Alexander Fireman (Alexander Fireman)
Location:
IL
Age/Gender: 26/Male
Degree: B. A. English and Psychology; Working toward
an M.S. Ed. in School Counseling
More In Depth: A girl sees a little boy walking with
crutches and asks, “Mommy, why is he
walking with those?” The mother anxiously
pulls her child away from the boy saying,
“Shh. Don’t ask any questions. Just
go.” When the little girl does not receive
an answer, she becomes frustrated. The boy
is left scared and confused as he wonders why
he is told to be ignored.
I was that boy. I have cerebral palsy, a
disability that affects my ability to walk.
“Those” were the crutches I used to
accommodate my needs. I wished I could help
the girl understand why I used them. Because
of this incident, I knew I wanted to one day
work with children.
The retina of my right eye detached when I
was in grade school, causing me to lose all
vision in it. I was left with more
challenges to overcome. These obstacles
became more apparent in high school as the
curriculum grew more intense. I often had
trouble reading the chalkboard and completing
coursework. Despite these challenges, I
loved learning new things.
Teachers made sure I received the appropriate
accommodations. My English teacher, Mrs.
Allen, was highly involved in this process.
She often attended my IEP meetings to ensure
that she was providing me with the assistance
I needed. She made sure that my class
assignments had enlarged font so that I could
read them. Mrs. Allen also provided me with
extra guidance when it was necessary. Even
though I had physical limitations, my teacher
ensured that I learned the same material as
every other student. Because of these
experiences, I developed a strong passion for
education. I hoped to help young adults just
as my teacher helped me.
I decided to attend college in order to
become a teacher. In the process of
completing training to become a teacher, I
discovered that the profession was more
physically demanding than I had anticipated.
I had difficulty performing lectures and
passing back work to students. However,
students often ask me about my physical
disability and I was happy to explain it to
them.
Fortunately, throughout this training, I
found a career accomodates my disability and
satisfies my passion for education: school
counseling. During my clinical observations
students often asked me about what college
was like and how much it would cost to
attend. I was happy to provide these answers
and I truly felt I was make a meaningful
impact on the children.
It is for this reason that I am excited to
begin training to be a school counseling. I
look forward to advocating for students with
special needs, teaching about diversity, and
providing the next generation with valuable
life skills.
I enjoy doing community service work.
Recently I have volunteered at the Rosecrance
Berry Campus, a mental health services agency
for children. In this position, I served as
a mentor and guid to children.
I currently volunteer at The Rosecrance Ware
Center, a mental health services agency for
adults. I provide clients with emotional
support. I also help them find employment
and housing. Even though I am not getting
paid for my work, I love helping other
people. Helping these people provides its
own reward.
Given these experiences I know that a career
in school counseling will provide me with
exciting challenges and rewards. I look
forward to the journey ahead.
Please visit my website,
http://alexfireman.wordpress.com/. It
contains helpful resources for educators,
students, and parents.
