When I first began my college career I wanted to be a nurse. I felt that the best way to help a child was to be a pediatric nurse. As I went through my nursing training I realized more and more that I should have thought through all the other professions that also help children. At the time I was working in a small hospital daycare. I loved it. I love the other teachers, the children and knowing that I was teaching them new things. From there I had to sit down and think about what I truly wanted. Not what paid more, or what was the easier route, but how I pictured my future. I liked the biology of nursing but I had a hard time with nursing ethics. Watching a person die was not something I thought I would be able to handle. Also I knew that as a nurse new to the field you are often placed in geriatrics which was very far from my ideal of being a pediatric nurse. My last and deciding factor was when we were told that only a few spots were open for clinical, and I realized that my heart was not in nursing to push myself and compete. I made my decision. I still wanted the biological, emotional, and behavioral parts of nursing which was when I decided that special education (particularly behavioral and psychological) was the right path for me. I love finding out why a child acts they way they do and the teaching methods used to help them through their disabilities. I transferred and started my new major, elementary education with certification with elementary education. My family supported me every step of the way and they were excited for me because I finally was confident in my career choice. I have three aunts, one on my dad's side and two on my mom's and they are all in special education. I am actually named after two of them! Jacqueline (Jacqui) and Rebecca (Becky) were ecstatic to hear about my interest in special education. It is very fitting that I am following in their footsteps!
I also wanted to be a nurse originally when I was younger, but like you I decided that I didn't have it in me to watch someone die. I think its great that you want to be in special education. It takes a special kind of person to be a special educator. I don't think people understand how difficult it could potentially be to be a special educator or child psychologist etc..You sound like you're really determined and know what you want to do when you're older, and thats awesome!
ReplyDeleteLove this blog! It is cool that you saw nursing as a great way to understand children, I agree with you. It is something to be proud of because changing majors can be really difficult and stressful. Great that you found your place though in the teaching world! Working with children in a classroom can give you the same kind of feeling of being a pediatric nurse. You are influencing students even more in my opinion. It is so important in our world because you are one of the first people in that child's life that they may find as a mentor and shape their life.
ReplyDeleteI loved reading your post! I loved the part when you said you had to sit down and think what you wanted to do the rest of your life because it will be your career and you should love it. Listening to your story of wanted to become a nurse at first, but then switching to education was inspiring and really opened my eyes about the future. It seems like you have the passion to become a special education teacher and I bet you have great things in your future!
ReplyDeleteI love that you went back and thought about all of the different things that you could do to help children! I agree that you should love what you do, and I think that this is very important. It would be awful to wakeup every morning for the rest of your life and to be upset that you did not go in a different direction with your schooling and career. I also love that your family supports you so much! I, like you, am a special education major, and I cannot wait to see where the future brings me!
ReplyDeleteIt is a fascinating field- Special Education allows you the gift of working very closely with students and their families.
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