Failure is not an Option

 In 2005, I was in a program for Teachers. It was called PACE, which means Palmetto Alternative Certification  Education. I was in this program for two of the three years. I was getting my teaching certification from this program. I was to teach for three years in my specialty and take three graduate courses during the time. Plus whatever else the district wanted me to take. This program was for Critical Needs Subjects. I was getting certified in Special Education and specifically with students that were diagnosed with emotional problems. The school that I was at was exclusively for students with emotional and behavioral issues. We dealt with the behavior problems more than actually teaching the academics. I didn't understand this until I had already been in the classroom for a semester.

Looking back, I see that it was a big mistake working for Charleston County and for the Principal, Stephanie White. I see now that she really didn't want me there, but I was too desperate to get a job at the time that I didn't see how she really felt about me working at Special Day School. To be in the program, you had to secure a teaching position before you could start the program.

The first thing that happened was that I didn't get any training until December of 2005. I was basically flying blind. I went into a low-income school that was mostly black. There was very few white students and just as little teachers that were white. I don't have anything against anyone being black. I am just trying to explain the situation I was dealing with at that school.

I had two black assistants that had been there for years. I would like to say they helped me, but they didn't try very hard. I tried to micro-manage the situation, and that went over like a lead balloon. I survived my first year. There were about 12 students, all were black but one. The dynamics of my classroom was off-kilter. Some of the students thought I was favoring the one student who was white. I tended to defend him because he was always getting picked on by the other students.

My second year the Principal transferred one of my assistants to a different classroom. I did have Ms. Lennon, and that was good. Then she was diagnosed with Breast Cancer and was out most of the year dealing with Chemotherapy. I was assigned a substitute teacher assistant, and then I had a male assistant. It turns out he was a spy for the Principal. Whatever I did in my class, somehow she found out about it, good or bad.

I ended up in the Principal's office more times as a teacher there than I ever did as a student.  The ultimate end for me at that school was something that happened with one of my students.

Donte' was a unique student of mine. Donte' was born with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. What we now call Intellectually challenged or what we used to call Mentally Retarded.

He struggled with Reading and Writing, and he was in 5th grade at the time, I  think. I tried everything when it comes to teaching him to read. He had a significant improvement while I was there and I hope that it was because I helped him. He did lose his mother to AIDS the second year I had him.

This one particular day, I was working with him on his reading. He was having a good session. He pulled out something that looked like a battery. I took it away from him and put it into the front drawer of my desk. I didn't think anything of it. Then two days later, he did the same thing. We were working on his reading, and he pulled out another one. He tried to get rid of it by throwing it away. One of the other kids saw what he was throwing away and made a comment about it. Then he showed it to my male assistant. Then all hell broke loose. Evidently, he had bullets. So the assistant had a radio and called into the Principal about the bullet. I then pulled out the other one and showed it to my assistant.

  Next thing I know, I was being called to the Principal's office. She was furious at me that I didn't report the bullets earlier. I honestly thought they were batteries. I didn't see them as a threat.

If I remember correctly, she put the school on lockdown and called the police. They took Donte' to where they could question him about the bullets. I was in major-league trouble. For whatever reason, Mrs. White didn't believe that I was innocent in this situation. I still don't think I did anything wrong. As far as I am concerned, what good are bullets without the gun? I think that was my reasoning when I heard they were bullets. That year I failed my evaluation for returning to the school. I didn't fight anything she said.

I know now that I should have done something, but I didn't. This basically ended my career as a teacher with a contract.

I went home after this and licked my wounds, so to speak. I substituted for a while. Then I was an assistant for a MSD, which is a classroom for Mild to Moderate disorders for half a year. That teacher I worked with told me I should go back to school and get my Masters in Special Education and get certified. So in 2009, that is what I did. I went online and got my certification from Grand Canyon University.  I did my student teaching in a school in SC close by. Then in December of 2010, I graduated.

I have basically decided I hate school politics and I don't play well with it. So I would rather be a substitute teacher. That way, I can be the best substitute possible and not have to deal with paperwork or school politics.