Special Kids..No Amazing Gifts!

       Many of you know I am a special education teacher. I often struggle with the term "special education" but have yet to find a great alternative. I also have had a hard time with people saying things like, "Oh, I could never do that job" or "It takes a special person to be that kind of teacher" or "You must have wanted to do this your whole life, why else would you offer to teach those students?" Most of the time, I paste a smile on my face and try to talk myself out of getting angry at these kinds of comments because in reality it is their ignorance talking.
      Actually I really should be called the "teacher who gets blessed every day" by these amazing children. I should be seen as the" lucky teacher" who gets to see the world from the perspective of the innocent.  Most people have no idea what a GIFT it is to be around children who have disabilities because they are more concerned about all the things these children don't have more than all the reasons they are placed into our lives. They probably haven't experienced what it is like when a boy with autism looks you straight in the eye and smiles at you or when a girl with Down syndrome goes on a slide for the first time because her neck is okay. Maybe they haven't seen the joy in the face of  student with reading issues finish their first book or an emotionally disabled student make honor roll. Maybe they have taken for granted the ability to speak, hear, or see so they don't even notice all the wonderful things around them that these kids can help point out to us. Maybe they have never sacrificed for another person who is unable to give back in the "usual" ways. 
      My students help me to remember to slow down and enjoy the journey. They show me the beauty in the world that most of us let pass by. They give love in its truest form because they are so sincere. They are not impressed by my degrees, finances, social status or looks. They just want me to show up, be consistent, and accept them for where they are at. Do I have hard days? Yes, just like at any job. Sometimes a cookie that falls on the floor will set our whole day into a tailspin. But, once we work through it we are a little bit closer in understanding each other. 
       One sibling of a child with Down syndrome said it perfectly, "My brother was born to teach the rest of us how to love!" Yep, this kid hit the nail on the head. God works through these children. They are gifts that He blesses us with. I couldn't imagine how myopic my life view would be without them. That's why I am a teacher for some pretty amazing kids!