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Let us know what's up Heather McMillan, a passionate special education teacher, joins us to share her journey from a scholarship recipient to a dedicated advocate for children with disabilities. Discover how Heather's unique approach to teaching emphasizes the balance between academic skills and adaptive life skills, fostering independence in her students. Through heartwarming stories and invaluable insights, Heather reveals how empathy and understanding can transform the educational experie...
Heather McMillan, a passionate special education teacher, joins us to share her journey from a scholarship recipient to a dedicated advocate for children with disabilities. Discover how Heather's unique approach to teaching emphasizes the balance between academic skills and adaptive life skills, fostering independence in her students. Through heartwarming stories and invaluable insights, Heather reveals how empathy and understanding can transform the educational experience for both students and their families.
We dive deep into Heather's transformative experiences, from serving as a personal care attendant to engaging with diverse families and students. Heather opens up about her evolving teaching philosophy, underscoring the importance of tailored education. Her stories highlight the power of collaboration between educators and parents, as she provides practical advice for navigating the special education system. Heather's heartfelt perspective challenges us to rethink traditional teaching methods and embrace a more inclusive approach.
As we explore the changing landscape of special education, Heather discusses the impact of legislative changes like the No Child Left Behind Act and shares strategies for promoting positive behavior in students with disabilities. By encouraging life skills alongside academics, Heather illustrates the value of framing tasks as practice for adulthood, while emphasizing the necessity of offering choices to empower students. This episode offers a compelling look at how educators can create a cooperative, self-aware learning environment where every student can flourish.
Join us as we dive into the world of special education with two educators who have walked the same path as many of you. In addition to teaching in self-contained and collaborative settings, our hosts bring a unique perspective to the challenges and triumphs of raising a special needs child. From classroom strategies to heartfelt family moments, they offer practical advice, empathy, and a community of support. Discover how their personal experiences can shed light on your journey and gain valuable insights into navigating the complexities of special education both in and out of the classroom. Welcome to the tribe!
Speaker 1: and we are back with
another episode, another one.
We're almost like I don't know
like veterans at this.
This is like whole episode
number 12, um, you know, and
it's been really cool.
So our last episode we got to
hang out and talk with a teacher
that we got to spend some time
with about about four years I
think.
We worked with her and and it
was really cool to be able to
catch up and talk about her
perspective as as a general
education teacher and bringing
in students in her classroom and
really pushing for inclusion
and talking about the different
benefits that she's seen in
students being able to be a part
of that.
So that's my dog.
So, ah, big deal, it'll be all
right, that's Captain.
He's the one that, never mind.
We'll get into Captain's story
some other time, but our guest
this week is really really super
special.
So one of the things that Laura
and I have been just so pleased
with in our time here in Camden
County and having a son that's
been in the special education
system is that he's never had a
teacher that we thought, oh well
, I guess they're all right,
like we've loved every teacher.
And just so happens that this
evening we get to talk with miss
heather mcmillan who, uh, was
xander's teacher.
I believe it was around like
the kindergarten through second
grade, was that right, miss
mcmillan?
Speaker 3: I.
I think that was right.
The years start to.
You know blur after so long.
But yes, it was early
elementary for sure, maybe even
into third grade.
Speaker 1: Yeah, that sounds
about right, and I know that.
I can remember sitting in one
of those IEP meetings early on
and just being so nervous and
not understanding anything that
was being talked about, and it
was very beneficial for me to
sit in these meetings that I
didn't understand.
But the teachers are always so
great and they're willing to
walk along with us and explain
things to us, and so this
evening we're talking, like I
said, with Miss Heather McMillan
.
I'm so excited.
I'm excited.
Yes, that's right, you get the
applause too.
And I would also add this Laura
and I both had the opportunity
to sit in a workshop that you
led.
I believe it was the beginning
of this year right, it was the
beginning of this year and it
was fantastic.
I just want you to know that we
walked out of that with a lot
of great ideas, a lot of
direction, and so, as parents
and as fellow teachers, we
really appreciate everything
that you have done.
Speaker 3: Well, thank you, I
appreciate that and you know I
just I don't do everything right
.
That's one of the first things
I tell my parents when I meet
new parents, when new students
is, I'm not going to do
everything right and we're not
always going to agree, but I
promise you that I have your
child, my students' best
interest at heart.
