The Bradford Chronicles



Hello everyone. I am Don Bradford and I work in Rochester. I am currently in the ESSP EBD/LD program at Mankato. I am currently an EBD/LD resource teacher working on a variance. I am married with 2 stepdaughters who live in Missouri, and 1 and ½ kids at home. My son will be 3 years old in the end of March, and his little brother (we found out yesterday) will be born towards the beginning.

I grew up in a housing project in Winona MN. Living in such a low SES neighborhood I probably seen many things that most kids shouldn’t. I can recall a man with mental illness who didn’t take his medication that day. He went to the park with a hatchet where my little sister was playing and asked the kids “what do you want chopped off first? Your head or your hands?” There were many families who struggled to make ends meet especially at the end of the month. I can remember eating hot dogs and macaroni and cheese a lot as a child. I don’t know how my mom did it, but we always had some kind of food on the table. I think this insight in growing up has made me have a better understanding of everyone’s struggles that they are going through now.

My hobbies right now include playing on a pool league, and also in a Texas hold em league. It may sound strange but both have helped me through the years understand people. Playing pool you get to form friendships with all different types of people. You learn a lot about what is happening in their life. In poker, you learn to read facial expressions and the art of reading what they are not saying. Kids will rarely do or say something I haven’t heard before.

Through the years I have worked in many different social settings. I have worked in about 4 group homes ranging from people with mental disabilities, to a group home for troubled youth. I always thought I would be a social worker. However, I had a friend (friends mom), who was a level 4 EBD teacher and they had 2 openings for paraprofessionals in their program and encouraged me to apply. It was at this program I noticed how well I could relate to the at risk youth. I just connected. The students also felt like I was a trustworthy adult, and someone who actually cares about them and could make a positive impact.

I worked there for 4 years and decided that I wanted to be the teacher and not the Para (2x+ the pay to be the teacher). I also found that being able to have summers off with pay sounded pretty well too. I especially feel that way because it will give me a lot of time to spend with my sons.

I had a friend who was the director for the masters program at St Marys and he encouraged me to apply. I had to finish 1 year of my bachelors before I could get into the masters program. Long story short, I finished both, and I am currently almost done with my maters thesis. I have a k-8 social studies degree. For those who will be pursuing a masters, plan on rewriting your thesis at least 8 times, lol. Once I completed that degree, I entered the EBD/LD on-line licensure program at MSU. I will be completing my EBD licensure this spring and my LD licensure in the fall.

I have had many different experiences in the past. I have worked with youths from most cultures and economic statuses. I am looking forward to completing my education and focusing more time on becoming a better educator.