Steven

"I spent 20 years going into schools and providing counseling for students, but it was never as fulfilling as I had hoped because of the time restraints; you don't have a lot of individual time with the kids and you're not seeing the parents. It's difficult to get to the real root of issues that way. I like teaching, and I really wanted to work with students who have emotional challenges, so I went back to school and now teach a self-contained elementary class. Since I have the kids all day, I can help them to make positive changes in their behavior and in how they see themselves. Of course, I'm teaching academic subjects as well. In fact, my students typically score as well as regular ed students on standardized tests. Once their behaviors are under control, they're able to focus on learning. 

"I often think, 'How can I reach this particular student? That child with a difficult behavior?' They challenge me every day, and I'm always working on different ways to teach them. I've found that one of the most effective ways is through technology. The students love it, they cooperate with each other, they're engaged, and they challenge each other. The technology gives them a certain level of privacy, helps them feel more mature, allows them to keep moving academically, and can be customized to their learning levels. One of the things I've done is to create a website that allows them to do a lot of their work online, http://www.jedischolars.com. I enjoy teaching, and I feel I'm making a real difference."

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