Self-Contained Classroom Teacher – West Oak
What do you love most about your job?
My job is quite unique. I love that I get to build relationships with students and their families, not just for one year, but for as long as they continue in this program – until they graduate.
I love working with my team of EAs. They are fabulous! They are the most kind, underpaid individuals who don’t get enough appreciation and support. They make my job a lot easier and I love that they all have different walks of life, and personalities that help build our environment.
I love the fact that I bring in my expertise and experience, and make this an inclusive environment here at West Oak.
What is a challenge you face?
Every day is like an open book. We don’t know what we’re going to be faced with.
A lot of these students are still learning how to express their needs and wants, and the ways to communicate.
Supporting students in every aspect of their daily living. And supporting them for long term goals, and sometimes that can be challenging for others in our community to accept, and help them feel included. And I deal with that ever single day where we have behaviours, and we have challenges, and we constantly get the glare… that look… or the fearful look, and we are trying to build that relationship amongst our class, amongst our students, and our staff, and that’s really challenging sometimes, because it does take a lot of empathy, and a lot of heart and kindness to work with the most vulnerable students in our board.
And, also the challenges that parents face every day with the services – the wait times. So, sending their kids to school becomes one less thing they have to worry about that day, and for the longevity of the relationship with their children, the supports, and all of that.
What is a recent tiny victory, or quick win you’d like to celebrate?
So, I had been trying to encourage a student to participate in Vex IQ for quite some time. And he displayed some anxiety about joining a new program / group, and didn’t know where he would fit in. So, I really encouraged him to participate yesterday – you know, just to come and see what it’s like. I told him he didn’t even need to build anything, he could just watch…
He came up to me half way through period, and said, lunch, and said “Mrs. Hansford, this is amazing! I’m so glad I came today!”
I was so happy because sometimes that technology can be so intimidating, and it’s just taking that leap that little risk, and saying “You know what? I can do this.” And he did it!
What words of love/encouragement do you have for your fellow Humans of HDSB?
I would remind people to be kind. Be empathetic. Be open. Be inclusive. We all need more love and joy in our every day. It’s ok to put on a funny hat, walk the halls, and say “hello” to people. Encourage others.
Tell people you appreciate them – we don’t hear that enough in our daily lives.
Who knows you the best?
My teaching partner. We talk every day after school on the way home from school – whether it’s to debrief the day, or just chat about what we are making for dinner… and sometimes she picks me up coffee on the way to work because she knows I love it.
If you had a warning label, what would it say?
Don’t approach. I’ve had too much caffeine.
