My challenges with working

For about twenty years, I have been working as a paraprofessional at an elementary school. Over the years, I have worked in every grade at this school. It has preschool - grades eight. I remember that several years ago, it got much more difficult for me to work in the middle school grades five through eight. Since then, I have requested to stay in the elementary grades which are preschool- grade four.

I think that most of the time, being successful at my job is not a problem, but there are times when things are challenging for me. If it is a teacher who I haven’t worked with before, sometimes I will explain to them about my memory impairment. It just helps with the communication and makes it easier for me to work in their classroom. Sometimes one of the problems that I have at school is that I can forget things fairly easily and quickly because of my short- term memory problems. I also have problems with understanding what the teacher is saying. I will usually try to figure it out on my own and if I can’t, I will ask the teacher for clarification. I have also learned to write things down. I know that multi-step verbal directions don’t work out well because I can't remember the second or third things to do and I’m still trying to remember the first thing. I will always need this written down. I think that a lot of what I do for my students is in my long-term memory, so that makes it possible for me to do my job.

There are those times when I can feel the “fog” in my brain and I know that it will be a challenging time for me. I’m very strong and I will do my best to push my way through my day and I think that it will usually work out okay.

I know that a few years ago, the principal had all staff scheduled to become CPR certified during a workshop day. I was not feeling comfortable with that. There are too many steps to learn and I would not put myself or anyone else in that situation. I stressed out about it and I told one of the teachers who I’m very close to. She told me that I probably should talk to the principal. I talked to the principal about my memory impairment and that I couldn’t really take this class. He said that there wasn't a problem because it was not mandatory for me to do so.

Over the past five or more years, I have referred to staff workshop days as “data overload”. There is just too much information being told to us and that is why I feel that way.

I think that still being able to work has impacted me in a very positive way because it has increased my self-esteem and confidence. I am still interacting with people daily, so I’m keeping my communication skills going. I want to work for as long as I possibly can!