Speaker 1: Absolutely, and I can
again, speaking from the side
of a parent, I can, I can attest
to that.
So I also noticed, Ms McMillan,
that you wrote a book and I got
to tell you.
So I was reading the book and
as I'm going through it, I go
Laura, Laura, listen, listen,
listen, listen to what Ms
McMillan said.
We believe that we're moving in
the right, because here's the
thing you can read textbooks,
you can write papers, but when
you get in the classroom it's
different.
It is and to be able to see some
of the things that you talk
about in that book and us being
able to connect with it and go
okay, cool, we feel like we're
heading in the right direction.
Speaker 3: Well, and I really
wrote that book.
It's kind of funny that you
started this conversation the
way that you did, because I
really wrote that book out of a
concern for parents who really
were feeling overwhelmed.
Walking into those IEP meetings
, walking into daily life with a
child with a disability, right,
no one, especially our teachers
we kind of sign up for this,
right.
We don't totally know what
we're getting into, that's for
sure.
But you know we do it out of a
desire to love kids, to help
kids, and we choose to do it.
But as a parent who suddenly
finds yourself with a child with
a disability, there are a few
who adopt, but for the most part
, you know, that's just kind of.
You didn't choose it, it was
something you were handed, and I
often talk about that.
No kid comes with a book, but
especially a kid with a
disability and parents who, you
know, are suddenly having to
figure out not only how to raise
a kid but all of the methods
that they were raised with, all
of those things that you would
typically use, suddenly aren't
working.
You know, and I often had
parents say to me well, I don't
understand why they behave in
your class, but at home I'm
really struggling.
And I look at them and I say,
because I have a master's degree
, they're doing this.
I don't say that to say that
I'm special or better than you.
I say that to say I've been
taught how to do this.
Speaker 1: Right, you've done a
ton of research?
Yeah, absolutely.
Speaker 3: And I have the
experience right At this point.
I've been doing this over 25
years now and so you know I've
been doing this longer than now.
The students that I'm teaching
have been alive, so you know
again, there's so much that
comes.
You know that schooling's great
, but so much comes from
experience.
So really that's kind of where
the heart of the book came from
is wanting to give some parents
just some quick and easy things
to be able to jump off with that
don't cost money, you don't
have to be an expert to do, but
they make a big impact and
that's kind of you know where it
came from.
Speaker 1: Well, and one of the
things that you said that, one
of the things you said in the
book that that really stood out
was the we typically parent the
way that we were raised.
Right, we're a reflection of
our parents and when you add a
student or a child with special
needs, that kind of flips it
even more.
Speaker 2: With special needs,
that kind of flips it even more.
Speaker 1: So it's like the same
thing, and I found that in our
own home, the same ways that my
parents raised me, those methods
didn't necessarily work for
Xander, like there had to be a
different approach to that.
So I want to ask you some
questions, ms McMillan, I'm
going to keep calling you that.
Just call me Heather, gerald,
just call me Heather, it doesn't
feel right, all right.
So, like you just said, you've
been in this game for, you know,
25 years.
I don't know many people that
do anything for 25 years.
So what was it that inspired
you to become a special
education teacher and then kind
of to tag on onto that?
How has your perspective on
teaching evolved over the years?
Speaker 3: Well, you know, it's
kind of funny.
I always knew, from the time
that I was young, that I wanted
to be a teacher, not necessarily
kids with special needs, but a
teacher.
So that's you know, since I was
probably eight years old.
But then, as I, you know, kind
of thought some more and, to be
honest with you, it's so funny
how God works Right.
To be honest with you, I
decided to go into special ed
because there were more
scholarships for schooling and
that kind of funny.
Speaker 1: OK.
Speaker 3: Right, and so that,
to be to be perfectly blunt and
honest, that that had an impact
on it, right, and I really
thought, ok, I'm going to teach
kids with learning disabilities
kind of some mild impairment,
maybe some dyslexia and then I
got into my first job and the
first job that I got was
teaching kids with moderate
severe disabilities, and it took
me about six months to decide I
love this, right, this is what
I love.
What I love, and I kind of, you
know, when I think back to
doing some of my practicums and
such, I was always drawn to the
students who needed a little bit
more assistance, right, that
was kind of always just where my
heart was, and so that's really
how it started.
