Special Education-High School
High school special education is my favorite.
I do miss the endless hugs from elementary students—but in high school, I get something just as sweet: “I love yous.”
Almost daily, as students leave my room, I hear:
“Bye, Mrs. Carnahan! I love you!”
“Bye! I love you!”
And they’ll hear me shout back—loud and proud—
“I love you! Bye!”
Just like in elementary, I’m here to help anyone who needs it. I’m not built to support only the students with IEPs. I’m built to serve—to lift burdens, lighten loads, and help both students and teachers understand what’s being asked of them.
When I first started teaching high school special ed, students were embarrassed about their learning struggles. That broke my heart. But God placed me here—and little by little, things have changed.
The secret? Prayer and snacks.
Yes, that’s it—prayer and snacks.
I take a different approach to education:
Relationships over rigor.
That’s the real key.
But again… snacks and prayer sure help too.
High school students need to know you care. When they believe that, they rise to meet their potential. My classroom is a mix: students with IEPs, students who struggle but don’t qualify, and students who excel academically.
What I love most?
In my room, the labels fade. The IEP kids blend in—and that matters to them. It’s a place where everyone belongs.
High schoolers desperately want to fit in.
They feel like they do in my classroom.
High schoolers desperately want to fit in.
They feel like they do in my classroom.
They may not need sentence starters written on their desks, but they have emotional needs just as big. What they really need is someone to listen.
And I do.
That kind of connection can be exhausting—but what matters to them, matters to me.
So I pray.
I pray for every student and every teacher in that school.
That they listen.
That they love.
That they work hard.
And that they pause to see the progress they’ve made.
Prayer for Teachers:
Dear Lord,
Thank You for every teacher who walks the halls of our high schools with open hearts and strong shoulders. Give them energy when they are weary, wisdom when they feel lost, and grace when the days are long. Help them to see the fruit of their labor even when it’s not visible right away. Let them be reminded that You placed them exactly where they are for a reason—and that the seeds they plant today will bloom in Your time.
Amen.
Prayer for Students:
Father God,
Please be with every high school student. Quiet the noise of comparison. Help them find confidence, connection, and comfort in You. Remind them that their worth is not based on grades, popularity, or performance, but on being Your beloved creation. May they know they are seen, hear
