And I could never take a desk job.

When someone asks me what grade I teach and I tell them K-8; special day, the response I hate getting (and usually get) is “Wow! I could never do that! You must have a lot of patience!” I realize that people are probably just trying to make me feel special in some way or compliment me, but that is not how it feels. A blanket statement like that from someone who knows nothing about the children I serve just puts another degree of separation between me and that person. I am willing to accept that not everyone is ready to or has the desire to be a special education teacher. However, I would like to think that everyone knows that people are worth getting to know before making some blanket statement like, “Wow, I could never do that!” Maybe, just maybe, if you knew any one of my students, your heart would change and you would be just as willing to accept and love these wonderful individuals as I am, instead of writing off an entire population of people who are every bit as worthy in every way as people who do not have disabilities. Please don’t think you are making me feel important by stating that you could never do what I do. All you’re doing is making me feel that you are passing judgement and unwarranted negative expectations on these children you know nothing about. They bring me joy every day. It does not bring me joy to hear that there is no way you could ever give them a chance.