A Smile Can Change Everything!

It's been a while since I've blogged and well it's been a little crazy now that school is in full swing. I've been struggling for awhile about what I wanted to post about next. My last posts have been about J.R. and I's engagement and wedding and I plan to blog about marriage but I wanted to share about what I do. I teach, and not just anything, I teach Special Ed Life Skills. So what is it like to be a Life Skills teacher? Well everyday is different, you learn to expect the unexpected because you never know what might happen. You have your really good days and then you have your REALLY BAD days! I've been pushed, pulled, kicked, hit, punched, and even spit in the face but yet I love it! I know it may seem crazy but most life skill teachers I have not only worked with but student taught with or even met absolutely love their job too! And let me tell you why.... It's rewarding. It's rewarding when you have a student with autism who is labeled "non verbal" answer a question verbally with out any help. It's rewarding when a student is introduced to assistive technology that will speak for them and they realize they have a way to finally communicate. It's rewarding when a student that loves being at school lights up when they see us while trying to get off the bus and practically leaps off. It's rewarding when a student bakes a cake with little assistant and is thrilled to share it with others. It's rewarding to see a student almost jumps out of their wheelchair for joy when hearing Baby by Justin Bieber (even if it get's stuck in my head for the rest of the day). It's rewarding to when a student finally masters a goal they have been working on for months. It's rewarding when a student that refuses to speak to many people connects with you over their interests and comes in your classroom to talk your ear off. And the list goes on and on and on but one of the most rewarding things for me is to see my students smile. For some of them it takes a lot to make them smile while for others I can just say their name and they just light up. Even on the hardest days if I can just make one of them smile it's worth it! I love every single one of my students and even when I get pushed, pulled, hit, punched, or even spit on I just remember how blessed I am to be working with some amazing students that just with a smile they are able to brighten my day!