You Matter!

By Laura Foody, Director of Learning Support at Dedham Country Day School and NEALS President

Being a Learning Specialist can be hard.  We teach struggling students.  We consult with anxious parents.  We coach and support overwhelmed teachers.  Sometimes.  Other times, we celebrate our students’ successes.  We guide families to the tools and resources that help their children thrive at school.  We watch with joy when a teacher successfully differentiates a lesson.  Our career calling has many ups and downs.  Sometimes, it may seem easier to throw in the towel and seek employment in another field or go into another form of teaching. But I implore you to hold that towel and don’t give up because you matter.  You matter to your students.  You matter to your families. And you matter to your colleagues.  I consider Learning Specialists to be the heart and soul of a school, and we are vital to the organizations in which we work and the students we serve.

About ten years ago, I was co-teaching a third-grade Math class.  We had a very bright but very anxious student who thought he couldn't get through the class on his own.  At the beginning of each class, he would hand me a slip of paper on which he wrote “Reservation With You.”  I always made sure to check in on him throughout class to make sure he understood the content, remained calm, focused, and on task.  And you know what, by the end of the year, he no longer handed me the “reservation” ticket because he knew I would check in on him, and he also knew that he could succeed in Math class. I began to collect the “reservation tickets” and notes from students and families. They rest in an old shoe box in my closet and come out at least once each school year to remind me why I am a Learning Specialist. When I feel burnt out, these notes remind me that I have made a difference in the lives of so many people over the years.  And then I remember, I matter, and I continue to matter.

I suggest you get your own shoe box and collect the notes (and emails) you receive, and when the work day has been tough, take out the box and remember why you are a Learning Specialist and that you matter to many, many people.  

Wishing you a wonderful school year. The NEALS Board has been working hard to plan events throughout the year that will empower and inspire you.  We look forward to seeing you soon!

Warm regards,

Laura