Influential Woman · Education

Angela Edward

Special Education Teacher, Not specified

Garland, TX 75040

2Awards received

Certifications · Degrees · Memberships

Degree Trade school for special education Degree Career Planning Degree New Orleans Degree 2001 Member TRS (Texas Teacher Association) Member Member since 2010

Her Story

About Angela

I've been in the education field for 25 years now, and I currently work in special education with the 12-plus program, which serves students after high school. My work focuses on helping disabled students transition into the workforce and live independently. We train them on how to get jobs, fill out applications, and we take them to volunteer at different places in hopes that they would give us a job. We go to two homeless shelters, two food pantries, a clothing store, and a bakery. We also provide travel training so they can learn how to get to the jobs on their own. This year, I'm incredibly proud that we had 11 students and we got all 11 of them jobs. My typical day starts at 6:30 AM with a morning meeting at 7:30, then we prepare to go out to volunteer sites. We split up into groups and do volunteer work from 8 to 12, then come back and talk about what we learned, help them fill out applications, and prepare them for interviews. We work until about 2 o'clock. The biggest challenge I face is working with students who have ADHD, because their disability can't be seen, and it's hard for job sites to understand why they're in special education when they don't appear to have a visible handicap. I believe ADHD students should be in regular classes with regular teachers, not in special ed for four years. But despite the challenges, my life is awesome because I found a job that I love, and I don't have to worry about getting up in the morning and not wanting to go.

Her Interview

Ten minutes with Angela

01What do you attribute your success to?

I attribute my success to my dad helping me get through the schools. I went to a trade school instead of a regular college, and we had a difficult time getting them to teach education because the trade school only had electricians, plumbers, and all that kind of stuff. So we got together with the city council and all that and made them do a special education program. That's what I did - I went into that field when they opened it up. My dad, Joseph Aguilar, was one of my biggest mentors, along with Ms. Williams, who was my 12th grade teacher. She helped me a lot and really stuck out to me throughout all these years.

02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?

The best career advice I ever received was don't teach high school, because high school is very hard. I ended up in kindergarten instead. I owned my own business at home - I had a daycare. I lost that through Hurricane Katrina and came to Texas and started working at a school called Blue Ivy in the kindergarten classes. Then from Blue Ivy, I went to the Garland School District, and I've been here ever since.

03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?

Just work hard, and you can be successful. If you work hard enough, you can be successful. And really, the thing is, if you find a job that you like, that you can love, and you don't have to worry about getting up in the morning and not wanting to go - you find that, and your life will be perfect. Because my life is awesome, I'm gonna tell you. My life is awesome.

04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?

The biggest challenge is these students that have ADHD. That's one disability that you can't see. So when you bring them to job sites to volunteer, they're trying to look for special education, they're trying to look for a handicap, and there is none - it's just ADHD. So it's hard for them to decide whether they're gonna take a special needs student who has ADHD, because they shouldn't be in special ed. And I agree - ADHD, they should not be in special ed. They should be in regular classes with regular teachers. And then when they get to graduate, then they can come here and we could figure out something for them then. But to have them through the program for 4 years and then not being able to get them jobs - it's only the ones with the ADHD, because their disability, you can't see.

05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?

Loyalty and honesty are the most important values to me in my work and personal life.

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