To start off, I feel like I should introduce myself, I am Michelle Jenkins and at about sophomore status at UAS. I attended and received my Associates Degree through Whatcom Community College and am now living in Juneau attending the campus here.  I am currently taking as many education classes as possible and getting the basics finished that did not transfer from Whatcom. Knowing that next year should be my senior year is frustrating, but I am taking it as the opportunity to gain more knowledge and experience in the teaching field that will help me become the well rounded teacher I hope to be.

Being from a home school family, and having a mother who has always been very involved in my education has had a huge influence on my decision to become a teacher. I was homeschooled until I was in the 8^th grade and then attended high school in the public school. From the time I was a junior in high school, I have been working in different classrooms that have been influenced by many different teachers. Working in these different classrooms has given me the opportunity to observe management techniques, classroom set ups, and many other helpful classroom lessons.

My part in this blog is going to be to introduce the special education aspect of education. I have been interested in the special education field for a couple years now after having the opportunity to work one on one with a young girl with autism during an education training program the last semester I had classes at Whatcom. This is what really showed me that I could and wanted to help children with special needs. I feel that it is very important that children with special needs be fully included in the classroom and that there are many ways that teachers and parents can bring music and art into the classroom. This and many other forms of art are helpful to students with special needs and I will be even more focused on autism as I bring information to this blog. Please feel free to post information or ask questions. J