My Kids Are My Motivation Because…
Divya Budhraja, Integrated Special Education teacher, Brilliant Minds
Long ago, I was a naïve student teacher, one who thought my relationship with students was going to be completely one-sided. I was going to do all the teaching. I was going to do all the instruction around how to communicate effectively. I was going to model appropriate interactions. And I was definitely going to drop some knowledge on them.
Little did I know, this relationship was going to be mutually beneficial. Even at the end of the day on Friday, when my energy is waning and I can barely produce a coherent thought, my kids are my motivation and the best teachers. In the five years I’ve been teaching, I’ve walked away from each school year a little bit stronger. I have my students to thank for that.
They teach me the value of diversity.
Teacher: “You are so positive all the time! I wish all the other kids could be like that.”
Student: “No, Miss B. That would just be sad. If everyone were the same, then nobody would be unique.”
They teach me how to communicate.
Student: “When you explain things to me, it makes more sense. When you don’t, it makes me feel upset.”
They’ve got my back.
Teacher: “You wrote so many sentences. I’m so proud of you. I feel like I’m going to cry.”
Student: “I’ve got a tissue.”
They are curious about new words.
“Student: “This is gross – is it wet?”
Me: “No, no. It’s just a little moist.”
Student: “Moist is bad.”
Me: “No it’s not. You can still eat it.”
Student: “Is moist good for you?”
They want to assist in building bridges between school and home.
Student: “Can my mom add you on Facebook?”
They understand the value of school and learning.
Student: “I love to learn how to read. I love to learn about the states. I like to learn how cookies are made. I like to learn about different countries. I love to learn about my world.”
They remind me why I love this place.
Student: “I like everything about this school. It’s kind, it’s loving, it’s supporting.”
Divya is an Integrated Special Education Specialist at Rocketship Brilliant Minds. Before joining the Rocketship team, she taught in Los Angeles and then Cupertino. When Divya isn’t hanging out with her students, she enjoys reading, running and cooking. On the weekends, you’ll find Divya working to accomplish her goal to hike everywhere possible in the Bay Area.
Published on September 29, 2014
Read more stories about: Personalized Learning.
