Educator Profile: David Hurt
Meet David
David Hurt, a 41-year-old paraeducator in the Renton School District, plays an essential role in the classroom. Depending on the day, David’s responsibilities could include giving a student medicine, changing diapers, supervising recess, walking students to class, or picking students up at the bus station. When a teacher hands out an assignment, David is the one responsible for helping the students complete it. He takes care of details that keep students safe and teachers supported.
David’s Backstory
David admits his pathway to becoming a paraeducator is different than most. As a retired soldier, he will often get questions about his experience in the army. Have you been deployed? Did you ever shoot anyone? What did you do? Would you do it again? Was the war really all about oil? Did you lose any friends?
Throughout his time in the army, David always had a desire to teach. As soon as he finished his career as a soldier, he went back to school to complete his AAS in Paraeducator, and attain a degree in Teaching.
“Whatever the reason was that you chose to become certified, just remember it is all about the students.”
A Note About Certification
Whether you are motivated to imitate your classroom experience or motivated change everything about it, there are many different reasons for wanting to become certified. David emphasizes that at the end of the day, it’s all about students: you want to be at your best, so they can be at their best.
Common Mistakes and Obstacles
When advising future educators on a similar path, David speaks openly about the challenges he faced. He notes several factors that can deter students from finishing school or achieving their end goal. For instance, some students feel overwhelmed with school, some feel like they are too old to start, and some attempt to solve classroom problems in ineffective ways. If you can stay on the path and finish, however, you can be rewarded immensely when you enter the field.
Making a Difference
For David, the most rewarding part of his career as a paraeducator is making an impact on students and witnessing a positive change. In one case, David was working with a student who habitually skipped class. Over time, as David built a relationship with him, the student started to respond. He began attending all of his classes and completing his work on time. Making this kind of positive difference in a kid’s life, David believes, is the dream of any educator.