Perseverance - "To persist ( as in an undertaking) in spite of difficulties." - Merriam - Webster Dictionary (2004)
"Perseverance is failing 19 times and succeeding the 20th time." - Julie Andrews
Perseverance and Education goes hand in hand for some people. Some Students have to Persevere through getting their education. Because of many different factors such as: sociological and economical circumstances, learning disabilities, medical issues, and ect. The students don’t just have to persevere in a school, but also some teachers, and administrators. My perspective in education might be different from other peoples because of what I have been through in life and what I am going through as a Teacher.
I had to learn perseverance at an early age. At three days old I suffered a skull fracture in the hospital and was left with a traumatic brain injury. Experts kept telling my parents there was no hope for me to succeed in school. Even at 4 I was kicked out of dancing school because I couldn’t skip. My parents did not accept this advice. They believed with perseverance I could succeed. They made me believe it too.
Teachers would become frustrated with the slow pace at which I learned. One even pinched me and put me in a closet, but I did not give up. I always did my homework and worked hard at my studies. The guidance counselors at school told my parents to send me to vocational school because I would never be able to go to college. The guidance counselor thought this was sensible advice since the only thing I could read in fifth grade was “Curious George.” I would not let those types of people get me down. I insisted that I could go to college and refused to let them put me in that kind of a program.
My parents helped me by putting me in Center school and the DePaul School for Dyslexic Children. At these schools I worked 6 days a week and all summer long. In summer school was from 6:00 a.m. to 6:00p.m. I persevered.
I was grateful for these schools because they helped me through tough times. I got to meet students going through the same problems who would not call me dumb or stupid. It gave me the push I needed to show people what I can do.
By the end of 10th grade I was ready to go back to district in regular high school, but I insisted on taking college bound classes. This was frowned upon by my LDTC who still considered me unworthy material. I took up that challenge and persevered by making the Principal’s Honors list and making straight A’s.
College was also a test of perseverance. It took me seven years to get a degree that it took others 4 years to get, but I graduated Suma Cum Laude and a member of Technology Honors Society. I have graduated and I have not stopped since. I have a B.S., M.S., and post bac.
Now my mission is to teach the lessons I have learned to the students in my classroom who are special needs. If I can teach them that no one should count you out and you need to take your own life in your own hands and persevere then I am doing my job. If I can show them by example how to make the best out of their lives then I will consider my mission a success.
They do not teach this stuff in College nor identify it in the Core Curriculum Content Standards. But, for some students this lesion is more important than anything they can learn from.
“Strength”
“What does not destroy me makes me stronger.”
Tough times can make us stronger and wiser. Knowing this doesn’t really make tough times any easier, though them. But it’s worth wile to remind ourselves often of this truth.
Of course, we get stronger not simple because we go through tough times, but because we call upon our best selves to find our way through them. We draw on our humor, patience, courage, and other qualities and, in doing so, learn the power of our inner resources.
I will survive the difficult periods in my life. And after each on, I will be a stronger, more resilient person.
~Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche
8 comments:
What an incredible story -- I admire your determination and character:)Your students couldn't have a better teacher. I used to teach at a special needs school, too, and those kids are told by every adult in their life that they are failures. It's so great that they have someone who has had challenges encouraging them to be better (which they are fully capable of!).
What a truly remarkable story!!! What an inspiration you must be to your students! They are very lucky to have you in their lives. Thanks of course for sharing your story with us and reminding us that in light of difficulties anything is possible if we persevere.
What an inspirational story! I think that you are an inspiration to all people. Your story shows that there is nothing too hard, if you keep at it and continue to work the very hardest that you can, than you can persevere at anything.
It is often said that teachers should be models of life long learning. You certainly illustrate that point.
That is an amazing story! My students have a gread deal of perseverance. It was just brought to my attention that there are two guidance counselors in my building that tear our students down. They tell them that they don't have to potential to be in an honors or higher - level courses. They tell them that they are going to be failures and still these students rise above this hurdle. I had a student a year ago who had one of these guidance counselors and got into Brown. The first person he went to see was his guidance counselor. He wanted to thank him for not helping him because inspite of him he managed to succeed.
Guidance Counselors like that should not be in a school with any kids. The funny part about that is they will take the credit for their success.
That is an amazing story. Even though you struggled, your story is such an important tool to use with your future students. What you have done is such a great accomplishment. It is such a shame when schools just do what is easiest for them.
Wow! How inspiring! Your students are so lucky to have such a determined and strong leader. And you are just further proof that limits in terms of the mind really do not exist.
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