New Beginnings in Education

I just got my first teaching job due to start in the fall of 2008.  To say the least I am both excited and scared to death.  I took parenting my only child very seriously.  Her educational needs were important to me too.  I never had a problem speaking out if I felt like she was not getting something she needed in school.  Back to school night was so important to me.  I can’t remember a time that I didn’t attend.  When my daughter started middle school we lived very close to my grandmother.  She attended almost every back to school nite us.  She and I took turns dropping my daughter off at school and picking her up.  I have been a single mother most of my daughter’s life. I would not have made it if it hadn’t been for the loving support of my grandmother.  It was fun having her there as support.  My daughter and I have had a difficult time adjusting to her absence since her death in 2002.

In those days what was important to me was that my daughter’s teachers knew I cared about her education.  I think back then I though that if I didn’t show I was involved that they would ignore her.  After all I was trusting my child’s care and keeping to a stranger, some randomly changing adult figure that I had to start all over with every school year.  Some individual that I “didn’t know from Adam” as my grandmother would say. 

I rely on my experiences as a parent to help me as a teacher.  I decided after many years in business that I wanted a change.  Several years ago I had worked with disabled children as a respite care worker in the early 90’s. I had even worked for a time as a group counselor, but in regards to teaching, unlike those who have taught since graduating from college, I am flying by the seat of my pants. 

Now don’t get me wrong.  I am enrolled in a teacher training program, and I am working towards a Master’s degree in Special Education, but the real test is in the classroom.  That is where teachers are born….in the trenches.  I think my biggest fear is not creating appropriate lesson plans, it’s classroom management….getting my students to listen to me and take instruction from me.

Fortunately, I did get an opportunity to work as an instructional aide or teacher’s assistant (some call them paraprofessionals) for a few months this year.  That was a lot fun.  I worked in a special day class with elementary school age children dealing with moderate to severe disabilities and conduct problems.  It was a rewarding experience.  I fell in love with those kids right away.  All children are special and no matter what their circumstances are they deserve love, and a chance to succeed.  I keep in mind too that the trust I put in my daughter’s teachers some other mama is putting in me and I don’t want to let her or her baby down.  For me teaching is a privilege.  I am being given a great responsibility, and therefore a lot to live up to and look forward to it.