Ms. Siegel Says

This post made my heart smile. This is exactly why I do what I do. I know that I was born to teach, and now my passion lies within the realms of special education. The children I work with every day are not special because they are different, they are special because they love you just as much as you love them. Looking forward to an amazing first year teaching! 

positivelypersistentteach:

Teaching in a special education self-contained classroom taught me to celebrate small victories. Accomplishments are not always measured by tests, checklists, or projects. Progress may not always be academic. A child identified with PDNOS plays with another child for 10 minutes a game that the…

Standing at the front door of my classroom looking in, I realized something today: My students, my children, they ARE different from other children. They are different because they do not look at others and judge. They don’t walk by other classrooms and stare through the window at “those weird kids” in the “special ed room” making jokes about riding the short bus. My children are kind to everyone they meet. They greet you with a smile and treat you no different than they would their own mom and dad.

My children amaze me on a daily basis with their abilities and strides in the classroom. Sure, they might be in fifth grade and reading at a Kindergarten level, but that is simply beyond their control. They work hard, are proud of their successes, and want to be treated just like everyone else; With kindness and respect. I love these kids. I have been with them for 11 weeks now and with just 4 weeks remaining I am starting to realize that I will miss them so much. So much more than any other students I have ever worked with. I have grown to love them and I know that they share the same feelings. 

Continue to love, little ones, and you will have all the happiness in life. <3