Growing up with a single mother taught me strength and perseverance. She worked long hours, sometimes overnight shifts, just to keep us afloat. Consequently, I often stayed at different friends' houses, constantly moving from place to place, feeling like a nomad, never fully settled, never quite belonging anywhere. These experiences shaped my resilience and my empathy. I understand what it’s like to feel overlooked and to carry silent struggles. That’s why I’m passionate about becoming a special education teacher, to help students feel seen, heard, and valued, especially those often underestimated. Professor Harold Bloom wrote, “The purpose of teaching is to bring the student to his or her sense of his or her own presence.” To me, this means helping students recognize their worth and identity not just academically, but as whole human beings. It’s about creating space for them to realize they belong and have something meaningful to contribute to the world. In special education, this idea carries even more weight. Students with disabilities are often judged by what they can’t do, rather than celebrated for what they can do. My mission is to shift that perspective. I want every student to discover their voice, strengths and potential, to come into their own presence with confidence. To accomplish this, I will create a classroom grounded in patience, respect, and personalized support. I will get to know my students individually; what motivates them, how they learn best and build strategies around their unique needs. Whether through adaptive tools, creative instruction, or simply showing up consistently with kindness, I want each student to feel empowered. More than anything, I want my students to know that they are enough. I want them to feel proud of who they are; not in spite of their challenges, but because they are learning to grow through them. When a child realizes they are capable and valued, they begin to show up in the world with a sense of purpose. I am committed to fostering social and emotional development as well. Many special needs students struggle with self-confidence or social interactions. I believe a teacher’s role extends beyond lessons and grades; it includes nurturing emotional intelligence, teaching self-advocacy, and creating a safe space where students can express themselves freely without fear of judgment. I also plan to collaborate closely with families, therapists, and other professionals, because supporting a child requires a team effort. Building strong partnerships ensures consistency and helps students feel supported on all fronts. It’s important that families feel empowered and involved in their child’s education, and that students see the adults in their lives working together for their success. Finally, I want to challenge societal stigmas around disabilities. I will advocate for inclusion and accessibility, helping others see the value and unique contributions of every individual. By celebrating diversity and promoting empathy, I hope to create a ripple effect beyond my classroom. If I could create a class that all students from kindergarten through twelfth grade were required to take, it would be on empathy, emotional intelligence, and inclusion. This class would teach students how to understand and respect differences, develop self-awareness, and communicate compassionately. It would focus on social skills, conflict resolution, and recognizing the impact of their words and actions. I believe this class would have a profound impact. It would foster a more inclusive school culture where bullying and misunderstanding are reduced. Students would learn early how to advocate for themselves and others, and develop the emotional tools needed to navigate complex social situations. Ultimately, this class would prepare students to contribute positively to diverse communities throughout their lives.

Growing up with a single mother taught me a lot about strength and perseverance. My mom worked long hours, sometimes overnight shifts, just to keep us afloat. Because of that, I often had to stay at different friends' houses, constantly moving from place to place. I started to feel like a nomad, never fully settled, never quite belonging anywhere. Those experiences shaped my resilience and, more importantly, my empathy. I understand what it’s like to feel overlooked, to carry silent struggles, and to keep going anyway. That’s why I’m passionate about becoming a special education teacher. I want to be the person who helps students feel seen, heard, and valued, especially those who are often underestimated. Professor Harold Bloom wrote, “The purpose of teaching is to bring the student to his or her sense of his or her own presence.” To me, this means helping students recognize their worth and identity, not just academically, but as full human beings. It's about creating space for them to realize they belong and have something meaningful to contribute to the world. In special education, this idea carries even more weight. Students with disabilities are often judged by what they can’t do, rather than celebrated for what they can do. My mission is to shift that perspective. I want every student to discover their voice, their strengths, and their potential, to come into their own presence with confidence. To accomplish this, I will create a classroom grounded in patience, respect, and personalized support. I will get to know my students individually, what motivates them, how they learn best, and build strategies around their unique needs. Whether through adaptive tools, creative instruction, or simply showing up consistently with kindness, I want each student to feel empowered. More than anything, I want my students to know that they are enough. I want them to feel proud of who they are, not in spite of their challenges, but because they are learning to grow through them. When a child realizes they are capable and valued, they begin to show up in the world with a sense of purpose. In addition to supporting academic growth, I am committed to fostering social and emotional development. Many special needs students struggle with self-confidence or social interactions. I believe a teacher’s role extends beyond lessons and grades; it includes nurturing emotional intelligence, teaching self-advocacy, and creating a safe space where students can express themselves freely without fear of judgment. These skills are essential for their success inside and outside the classroom. I also plan to collaborate closely with families, therapists, and other professionals, because supporting a child requires a team effort. Building strong partnerships ensures consistency and helps students feel supported on all fronts. It’s important to me that families feel empowered and involved in their child’s education, and that students see the adults in their lives working together for their success. Finally, I want to challenge societal stigmas around disabilities. I will advocate for inclusion and accessibility, helping others see the value and unique contributions of every individual. By celebrating diversity and promoting empathy, I hope to create a ripple effect that reaches beyond my classroom. That is what Professor Bloom meant by presence, and that is the kind of teacher I strive to be: someone who helps students find their place, their voice, and their power to shine.

Growing up with a single mother taught me a lot about strength and perseverance. My mom worked long hours, sometimes overnight shifts, just to keep us afloat. Because of that, I often had to stay at different friends' houses, constantly moving from place to place. I started to feel like a nomad, never fully settled, never quite belonging anywhere. While her dedication inspired me, the instability took a toll. I learned to be adaptable and independent, but it also left emotional wounds I didn’t fully understand until I became an adult. Always trying to fit in, always managing my emotions quietly so I wouldn’t burden others, it shaped how I see myself and the world. I'm only now beginning to unpack the effects of that kind of emotional weight. Still, my experiences taught me how to keep going, even when things were uncertain. They gave me grit, but also empathy. I understand what it feels like to be in between, to carry silent struggles, and to push forward anyway. That’s why I want to be someone who creates space for others to feel seen and supported. I plan to use my story to make a positive impact, especially for young people from unstable or overlooked backgrounds. Right now, I’m actively working toward that by working as a BCaBA, serving the Special Needs Community and continuing my graduate studies to sharpen clinical skills. I want to build a future where people like me don't just survive, but thrive, and feel like they truly belong. My past gave me challenges, but it also gave me purpose, and I’m choosing to use that purpose to lift others up.