Today, I wanted to write about my real vocation; that of a special education teacher. I am one of the lucky few who can say, "I love my job!" Most Americans can't. Strangely enough, it's a job many don't want...not sure why, other than perhaps the idea that special needs kids are just that; "special". Let me take a few minutes and share with you a typical day.
Yesterday was Friday. Now, you'd think it would be sort of a "kick-back" day because it comes at the end of the week...WRONG! It is a day like any other. I start off by going into a classroom -- what is known as push-in-- to assist some students with a social studies test. It is not difficult, as we have spent nearly three weeks on this chapter. The difficulty is these children have learning disabilities and autism. There are many short answer and essay questions, and children with autism sometimes do not like to write. Those with learning disabilities have difficulty processing what they read. Although they see the answer, read it and comprehend it, they cannot figure out what to write. It can, depending on their mood, be like moving a mule that has sat down.
As we moved through the test, I could see the little guy with autism was struggling. Pencil to paper is hard. I scratch off one short answer question after he has worked nearly twenty minutes to write one sentence. When we get to the essay questions, he only needed to answer one. He found the answer and dictated to me while I wrote; and he dictated a LOT! After I finished the question, I looked at him with a smile and said, "I bet you would've written one sentence to answer this." He said, "I'm sorry Ms. L.!" but I told him, "No need to be sorry!" However, because I wrote so much, I thought in fairness, he needed to go back to the question I crossed off and answer it. He had no problem with that! By the way, the answer to the essay was 100%, on the mark, correct! Total time in classroom? One and a half hours. I had a prep during the time the kids had specials. I worked on an Individual Education Plan (IEP), which is due to the parents next week. I am working with an outdated computer program that, if not saved frequently, will lose the data that is typed in. I also have to be careful about the wording I use on the document. An IEP is a legal document and has to be done correctly. PERIOD. Since this is Martin Luther King week-end, I will lose a day next week. I feel the pressure as I have also missed a math test with fifth graders but figure I can juggle a little and see them in the afternoon. For now, time for recess duty and lunch.
I spent 20 minutes on the playground, supervising around 100 children while talking with two special needs kids. They don't have anyone to play with and they like to visit with me. It makes recess duty go fast and gives me a chance to help them practice their social skills.
After a thirty-minute lunch, I go to my classroom. My reading group of around ten children has arrived. I have a reading game on the SmartBoard; something like Jeopardy. The kids love it! Two of my students have brought in the same social studies test I just finished with the last class of kiddos. Around five had brought in the fifth grade math test on fractions. I take a quick survey of the math test and realize they do not understand the concepts. I tell them to play the reading game with the other kids while I work on the social studies test on the two who need help. There is only thirty minutes to complete the test. We work on it and I stay extra time to make sure the last student is finished. When he and I are alone he says, "Ms. L. you're the nicest teacher I ever had!" I thank him and tell him he needs to scoot. I am due in fifth grade math and just make it.
There are approximately ten children who need my help with this test. A push-in situation but too large of a group to accommodate in the classroom. We go out into the hallway. I had started to show how to work a problem using a sheet of paper on a clipboard. After my first attempt at showing how to solve the problem, it is clear to me that they are lost. This is an open note test and they have a worksheet on converting fractions to percentages, which is about half of the test questions. I ask them if they have their fraction worksheet to convert into percentages. Two students wave their worksheets and I realize this is going to be a bit more daunting than I realized. I go into the classroom and pull three gigantic post-it note sheets -- the kind used for conferences-- and a black whiteboard marker. I then proceed to write down the fractions and their conversion to percentages on one sheet of paper. I have the students move to where there is more space and they can see it, which is now hanging on the door of a huge cupboard in the hallway. I put the other two "post-its" on the other door of the cabinet. I now have my "makeshift" classroom. By the way, I am not allowed to pull these students into my classroom since they are "push-in"; hence, we can use the hallway but not my classroom; to do so would be breaking the law.
I go over all the problems on the test with the students, having them answer each and every step of the way. I take my time. Although it is only five questions, there are 2-3 parts for each and I want to make sure these kids really understand it this time. Mind you, this is not the fault of the general education teacher or myself; rather, it takes students with learning disabilities more time and more strategies to understand how to work a problem. Unfortunately, some days, there is just not enough time in the classroom to do it all. Today, I took that time.
We spent an hour on the test. I showed how each problem was done and made absolutely certain they understood it. If they didn't, I would go back over the problem and explain it a different way. By the end of the hour, the test was finished and I felt certain the students had a reasonable understanding of how they were done. At least, they did for that day.
Another downside to learning disabilities is that students frequently forget what they are taught. That's okay. Re-teaching is something that special educators do until a student really does grasp the concept and is able to solve it independently.
The last hour of my day is spent with a smaller group who are working on a science worksheet. It is not easy, as tbe information is found in a student newspaper; something that they have read "cold" and are expected to find the answers. I have one newspaper between four students. I read the newspaper to the students and we work together through the problems. Fortunately, they have the advantage of already having read it in the classroom, as it was difficult for me to locate the answers! For the essay questions, we discuss the possibilities for answers and then, they write down whatever information they have gleaned. One little girl looked at me and said, "It's a stressful day, Ms. K.!" I put my arm around her shoulder and told her, "You know kid, sometimes you just have to roll with it. We go home in one hour and the week-end starts." She smiled.
I don't know that everyday has a life lesson for the kids, but it does for me. I see perseverance, determination and hard work from most of my kids. I also see sadness, defeat and too many years of being "beaten down" by teachers who either didn't care, didn't take the time or just didn't know what to do. My job is not easy but being a teacher -- any kind of teacher-- is not for the faint of heart. I chose this profession and I am proud to be able to help these kiddos in whatever way I can. Sometimes, it's just giving them a smile or a hug and saying, "It's okay...we'll figure it out."
At the end of the day, I load around sixty students on the school bus. I give those that want it a "high five" and tell them to "Have a great week-end!" Although exhausted, it has been a productive day. I feel good! I am about to walk out the door and realize I have 100 copies to make for a fine-arts class I teach. I go back and reboot my computer. I leave around 30 minutes later, go out to dinner and have a toast to the three-day week-end!
In college, I was told most educators burn out somewhere between years five and eight. I have no proof but believe it's probably true. I have had my moments where I have said to myself, "I wish I could retire." But at the end of the day, I realize that God put me where I am because I have patience, a sense of humor, flexibility and can solve problems. Oh, I also love children and when I see them excel? There is no other feeling like it on the planet!
I guess I'm writing this article because it is a 3-day week-end and most people are thinking -- you get long week-ends, holidays, summers off, et cetera. True. We do. But as you can see, we pack in a LOT in a seven hour day. By the way, most educators rarely go home on time. We are definitely working many, many hours of overtime at the beginning of the year, during the year and at the end of the year. Some of us work summer school to make ends meet while others spend some of their summer taking professional development classes. Most have Master's degrees; an expectation rather than an option. We are not respected and I'm frequently referred to as a "glorified babysitter" by non-educators.
At the end of the day, this is a job unlike any other. It is something I love because no two days are alike. It is creative, requires problem-solving, good communication skills and the ability to teach. Oh, and occasionally? It gives me a good blog!
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