What made you become a special education teacher?

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What made you become a special education teacher? Did you fall into it? Did you grow up knowing this was the profession you wanted? Did you suddenly have a career change? Was one of your own children in special education? Why do you stay? What brings you to work each day? Share your stories, or as Maya Angelou calls them "Diamonds". My story is simple, I fell into special education. My first teaching post was in a resource room and I honestly didn't know what it was. I was told it was English, which was my bachelor's degree, so I thought "Wow, no sweat". Then I'm handed a case load and IEP's with no knowledge! I honestly don't know how I made it through my first year trying to get into a master levels program in special education, learn the lingo, and figure out if this is what I went to four years of college for. Oh, I had one class in special education as a part of my undergraduate but I didn't think I'd be a "special education teacher". In fact, my goal was to move on with my education and teach English at the college level. It was my students that first year that gave me my passion for special education. I found that so many of them had dreams and goals that were not being given creedance. I felt a sudden calling to make sure they not only received their fair education, but also could go on to do what they wished to do with their lives. It's funny because so much has changed since I first became involved in Special Education, and I think we're moving each year to something better then we had the previous year. I truly did find my calling in life, even if it was not originally what I set out to do. Namaste-Anora