Stuff I Like #14: Shel Silverstein

   I don't remember the first time I heard a Shel Silverstein poem. It seems like I've always known them. I don't know if my parents read them to me, if I had checked one of his poetry books out of the library, or if I heard them first read by Shel himself. Regardless, I credit him for my lifelong love of poetry.
    We had a tape of poems from A Light in the Attic that we played in the car, especially on long car trips. They were read by Shel, and he had such an expressive voice! He was funny and serious, and poignant. I had a connection with his words. I had a connection with his voice. He made me laugh and he made me cry. Because of him, I most love to hear poetry read in the poet's voice.
     As an adult, I love Silverstein's poetry still. I still find that same connection. I still laugh, and I still cry. I still love the sound of his voice. I still treasure his words. There are even some poems that I have memorized inadvertently and can recite at any time.
     I truly believe that the world lost a treasure when Shel Silverstein passed away in 1999. I can't imagine how many lives he touched in the time he was writing, drawing, and singing. I can't believe that it's been 11 years that he's been gone. I only wish I had gotten a chance to know him personally. I can just imagine what kind of amazing person he must have been.

Stuff I Like #13: Being a Special Education Teacher

I'm feeling frustrated and the only thing I can think to do in order to make it better is blog about it.

I love my career as a special education teacher. With a burning passion. I don't have a hard time getting up in the morning to teach. I talk about it possibly more than I should. I think about being a better teacher and how to better reach my students when I'm home at night. I worry about my students, but try to separate myself enough from them that I don't get bogged under by the emotional drain that teaching can be.

I love working with children. They energize me, amaze me, inspire me, flabbergast and baffle me! I like working with other teachers. I like the exchange of ideas that goes on when teachers are truly collaborating. I like planning exciting lessons. I love spending time with other special education teachers because they are my kind of people. I believe I could talk to a special education teacher from anywhere in the United States and get along with him/her.

I love the challenge of working with students who have learning disabilities. They have such interesting quirks! I should probably correct their social skills a bit more than I do, but I love who they are. I love it when a student asks me if he can have a buffalo or answers questions with "Ham sandwich!" I appreciate their sense of humor.

I like that each day is different. I like that each child is different, and that each disabilities requires different strategies. I like trying to find a way to get through to a student, and it's amazing when that break-through comes! I don't think I'll ever be bored as a special education teacher.

Won't someone give me a job doing what I love again?