Why I am a Teacher and I Love It!
I wrote an introduction post a long time ago, however, I never touched on my teaching position so I thought I would do so today!
I am a teacher because I want to help students’ succeed inside and outside of the classroom. As an educator, I believe that all children deserve to receive the best education possible, regardless of special needs. Being placed in the least restrictive environment, gaining the necessary life skills and learning how to relate and communicate with others is essential to the academic growth of any student. I have taught Special Education for the past three years and have developed a passion for helping each child discover their gifts, talents and grow socially, emotionally, behaviorally and academically.
Each student is special and as a teacher working with special needs students, it is my reasonability to find those gifts that others often overlook. People will often focus on the deficits of special needs children. However, I feel that more attention should be paid to the students gifts and passions. As a special education teacher, I am able to be their teacher and advocate. I believe in teaching all students to celebrate their differences. That understanding diversity is important skill inside and outside of the classroom as well as being a part of a community.
I am a teacher and an advocate and make every effort to stay current on new legislation about students’ educational rights. I am aware of students’ academic strengths and weakness and strive to give them every tool in order to help them succeed socially, emotionally, behaviorally and academically. All students should have the opportunity to become productive members in school and in the community, regardless of special needs.
As a SPED teacher who has students who are in the General Education class a majority of the day and who has students that are self-contained for the entire day. I have grown to understand different ways to help develop a rapport with each one of my students. My classroom is very interactive and lessons are oftentimes one-on-one or small group. It is my belief that individualized teaching should always be utilized when working with students. I plan my lessons to be short and interactive and allow my students to be able to move around the room. I tell my students that it is okay to have a bad day because we all have them but no matter what I will always be in their corner as a mentor and cheerleader and that will continue beyond the time of me being their teacher. I believe in reinforcing positive behavior and showing students that there are consequences for poor behavior. I also believe that after consequences are provided for a behavior that we move on from them and start again.
My personal goal is for each and every student that I encounter to eventually leave me better prepared for life inside and out of the class. That they leave me a better person with a wider set of skills that will allow them to fulfill their ambition in life.
I have been a Special Education teacher for the past three years primarily working with students who have Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD)/Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Learning Disabilities, and Emotional Disturbance. For the past two years, I’ve had between 9 and 11 students who I have developed Individualized Education Plans (IEP) and Behavior Intervention Plans (BIP) for. Each one of my students have exhibited at least one of the following behaviors: defiance, aggression/assaultive behavior, and elopement.
Due to circumstances where a majority of my students are out in general education full time and a few of my students are self-contained. I am tasked with overseeing four teaching assistants in order to help monitor my students while they are out in the Gen Ed. My teaching assistants and I regularly meet to discuss how students are doing in class, discuss any concerns that they may have and to discuss any concerns that I may have. The goal of meeting regularly is to grow as a team, provide students with the best overall assistants, and to promote growth for students and staff.
I’ve taught two self-contained students of different grades and while each student has individualized lessons guided by their curriculum. Activities and social lessons are intertwined so that the two students have the opportunity to work together. I also foster time to each student to be able to join their classes for other activities such as lunch, PE, music, and art so that they are able to develop relationships outside of our classroom.
In conclusion, I enjoy being special education teacher, an advocate, and a cheerleader for my students. My passion for preparing each student I encounter for more success has impacted me in many ways as well. The daily lessons I learn from each student, parent and fellow teacher helps me become a better teacher and affords me the opportunity to provide a better foundation for each student to succeed.
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What a fabulous post, I think that we all remember that special teacher at school, mine was Mr Canning, he always told me that I should be a writer, to my eternal shame, I did a Computer Science degree!
Anyway, I noticed that you voted on one of my posts and I decided to repay the compliment. I'm glad that I did :-)
Yes, I think a teacher can have such a huge impact on a student! Well, you can be a writer here!
That's what I'm hoping for, if I ever see my old teacher Mr Canning, I'll have to tell him that he was right!
Teachers, our second parents who does not only teach us on subject matters but also teach us on how to be a good person.
This is very true. Children spend so much time at the school away from home that teachers must keep this in mind. Many teachers often say we aren't parents, we shouldn't have to deal with behavior. However, we need to keep in mind that a lot of students see their teachers more often than their parent.
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Just wait a couple of years and you'll be reminisced by many of your old students. When I talk with my old schoolmates there are always those iconic teachers that pop up in our minds. School is forming you through very important stages in life, so every student forms his or her memories and I am sure you'll be a part in them since you seem to be a dedicated teacher and some more. Keep doing a great job 👍
Thank you, I have memories of teachers who had a huge impact on me. I hope that I'll have that same impact on many of my students. Right now I teach younger students so even after they leave my class they are still in the same the school for 4 years! I get to see them with their other classes and that is a lot of fun!
Thats sounds like a great thing to watch. Seeing these young kids growing up, while evolving there personality.
There are not many teachers like you left :) we appreciate you!
Thank you very much! I really appreciate that!
Nice
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Great post. I'm a teacher too. I love it as well. I do not teach special education, but I work with all types of students. I really focus on individualization in my teaching and I agree with how important it is. I hope your having a great summer!