Also, when I was in college and
this really plays a lot into
where the book comes from and my
understanding and empathy for
parents is that I was a personal
care attendant for a friend in
college who had spinal muscular
atrophy, which is a degenerative
disease similar to MD, and so
she was basically quadriplegic
but she had, you know,
cognitively, she had normal
cognitive ability, she was going
to school but needed full-time,
round-the-clock care, and so
that was my job in school, as
well as going to school
full-time and that really gave
me a lot of understanding.
And that really gave me a lot
of understanding and from both a
practical side of what I needed
to do as a teacher, as well as
some empathy and understanding
of what goes into caring for
someone 24 hours a day.
So it's kind of a neat overlap,
just something that God brought
into my life to really prepare
me for the things that I would
do later and, as far as you know
, things that have changed my
perspective.
You know, when I first started
teaching I was young, I was not
married, I didn't have kids.
And you kind of go into it
gung-ho and like enthusiastic
and I'm going to save the world.
And you know, I mean like
enthusiastic and I'm going to
save the world.
And you know, I mean I knew I
wasn't going to go and I knew I
wasn't going to go in and
suddenly cure all these kids
with autism and, you know, chair
kids with CP.
I knew I wasn't going to do
that but I was going to make a
huge difference.
And I'm not saying I haven't,
but it's just kind of a little
bit.
It's a little bit different
when you get in there and
suddenly have a lot of kids and
a lot of different things
pulling at you right, different
expectations.
But as I once I had my own kids
, really had got to know
families better.
You know that perspective of
doing what the kids need, what's
meaningful to the kids, despite
what the standards say.
You know finding ways to make
those align and what's
meaningful for one kid and
what's meaningful for one family
is not for another family.
Speaker 1: Oh, absolutely yeah.
Speaker 3: And that's kind of.
You know how that changed for
me.
Speaker 1: Yeah, I love hearing
stories of how people got into
teaching because some of them
are fantastic.
So I've never met anybody that
said I knew I wanted to be a
teacher when I was eight.
Now my dad, who is a pastor
here in this county, he knew
when he was was it 13,?
I think he says like he was
going to be a pastor.
Before that maybe Listen.
I'm 47 years old and I'm still
trying to figure out what I want
to be when I grow up, but I am
enjoying what we're doing, and
so you know Laura's story.
We've shared it before in my
stories.
It's just neat to hear how
people are drawn into the
education system.
Speaker 3: Right, and it is all
different and that perspective
that we come in with really does
color who we are as teachers.
Speaker 1: Oh, absolutely, hey,
tell me more about that.
Speaker 3: So when we come into
it as a coming into it with all
this background kind of things,
it makes such a difference as
far as you know, how do we
approach it.
Do we approach it strictly as
let's sit down and let's learn
this academic, or do we think
more globally?
For me, having that experience
of being with an individual with
a disability 24-7, I kind of
lean more toward the functional
skills that are necessary, right
, Because I am a big believer
because of some of that
background, and if I don't teach
you to do it for yourself now,
I'm still going to be doing it
for you when you're 25 or 30 or
35.
Now, she physically couldn't do
it, it could not do some of
those things.
It was always going to need
that assistance.
But at the same point, you know
, what can I help someone to be
able to do?
Because I had to do a lot for
her and so you know, including
getting up in the middle of the
night to turn her over.
So you know I was here, I was
not having full night's sleep,
those kind of things.
So I understanding that
whatever I can teach you to do
for yourself, right, then
someone doesn't have to do it
for you.
Speaker 1: Yeah, and so, like
Laura is over here, she's ready
to be your choir.
She's like, yeah, and so, like
Laura is over here, she's she's
ready to be your choir.
She's like, yes, she says a lot
of the same things.
Speaker 2: Oh yes, and I tell
the parents that we do.
We expect a lot out of their
students and we joke around.
I said, well, we let the
parents be the nice ones.
And I said I'm the mean one and
I make them do for themselves.
But you know, not really being
mean, but talk about how we
can't enable them and because,
like you said, if we continue to
do it for them, they're just
going to let us they're kids.
What kid's not going to let you
do something for them?
Speaker 3: Well, and now that
I'm in, you know I spent 20
years doing elementary,
everything from preschool to
fifth grade, and now I'm in
middle school doing sixth to
eighth grade, and I talk a lot
with my middle schoolers about,
you know, asking them to do
something hard and they're like
that's hard.
I don't want to do that.
