Joy In The Midst of Struggles

It's funny to me when I think about my life and the journey of becoming a special education teacher. I used to always say "Oh I could never be a kindergarten teacher.They are just too tiny for me". Welp in this world don't ever say never because look at where i am now... A kindergarten teacher. As I began to reflect on this thought I was pointed back to a few things that have happened over time. I remember when I studied abroad in South Africa. I worked with an organization that mentored teachers and worked with the youth in the area. My team got placed at a preschool. I didn't know how I would feel working with that little of kids but they ended up taking a piece of my heart. At the end of the journey, the leader of our team ended up saying that  my nickname should be "mom" because I cared for the little ones and my team in a mom like manner. So you may be thinking well how does that have to do with being a kinder teacher now?... Well this week I e...

Just a little update on my life as a kindergarten teacher... I remember when I first decided I wanted to be a special education teacher and how I always said I wanted to create a classroom environment where the students help each other and no matter how different all of them are that we would support each  other. I have really been thinking lately about this aspect and how I think my classroom is this way. let me tell you why My classroom is filled with diverse needs of ten unique little kiddos. i have one with a physical disability, some that are loud, some that don't talk, some that run out of the classroom, and then you have me their teacher that has a physical disability. yes, this is a class that has so many different needs but yet there is such beauty and a sense of acceptance in my classroom. there was one day this week where i just sat there and relished in my beautiful classroom one of my students was helping one get his backpack on another was helping one speak wi...

Wow I have finally had some time to sit down and write about this new chapter in my life. Even though it is my 4th week of teaching I still get the chills realizing that I am a special education teacher. My dream has come true and I couldn't being more tired but also more happier!! When I first accepted the Kindergarten position I thought oh gosh..kindergarten? I was so used to 5/6th grade and I don't even know what to do with Kindergarten but God sure did know what he was doing. The one beautiful thing about Kindergarten is the fact that they don't question my disability at all. From day one they accepted me with open arms and don't look at me as different. How amazing is that? The more time that has gone on the more I really do love Kindergarten. it is the age where they have such simple innocent minds and really want to learn. I love watching them grow from the first day I had them to now. The simple fact of holding a pencil correctly is a victory. Oh also they sur...

Over these past few weeks I have been going on interviews to be a special education teacher. This is my dream. This is what I have been wanting to do my whole life. Yet on these interviews I just see them looking at me from the outside. Let me tell you it is hard I have yelled out in frustration Cried my eyes out in sadness Asked God why this is happening Thrown myself a pity party But you know what this week I have turned the corner and I have realized that all my life I have had to fight for myself and I have knocked down battle after battle in terms of my disability. I am a strong  person and I need to put on a shield of armor and go into each interview convincing them that I am worthy of a job. I have gotten this far in my journey to becoming a teacher and I cannot give up  now. So let me tell you why I am worthy of becoming a special education teacher. I know what it is like to live with a disability and to be different like my future students have to fa...

Tonight is the last class of my credential program! Can you believe it? Where did the time go?? It feels like just yesterday I was sitting in anticipation waiting for my first grad school professor to walk through the door. I didn't know what to expect or what God had in store for the next 11 months. However, looking back now this day is bittersweet. The End In these last 11 months, I have learned what it takes to run an effective Special Education classroom. I have had some amazing professors that have taught me to believe in myself and to trust that God has called me to this profession. I have made some lasting friendships where they have supported me on the days I felt like giving up. I cannot wait to see these friends get their first job as a teacher and watch them become what we have all studied for. Additionally, in these last 11 months I was placed in my first elementary school that has grasped a piece of my heart. In that school it was where I became a teacher with t...

Looking back on the last six months of this year it has been filled with the unknown, ups and downs, but has truly been the best six months of my life. I keep thinking back to that first week of student teaching and doubting myself about being able to teach a 5/6 grade SDC. I was so focused on the position of being an RSP teacher and that was all I wanted. Then i get placed in a SDC and i was like oh no i can't do this. Well boy oh boy am I glad I stuck it through and trusted the plans of the Lord. These students of mine have truly become my children. I mean how can they not be? you are with them from the crack of dawn into the afternoon. You are there for every struggle, melt down, happy moments, and moments where the light bulb goes off. These kids have accepted me and see me as any other teacher and I could not have asked for a better class. Additionally, I was able to sub other classes during this time and even those kiddos accepted me and treated me with the respect of any...

The past two school days I have subbed a first and second grade class and boy is it a different experience but i loved it so much. Some of the students asked me "why do you talk funny?" I used to run away from this question and be like uhhh well...... However, now it shows me how much I have grown to accepting my disability and realize kids just accept me for who i am. so now the conversation goes like this: student: "you talk funny" me: "i know right" student: giggles...why? me: well i was born this way student: oh okay see one thing i have come to realize is that kids are just curious. they are not saying it to be mean but they are just curious. and once you explain to them then they take it and move on. simple as that. they just wanna know this same day there was a substitute aide in the classroom. I met her one time before and she told me an interesting thought. she was like "i just love how the kids accept you like anybody else and they...