Casa Grande’s Helen Alvarez Fulfills Quest to Become a Special Education Teacher After Nearly 21 Years as a Teacher’s Assistant

CASA GRANDE – March 31, 2008 – After a quick chat with Desert Willow Elementary School special education teacher Helen Alvarez, one thing becomes abundantly clear – Helen is living out a dream each and every day in her classroom.  It seems as if she was born to be a special education teacher, and her love for what she’s doing is impossible to miss!

The path to fulfilling her dream wasn’t easy, however.  Helen’s quest for a teaching degree stretched more than 21 years. 

Earlier this month, she received Arizona’s 2008 Distinguished Service Award from the Council for Exceptional Children. The award honors people who have dedicated their lives to improving services for children with disabilities.

The description fits Helen perfectly both personally and professionally.  While she is technically a first-year special education teacher at Desert Willow, Helen has positively impacted Pinal Country special education classrooms for more than 21 years as a teaching assistant.

Personally, Helen has spent the past 25 years caring for her adopted son, who suffers from Down syndrome and was the victim of physical abuse.  While the love for her adopted son served an inspiration to work with special needs students, Helen said it was her family’s economic situation that ultimately helped her discover her passion for teaching.

“When my son was 18 months old, my husband was working as a miner,” she explained.  “The mine ended up shutting down, and I needed to go to work to help out until it reopened. I went to work as a teacher’s assistant with special education kids and absolutely loved it.  I just adore working with these kids.”

Helen continued working as a teacher’s assistant in a classroom for students with mild disabilities for three years.  She then moved to a classroom with severe to profoundly handicapped students.  It was there that Helen truly shined – she stayed with the class for 17 years.

“I really got the feel of the kids,” Helen said.  “I could tell when one of them was about to have a seizure before they had it.  I really enjoyed working there.”

During her early years as a teacher’s assistant, Helen began dreaming of becoming a special education teacher herself.

“I wanted to be a teacher for years, but I just couldn’t afford to go back to college,” she said.

Eventually Helen secured funding to pursue her education thanks to a Pinal County Para Professionals to Teacher’s Grant.  Because the grant required that she continue working full-time in Pinal Country classrooms, Helen needed nearly six years to complete the program, finally earning her degree in January 2007.

At last, the dream was a reality!  Helen is determined to make the most of it, stating, “I plan to work as long as I possibly can!”

“I’m just really into teaching,” she said.  “I want my students to be exposed to so much!  I try to keep the students really busy.  I just love my kids and I love what I am doing.  I fully believe that there isn’t a child who has been born that can’t be taught something that will improve their lives.”