I get it Right, but we're
practicing being adults and
that's the phrase I use with it.
This is your practice for being
an adult.
They all want to be an adult,
right.
They all want to be an adult.
They all want to be in charge,
right.
I'm like I want you to be in
charge too one day, but right
now, we're going to practice
doing that.
Oh, that's fantastic, and it
really kind of turns them around
, you know, and kind of they're
like huh, okay, and you know all
the phrases out there, all the
memes adulting's hard, that's
right.
Speaker 2: It is.
Speaker 3: Right, yes, and so
even with my personal children,
with my school children, you
know practicing things like
budgeting schoolchildren.
You know practicing things like
budgeting.
In middle school and our
adaptive curriculum class, we do
a lot of things like cooking
and doing laundry and mopping
floors and all of those things
as well, and they're like it's
not just about academics,
Because the other thing that we
know is that the reason most
kids with disabilities don't
hold down a job is not because
they don't have the academic
skills, but it's because they
don't have the social skills and
the life skills they need to be
successful.
Speaker 1: Yes, ma'am.
Speaker 3: So it's all of those
things together and that's where
that finding that balance
really comes in.
And one of the things I've
enjoyed about being in middle
school is we know kids with
disabilities are three to five
years behind, like cognitively,
socially, all that.
So what I see being in middle
school is suddenly they're ready
for the academics that maybe
they weren't ready for before
because you know.
But and I think that we as a
society, we as a school system
and I don't mean just Camden, I
mean, you know, nationally yes,
ma'am, we kind of had that
backwards right.
We're pushing academics in the
early years and we're pushing
social and adaptive skills in
the later years.
We kind of need to flip those
right Because I can help you
catch up on some of those
academics.
If you had the behavior and the
adaptive skills you'd be able
to do it.
Speaker 2: Yeah, yes, and that's
encouraging to us because we
are at the elementary level and
are seeing that.
And then we get, you know,
concerned because they're not
academically moving where we
feel like they should.
But so that is encouraging to
know that.
You know, once they get up to
your level a lot of times they
have, you know they've matured
and through some hard work
they're ready to attend and
ready to work and that there is
more of a chance to catch up.
That's encouraging it to us at
our level for sure.
Speaker 3: Well, you know, and
if they're coming to me at, say,
11 years old and they're five
years behind, that puts them at
six years old, right, and so
what is a six year old ready to
do?
Learn to read, learn to do some
math, you know?
Suddenly they're ready.
I mean, if we could go into a
whole thing about how I think
the regular ed system is pushing
kids too young to do stuff
they're not developmentally
ready for as well.
Speaker 1: I don't know if we've
got enough time for that
because I know that's one.
Speaker 2: We would definitely
be a part of that conversation
and it might go till Sunday,
definitely Getting back to your
book a little bit and talking
about this helping the kids do
for themselves and what are some
of the key strategies from your
book that are proven to be most
effective when you're
supporting the parents of
children with disabilities?
Speaker 3: Right?
Well, one of the things is so
simple, but it's so hard to
train ourselves to do as adults,
and that's to give kids choices
.
Right, they really.
You get into this power
struggle with kids because they
want to be in charge, they want
to be adults, and so when you're
constantly telling a child no
or you can't do that, then you
get into this back and forth
power struggle with them,
whereas when you give them a
choice, and sometimes the choice
, it's about keeping our end in
mind, right?
What do you want?
Well, I want you to be safe,
ultimately, as a teacher, right,
I have a student right now who,
for whatever reason, has
decided that standing in the
chair is fun and I'm like, no, I
mean okay, maybe, but it's not
safe and we're not going to do
it.
So the choices are if I tell
the child to sit down, she's
going to yell and scream at me.
I don't want to, I want to
stand.
If I say you have a choice, you
can stand on the floor or sit
in the chair, then she'll say
okay and she'll get down and do
one of those two and I still get
what I want.
What I want is you not stand in
the chair because it's not safe
, right, you know.
And so, really, it's about
framing choices the way that
kids want.
And, right, that doesn't cost
any money, there's no supplies,
but it's a mindset change.
For us and that's one of the
things I talk about in the book
is teachers, is parents.
You can't force a child to do
something behaviorally.
Right, you can make it worth a
while to do it, but you can't
force anybody to change their
behavior, right, so the only
person's behavior I can control
is my own.
