🔦 FIELD GUIDE 63: Rewarding Changes

Today’s story is coming from someone I not only call a friend, but who is also a role model for me when it comes to motherhood. She is kind, compassionate, organized, patient, and I am thankful for her presence in our lives.

Rebekah is making a huge difference in the lives of young adults with disabilities. She’s spearheading a program that is proving it is impacting those she works with while fulfilling a purpose that Rebekah has known she has had passion for, for a long time.

Sometimes, when big changes happen it can be scary or hard to accept. So this week, I ask you to consider that maybe these changes are making way for your joy, passion, and purpose to be created and fulfilled more than you imagined.

Name

Rebekah Holton

Location

Richmond Hill GA

Occupation

Special education teacher

Soundtrack

(Spotify)

 Being a teacher is both exhausting AND rewarding! When you tack on all of the extra paperwork requirements that come along with the role of a special education teacher, it’s crucial to remember why we love what we do…and pay has nothing to do with it.

For individuals that are not in their true calling, the challenges can be overwhelming. 

     I have been in the field of special education for more than half of my life at this point. While there are still challenging, overwhelming days with a plethora of paperwork needs, I have found a role that feels like it was made for me that I truly enjoy. After spending 18 years in elementary special education in every role there is, I was approached by my current district to consider making a big move.

They felt I was the perfect candidate to handle an independent high school program that’s housed on a middle school campus. I now work in a transition program within the district for individuals with disabilities between the ages of 18-21. 

     This is now my third year in this role and I am beyond proud of the growth observed in the program, for the students. Surprisingly, even more so for myself. I spent my second year completing courses to add an endorsement of Transition Specialist to my Education Specialist degree and certification. The program focuses on community-based instruction, as well as developing pre-employment, daily living, communication, and self-advocacy skills. 

     On a consistent basis throughout the school year, we make monthly class trips to the public library and Walmart. We also volunteer with United Way to assist with preparing food bags for the Backpack Buddies Program. Each student is given an opportunity to be off campus half day four days per week focusing on job skills at our district’s career academy. We adjust with janitorial skills, office based skills such as paper shredding, and doing laundry for the culinary program. Based on need, special trips are also planned for things like obtaining State ID cards. 

     Within our classroom, in addition to lessons focusing on developing our primary skills, we do laundry for the sports programs, prepare and cook meals, and introduce them to household chores such as washing dishes, sweeping, etc. Last year, a parent of a student new to the program asked what I “did with her child because the person they now have at home isn’t the same”. She said that they were wrapping up dinner and they looked up to find their daughter unloading the dishwasher for the first time and taking out the trash with no prompting. She was doing legit chores for the first time in her life at age 19. 

     While I have embraced this transition with open arms in full force, it was difficult to make some adjustments with my mind-set and unexpected scenarios with these young adults. Some of the bigger challenges have been navigating responses for being hit by an adult for the first time and how to be real with them at a level of their understanding. Also helping individuals to decrease their level of dependency and identifying things they can learn to do for themselves with appropriate expectations and guidance is never ending.   

      A majority of my students have made successful transitions to employment or furthering their education, such as through the GSU Eagle Academy, but I quickly learned that there’s more to it than what is within the classroom. In addition to furthering my education to be the best I can, it became evident that parents were lacking important information as well.

     Based on their input, I’ve put together info sessions and resources on topics such as guardianship, understanding and applying for services through Georgia Vocational Rehabilitation Agency (GVRA), and helped them identify ways to assist in furthering the development of their young adult.

Surprisingly, while I take it as a compliment, I have been shocked at the number of parents that have commented on the IEP meetings that I’ve held. They noted that the meetings have been the best they’ve attended with the report being the most thorough reflection and student participation, which is saying a lot when you consider they’ve attended annual IEP meetings for more than 10 years. 

     Working in this transition program requires a lot of patience, organization, and commitment. There’s many moving pieces and numerous points of contact to collaborate with, as well as ongoing fundraisers to cover outings and special events. If this isn’t your calling and your heart isn’t in it, it will most likely fall apart. I’m blessed to be given this opportunity and can’t wait to see what further developments are in store. 

     Seeing the progress of the students and the response of their guardians has truly made this a satisfying change in my teaching focus. The rewards are definitely outweighing the frustrations!