Final Reflection

As I may have mentioned earlier, my special education journey began in 2006 at UW-Eau Claire.
My original intention was to get licensed to teach special education with a concentration in
EBD. Since then licensure has changed to Cross Categorical. Last fall, one week before the
school year began, I was offered a teachers aide position in a cross categorical CD severe
classroom in the Colfax School District. I was a little disappointed because I had my heart set on
having my own classroom. This ended up being a wonderful situation for the children in my
classroom and my family. The job that I accepted was a wonderful experience, and I am truly
grateful to have had the classroom experience that I did while working on my cross categorical
licensure.
The beginning of the second chapter in my special education journey was last October, when I
took the Introduction to Autism course in Green Bay. In January, I attended Parents and
Agencies in Middleton, took four classes online last spring, and completed my coursework a few
weeks ago in LaCrosse. I am proud to say that even though this last year has been a very hard
one for my family, every class that I took through Viterbo University was enjoyable. My
husband lost his battle with cancer a week and a half before my last course. It was hard at
times to stay focused on school work while he was in and out of the hospital. With his
encouragement, and fight to live, I made finishing this journey a positive experience.
Perseverance has paid off, as I have been offered the teacher position in the classroom that I
worked in last school year.
My experience with Viterbo University and the Cross Categorical program was well worth the
valuable time spent achieving this goal. I have a high level of respect for my professors and the
classmates that shared many personal experiences and resources. Thank you to all that have
touched my life in a positive way this past year, and God Bless!