Speaker 2: Mm-hmm.
Speaker 3: And I say that a lot
to my students In middle school,
you know is that back and forth
he's looking at me.
Okay, I make him stop looking
at me.
I can't like, can't do it.
But you can choose to turn
around, you can choose to close
your eyes, you can choose to do
all of these other things
because you're in control of you
and, again, that's teaching
them to take responsibility for
themselves.
So that's one of the big things
.
Another one is positive
reinforcement and I know y'all
use this all the time in your
school and with your students
and I hear so many times we
don't want to be bribing kids.
We're not bribing kids.
So I mean, I love my job, I've
done it for 25 years but if I
didn't get a paycheck at the end
of every month, Right.
Then I probably wouldn't still
be doing it Right.
I mean, there are days that the
only reason I show up for work
is because I know at the end
there's going to be a paycheck.
I mean again, that's just being
brutally honest, right, Right.
But there are things we all get
reinforced or rewarded for.
The things that we do there are
consequences, good and bad,
Right, and that's that's a big
thing to teach kids that it's
your actions that have
consequences.
I didn't give you the grade I,
you know I've got a student
today.
You know you, you made me move.
Well, I gave you a warning.
I said you either had to, you
know, leave your hands off that
child or I was going to move you
and that was your choice Number
one.
I gave him a choice, right, and
number two, when you chose to
keep touching the child, then I
followed through right, and
there was a consequence, and the
consequence of he had left his
hands off of him would have been
he got to stay there.
Absolutely and that's a positive
reinforcement.
It's not always a candy or
tangible or those kind of things
.
Again, doesn't cost any money.
How many of our kids and I
think that y'all can probably
attest to this as well they want
attention.
Right, as parents, we're busy,
right, I know my kids are almost
fully grown now, but they still
want attention and it's one of
the most costly things that we
have as adults.
Right Is our time and our
attention Right.
And so many times any child,
but especially a child with a
disability, is going to doesn't
really care, number one, if that
attention is positive or
negative, and they will do
whatever it takes to get your
attention Right.
And so that attention is so
rewarding for kids and, again,
it doesn't cost a thing.
But we have to be intentional.
Speaker 1: Well, and you know
you talk about you're talking
about this attention, and that
you know that's across the board
as far as these kids go.
All kids want attention.
Kids go, all kids want
attention.
However, what's even more I
think plays into it even more
with our students with
disabilities is that there is a
kind of a common slide to
putting electronics in front of
our kids, right?
So, like you said earlier, we
don't have a book to tell us how
to raise our child with special
needs, and so what we do is we
try to do things to just keep
them happy or keep them right,
and so then we start giving them
these things, but then, at the
end of the day, it's not the
iPad that they want, it's not,
you know, the computer that they
want, it's not the video game
that they want.
They want to know that they
matter to somebody and they want
that attention.
Like you said, they'll do
whatever they can to get it.
Now let's move on.
I have another question.
Here we go Ready, are you
nervous?
No, good, no, ma'am, no, ma'am.
That oh yeah, you're good.
So what are, what are some of
the most significant changes
you've seen in the field of
special education over the past
two decades plus and how these
changes impacted your teaching
methods so one of the biggest
things because, um, so I was
teaching before.
Speaker 3: No Child Left Behind
came through, right.
So I was teaching back when we
didn't do any testing with these
kids with more significant
disabilities.
There wasn't a standardized
testing.
We taught, everything was very
focused on those functional life
skills, on those functional
life skills, and not saying we
didn't do academics, but we did.
I'd say for most of us it was
probably 80% life skills and 20%
academics.
But again, at that time I was
teaching K through two.
They weren't ready for
academics, right.
And so then suddenly, this no
child left behind law comes down
and says oh well, they need to
be doing everything that that
typical first grade student does
.
And, as teachers who were not
so foreign to us, just didn't
make sense.
I'm like we're the ones in here
with these kids.
Every day you can show me how
this is going to work Right.
And so it was very, it was
truly just world changing for us
who were teaching these lower
incidence kids, right.
It just we're like what do we
do with this?
Well, I'll tell you.
Well, there are definitely
times and students that I'm like
, yeah, we don't need to be
doing this Right and we
definitely don't need to be
putting as high a stakes on
these testings as we do.
But there was some good that's
come of that as well, because we
were able to expose kids to
things and some of these kids
were ready man.
