Living with fibromyalgia has profoundly impacted my life and my work as a teacher. My journey in a wheelchair began two years ago after experiencing two spontaneous muscle ruptures in my left calf, alongside ongoing issues with my back and hip. Sadly, pain management options, such as morphine, have been insufficient. Despite these challenges, teaching remains a deep passion, and I’ve dedicated myself to adapting my classroom and teaching style to keep doing what I love.

Though I’m only 24, the fluctuating pain, variable energy levels, hypersomnia, and chronic fatigue mean I face daily uncertainties about my physical abilities. Realistically, I don’t know how long I still have in this career or any career for that matter, but every adjustment I’ve made—from classroom routines to accessibility measures—have been with the dual goals of supporting my students and extending my years in the profession. I wish to teach for years and years to come but do not want this already difficult career path to negatively impact my physical health which is why I created an inclusive and compassionate space for my mind and body while not letting my disability be a detriment to my students. This commitment is evident in the videos included in my portfolio, where I am teaching from a seated position, adapting to both my own needs and those of my students.

Teaching from a wheelchair has shaped every aspect of my classroom, requiring careful planning and unique adjustments. In my first year, I taught from a manual wheelchair, arranging students in three long groups to help me reach them more easily. The next year, with a trippelstoel (a specialized chair with greater mobility), I tried the group method but notice that this led to too much chatting and disruptions. Although I had many apprehensions, I decided to go back to the traditional seating arrangement. Sadly, due to the size of my classrooom, this created a lot of mobility and crowding issues but the students were much more focused. This year, starting my third year in a wheelchair, I have asked for a larger classroom where students can sit traditionally or in groups for special activities but I retain plenty of space to wheel around the classroom and interact with students.

Furthermore, I have also adapted other aspects of my teaching based on my collective experience from the last years as I adapted to my disability. Students now wait outside before class, where I check homework at the door. Inside, they find a self-managed student center with a “pick-up” basket for daily handouts, a “hand-in” basket for assignments, a “missed work” bin for absent students, and a “no-name” basket for unclaimed work. This layout reduces the need for me to navigate around desks to hand out materials and ensures all students start the lesson with what they need.

During lessons, students use hand signals to communicate needs, which minimizes disruptions and allows us to interact smoothly without added movement. To ensure everyone can get help, I use a system of numbered magnets; students who need assistance can take a magnet and wait to be called. This allows me to address their questions in order while remaining accessible to the whole class.

I’ve also structured the classroom with routines that support autonomy and flow, keeping physical and mental demands manageable. For example, each class has a color assigned, and students highlight their names in that color when handing in work, allowing me to identify submissions at a glance. My board displays a visual timer for pacing, daily objectives, and a voice level indicator to set expectations clearly. In small groups or station work, I work with one group at a time, giving students the chance to learn collaboratively while supporting my energy needs. This routine-based structure helps them take ownership of their learning.

In terms of accessibility, I keep pathways clear and have taught students to be mindful of where they place their bags. They’ve also learned to come to me with questions, forming a line in a way that lets me monitor the entire class while addressing individual needs. I use a seating chart on my desk to remember names on days when brain fog sets in, and I keep high-protein snacks handy to manage energy dips throughout the day.

Beyond classroom structure, my teaching approach emphasizes understanding and inclusion. I openly discuss my disability with students, which has helped build a respectful and empathetic classroom culture. Over time, they have become proactive in holding doors, clearing pathways, and adapting to small, considerate actions that contribute to a supportive learning environment.

My disability has ultimately made my teaching more inclusive by design. Through consistent routines, visual aids, and flexible structures, I’ve created a space where students learn autonomy, empathy, and adaptability—skills they’ll carry with them.

My First Year in a Wheelchair

My Classroom Now

Here you can see the baskets where I organise my weekly resources and activities. These basket go inside my cabinet and on top of the cabinet. They are also color coded per group.

My cabinet also has a shelf with my curriculum books per level, paper clips, and reflection forms. On the bottom two shelves, different games, materials and activities (Ex: dominoes, markers, whiteboards) are divided in baskets. This makes it easy for me to carry or for students to help me grab something. In my cart I keep plastic pockets for documents I pick up from my groups, lesson plans and my classroom management Q-card system. 

I also keep things organized on my desk, reducing the mental load. Having things easy to reach also reduces over-stimulation. In my planner I can plan all my lessons per group for the week which is an easy way for me to alsways have my plans only a glance away. I also can write down things I need to do, things students share or my printing list. 

My whiteboard with the magnets, voice level and visual timer. Here students can see what materials to take out, what we are doing that lesson and I can indicate the voice level and home much time studnets have for a task.