Every teacher has at least one (or more) kids that will always stay with you. You might be blessed with a kid who comes to visit your room after s/he leaves your classroom, or writes you notes on random days. As a teacher with special needs, that doesn’t happen quite the way it ‘normally’ does, which I love. But there are two students who have been a part of my life since day 1, and I am so happy they continue to be part of my world.
All of my students are my kids – that’s just always how I have referred to them. Teachers will always have space in their hearts for past and future students. Naziem and Maryah are two of my kids that I had my first year of teaching, and I have been blessed to continue to have them in my life. I’ve gone to birthday parties, family gatherings, and made some really fun play dates with them.
Students with special needs have amazing families behind them. As a teacher, I understand that parents want to know what their child is doing in school. I also know how important it is for a young child with special needs to be given the right goals in their education so they can develop as much as possible, as soon as possible. When I was at McKinley, I happily gave my cell phone number to parents – and they respected my personal and professional boundaries. At NJ Regional Day, I use Class Dojo, which is a great way to share photos and keep in contact with parents, without giving out your personal cell number. No matter what, I know that parents are the forever teachers, I respect their wishes, and I know that I couldn’t do my job successfully without them. Therefore, I try to make every effort I can to maintain a healthy home to school connection.
When I say the spectrum is a huge rainbow, I truly mean it, and these two kids embody very different colors of the rainbow. However, they both taught me one very powerful lesson: that kids don’t see different. They see love. Kids are taught and trained that different should be separate, but my kids do not care about different, they care about how big your heart is. Maryah and Naziem continue to inspire me to see love in everyone else.
Maryah came to my classroom knowing to say “please” and “thank you.” She attempted to say other things, and I eventually learned her language (I’m still learning it!) Her mother was a strong character – I remember her visiting my classroom with a member of NPS Special Education, and I thought “Oh wow, this mom means business.” I guess she liked my bubbly personality, and my honesty (I was a first year teacher). Once Maryah was in my class, I was sending mom pictures of her accomplishments all the time; I knew how important Maryah’s development was. I will never forget the day she wrote an ‘M’ on the iPad – it was one of the happiest moments of my teaching career.
As soon as Naziem walked into my classroom, I knew he didn’t belong in a self-contained setting. Not that I didn’t want him in my classroom – but I knew he had the academic and social capability to thrive with his ‘normal’ peers. Within 3 months of partnering with a general education teacher, gradually increasing the amount of time he spent in a general education classroom, Naziem was successfully mainstreamed to a general education class. While we always said our “good morning” and high five’d each other, he would then skip to his classroom down the hall with his new friends.
It was absolutely empowering to have these two students in my classroom as a first year teacher. It was even better that I was able to stay in touch with them after they left my classroom – I loved hearing that Maryah was able to blow out her birthday candles by herself on her 8th birthday. After telling Maryah’s mother to continue to have her blow bubbles, and do other oral motor (mouth) developmental activities. I was happy to hear that Naziem continues to be in a general-ed classroom in 4th grade.
They reinforced my belief that I was a good teacher, and that the crazy way I taught, the strategies that I was using in my room, actually worked.
So thank you Maryah and Naziem, and thank you to all the awesome-tistic kids out there that teach us adults that love and acceptance will always be the best answer.