They raised up to some of this
stuff.
So one of the biggest things
that it did is change the focus
of what I did from dysfunctional
to more academic, and I had to
learn to balance those two.
Again, how do I make all of
those things meaningful, right?
So, for instance, now, as a
middle school teacher, all of
the middle school standards for
ELA are about inferencing.
That's a high level skill.
Speaker 1: Yes, ma'am.
Speaker 3: Right, that takes a
lot.
But here's the thing.
It's also important to life
skills.
Why?
Because I don't know how you
feel.
Because I can't read your face.
I can't inference how you feel
or what you're thinking or what
even cause an effect.
What's going to happen when I
hit Johnny over there, right?
So all of those are life skills
.
So it's made me a better
teacher in some ways, and that I
had to figure out how do I take
that, what seems to be a truly
academic skill, and make it not
just academic but also
meaningful that word again,
right.
Make it meaningful for that
child and that student.
And so you have to get creative
, but it can be done.
So that's been a huge change.
And that was many, many years
ago, and I really just feel like
, let's say, that was in 2001.
So that's been 24 years ago,
and I really just feel like in
the last couple of years that
I've really kind of gotten the
hang of being able to balance
those two.
Speaker 1: Oh, gotcha, yeah, and
that's one of the things that
Laura and I talk about on the
regular, because you know and I
know that you experienced this
as well is that in that one
classroom there's such a broad
spectrum of needs right that the
students have.
And so one of the things that
we've been trying to figure out
and we would love to hear you
address this, is how do you do
that, how do you have a
classroom that is full of all
these different individual needs
and how do you address those
needs and give that child the
best chance at moving forward
and progressing?
Speaker 3: Well, the first thing
to know is that you're not
always going to perfectly
balance those needs, right.
That's just not possible.
The second thing is to know
that those needs for the
individual and for the classroom
change day to day.
You know, and we forget that
sometimes.
You know so-and-so didn't sleep
last night, so now his biggest
need is to take a quick nap
before we get to work.
Or today I was hoping to go in
and do some good academics,
right?
Well, I forgot the dental van
was coming.
So then you're pulling my kids
out and you're pulling the
parent with her.
So, now I'm in the room with
nine kids or eight kids, and
she's got the one in the dental
van.
So we totally flipped and
suddenly we were doing behavior,
life skills, because they were
fussing and fighting with each
other.
Right, because they were
fussing and fighting with each
other, they were.
And so suddenly we put the
academics away and we were
focused on the need at the
moment right, which was the
behavior.
But the other thing is to think
about that balance, not in
terms of a particular student or
in terms of a day, but a little
bit longer term right, in terms
of a particular student, or in
terms of a day, but a little bit
longer term.
Right, in terms of the week.
So this week did I meet the
needs of this child and this
child and this child in some way
?
Right, because I think we'll
kill ourselves if we try to meet
everybody's needs every day to
the fullest extent possible
Right.
And one more thing about that is
the fact that when you have a
child who is so disruptive
behaviorally, for whatever
reason, that sometimes we feel
like I'm spending all the time
with this one student trying to
get this behavior under control.
Or a new student walks into the
room right, walks into your
classroom because they just
moved from Texas or wherever and
suddenly it kind of flips your
whole classroom on its head
right, and so we have to spend a
little bit of time extra time,
with that student, trying to get
some behaviors, trying to get
to know the student.
But we've got to remember that
in case what's best for that
student trying to get some
behaviors, trying to get to know
the student but we got to
remember that what's best for
that student ends up being
what's best for the classroom
and the students as a whole.
Speaker 1: That's a good point.
Speaker 3: Because when we have
that student who walks into me
as a sixth grader, I'm going to
have that student for three
years assumedly right, maybe
four.
That student for three years
assumedly right, maybe four.
And so if I can take the first
six months and kind of deal with
some of those behaviors and,
you know, let that child know
what my expectations in my
classroom are, then the next two
and a half years are a lot
better and everyone is served a
lot better.
And I'll tell you, what I see
is that I have a lot of eighth
graders this year that are
moving up and I'm getting a lot
of sixth graders to replace them
.
And I'm like man, but I got
these guys trained.
I get to start over from
scratch, but the maturity level
and the independence that they
show, and that is my reward.
What is rewarding?
And you know what?
