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You see, I had known with my whole heart that I had to become a special education teacher! I am fairly positive that I was born to have this career! Way back in 1961 (forget the year) I was born over two months early. On my third day, my heart stopped and I stopped breathing. A miracle brought me back. I stayed in the hospital for a long time. My parents had little hope that I'd ever be "normal" given the combination of my prematurity and the lack of oxygen to my brain. I beat the odds! I hit every milestone on time, did well in school, and was accepted into college. From the beginning of my time, special education was my passion!
My mission has always been to give back! I want to give to those who were not as lucky as me. Every child deserves a champion. Every child deserves someone who believes in him/her even when the odds are against him/ her. Success comes in different forms for different people. Success for me is getting the word out that education is special for all children.
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| Deb Aubin Wearing a hat! |
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| Jena Ball |
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| Marty Keltz |
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| Karin Lippert |
Since my students are special education students, they often feel less than perfect. They aren't the best readers, writers, test takers, athletes,...etc. But...if you ask me, they are the best students! They work so hard! Talk about diligence, they never give up! We cherish the small improvements and watch them grow into bigger advances! My students want to learn! They amaze me every day! Jena Ball and Marty Keltz came into our lives at just the right time. They are partners in the Not Perfect Hat Club. Miss Jena is an author and illustrator who visits classrooms and teaches kids that perfection is not an option, and that is perfectly okay! My kids needed a lift, and in came Jena and Marty with their optimistic, everyone is okay attitudes! Wow! Talkabout a perfect match!
Miss Jena created the Not Perfect Hat Club, after visiting schools with her CritterKin book Series and hearing kids say negative things about themselves and their work. She decided that it was clear that she needed to find a way to help kids set aside their judgements and trust themselves and their work. Thus, the Not Perfect Hat Club was born! Just wait until; they hear that Karin Lippert, publicist for the Not Perfect Hat Club mentioned us on a touchcast newscast!
Being launched in conjunction with The Global Classroom Project,* The Not Perfect Hat Club is both an illustrated children's book and a project based learning initiative being shared with kids around the world. Jena is not only writing and illustrating the book, but developing creative activities and tools that will allow parents, teachers and kids to share their "Not Perfect" experiences with others. A global initiative dedicated to helping teachers and students connect with and learn from one another. Through Jena and Marty, I have met amazing educators from all over the world who like me are teaching academics combined with empathy, compassion, and mutual respect for everyone. One of these amazing educators is Nick Brierley. He is a part of The #Aussieed Team. Check their blog out at: http://www.aussieed.com. I am proud to be a part of the global Not Perfect Hat Club which includes my educator friends across the ocean in Australia. I know that the kid inside this educator has found the perfect place to hang my hat in the global Not Perfect Hat Club!
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| Nick Brierley #aussieEd |
