form of internal support; engaging in the studies and
earning the recognition have validated the motivations going to their
commencement, and I have been privileged to receive truly exemplary instruction
and guidance while on this path.
Nonetheless, there was first inspiration of a kind, long before a book
was opened or a lecture attended. I
cannot isolate when and how this inspiration in me was originally
manifested. I can only know that, as far
back as I can recall, I have been drawn to exploring how Special Education has
evolved, what its real potentials are, and how I may be instrumental in advancing
it. Special Education is for me a calling,
I believe, much as educators and healthcare workers view their own careers as
expressions of who they are as human beings.
I may not be able to identify exactly how and where the ambition
developed, but I know it is in place, and I wish to make a difference in
Special Education.
In a very real sense, and its vague
quality notwithstanding, this has always been my goal. My study has also brought me to comprehend
how critical my particular focus of interest is, regarding vision
problems. The history of Special
Education is not marked, in my estimation, by extraordinarily progressive
thinking or policies, modern and comprehensive approaches notwithstanding. In an age when so much attention is paid to
marginalized populations, and where so much emphasis is attached to addressing
realities and concerns unconscionably neglected for long periods, Special
Education has still consistently been a peripheral field. It has long been distinguished, in fact, by
a kind of hesitancy, likely emanating from ignorance and/or fear of
transgressing parameters of potential.
Those with special needs, meanwhile, represent an enormous range of
impairment, from severe mental disability to relatively minor issues that
impede learning and, inevitably, the life of the individual. Those with Special Education needs reflect
an enormous variety of attainment impediments, yet they have consistently been
grouped under the one, largely unhelpful, banner. As my studies indicate and as my personal
inclinations support, effective teaching and assistance may only be
accomplished when this pervasive label is set aside, and the real needs are
seen and addressed in the light of day.