Some of them are doing things
like perfect squares and doing
some high level math stuff and
high level reading.
They're reading where they
weren't reading before.
They're inferencing, they're
doing some of these things that
they weren't doing before, but
guess what?
They're not doing them until
eighth grade because it took
some time to get there.
And so looking, I really
started looking at my classroom
as that whole three year segment
of time right and not this one
little segment of time, and
doing so has helped my
instruction.
It's helped them to be more
successful and it's helped me
not to be so frustrated when
they don't get it the first time
or the second time or the 20th
time Right, and it's made a big
difference there.
Speaker 1: Well, I'm going to
call you Miss McMillan, because
that's just what I do.
We are coming towards the end
of our time together, so there's
a couple of things that I want
to mention and get you to kind
of answer some questions.
As far as your book, it's
called Ending the Power Struggle
Five Strategies for Parents of
Children with Disabilities, and
where could somebody find that
book?
Speaker 3: So it's on Amazon
Just go to Amazon and look that
up, and it's right there.
You can order.
It's available either in
paperback or you can do a
digital download.
Speaker 1: Excellent, and what's
really cool is a lot of the
things that you talked about
using in your classrooms do
transfer into the home and that
these same practices parents can
use in helping to raise their
kids.
But, Heather, I got one
question for you that I didn't
actually prepare for you, but I
know that it's okay.
I know that your faith is a
very big part of your life and
your family's life.
I know you and Mark.
I've known Mark for a long time
as well.
Can you tell me and the
listener the difference that the
Lord has made in your life when
it comes to how you do your job
as a special education teacher?
Speaker 3: So I believe for me
and for many special ed teachers
that I come across, it's a
calling right.
Everybody says to me how can
you do this for 25 years?
Right, it's hard, and I don't
disagree, it's hard, but it's
made such a difference because
sometimes, honestly, when I
can't figure out that kid and
what to do with that kid, I
found myself stopping praying
about it.
What do I need to do?
Right, and that's huge, and it
changes my perspective on why I
do it Right.
It's not just about the
academics and even the making
sure that they get you know some
of those life skills.
It's about loving them.
These are kids and families
that just need to be loved.
Yes, ma'am, and that's really a
big part of what I try to do.
Speaker 1: Well, and, like I
said before, I'm here to say
that you do it well.
As fellow teachers, you're
certainly someone that we look
up to and that we learn from.
And then, as parents of a
student with special needs just
the investment that you made in
our own son's life we could
never thank you enough for that.
Speaker 3: I love Sandron.
I love doing my job.
There are days that it's
exhausting, but it's more than a
job, it's truly a ministry.
Speaker 1: Yes, ma'am.
Speaker 3: From the way I
approach it.
Speaker 1: So yes, ma'am.
Well, I appreciate that we're
going to go ahead and wrap this
thing up.
Mrs Curtis, you got anything
you want to say?
Speaker 2: I don't think so.
I think y'all covered it, that
was great, wasn't it?
Speaker 1: I felt like I was
back in school.
I'm just sitting listening.
I should have been taking notes
, but it's okay, I recorded it,
so it's good.
Speaker 2: And you got the book.
There you go, and I got the
book.
Speaker 1: I got the book right
here.
I'm fantastic.
I recommend it to anybody that
either A has questions about how
to raise their child with a
disability, or even on the other
side, if you know somebody that
has a child with a disability
that could use it, check it out
and.
Speaker 3: I think even as a
teacher, you know there are some
good things in there.
They apply to the classroom,
because it's not that much
different, right?
Speaker 2: Yes, ma'am, yes,
ma'am, it's really not, and
that's why I was getting ready
to say even for you know,
teachers, new or veteran
teachers, if you're at a point,
you know, new teachers are
always looking for something and
veteran teachers are always
looking for different things,
that different ways.
You may not have looked from
perspective and so, yeah, I
think it is.
Speaker 3: Our classroom is like
a family.
Speaker 2: It becomes like a
family.
Speaker 3: We keep those kids
for so long.
I mean good and bad parts of
family, it's all together.
Speaker 2: And families don't
always get along.
That's what I've had to say
Listen, we're a family, but
families don't always get along.
You just got to figure out how
to get over it.
Speaker 1: That's right.
Well, thank you.
Thank you again, Heather.
Thank you so much for your time
.
We are looking forward to more
conversations in the future.
All right, bye.