I've worked for TPS for over 25 yrs.... still there...The problem is my hour's are cut over the summer month's.. I need additional income over the summer months.. something part-time... afternoon...!!!

Making safe ball fields for kids to play on

I'm a proud graduate of Tulsa Public Schools and directly after graduating college I was offered a position from my High School Coach to become a paraprofessional in a Developmentally Delayed classroom. My first week on the job I fell in love with what not only my students but what I was doing for the community. Two years after being a paraprofessional I was able to attend a Summer Bootcamp to become provisionally certified to teach for 3 years while becoming state wide certified. I have completed my 3 years of teaching and I loved every year, semester, quarter, month, week, and day of it. Being able to implement my own teaching styles to assist my students in achieving their goals, though as, most teacher know reaching each student every year is a hard goal to obtain. I've had 3 students that I wish that I could have reached by identifying their learning styles, 2 of those students falls on the Autism Spectrum, though they did reach other goals but academically I was not able to help. But I've seen many milestones reached by my students like using more words to communicate, using utensils to eat (fine motor skills), being able to trace letters and numbers, sitting on the carpet more than 5 minutes, taking care of basic needs, matching shapes, writing names, walking in the line, etc. Working in special education you learn to praise the "little" achievements as much as the the bigger achievements. And every achievement I remember and I'm very blessed to say I've helped these students to reach their goals.

Working in any school system isn't easy but it's very worth it. Being an Oklahoma teacher in the lowest 5 states in teacher salary, you work harder than you're paid and many of those days you are reminded of it. But these students in our community needs education and sometime most importantly a safe place. My school is a Title 1 school where many of our students have stressful lives, and education is the last thing thats on their minds. Our principal (my coach) has built a community within the school that natures and nurtures our students, she helps us to understand we are more than just teachers to some of these students. Understanding and having empathy while being strict by making our expectations clear all in love. I could go on and on about our school but loving what I do is a great feeling and I'm thankful to TPS (Tulsa Public Schools) not only for my childhood education but for giving me this opportunity to better our community through our students.