"Students learn empathy and are more accepting of others if they have met similar people and have had good experiences with them."

Department

Special Education

Related Degrees

• Post-Baccalaureate Certificate, Special Education (PBSPED)

Why did you choose to become a teacher, in general?

I was a Registered Behavior Technician (RBT) and wanted to transition into a career in the DOE system. I had to make a decision between becoming a BCBA (Board Certified Behavioral Analyst) or a teacher. I decided to become a teacher because I wanted to continue working with students in the classroom setting.

Why did you choose to become licensed in special education?

I have a son who is autistic. After working with his BCBA and RBT, I decided to become a RBT during the pandemic. When I decided to work with the special education students as a career, I realized that I couldn’t be a RBT forever because it was too physically demanding. I decided to become a special education teacher because I enjoyed working with the students in the classroom setting. Since I am a parent of a special needs child, I know how much the work that is done in the classroom helps the families at home. This gives me a unique perspective when working with my students. I am grateful that I am able to help students access the curriculum that I teach to help those students be successful. It’s my small way of giving back to the school system that is helping my son.

Why do you feel it is important to have diversity in the classroom?

I believe that it is important to have a diverse group of teachers so that students can find a teacher that they can identify with and connect with. At our school we have a good mix of male and female teachers. We have teachers of different ethnicities and some teachers from different countries. The teachers who are from different countries are really great because they can identify with our ELL students. We have teachers that are alumni of our school and teachers who are not. A diverse student population is important because it helps expose students to different social, economic, cultural, gender groups and more. Students learn empathy and are more accepting of others if they have met similar people and have had good experiences with them. On our campus we have students from various socioeconomic backgrounds, students that grew up in the area and students who are part of military families, students from other countries, students in the LGBTQIA2S+ community and students at various academic levels (AP students to students in the FSC classroom settings). If students can learn to get along with people from diverse backgrounds in high school, they have a better chance of doing so after they graduate.