How Epilepsy Changed My Teaching Career

When I was in 7th grade, I had my first grand-mal, tonic clonic epileptic seizure. My younger brother woke to me shaking in my bed, and my Dad once remarked that the greatest site he has seen is the paramedics coming up the stars to help me. With my brain undeveloped, for years neurologists could not solve what was causing these epileptic episodes. Even into my first few years of teaching I would get a sick feeling in my stomach, lose vision in my left eye, and go into a seizure during class. These moments made me realize and understand how relentless students are. They were always there for me. They never held it against me or judged me. Even  more importantly, my amazing colleagues had my back. Following episodes I was always embarrassed. My colleagues had an incredible understanding of what I was going through. They saw me as a teacher and not someone with epilepsy. Without the support of that particular group of teachers, I would have likely left the profession in loneliness. 

I am one of the lucky people with epilepsy in which brain surgery has been successful. In seven years I have not had a tonic clonic seizure. The challenges that having seizures brings to you on a daily basis and having two major brain surgeries has changed my mindset and outlook in the classroom. Typically I have 25-35 students in a middle school classroom. After going through the massive challenges and battles throughout my life, I do not look at any of those students the same. Each one of those students is going through a different challenge in their life, big or small. It is important to have a deep understanding of this. It is critical as a teacher to be there for them the way my students and past colleagues were there  for me.

My hope is that you enter the classroom on a daily basis and do not just prepare to teach the curriculum, but see each student as an individual with unique talents, abilities, and adversity in their lives.

Finally, take a break today my friends and enjoy a cup of coffee.

-Robby