How Did I Get Here From There?
I don’t remember much about my early
education. How did I learn to read? I’ve searched my memory files and nothing
special or remarkable comes to mind. I
do remember being 5 years old and very disappointed because I could not
graduate from “Little Dears” kindergarten because my parents were
divorcing. My mom, my brother, and I had
to move from
It was 1970 and I lived in rural NC
with my grandparents. My grandfather was
an engineer for the state of NC and my grandmother worked in a hosiery
mill. First grade must have been OK
because I was in the “Red Bird” reading group.
Second grade was tougher; my teacher was my second cousin, Mrs.
Booe. (I said it was rural)
My grandmother was my main
caretaker. Mama was working, going to
school and dating. Grandma made me help
cook dinner. I read cookbooks, looked for grocery store sales in the newspaper, read labels
and hymnbooks. We had a few kid’s books
that I read over and over. One year my
grandma bought me a subscription to the “I Can Read” books and I can tell you,
I checked the mailbox everyday. I
finally got all of the books in the collection.
My favorites were Are You My
Mother and Put Me In
The Zoo. I still have these books
that I read to my own children.
Fifth grade, Mom got married, this was the beginning of my leadership skills
developing. So many things happened;
with a series of alcoholic stepfathers I entered high school. I do remember reading books like Are You There God?,
Its Me Margaret and Love Story. At this period my reading was
for escape and entertainment, not education.
I worked before I could drive. In high
school I worked 2-3 jobs all the time, and when I found time, I studied. My favorite teacher in high school was Mrs.
Vaughan, 11th grade. She must have known
more about me than I realized because she somehow was able to reach me from the
inside. She made us read Of Mice and Men. This book had a great impact on me, in that I
wasn’t reading to escape, I was reading to understand and become part of the
book. I wanted to help the characters in
this book, I wanted to defend them and cry with them
and love them. This book definitely
pushed me into the direction of Special Education.
During the summers I worked at YMCA camps and
ultimately became involved with the ARC (Association for Retarded Citizens). I
knew this was what I wanted to do.
Because of my childhood, I am a “fixer”.
This was the perfect opportunity; I could help “fix” kids.
I graduated from high school with a
mediocre GPA. I attempted the SAT twice
and made a score that basically covered my ability to write my name
correctly. Somehow, someway, I was
accepted at
After two years at ECU I transferred
to Appalachian State University, completed my degree in Special Education and
was working before I finished my student teaching. I had made it!
I was hired by Greensboro City Schools
to fill a maternity leave. I worked in a
Cross Categorical classroom from January 1986 to December 1987. I loved it, but all goods things must come to
an end, and the original teacher came back.
I was out of a job, living in
BOOM! I got a call from High Point
City Schools and I was on my way again.
I accepted a position as a BE/H Self Contained Teacher. The teacher I was replacing picked up her purse
and keys one day, and never returned to teaching. This was not encouraging.
I learned early on that being a
teacher of BE/H requires a black and white striped shirt, a whistle, a ton of
patience, and the ability to keep students alive for six hours a day, five days
a week. I read a lot of books my
students. Math, science, social studies,
and reading groups came if and only if I was lucky, but I always was able to
read to them. Three and a half years
later, I got a transfer. I accepted a
position as an LD Resource Teacher. I
went from a caseload of 8-12 students to 20-35 students. I was so much happier, the students liked me,
and the parents liked me. Resource kids are more “fixable” than B/EH kids. Then I uncovered the horrifying secret of
special education, paperwork and red tape are more important
than students. It was time for another
change.
I was lucky, in that my principal
offered me a regular first grade class.
I had to change my certification, which meant taking college classes and
the dreaded PRAXIS. This was the
beginning of a new start for me. I loved
learning for the first time, I loved my students, and I loved my new life. It
seemed that my life had taken a turn, I didn’t have to fix everybody else, and
I was able to work on me. I was able to
focus on reading to learn, making me a better person.
I have been the most successful these
past three years than I ever have been in my career. I connect with my students and parents. I push my kids and because of my background in
special education, it is easy for me to make modifications for students who
need it. Everything happens for a reason
and I have now found my niche. My
husband has commented that even he can see my new passion for teaching. I had a glimmer of hope in education but now
I have a spark, a spark that continues to grow as I learn and continue to
become more educated. Until three years
ago, I would have never considered going to school to get my Masters Degree,
now I realize this is where I am meant to be.
How did I get here from there? It
has been a long road, but I have arrived.
Susan
Hussey