[lovsthosebigdogs]

Thank you for your post Jim. I just retired from almost 30 years teaching special education. My job was challenging at times, but I loved my students with all my heart and wanted ALL of them to succeed in life and I hope I helped them do that. I always tried to help them focus on what they could do, rather than focus on what they couldn't do. I had a student come back and tell me I had changed his life because I taught him how to tie his shoes. It sounds like nothing to some people, but apparently to him, it was the world. My point is we never know how we affect the students we teach.
I don't respond to teacher bashers. I won't let their misconceptions affect what I know to be true for my students and myself. I know I made a difference and I know that every moment I spent with my students was time well spent. When children were in my room there were no coffee breaks, no moments talking on the phone, no time outs, no down time. Each moment with students in my classroom was time involved with children 100% . I am proud to say I was a teacher and posts like Jim's remind me of that.