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Robert Florio

Special Education Teacher

High Tech Early College

Denver, CO USA

"You should always shoot for something that's a little higher than what's realistic."

Career Roadmap

Robert's work combines: Education, Non-Profit Organizations, and Teaching / Mentoring

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Day In The Life

Special Education Teacher

I try to decrease the achievement gap by providing special education services, and teaching reading intervention.

My Day to Day

I adapt general education lessons and teach various subjects, such as reading, writing, and math, to students with mild and moderate disabilities. I also teach basic skills, such as literacy and communication techniques, to students with severe disabilities. I do a lot of assessing students’ skills to determine what their needs might be and how to give them the best education.

Skills & Education

Advice for getting started

When I was younger, all I was concerned about was playing sports. I never really planned for the future and those plans certainly didn't include college. I had matured in the Air Force and my experiences there made me realize the importance of school.

Here's the path I took:

High School
Bachelor's Degree
Special Education and Teaching, General
University of South Florida-Main Campus

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Life & Career Milestones

I've taken a lot of twists and turns

1.
Joined the Air Force after high school.
2.
When he came home, he worked in a group home that helps kids transition in or out of juvenile detention.
3.
Realized that he loved working with kids; says he had "more in common with them than he'd like to admit."
4.
He wanted to get into teaching so that he could get into kids' heads early on and tell them that they can change their situation.
5.
Says that if you don't have some doubts about what you're doing, you might not be pushing yourself enough.
6.
Admits that there are 12- or 13-hour nights where he starts to think, "Is there something else out there for me?"
7.
The little things-like the one kid who tells him "thank you"-remind him of his passion, keep him working at it.
8.
Acknowledges that there are probably some bad teachers out there; believes that if you don't have a passion for the kids, you should find another job.

Defining Moments

How I responded to discouragement

THE NOISE
Messages from Myself:
I'm not sure if I want to go to school.
How I responded:
When I was younger, all I was concerned about was playing sports. I never really planned for the future and those plans certainly didn't include college. I had matured in the Air Force and my experiences there made me realize the importance of school.

Experiences and challenges that shaped me

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I dealt with family and friends who had addiction problems.
I am the first in my immediate family to attend college/university.

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