Growing up, I was in the special education program at my school. I had a different schedule than everyone else and took different classes. Remembering what it was like sitting on the side finishing a test while everyone else got to play made me realize that I wasn't alone in that classroom after all. I had a teacher with me who knew exactly how I felt. She knew why I was in the testing room longer than the other kids, yet did not tap her pen or stare at the clock. She knew I felt bad, yet she kept a simple smile on her face, knowing that I was doing my best.
I knew I was different, but it took me a while to realize that I was not "weird." Everyone has their struggles in life, and my learning disability is one of mine. Rather than running away from my past, I have decided to become a special education teacher.
Special education has a permanent place in my heart. If it weren't for the teachers who taught me the ways of life, I would not be where I am right now. Now that I am older and wiser, I want to give back to the kids currently going through what I went through. It's not easy to have a learning disability. You see other kids reading faster, getting their homework done before you, and answering questions in class that you have not even processed yet. You feel like you're behind at any given moment and although it's not fair, it's how you were born. It's life.
Just because it's "life" doesn't mean I can't change at least a little part of it. I want to make a child's day and shed some light on his/her school experience. Life is meant to be lived to the fullest and I truly believe that it can exceed anyone's expectations -- no matter what disability you have. There is no single way of living life and I want these kids to know that.
I want to make a difference. I want to reach out and let special education kids know that it is completely okay to need extended time. It is okay to need help, to ask questions, and to not understand the problem right away. I was once told that I could not be in an honors class because of my learning disability and that I did not have the potential to learn at an accelerated pace. I ended up striving in college, becoming vice president of the honor society, and taking honors courses. If someone tells you no, try again! It is worth it at the end of the day. If I gave up after being told "no," I would not have achieved so much. I am an honors student who uses disability services. It is 100% possible to reach for the stars and actually land among them.
At the end of the day, we all have our flaws, our highs, and our lows. Being a special education teacher is not about the money in my eyes; it's about the smile on a kids face as you tell them that they accomplished something big. A child reading their first word, a child listening to what you have to say, a child succeeding. This is what makes being a special education teacher worthwhile. Yes, there will be days of struggle, but that comes with any job. Not just anyone can be a special education teacher -- or even a teacher, for that matter. You have to have a certain patience that only a teacher possesses. I believe that I have this patience and strong want to help these kids and will not stop until I have made a lasting impact.
