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Can you tell us about yourself? 

Hi, my name is Susan Bordelon, and I do discuss direct dyslexia instruction and provide special education inclusion support at Alexander Middle School in a parallel ISD. And I have been here since the school opened in 2007. So which is close to 13, going on 14 years now.

Why did you start a career in education?

I started a career in education because I really liked school and wanted to try and help other kids like school as much as I did. I liked reading and history and language, and I've taught all of those over the years.

If you could have any other job what would it be and why?

I wouldn't switch, I wouldn't switch to anything different. You have to find the joy in the little things, and that's what we all try to do. 

How are kids different now than 30 years ago?

Especially right now, kids are varied from 30 years ago. Because I did start back in 1987. So I've had a lot of experience or I knew what they were like back then 30 years ago. You do still have a lot of great kids that are very respectful and polite. They, I guess that it is just the pro, it varies from school to school. Hey that's kind of what makes a difference. And I even saw that many years ago because of the areas that I taught in, but, um, they are definitely growing up faster and maturing. They're faced with so many things now than they were 30 years ago. I mean, like the kids I have 10 and 11 year olds and the issues that they have, or probably that so much in social media is out of blight, played a big part in it. Then what the kids that were in high school that I taught 30 years ago. It's just so, so different.

How is teaching different now than 30 years ago?

And teaching is definitely different. Over the years when I returned to teaching in 1999, and as I've taught in two different districts since then, there's big, uh, big emphasis on technology and using technology in the classroom. And, but when I got into dyslexia instruction, it was kind of a little bit different because we don't necessarily use this technology as much. And so now we've kind of had to flip this group again. But it's, it's very, it's become very difficult right now. Those that are my age, uh, around my age, over 50, that have taught or in the late forties, and they've taught continuously, you've had to learn a whole new way of teaching and how to make it all work, whole new learning system.

What would you tell someone who wants to become a teacher?

I would tell someone right now that they really, really need to think about it. They really need to prepare themselves to, um, you have to take the good with the bad, prepare yourself to be frustrated, prepare yourself to be very happy on some days there's just a wide variety of emotions, but yeah, it's a, it's a great job and you are definitely making a difference in, in some kids' lives.

What would you change to help kids learn better?

And one thing you would change to help kids learn better. I wouldn't be, they just, um, all need to be able to read at the same level that they are in, in the classes that they are in. I think we are, our education system has failed because kids, I don't know, I don't know if it's a parenting issue, if it is just, um, and some of them do have a lot of learning disciplines [inaudible], but I definitely think we need to do a better job of making sure that everyone can read fluently and comprehend what they are reading as they are reading. Thank you, and have a great day.