The next step in my plans to take my son to a private school involves leaving my job as a special ed teacher. This is the speech I gave to my colleagues at a luncheon in my honor.
Farewell
It is hard for me to realize that I am saying goodbye to you and to our school today. A major and very important part of my life has been spent with you and the students. Fourteen years ago I accepted a position here. Shortly after I began work here Tim and I learned that I was pregnant with our first child. Toby was born two days after Memorial Day at the end of my first year here.
Then the years raced past with friendly colleagues. There were many rooms and many kids and many IEPs, many donuts and brunches and lunches and extra pounds and many gray hairs.
Just as it has seemed that my room never stayed the same neither did my teaching methods or goals. I always looked for ways to “meet the needs”. Many years ago mainstreaming and collaboration became important and I went out to your rooms and learned so many things. Many teachers welcomed me into their rooms and I saw the expectations the regular teachers placed on my students. I saw my students rise to meet the challenge and benefit from the effort. We worked together to give our students the way and the help to apply the tools special education had taught them in the mainstream with their peers. Over the years I have been supported by wonderful teacher aides, the crowning touch has been these years with Laura. So many eight-grade teachers have welcomed her into their rooms and thereby welcomed me and our students.
So many people have helped me and offered me their friendship. Teachers, staff, administrators have been a wonderful source of support for me in my professional and my personal life. My colleagues in the special education department have taken brave and bold paths to benefit our students. Of course, there is a special place in my heart for all of you who have helped me as a parent and a teacher for my dear son. You listened to my rantings, tried to help me find answers to my questions and supported my efforts to improve special education instruction especially in the area of reading.
Which brings me to why I am leaving. You know, most of you, that my son can’t read or write anywhere near as well as he can speak or think. I know that it is not a comfortable thought. Many of you would like to sort of let that small fact slip by. But I can’t. You see it is no small fact. It only seems unsolvable, something he’ll just have to cope with because he is not your child. For most of you the children near and dear to you can read and write and their future is an array of choices. My son’s future is bleak here in our district and for that matter in most schools in Southern California and beyond.
In eighth grade we read The Pearl by John Steinbeck. Kino wanted one special thing when he found the great pearl. “My son will read…”. This wish from a poor Indian in La Paz, Mexico. I want the same for my son.
When I began searching for answers five years ago, I found many established, well-accepted teaching methods for students who had not learned through traditional means. I knew that breaking through the processing difficulties that cause reading difficulties required skill, consistency and support. Everything I wanted for Toby I wanted for the many other children facing dull futures because we have not taught them to read. While my incessant nagging has brought about some changes here at our school, the district office has ignored so much of what needs to be done. We chose to let Toby attend here because I knew that you had so much to offer him intellectually and emotionally. You have cared for him and helped him grow (literally and figuratively). I appreciate so much all that you who worked with him offered. I hope that you see the marks of intelligence and maturity that you have made on him. So I am sad for Toby and all the other children who struggle to read because our district could do much better. We need to adopt some multisensory reading programs, train our teachers, supply materials and support a strong, consistent, intensive reading program. You see special education should not be an educational HMO, doling out ineffective solutions to the terminally illiterate. I promised my son we would try to teach him to read. I am not satisfied that we have tried enough. I always wanted to take what I learned from Toby and help so many other needy children. Now, though, that task remains yours. I have a son to take care of and that Cat Steven’s song from my youth rings in my ears, “I have to go away, I know, I have to go.” Thank you for all you have given to me and to my family. Please keep helping kids especially those like mine who so desperately need us to teach them to read.
And a NEW beginnning...change is GOOD! :-)
Angela,
I understand how you are feeling because of the similar challenges I have faced with my daughter. As I was cleaning out some files from school I came across some of my daughter’s writing from last year and the growth has been incredible. I had to do what you are doing now, I left the district I used to work with, I took them to due process and paid dearly for her remediation this past year. I felt like a pariah, when I left I know they will hire me back but frankly I don’t want to go back..LOL My child is still struggling… and still behind but we are going in the right direction and I am going to homeschool with an independent contract in her weakest areas, english, and social studies while in graduate school. She has trouble with her vocabulary and still has problems with dyslexia on top of it…It isn’t’ easy facing this but change is good and it will be good for Toby and you as well. I am down close to where you will be living so lets get together!! If I can help you let me know..
Love,
Patti
Angela,
What a great farewell statement. I hope (I bet) you had some lasting impact on many! Best regards for the future for you, your husband and Toby (and others if there are any) here in sunny So Cal! I’m sure it feels great to have gotten what you did off your chest and in such a diplomatic manner. Toby is going to do just fine, rest well assured you have done, and continue to do your job. Hope you sleep well tonight and in the future!
Best regards.
Andy