Watching a student speak their first word or read their first sentence is worth the months of
practice that it took to help them achieve their goal. I know that my calling in life is to work with
students who have severe special needs, in a self-contained classroom setting. When I was
growing up, my mom was a teacher for students with learning disabilities. I was always in her
classroom helping out. Hearing my mom speak up for her students, when other teachers did not
understand their disabilities, made me want to help them too. There was a program in my high
school called the Discovery Program for students who have autism. As I would see them walk
through the hallways I would always come home with questions about autism and how
practice that it took to help them achieve their goal. I know that my calling in life is to work with
students who have severe special needs, in a self-contained classroom setting. When I was
growing up, my mom was a teacher for students with learning disabilities. I was always in her
classroom helping out. Hearing my mom speak up for her students, when other teachers did not
understand their disabilities, made me want to help them too. There was a program in my high
school called the Discovery Program for students who have autism. As I would see them walk
through the hallways I would always come home with questions about autism and how