Walking down the hallway side by side with my principal, I was excited to see my new classroom. It was a new assignment and I was filled with anticipation and looking forward to the challenge. It was a self contained classroom, special education, 3rd, 4th and 5th grade for students with low cognitive abilities. The year…. was 1982. The place….. Utah.
As we walked along, it seemed we were moving farther and farther way from the classrooms. “Hmmmm,” I thought, “Maybe there’s a nice roomy classroom on this side of the building that I haven’t seen before.”
“Here it is!” my principal gestured with his arm and smiled at me.
I looked back at him confused. The “room” in which he was expecting me to teach a classroom of students with the highest needs in the building, was actually a hallway with a coatroom and nothing else.
No chalkboard, no desks, no texts or curriculum…. no….. nothing.
It was a space at the end of the hall. The rust colored carpet went halfway up the wall and there were hooks in the closet where students could put their coats and backpacks.
I was young, in my early 20’s and I can’t believe I didn’t speak up for myself and my students. I was outraged, but said nothing and kept it all inside.
I don’t remember and am not sure how I made it through that year except that I remember the students. The beautiful, happy, creative and sweet children that blessed my life that year. Those children stand out in my memory and that first day when the principal showed me…. my new classroom.
Vanessa's Voice 
Wow! What a memory. I think as first year teachers, we all stopped short of speaking out — but I bet you did the best, even in a closet!
The summer before my first job, I taught summer school … I don’t remember how many kids there were — I just remember that we were in the nurse’s office that summer because that’s the only room that had air conditioning… I brought in my own chalkboard, and made a reading nook out of a closet. We do what we need to do, I guess!
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Yes, you can relate!
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You create a clear picture, and I can envision the hallway and coatroom, and your understandable disappointment and anger. Hopefully, times have changed, and special education is no longer shuffled to the side without consideration.
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Luckily those children had you! My first classroom as a reading teacher was a former bathroom with one tiny window up really high and no air conditioning….memories 🙂 I can smile at now.
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I remembering teaching on a landing my first year. They gave me a cart that I could roll out of the hallway to work with the kiddos on the floor. The important part was being with those kids. I remember them all very fondly as well. I also haven’t taught in a hallway since! Great post. Thank you for sharing!
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A bleak circumstance. I suspect you made up for the system’s lapses by bringing your care and effort into the learning space.
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This is quite a memory. But it didn’t beat you did it? And that is really the important message. We march on!
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Who thought carpet on walls was a good idea? I bet those kids don’t remember the room–I bet they remember you.
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Thank you!
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I was right there with you. Not many first year teachers would speak up back then. I wonder about now?
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Wow! I started my journey similar to yours as a Special Education Teacher in 1998. I never thought I’d get through that 1st year teaching. I was blessed to have a good Principal and an experienced Teacher Mentor. Here I am now after 20 years of teaching. Phew!!
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I shouldn’t be, but am surprised at how many people have had similar experiences!
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I am sure many can relate to this. Hopefully things have changed, and people like you are part of that change!
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