Hello good afternoon Hive community!!! A few days ago in a post, I mentioned that I am a retired special education teacher in the area of mental retardation for 24 years. Today I am here to tell you how I came to start this adventure of being a special education teacher. In my mind, I never thought of becoming a teacher, a decision that I never regret and I thank God for having guided me on this path. After graduating from high school, I was unemployed for a while. My brother, who was my motivational booster in my personal professional growth, promoted my improvement.
After having tried several universities in search of my vocation, which at that time I started as a trial period for the career of Integral Education, I was not consistent because I did not finish in any of them, I deserted. Until, in the city, the Monseñor de Talavera University College opened the career of Special Education in two mentions, learning difficulties and mental retardation. This was a boom for the population, even for me, it was something innovative and interesting, I never thought it would be easy, but it attracted me and I enrolled in the area of learning disabilities. Once I started the academic activities, it was transcendental for me to meet Prof. Maria Elena Barrios, who was the advisor of a subject called vocational orientation, she is a teacher in the area of mental retardation, and I can say that she was the one who motivated me and centered me in my vocation, because when I did the internships for each of the levels of the regular system, I can say that I fell in love with the area of mental retardation.
<Les cuento sobre inicios como docente, ingresé al ministerio de educación en el año 1999, en la ciudad de San Antonio del Táchira (es una población fronteriza con Colombia) , fui la maestra de ocho estudiantes en el nivel de preescolar, fue un reto, pues tenía que poner en práctica los conocimientos que había adquirido, pero en realidad hoy siento que más maestra de ellos, ellos fueron maestros para mí. Tenía que aprender, con las vivencias del día a día con cada uno de ellos, conocerlos, comprenderlos y hacer valer la misión para lo cual yo estaba allí. Estos niños no tenían escolaridad, y mi meta era que les gustará la escuela. Estuve en este grupo por casi tres años, ya casi iniciando para un nuevo año escolar, en el 2002 me dieron traslado para Táriba por motivos familiares. Pero de esta experiencia me quedaron recuerdos muy satisfactorios, los niños pasaron al siguiente nivel, adaptados, confiados, con hábitos de trabajo previamente establecidos y con toda la capacidad de saber dar lo que por naturaleza ya tienen, dar amor, de verdad fueron estudiantes significativos para mí.
I entered the Ministry of Education in 1999, in the city of San Antonio del Táchira (it is a border town with Colombia), I was the teacher of eight students at the preschool level, it was a challenge, because I had to put into practice the knowledge I had acquired, but in reality today I feel that more than a teacher of them, they were teachers for me. I had to learn, through the day-to-day experiences with each one of them, to get to know them, understand them and make them understand the mission for which I was there. These children had no schooling, and my goal was to make them like school. I was in this group for almost three years, and almost starting a new school year, in 2002 I was transferred to Táriba for family reasons. But from this experience I had very satisfactory memories, the children passed to the next level, adapted, confident, with previously established work habits and with all the capacity to know how to give what they already have by nature, to give love, they were truly significant students for me.
<Llegar al instituto de Educación Especial Táriba( en la población de Táriba, ciudad famosa que abriga a nuestra patrona del Táchira, La virgen de la Consolación), fue otra experiencia, hoy tiene por nombre Instituto de Educación Especial Emily Gisvel Guerrero, epónimo que se le otorgó en memoria de una estudiante con necesidades educativas especiales fundadora. Para mí fue llegar a otra casa de formación enriquecedora, pues ésta, permitió desarrollarme en diferentes roles en cuanto a lo profesional, pero la más importante y significativa, fue ser docente y mi meta era lograr que estos jóvenes que he visto crecer y convencida de sus capacidades y potencialidades puedan desarrollarse y obtener un trabajo digno en igualdad de oportunidades.
Arriving at the Táriba Special Education Institute (in the town of Táriba, famous city that shelters our patron saint of Táchira, the Virgin of Consolation), was another experience, today it is called the Emily Gisvel Guerrero Special Education Institute, an eponym that was given in memory of a student with special educational needs founder. For me it was another enriching training house, because it allowed me to develop in different professional roles, but the most important and significant was to be a teacher and my goal was to ensure that these young people that I have seen grow and convinced of their abilities and potential to develop and obtain a decent job with equal opportunities.
<Ya hoy como jubilada desde la práctica, mi espíritu aún permanece activo con ellos, pues no me pierdo la oportunidad de compartir grandes momentos con los chicos y los que fueron mis compañeros (los que se fueron y se encuentran en otros espacios, así como también de los que permanecen allí), actualmente me encuentro realizando otras actividades, como profesora universitaria y muy pronto estaré iniciándome como catequista, donde iniciaré la formación de niños y jóvenes para su primera comunión y confirmación.
Already today as a retired from the practice, my spirit still remains active with them, because I do not miss the opportunity to share great moments with the children and those who were my companions (those who left and are in other spaces, as well as those who remain there), I am currently doing other activities, as a university professor and soon I will be starting as a catechist, where I will begin the formation of children and young people for their first communion and confirmation.
<Espero que esta publicación les haya gustado, nos veremos en una nueva edición, hasta pronto...
I hope you liked this publication, see you in a new edition, see you
<Fotos tomadas de mi celular HUAWEIY6
Photos taken from my HUAWEIY6 cell phone.