In high school, I went through phases of thinking I knew what I wanted to do as a career, but nothing ever felt quite right. From my perspective I was kind of just mediocre at everything I did, and was really nothing special and would never fit into anything perfectly. I always loved the idea of being a teacher, but never really considered it because I had no idea of what kind of teacher I would ever be. After befriending a girl with Down syndrome my sophomore year, my life was opened up to a population of students I never had the opportunity to spend time with before.
After meeting the special education students at my school. I got to know them each individually--and I really emphasize individually, because their individuality is what makes them stand out in the best possible way. They all learn differently, like and dislike things, have hobbies, and have strengths and weaknesses just like we all do, and I loved learning about them each. I enjoyed it so much, I started volunteering at outside events that let me works with people with special needs.
I learned how to re-word and re-explain things dozens of different ways so each of them could understand. I learned patience, and lots of it. They taught me that as long as you have perseverance anything is possible. They taught me that coming out of your shell and being who you are is always the best thing to do, and you can't take yourself too seriously. They taught me to be unafraid to say no and be direct. They taught me to put others needs before my own.
My senior year I started to think about being a special education, but still wasn't sure. I again had that negative voice in my head saying I'm just a regular seventeen year old who likes working with those with special needs, and that doesn't necessarily mean it should be my career. In the middle of my conflict, I decided to ask if I could be a teacher's aide in the special education classroom at my school and see what a real classroom was like.
It took about two weeks for me to realize this is where I needed to be. Each of the students worked differently and over the course of the year I got to know how they each functioned in certain situations. Every morning I was greeted with a smile. Every class they made me laugh or challenged me to think of something differently. I was lucky enough to help them each with their work when needed and read Romeo and Juliet with them. I had an overwhelming sense of happiness and pride whenever they excelled and succeeded. I was around a multitude of teachers and aides who taught me numerous things about the career of being a teacher and I learned directly from them the type of teacher I want to be. It was in the classroom A210 where I knew this is what I needed to be doing and couldn't imagine myself doing anything else.
Sometimes I think for choosing to be a special education teacher, I am selfish, because I love doing it and doing so makes me the best person I can be, but without it I'd have no idea where I would be right now. In college now, I have been asked several times by others if I'm afraid in my future I'll get burnt out and sick of my job. I was shocked when I first heard this, because the teachers I was around never made me feel that way and if that should ever be a concern of mine. I believe in the inclusion, education, future, and individuality of every student far too much to think that I may ever feel that way.
