I am amazed and thankful that in 1979 there was help and support for a student like me. A student who felt lost and confused. A student who needed more time and more practice. A student who needed someone in their corner. A student who needed a teacher that cared. I can't say thank you enough to Mrs. Peters. If it wasn't for her and early intervention I am not sure I would have been able to close the gap. Her time, patience, and care made such a huge difference. It changed my path. She believed in me.
Thanks to Mrs. Peters I exited special education and joined my peers in second grade. I was able to move through the rest of my time in school with my peers without any further intervention. I went on to become a teacher, interventionist, student services coordinator. And now I am a principal. I earned two master's degrees and an EdD. Mrs. Peters along with many other teachers pushed me to become the person I am today. Inspired me to move beyond what I thought I could do. These dedicated teachers made a huge difference. So thank you! Thank you for everything!
I also want to say thanks to all of the teachers that spend time investing in their students. Thank you for building relationships with your students. Thank you for caring. Thank you for investing your time and effort to make a difference. Thank you for choosing to go the extra mile. Thank your for never giving up. Thank you for being a teacher.
What a powerful story to share with kids & parents who are going through some of the same feelings and emotions you remember.
ReplyDeleteAnd, oh, how IEPs have changed since then! :-)