So I’ve been struggling a lot with my job. A lack of valuable feedback from co-workers has exasperated my difficulty in working with a manipulative sixth-grader with special needs. I was thrown into a difficult situation, and there has been little time for other special education teachers to discuss expectations. (This fact still doesn’t excuse their oversights or assuage my feelings of frustration.)
Yesterday, one of the teachers shared some criticism of my performance and insight into my student’s (mis)behaviors. I guess I could’ve reacted defensively, but I spent last night pondering his words. I made some adjustments today that I would’ve cringed at only a few days ago, and it was a drastically better day.
My student is confined to a wheelchair because of weak muscle tone, but he can crawl on the floor. So as a reward for good behavior at the end of the day today, I allowed him to get down on a rug and we put a jigsaw puzzle together. I cried several times.
I get paid a meager wage and I’m not doing what I earned a degree for, yet this was the best afternoon ever.
