Oh, you're just a Para?

𝘠𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘢 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘢?

𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘢 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘧𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭?

𝘖𝘩, 𝘴𝘰 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘪𝘥𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘯?

𝘞𝘩𝘺 𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘢 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭 𝘵𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘯?

𝘚𝘰, 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘢 "𝘵𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘳"?

𝘐 𝘥𝘰𝘯𝘵 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘰 𝘺𝘰𝘶, 𝘜𝘳 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘢 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭 𝘵𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘳?

𝘕𝘰, 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺...

I've heard it all!

For the longest times, I was embarrassed of my "title". I felt ashamed bc I haven't "accomplished more". When people ask what I do for a living, I simply say, oh I work in Special Education and leave it there... Often times I feel unappreciated. I feel out of the loop and excluded. (That's partly my fault though bc I'm shy and reclusive) I never feel like I'm apart of the "team".

But what is a paraprofessional? What am I?

I'm the person who gets to school every morning to make sure I have everything set up and ready for the day. Im the one who spends my own time and money to make special activities and games for the kids.

I'm the person who is there even when I'm getting disrespected by a child, no fault of their own. I give grace. I give patience. I give support.

I'm the one who has to fill in for teachers when they can't find a sub. I'm the one who has to deal with other children saying things like "I don't have to listen to you, ur not a real teacher."

I'm the one the students feel comfortable going to talk to. I'm the one who listens. I'm the one who shows up at all the ballgames and asks about their weekend. I'm the one who gives special prizes on birthdays, takes pictures to send to parents, dresses up at all school events regardless how silly I look!

I'm there.

When kids run up to me and say "Ms. Kristen!" with a big hug, I KNOW I'm right where I need to be!

Teachers are important, but so are Paras! 🫶🏻

#teaching #paraprofessional #para #education #hero #storytime #educator #Lemon8 #Lemon8Diary