The Inspiring Story of a Teacher Overcoming Stuttering

"My name is Danielle Yeshurun. I'm 27, a teacher, and I've been stuttering since my teens. Since I can remember, I've always been surrounded by support; no one ever laughed at me or made fun. But when my stutter got worse, my frustration overshadowed everything. A person who stutters often fears speaking their mind, worried about stuttering. Sometimes, they anticipate it and choose their words carefully. Their thoughts race, but words take a moment to come from the heart to reality."

"I want to focus on the person beyond the stutter. I'm a teacher at a special education school for students on the autism spectrum. Even before I started teaching, when I was just thinking about my career, I knew it had to involve kids. My journey was full of emotions and many times I wanted to give up, thinking 'Enough, this isn't for me!' During my studies, I did practical training at different schools, and each year I rediscovered who Danielle is. Yes, Danielle stutters, but she's also creative, tech-savvy, full of life, dedicated, caring, responsible, talented, and much more. The most crucial lesson I've learned is that a teacher must instill values, set a personal example, and promote acceptance... and who can do that better than me?"

"I used to think stuttering defined me, that it's 'all' people noticed about me. Thankfully, I'm reminded occasionally that people around me, especially my students, see beyond it. They enjoy my company, learn from me, listen to me, share with me, talk to me, and mostly, accept and love me as I am."

"Working with children on the autism spectrum is incredibly powerful and challenging. Every time before I prepare a class, I'm a bit nervous, but once I start talking, those worries fade away. I feel that because I come with my struggles, I understand them better than anyone else. Even though some of them are non-verbal, I can comprehend their emotions, feelings, desires, thoughts, and everything unsaid but deeply felt."

"So if someone told you your child has a teacher who stutters, named Danielle, how would you react?"