Teacher Moment

Last night I ate at a local restaurant (not a nice one) and a teenage girl walks by me as I'm sitting and eating with M & L. She says "I know you" and I immediately recognize her as one of the 5th graders from my first year teaching special ed.

That year I started in January and took over 18 kids with disabilities in 5th grade who were swinging with the pendulum of special ed. in our district back and forth from resource to inclusion and back again. We had a tough time. They needed a lot of help, academically, socially, emotionally. I needed a lot of help as a) I didn't know what I was doing, b) I was still waiting tables on the weekends because I was so broke, c) I had a 3 1/2 year old, and d) I was working my way towards the most painful and messy break-up of my life with someone who was basically my husband. It was a heavy spring.

Anyway, back to the teenager...I said, "you're ---" and she smiled. She was and is a very pretty girl but back then I remember she was an ELL (English Language Learner), had gotten yanked around by our lack of bilingual special ed. resources, was on a 1st grade reading level (at best), and came to school with hickies on her neck one time (not my preference for an 11 year old). So here we are in 2005 and she's walking up to me with a 2-year-old and tells me she's graduating high school this year and she's got a big ass engagement ring on her finger.

I was so happy to hear she was still in school let alone that she was graduating! I think it's the modified plan for kids who are so far behind academically they can't perform the required academics but still have completed their IEP goals and can graduate. I'm not as familar with high school special ed. In all seriousness, she made it. Maybe not the ideal situation but she's further along than we thought she would be and clearly trying. I have hope for her.

On a more shallow note...Damn, my first year students are graduating high school. I'm going to start lying about my age.