Teaching With Love and Care

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KPT0DzXW9-s

Greenville County School District educates more than 500 students a year. With the school year coming to an end and summer vacation slowly approaching, two teachers from Thomas E Kerns Elementary took some time to reflect on their school year.

Karine Glass has been an educator for over 15 years. She specializes in education for special education students. She has been a teacher for Thomas E Kerns for five years.

“You know I’ve taught children with autism so long, I’m sure I have autism by now,” Glass stated with a laugh. “I say that just to say it’s become a way of life for me, and to not be with these children would have my life out of order,” she finished.

Glass discussed the milestones of her students and the triumph that she also feels while teaching. Glass explained how she teaches with patience and understanding. This year was her first year teaching a blind student. She was able to adapt to the new teaching skills and making sure that she includes her vison disabled child in all her school lessons.

“It takes time and a lot of patience. I’m not used having to explain exactly what I’m doing, but now whatever I’m doing I say it out loud because unlike the other students he can’t see me,” said Glass.

Courtney Pauling has been a specialist in Special Education for over 10 years. Thomas E. Kerns has been a place where she can show her love and affection for children.

“The biggest accomplishments for me is when the child comes in not able to dress themselves or do everyday things by themselves,” Pauling said. “But by the end of the school year they will come in and say Guess what I put my shirt on by myself this morning. That’s what this position is all about,” Pauling finished. Pauling has taught at various schools throughout Greenville and was recently told that her position was being released and she now has to find employment elsewhere.

“It’s going to be a bit of a challenge, not finding new employment but detaching myself from the children whom I’ve grew to care about so deeply,” Pauling explained. “I just want to make sure that whomever is with the children has to genuinely care for them,” Pauling finished.

The special needs recently participated in the Special Olympics. Many of the students in Glass’s class will be moving on to different classes for the new school year.