Disability has made me a better teacher.

One of the most difficult times to think about revealing my disability to strangers is when I am trying to make a good first impression. These impressions are fleeting. Sometimes it's in the course of the conversation. Sometimes it's just in passing. I'm thinking about this now, because it is interview season for the coming school year. Someday soon I will be sitting across the table from complete strangers who want to know more about my strengths than my weaknesses. Fortunately, I'm not filling out applications by hand. Most of this can be done online, using my foot mouse and voice software. I will print out copies of my resume and letter of introduction, and various portfolio-type items. They are not going to ask me to demonstrate my penmanship writing on a whiteboard, or take a typing test to see how fast I type. In fact, it would be illegal for them to ask me if I have any disabilities. However, I also feel it would be unethical for me to go through the entire process of an interview without at least revealing a little bit about my unique situation. This is what I tell them. I'm better than average at incorporating technology into my teaching practice. Catalyzed by necessity, I've become adept at creating a portable classroom without papers. I use Evernote, Google drive and a digital recorder to keep my classroom supplies portable. I use flash drives for transporting documents sometimes, but I find it is easier in the long run to post them on the Internet. It's made it better for students who want to access these resources also. They can go to my website through the school district. They can listen to my podcast posted on Podomatic. They can view my slideshow on Slideshare. Other teachers in other classrooms and other schools and other countries are also able to benefit from what I have to share. My need to write as little as possible, drives me to plan things well in advance, and create lessons and materials that are explicit and thorough. I can never expect to jot a few extra instructions on the board, or on the top of the photocopy before I give them to the class. I am a planner to the extreme. I'm also eager to help my colleagues with just about everything I can, from collaborating on lesson planning to figuring out technological hurdles. I know that there are times that I need help, so I can sympathize and pay it forward for every time that someone else has helped me. Having thoracic outlet syndrome has unique challenges, but it has also prodded me to become a better teacher. I needed to.