Have you ever worked with children who have special needs?

Question

I have spent a few years working with children who have special needs and have found it to be very rewarding work.

But i have come acroos so many people working with these children who dont seem to really care about them.

So my other question is what makes you want to work with children who have special needs and what is your most rewarding moment in this work?

Mine was when a 7 year old boy i had been working with finally walked for the first time it was amaizing, my boss and i were both standing there with tears rolling down our faces, i will never forget that day or that feeling. And telling his parents was amaizing they thought he would never walk.

Answer 1

I am a paraprofessional in a middle school. I work with students who have Emotional Behavior Disorders, ADD/ADHD ,  are Moderately Intellectually Disabled and some who are physically handicapped.

I work with these students because I love it. I love to see the joy in their eyes when they learn something new. There is nothing ( well except my own son) more rewarding than to teach them something they may have never learned without your help.

I also know people who work with special needs kids who have no business working with them. But my love and reasoning for doing this job , isn't the next persons.

Answer 2

mine has always been years later. This is when they come back to see me and they are successful. Wow, keeps ya going. Anyone can help a A student on their way to college.

Answer 3

I have worked with SH high school students.  Our students ranged from age 14 to 22.  Some days I would be thinking "I can't believe I get paid to be here." and other days I am thinking "I don't get paid enough for this."  It really depends on the day.

The most rewarding experience was when I was teaching life skills and I had to teach one of our wheel chair students to take public transprotation.  After working with her for weeks and weeks, I did a shadow session.  Where I followed her and didn't give any cues.  She got on the bus, signald for her stop at the right time, went to the pet store and bought gold fish for our classroom pet turtle, made it back to the bus stop and back to the school without any instruction from me.  I just followed her.  This was quite an acomplishment.

Now, what makes me want to work with special needs students?  I can honestly say that I am not sure that I want to work with most of the students that I have to work with.  It is more that I am good at reading the emotions and needs of the non-verbal or language deficient students.  These students get pushed off to the side so much because most people can't understand them.  They are the ones that I love to work for.  

It takes a really special person to work with special needs people.  The people who don't really care about the students are in it for the money, even though we don't get paid much, it is more than any other entry level position.  Or these people could just be burned out.  I know that after 3 1/2 years of working with the high schoolers, I was done.  Younger children may be easier.  You don't have to deal with the hormones that come along with being a teenager.  They have all the urges, but don't know what to do with it.  So we end up with a lot of frustrated and agressive behaviors.

God bless anyone who has the patience and understanding to work with these precious children.

Answer 4

I work with special needs children as a paraprofessional in an elementary and I also have a daughter who is also in ESE classes at our local high school. I was a stay at home mom until I got the bright Idea to be a substuitute teacher for extra moneys, and I was asked if I minded changing diapers and I'm thought no it doesnt bother me and I was offred a job the next yearin ESE. I love my job and most of the people I work with and The kids are awesome. When I am at work, me and a few select kids (different days different kids) we will wander the hallways looking for shapes and colors and go to the parking lot and look at the cars and let them guess which car is mine or my co-workers in the classroom. let them sit in them and let them play like their driving, they have an awesome imagination and have brought out the best in me!! We have 8 kids in our class- 4 non-verbal and 4 chatterboxes.... all are different in many ways........... Love the kids and the job it will be my place of retirement in about 90 years!!!!! :) ... what made me want to work with them? believe it or not it is because I wanted to make a difference in the lives of kids especially those who needed it most. most rewarding.... when my 5th grader last year signed for the bathroom for the first time after 3 years of repetitive signing! I dont know everything but Im still learning from these kids...

Answer 5

I have worked with special needs students in the elementary school for the last 13 years. I love the kids. They try so hard, and seeing them succeed is so rewarding. I enjoy the smaller groups and knowing that I can make a positive difference.

Answer 6

I have a 15 year old daughter who has (mild) autism....My daughter started school at age 3.....She has had some really great teachers and assistant over the years....I think that it takes some with a big heart and  some one with a lot of  patience....God gave me a special child because he knew i would love and cherish her...She is the most important person in my life and i will do every thing in my power to give her a good life....

Answer 7

I am getting my masters degree in special education. I majored in elementary education and honestly never thought of the idea of special education until I met and started working with one special little boy. He is developmentally delayed he has the brightest smile that will melt your heart everytime you see him. When I started working with him I could barely understand a word he was saying and he didn't know very much. After a few months of working with him we would have full conversations with everyday ending with "I love you, see  ya later, goodbye". He went from pointing out that every color was called blue to bringing a book to me naming and pointing to all of the different colors correctly. I have never been so proud in my life. Holding back tears, all I could do was hug him and tell him how proud I was of him. That day we sang "If your happy and you know it" over and over again-clearly and all of the correct motions. That day I decided I wanted to teach special education..because I knew I wanted more days of "if your happy and you know it".

Funny how the simplest song in the world will warm your heart with joy and pride, fill your eyes with tears...... and completely change your life.

Answer 8

I raised one since she was 8, I married her dad.  She is still at home, 25 now, and we are her guardians.  The most rewarding thing is when she finally gets something and smiles that big smile.

Answer 9

I work with children with special needs and every day is a rewarding moment for me some way or another.  It could be anything from a smile to a laugh to being able to break the communication barrier.  i love my job and wouldnt change anything about it