Rehanan Prunty is a long-term substitute teacher of special education at Buffalo Hearing & Speech Center’s Chestnut Street location in Fredonia, NY. She started as a teacher’s aide three years ago and has worked as a substitute since last Fall. On top of a busy work schedule, Rehanan is studying online to become a special education preschool teacher. As if that’s not enough, she’s also the single mom of an active six-year-old daughter who loves to perform in cheerleading competitions in Chautauqua County.
Rehanan notes that it is a challenge finding time for everything on her calendar. However, she says the effort will all be worth it as she takes her career in special education to the next level. She left the nursing profession to join BHSC and was surprised at how quickly she knew special education was what she wanted to do.
“I didn’t know I would love working in special education so much,” Rehanan explains. “One of the most rewarding aspects of my job is seeing the smiles on the faces of the children every day – it keeps me young.”
Rehanan’s advice to students or others wanting to enter the special education field is to get started, noting that she wishes she had begun earlier. She points out that working with children with special needs is not always easy, but it gets better and better with every success the students have.
Rehanan measures her own success at BHSC by the encouraging words from other staff members and the positive developmental feedback from her supervisors. “My boss is very supportive and I feel like I belong here,” Rehanan says. “I love the organization and what I do – I appreciate all the opportunities BHSC has given me.”
