Sunday, May 12, 2013

Let's Get Re-Acquainted

LaToya has another installment of her Let's Get Acquainted Linky.


Her topic this week is a set of three questions.
Linky Questions
1.  What made you decide to become a teacher?
2. What has been your most rewarding experience as a teacher?
3. If you were not a teacher, what would you be?

#1 I knew I wanted to be a teacher in second grade. I loved the fact that my beloved Mrs. Shull had eyes in the back of her head. She was an incredible teacher, and I wanted to be like her. My father would have been a teacher, if he had been born at a different time. The depression and war kept him from his dream. He was determined to see each of his children got a chance at their dream. I became a teacher.

#2 I think my most rewarding experience as a teacher has been to change our school climate and the perception of special education students. Over twenty years ago, a regular ed. co-teacher and I started our version of inclusion. There was no name for what we created, it was just a plan to fit the education to the child. We shared a student. She always asked to keep him because they were doing something that he "had to be a part of" because of his intellect and connections he modeled for his peers. He couldn't read beyond the late second grade level in fifth grade, but tell him anything once, and he never forgot it. The following year, we concocted a plan for me to go into her classroom to do reading and math with her kids. We took eight fifth graders that were in need of special education support, and scheduled my day around them. We split the class, grouped and regrouped students, adjusted curriculum, etc. It was unheard of at the time. We just knew it was what was right. I learned to be a better teacher from working alongside of Peg. I fell in love with fifth grade, and the challenges they bring, hormones and all! Three years later I joined her at fifth grade, as a regular ed. teacher. We split the inclusion kids, and shared the special ed. teacher. I am still the inclusion teacher at fifth grade.

#3 If I weren't a teacher, I would be a professional photographer. I loved to take photographs. My favorite subject is our sports teams. Many of my photographs have been used in area newspapers. "When I grow up" I just might pursue that venture. By then, I will be too shrunken to hold my camera with the big zoom lens!


What about you? What drew you to education? Link up!

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