3 of 6

Write now Article Tools

Will my continuing education become a success story? Only time will tell. Let me start from the first experience I had in college. I wanted to work with handicap children for as long as I can remember. After high school, I went straight into college, thinking I was mature enough to handle all that working with special needs children would entail. I very quickly found that I was not able to cope with the field I had chosen for myself. I spent one year at UNLV, realizing I was not ready for such a huge responsibility. Not even ready for college. I left college and had a successful career in restaurant management.

That was thirty years ago. I have raised a family, had a long working career, though I never lost the need I felt I wanted to fulfill my dream of finishing college, and to work with special needs children. I was lucky enough to get a taste of my dream, and was able to work with special needs children for a few short years. I found I enjoyed working with special needs children even more than I had imagined. They offer so many rewards. Watching these special children with nothing but love to offer, happy and smiling most of the time is a reward in itself. I fell in love all over again with that dream I left behind so many years ago.

I am now disabled, with too many ailments to bore you. I laid in bed for over four years, feeling my life was over, no more goals, my children grown with lives of their own, I felt useless. Until one day, I was going through my junk mail. Odd I would find my dream in my junk mail, but there it was. I had never read bulk mail before, but for some reason this time something peaked my interest. An on line college, was one of the pieces of junk mail in my mailbox. I gave it little thought, but days later, I decided to call and find out what it was all an on line school offered. I spoke to an enrollment councilor that turned my life around. He stayed on the phone with me for almost two hours explaining how everything works and how I could go to school. I was reluctant at first, I am getting old, and I just turned forty-eight. By the time I get my Masters I will be well over fifty, everyone thinks I am a fool. I am disabled, and old I hear their whispers "what does she think she can do?"

To put it quite bluntly I think I will do quite well; I am a sophomore and enrolled in the BS of Psychology program, my GPA is better than I ever thought it would be, and I proud knowing I will succeed. Older, and wiser, sad it took me this long. My grades are great, and I cannot wait to complete college. I know it is not maybe, it is when. Knowing that excites me.

I have concerns due to my disability that I may not be able to work directly with special needs children. However, I cannot wait to spread my enthusiasm to college students that choose distant learning as their mode of education. If I am only able to affect one student and show them the importance of being a part of teaching Special Education, I will have come full circle and now I really am making my dream come true.

Therefore, if you want to know if I am a success story, the answer is yes, I may not be finished quite yet; though I know it is only a matter of time. If something should happen to me at this stage of my life, and I could not finish school (it would almost have to mean my death) I would still consider myself a success for everything I have achieved.

Learn more about this author, Mary Tyrer.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.

Add your voice

Know something about Success stories from continuing education students?
We want to hear your view. Write now!