One of the first few things that people say to me when I tell them I'm going into special education is, "You will always have a job" and "It takes a special person to be in the field." Whenever those two phrases are said to me, I can't help but think as to why they think I'm so different from them or why they are too afraid to consider it. If only they knew how much they were going to be missing out on.
Many people who go into special education are driven, patient, loving, and passionate. You don't just wake up one day and say to yourself that you want to go work with children with disabilities. The decision to pursue this didn't come easy for me because I'd seen how much work goes into the long nights trying to make the children you work with even happier. People really don't give enough credit to the teachers who want to make a difference in people's lives.
Another thing that bothers me when I tell people I'm in special education is that they think I'm not as smart as them or that I'm lazy. Although I may not be the smartest person in the world, I am knowledgeable in many different areas. Like I said, I didn't choose special education because I heard that education classes, in general, were easier, I chose it because it is what I see myself doing for the rest of my life.
I am one of the luckiest people in the world to have a brother with Down-Syndrome. He has shown me that all people with disabilities have so much room for growth and that they are just like you and me. I can truly say that he has inspired me to change the lives of as many children with disabilities as I can because they make this world a better place. Without him, I wouldn't have an appreciation for the little things in life and it would be a lot harder to get over the big things.
As a society, we need to start encouraging people to be teachers and stop putting them down because they are going to be teaching the future of our country. As a sister of someone with a disability, I've realized how much progress has been made because of the teachers who are so passionate. We are all so lucky to have the educations we do and we should all want the same for other people.
Next time when someone tells me how hard it will be or why I shouldn't go into the field, I will tell them that it is truly what is going to make me happy in life and it's important. Giving an education to children with disabilities is something that they deserve and it can ultimately change their lives if it's done the right way. Will you start encouraging the future teachers of children with disabilities? I hope so.
