He Changed My Life!

I recently applied for scholarships through the School of Education at UWSP... and I won! One requirement was that we write an essay answering the following question: "How has your education prepared you to teach in a global society?" So I decided to incorporate Devaunte into my story. For those of you who do not know, Devaunte was a student that I worked with while I was in high school. He had autism with a rare form of epilepsy called Lennox-Gastaut. He passed away in December of 2011 and my life hasn't been the same since. I cried with the other students in the special education class all day. He was an amazing individual with a lot of potential. 

This blog post is meant to share my essay that I wrote for that scholarship. Feel free to leave comments here or on Facebook, I like feedback :) Thanks! Hope you enjoy.

If I had been asked to share how my education has prepared me to teach in a global society before beginning my senior year at Spooner High School, I would still be staring at my blank screen, waiting for inspiration to strike. I was raised in a small town, graduated with 100 peers whom 99% of were Caucasian, and did not have much of a sense of the term “globalization”. I was oblivious as to how unique every person was, especially the differences that were not seen with the eye. My first realization of differing cultures in education came my senior year when I had the chance to be a teacher assistant in a place that would forever change my life.

            A class that I was enrolled in during my senior year required that we spend time helping out another teacher in the school district. I took a particular interest to the high school Special Education classroom. That is where I met a 17-year-old student who had autism with a rare form of epilepsy called Lennox-Gastaut. Because of his minimal brain function, I watched as the teacher altered assignments to fit his needs. This is when I first got a sense of what my life as a teacher would be like. The teacher adjusted herself and daily activities to best accommodate the student and his abilities.

In the student’s culture, music was essential. Everyday, he and I listened to music and danced around the room as a form of physical activity. His favorite song was “Man in the Mirror” by Michael Jackson. Little things like that helped me realize how different students can be. The smile it put on his face could turn anyone’s day around. He valued long walks, and I would frequently walk around with him in the hallways of the school. The teacher had other students do things of their interests. What I took from the Special Education teacher was that she really took the time to get to know her students. She altered daily activities so that students were comfortable in her classroom. This student was able to succeed because he was accepted in his classroom environment. Unfortunately, on December 9, 2011, I lost the person who made me realize that it was possible to succeed in an environment where people were different than he was. Even though he is no longer here, one of the most important lessons I have learned from him will always remain with me.

Luckily enough, my journey at UWSP has begun to expand my horizons even more. In my first semester, I was enrolled in “Pluralism for Educators”, which enlightened me as to what a global society is all about. I learned so much from classmates around me; I began to have to have a better understanding of varying cultures. In that course, one of my first assignments was to do a presentation about my own culture, so that I could better understand myself before trying to understand others. Listening to others talk about their cultures and backgrounds really started to open up my once narrow mind. When I began to understand varying cultures, backgrounds, and ethnicities, I began to consider use of this knowledge in my future classroom. I began thinking about more than just my way of life and the way that I grew up. “Pluralism for Educators” made me realize that my students will have varying needs, and I need to be flexible and able to accommodate.

Teaching is so much more than spitting your knowledge at your students in the same fashion; it is finding the best way a student learns and adjusting your teaching style to fit their needs. Students’ diverse backgrounds make the job of a teacher challenging, yet the most rewarding profession. I cannot wait to learn more in my journey to becoming a teacher. Differentiating students are what will make being a teacher in a global society so exciting!

“If You Wanna Make The
World A Better Place
Take A Look At Yourself, And
Then Make A Change”

-Man in the Mirror, Michael Jackson

Thanks for reading :)