Retirement- Part One

For 34 years I taught school. I decided to be a teacher when I was in third grade, so I always thought I wanted to teach third grade. When I was in my senior year and had to do an observation quarter - before student teaching - it seemed that everyone wanted primary classes, so I went to an upper grade class. I don't remember which grade.

Then when I did my student teaching I was in a fifth grade as well as splitting my time with Special Education. My love had become Special Education and in the 60's the college I attended, West Georgia College, had just started a major in Sp Ed. I can remember asking my professor, Dr. DeHoop - from the Netherlands, I believe - how would I know I would be a good sp ed teacher. He advised me to try it and see and I never regretted it.

Yes, I did teach some years in the general ed program at all levels, elem, jr. high and high school. I also taught in both public and private schools and although I loved teaching in Christian schools and am grateful my one son was able to go through 8th grade at a Christian school, the opportunities were not there for sp ed.

My area of expertise was mental retardation and at the time I started the students I taught were classified (I hate that word) as Educable Mentally Retarded. When I finished my career in California that term was changed to Learning Handicapped, either Severe or Mild. I spent the last 15 years working as a Resource Specialist Teacher in an Elementary School. One of those years I spent in high school, which was a mistake. Maybe I will do a whole post on that experience. I will write more tomorrow