The Difference a Teacher Can Make!

I had planned for this blog to be about the information I learned during a session at NCaeyc, but I was so moved by the story of a woman I met at a workshop I attended Friday, that I felt the need to share.

A quite woman who sat at my table during a workshop I attended in Morganton, NC, shared with me the story of her daughter. The woman herself works in early intervention as well as serves on the board of her county's school system.

This woman's daughter was diagnosed with Autism at a very young age.

Diagnosed as young girl

She told me that she has been fighting with the school system throughout the years for the right to appropriate education for her child. They have encountered many obstacles and her daughter has had  difficulty with school work, making low grades, failing EOGs and other benchmark tests.

One year in junior high school, her daughter was put in the class of a very special teacher. The teacher saw the potential of the girl. She harnessed her talents and encouraged her to want to learn and participate with her peers in school.

One Special Teacher

That year, she passed her EOGs with 3s and 4s for the first time ever! She was motivated to go to school each day, make new friends, and study for her classes.

This past year, during her junior year in high school, she was voted and crowned prom queen!

Prom Queen!

I have heard other similar stories about people with special needs succeeding and accomplishing great things and I think that it is simply awesome and inspiring!

The truth is that teachers do make a difference in the lives of their students and have the power to motivate and pave the way for success in the future.

Making a difference each day!

I hope that you will be inspired, as much as I was, to make a difference in the lives of children you work with each day!

Katie Zink, ITFS-P