I am a special ed teacher for high school students. I work in a private school and we take the most aggressive kids in the region. Basically we are the last stop before jail or residential for the kids - if we kick you out, you're SOL. As such I get threatened, cursed at, disrespected, and sometimes lightly assaulted (worst is I had a muffin thrown at me lol).

but I absolutely love it and I can't see myself ever working in a public school with mainstream kids. I love my students because I totally understand where they're coming from. I mean I went to alternative school, I stayed in hospitals, I was in a group home for awhile. I get it, and I get it in a way many of the other teachers can't. I know how to speak to them because I know what used to infuriate me. I know how I wanted to be treated and I treat them accordingly.

I don't know how Far I get in "healing" them but I hope they'll remember me one day as someone who believed in them and treated them with respect.