I can’t believe it!
It’s already May! May is by
far my most favorite month…..well one of them! For me, May is one of the busiest months of the year! Graduations, the start of summer and MY BIRTHDAY!
I absolutely, 100%, LOVE my job! I am able to work with amazing kids everyday! Those kids also remind me every day
that I am making a difference and that everyone is special. I always wanted to be a kindergarten
teacher until I was sitting in a college class. It was a Thursday night class and if you’ve ever gone to
WSC, you know….the dreaded Thursday night class! Thursday night was the night that you went out and
partied. You put on entirely too
much makeup and not enough clothes.
You drank too much alcohol and danced to close to boys at Riley’s. I loved that time in my life J Back to the story. I was in the dreaded Thursday night
class. To get your elementary
education degree, you had to take a few special education classes. This dreaded class was one of those.
We had a speaker that night. Ugh! That meant there was probably no chance of me getting
out early! So, I had my hair did, my face painted
and my dancing clothes on (of course covered up with a big sweatshirt). The speaker was a parent. She had a little 2 year old boy with Down
Syndrome. She talked about the
trials and tribulations she had been through dealing with having a child with a
disability. Then she started
talking about the therapists that came to work with him…Wait? There were teachers that came and
worked with a 2 year old? How had
I not heard about this before? She
said these therapists came into her home about once a week for about an hour a
time and worked with her son on different skills. They also gave her information as a parent to help him out
and gave her places to find support groups, help with medical papers,
etc…. Are you kidding me? THIS WOULD BE MY DREAM JOB!!!!! I don’t remember this lady’s name or
where she was fun, but she changed my life forever.
I still went out and partied like a rock star that
night. I finished my time at Wayne
State College continuing with and Elementary Education degree and an
endorsement in early childhood. I
student taught in Wakefield with 2 amazing teachers (one of which I am still
friends with today & was lucky enough to take her families pictures). I graduated in December of 2005. At that time I had been married for 5
months and was 2 months pregnant with our first child.
Through college I worked at Northstar. What is Northstar you ask? I worked in a group home with kids ages
12 to 25. They lived in this group
home and staff like me provided there day to day care. There was staff at the “Dirty Ole
Dup” (as we called it) 24 hours a day.
I worked at 6 in the morning helping the kiddos out getting ready for
school or the day center. I worked
nights after I was done with my classes.
I worked overnight shifts staying awake from 10pn-8:30am then heading
off to my classes. They say never
get attached to the kids you work with!
IMPOSSIBLE! I loved those
kids with all my heart! I made
them dinner, comforted them when they were sick and watched some go to heaven.
Needless to say that children with special needs had a very
special place in my heart. I
continued to work at Northstar (there’s not many teaching jobs available in
December). Cole was born the July
following my college graduation.
When he was about 4 months old I got a call from my “now” boss. He had a maternity leave he needed to
find a substitute teacher for as a preschool teacher in Wakefield. Heck ya!
The subbing job turned into a full time job as a preschool
teacher the following year. That
job I learned so much! I had 14
little munchkins in my first class.
3 of them could speak English.
It was difficult but I loved working with the translator (That name
doesn’t do justice to all of the things she did). I learned that tamales were AMAZING and it was worth the
heartburn! I learned that every
person that works in this profession has a good heart. I learned there are bad people in every
profession. It was definitely a
learning experience.
At the end of my second year as a preschool teacher the
numbers on kiddos were down and they couldn’t justify having two preschool
classrooms, so my position no longer existed. I cried like a baby.
We had just had our second child and had moved near Hartington, NE so
Beau could be closer to his job.
It was a 40 minute commute each way to Wakefield.
I searched for jobs in the area with no luck. You see, in small towns the teachers
have to retire or die to leave their job.
No one did either of these.
So, I started applying for random jobs. I applied for Sesdac (which was similar to Northstar) and
also for a para job at Wynot Public Schools.. I ended up taking the position as a para for a girl who was
in a wheelchair. When I went in
for my interview the principal looked at my resume and looked at me. He wanted to know why in the world I
was applying for this position that I was so overqualified for. Simple. I needed to help support my family.
2 weeks after I started working in Wynot I got another call
from my “now” boss. An Early Childhood
Special Educator (my dream job) was going to be doing more with vision kiddos
and he was looking for someone part time.
Heck Ya! I would be making
more part time there than I was full time as a para. So, I took the position. I have worked part time/full time/part time and now full
time! I couldn’t be happier.
I am lucky enough to work in 4 different districts
(Hartington, Newcastle, Wynot, and Santee). I work with children birth to three with physical or
developmental disabilities. I go
into homes and work with children there.
I work in preschools and daycares.
It is the most rewarding job I’ve ever had! I always…well almost always…love going to work. I am working on an endorsement in ECSE
(Early Childhood Special Education) through Lincoln and have 3 classes left.
Yesterday I went with my kiddos at the Santee Head Start to
practice for graduation. How
bittersweet. I am so proud of
them! They have made so much
progress over the last two years I have worked with them. The sad part of my job is once they
enter kindergarten, the Elementary Special Education teacher takes over and I’m
done L I watched them practice their song and
couldn’t have been prouder! It’s
like they are my own children!
May is a month for growth, changes and for me…nostalgia. I’m excited to see what’s still in store
for the next 29 days!
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