3 Levels of Humility: Special Education
Photo Credit: Jenks Public Schools
By: Sheridyn Reeves
In every hallway, there’s more than a teacher; they guide, believe, and are compassionate towards their students, even in the ones who learn differently. At Jenks, from mild interventions to intensive one-on-one care, the three levels of special education work together to ensure every life is well-suited for success. Behind those classrooms stand teachers who have patience and dedication that form the school.
I decided that no one recognizes our special education teachers at Jenks and I sat down and talked with them one-on-one about why they chose their position. This was just supposed to be a piece about the three teachers I interviewed, but instead, I felt like I was talking to their soul when they spoke so highly of our administration and their students. I came to the realization that these teachers are some of the most authentic teachers at Jenks, have the biggest hearts for their students, and their lives. I am writing this piece to commemorate the formidable work and challenges that we may not see.
Level One: Lab- Ms. Tatum
Walking into Ms.Tatum's room, I was welcomed with a warm smile and the feeling of belonging. The windows of her room catch the sunlight perfectly and give the perfect ambience for a math lesson. Ms. Tatum provides the first level of special education; Lab– Lab is what is closest to general education and is the same curriculum that is provided for general education. Difference? She gets to accommodate the students and their learning needs, slowing down if need be. Starting her career, this wasn’t a big revelation to her. In college, she was really into speech pathology after being inspired by a fellow churchgoer. Eventually marrying, she moved to Tulsa, and it wasn’t offered as a major…She was inspired to turn to special education due to the similarities.
“It- It wasn’t a big revelation or epiphany, I just happened to choose it,” said Tatum
While talking about qualities of a teacher in this field, she felt that patience and time management were the most applicable. Adaptability is important to her and the field; she caters to multiple different learning styles on a daily basis. To keep motivations high, just seeing the success of the students, hearing about their lives, or what they are excited about, or seeing students of the past.
“When my students have a moment or time when we are learning, and they go ‘Oh! that’s how you do that!’ or ‘Oh! I get it now!’” said Tatum.
Level 2: Essentials- Ms. Lanigan
Talking to Ms. Lanigan was a pleasure and a half; it was inviting to say the least. You could feel the love pour out the door as she opened it with an amiable smile. She was more than eager to talk about her profession and asked first why I was doing the piece. She conducts social studies, she teaches world, U.S., and government, and she just repeats every year. Usually having her students for all three years, stating they one could say they haven’t “mastered the information” so it repeats.
Within her classroom, you could feel the special connection she holds with her students. She said her mom was a special education teacher, she got a degree in business, but upon having kids, she thought of teaching. Not quite there, a family member was unsure what capabilities and needs they were gonna have. The final push for Ms. Lanigan was her family.
“I said, ‘You know what? I wanna teach and I wanna do special needs,’” said Lanigan.
She realized within the class and curriculum that certain behaviors you may have to stop and adjust. Flexibility is important to her, and she really can’t take herself seriously. She has to decide every day what's more important. Keeping her motivation high is the students who go on to be somebody or go out and get a job after graduation. She wishes that most of them would go and work and build social lives. It’s important for the students in Concepts cause most after graduation just stay home.
“You know? My theory is every day to try not to let what happened yesterday carry on to the next day,” said Lanigan.
You can feel the love as Ms. Lanigan speaks; she loves her kids and hearing about their lives. She says this is the most rewarding part of her job. She has difficult days, but it’s the kids she adores. As she spoke to me, I felt engulfed in a hug as her words filtered through my mind.
“But some of them, I just adore, and it's what keeps me in it. Not all the paperwork and everything, because you know, being us as teachers, you have a lot of paperwork and just that it’s the kids.”
Level 3: Concept- Ms. Housley
As the door swung open, I was first greeted by Ms. Housley’s students and received a couple of compliments from them as well. Her room was filled with excited students (and goofy, the animated character) who were ready to learn. While talking of her career, she knew just what to say and how to say it. You could tell she was very fond of her career!
“The concepts level class is for students with severe disabilities to reside in so they may learn the core curriculum,” said Housley.
Before becoming a special education teacher, she was teaching 4th grade and had a lot of special education students in her class. The time she had to recertify for teaching, a special education teacher recommended her to the profession. She didn’t just watch and educate her kids, but she took care of them. The teacher had seen a calling within Ms. Housley. She had gone on to get her masters in special education, and it had instilled lots of patience and creativity in Ms. Housley.
“Each kid is very different from the next, and even if they have a similar disability, they may function differently,” said Housley.
Housley is very active with her students in and out of school; she helps with Special Olympics and Project Unify. She cares deeply for her kids; it's her biggest motivation for hard days. Her room is warm and filled with warm smiles; you could tell the students felt the same. For her just her kids, of all learning levels, getting down motor skills or improving their knowledge they do have.
“Just watching the growth of the students, with the skills which they started with and to where they will be in three years, is definitely a motivator,” said Housley
No way am I saying in this article that these teachers are their saviors; They care for their students in a way that’s inspiring and makes me see all teachers differently.
