Coming home from college, I was in need of a job. After nine months of spending my money on going out with my friends, buying off-campus food, and endless trips to the mall, I found myself very close to being broke. I had already worked at a frozen yogurt shop in my hometown, but once that went out of business while I was away, I was job-less.
My mom is a teacher at a preschool for children, mainly those with special needs. When she first asked me to apply to be an aide for the school she worked at, I was definitely nervous. It was something that I had little to no experience in and I knew it was going to be much harder than scooping ice-cream and serving yogurt. In the end it was my only option, but now I can say I absolutely love what I do. Working with children who have special needs taught me more than I thought it would and made me a better person than who I was before. I encourage anyone who has the opportunity of working with children to do so because this is what you will learn.
1. How to be genuinely happy for others.
Don't get me wrong, I have always been able to share emotions with people, especially happiness. But this is 100 percent, the most rewarding job that I have had. I have watched non-verbal kids go from saying nothing to speaking in full sentences in a matter of months. I have seen kids improve in both social and academic aspects of their lives and felt nothing but happy for them. When a child does something amazing that they have never done before, their expression is priceless and I can only feel the same way that they do.
2. To say what is on my mind.
As many people know, children do not have much of a filter when they speak. Although this can sometimes get them in trouble, for the most part it is only used for good. Working at a preschool, I think I get more compliments from the children than I do from adults. Even though it is a 4 or 5-year-old telling me "You look pretty today" or "I like your hair like that," it still makes me feel great. On the other hand, they often speak their mind when they're feeling sad or a negative emotion. Many adults, or young-adults don't let others know when they are upset, but if they did, a lot more problems would be solved.
3. Everyone is different but shouldn't be treated differently.
Who knew something so simple could be so complex? This is something that society struggles with today and only children seem to understand this. No matter what disability the child has, what race they are, what their families are like, their classmates still consider them friends. They play with the same toys together and play on the playground together no matter how "different" they are. I especially see this working in a preschool that has a large population of children with special needs. Even the kids who don't, treat those who do the same way.
These are three of the most important aspects that I have learned and try to go by day-to-day. Although the children I work with have learned from me, I think that they have taught me much more.
