My students arrive tomorrow, Monday, August 30th.  I wonder if they are as nervous as their teacher? I can hardly breathe when I think about what lies ahead for the next 36 weeks.  I have begun to pray for these precious children. Each child is different, yet similar in their educational needs.
      I am a beginning teacher.  I have heard that phrase for the last three months and laugh to myself. I homeschooled our children from fourth grade through high school. I have been in "teaching" mode in every aspect of church life for more than  twenty-eight years. Even so, I am a beginning teacher.
     Today I feel like I have never taught in my life. I was not prepared to teach an EC (exceptional children) class. My students are all on the Autism Spectrum Disorder. I pray that I will be given the privilege to celebrate each milestone, whether great or small.  My gift to these sweet babies is a heart of compassion, a passion to learn and teach, and a love for each child. Please pray for me and my class. We will strive together throughout the next school year. We will have many hurdles to jump and we may not clear each one. Pray that God will give me the courage I need to take each step to a successful year.
Blessings!

     Well...as I began my journey into the world of education, I never expected to be as overwhelmed as I am today. I am a grown woman. I have raised two wonderful children, have been at the hospitals for all four of our beautiful grandchildrens' births, walked through tragedy with family members and friends and never had a meltdown like I had today on the cell phone with my loving husband. I just broke down and cried, "I can't do this!" I continued to tell him that I did not go into teaching to be buried under the paperwork that  comes with the Special Education classroom. I have sat through two days (16 hours) of instruction on how to write an IEP (Individualized Education Plan), COSF, Anecdotal notation, documentation.....so that all of my students are being serviced, our school and Special Ed. departments are in compliance and that I can go home at the end of the day knowing that I have made a difference in someone's life that day! WHAT HAVE I DONE?
     I have arrived home with a whopping headache for the past three days! I have a box of curriculum and materials that weigh as much as a person. Seriously, I had to put the seat belt around the box and buckle it in before my "seatbelt light" on the dashboard would go off!!!!
     After I settled down, I was reminded by the Lord that He placed me where He knew that I would make a difference in the lives of my students and families. Thank you, Lord. Forgive me for being so self-centered. "Refrain your voice from weeping, and your eyes from tears. The Lord will reward your work." Jeremiah 31:16a.
     Tomorrow is a new day. I will give it over to the Lord and will walk in His ways.
Blessings to all,
Paula

Ready, Set, Go!  
Yesterday I endured a four hour special education teachers' training for CECAS, which is North Carolina's special education information/records system. All IEP's are written and saved to the computer. I really need to get more familiar and comfortable with technology!
 I was informed at this meeting that I will have six or seven students this year. I teach Exceptional Children with Autism. My class is self-contained. I have a wonderful, godly teacher assistant who I look forward to working beside. Seven students on the Autism Spectrum Disorder will be a huge challenge for us, but with much prayer, love and support we will succeed and rise to the challenge.
My excitement grows each day as I anticipate walking through the door of my classroom. The furniture has been cleaned and set up into an appropriate learning environment. My classroom management "tool kit" has been put to use. Now, I must wait to study each student's Individualized Education Program (IEP) before I can plan specific learning strategies. I am nervous...but God has not forsaken me nor has He left me to tackle this challenge alone! 

Summer is slowly disappearing  and Fall is just around the corner. Soon the yellow school buses will be filled with excitement as the first day of school approaches. New pencils, crayons, notebooks and such will be  crammed into a backpacks that look bigger than a kindergärtner!  

This too will be my first day as a beginning teacher. I am what you call a "late bloomer." I just graduated a year ago from Mary Baldwin College in Staunton, Virginia. What a great experience that was. I am grateful to have had  the opportunity to finish college and get my teaching license. Teaching has been a lite-long dream that has come to fruition.

     Oh, how I have longed to teach in an  elementary school.  However, I must participate  in many orientations for new special education teachers', as well as meetings for new, beginning teachers. LET THE FUN BEGIN!