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Gain experience by volunteering or working as a substitute para if you have no prior experience in education. This can help you determine if it's the right career path for you and make you more competitive when applying for permanent positions. Connect with paraprofessionals and educators in your community. They can provide valuable insights and advice on getting started in the field.
CB: Please share with us a little bit about yourself outside your work. JK: My name is Jennifer Khumalo. I grew up in Hood River, OR. After graduating high school, I attended Umpqua Community College on a volleyball scholarship for one year before moving to Corvallis, OR, to attend Oregon State University. I obtained a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration and a minor in Spanish, which included living abroad for three months in Santander, Spain. After graduating from college, I secured a job as a Travel Consultant, matching clients with their dream vacations, where I worked for over 13 years. I have
already been able to visit four of the seven continents (Asia, Africa, North America, and Europe) and hope to someday visit them all. I am married and have two children, ages 9 and 7, and a golden retriever named Lulu. We live in Renton Highlands, just down the street from the school I work and the school my children attend. When I am not at work, you can find me transporting the kids to cheerleading, soccer, gymnastics, volleyball, basketball, and/ or flag football. You may even see me as a volunteer coach of one of my kids’ teams or at a PTA meeting, as I am on the PTA Board for our school. I love traveling, cooking, outdoor adventures, party planning, volleyball, all things Harry Potter, and spending quality time with friends and family. I started my career in education as an emergency substitute teacher and paraprofessional, before becoming an LRCI Paraprofessional. I am now going back to school, starting in December 2023, to work towards obtaining a Master of Arts in Teaching, Special Education at WGU. RZ: Outside of my work, I like painting
ISSAQUAH SCHOOL DISTRICT and calligraphy. Students also love sharing their work with me. I love the feeling of living in harmony with other creatures in nature. I have a hamster, a guinea pig, dozens of goldfish, and just adopted a dog. I also enjoy participating in many community activities and volunteer services related to art, culture, and education.
Paraprofessionals
employ instructional, behavioral, and/or other therapeutic techniques, so para’s role can vary depending on the institution’s specific needs and the grade level of the students they work with. Some common tasks and responsibilities include Assisting Students, Classroom Support, Special Education Support, Behavioral Support, Testing and Assessment, and other assignments under the direction of the building principal and teachers.
VOICE Mentor BY Heidi Kayler and Tina Weber VOICE Mentor Program Managers
many other languages.
What is a VOICE Mentor? The VOICE (Volunteers of Issaquah Changing Education) Mentor Program pairs community volunteers with Issaquah School District students for one-on-one social, emotional, or academic support. As a mentor, you will meet with your mentee at school each week. You might play games, do creative projects, help with academics, or just have great conversations while helping to develop the social emotional skills and resilience that help students succeed in school and life.
What is required to become a VOICE mentor? Before being approved as a mentor, you will attend an initial training, so you feel confident going into your first mentor meeting. The commitment involves meeting with the student for 30-60 minutes once per week during the school day for the remainder of the school year. Your schedule would be coordinated to be convenient for both you and the student. If anyone is interested, here is a link to the VOICE website (https://www.isd411.org/get-involved/ voice-mentor-program), which also has a button to apply.
Why is mentoring important for our students? At school, students spend most of their time in groups. Mentoring allows students to spend one-on-one time with a supportive adult whose focus is on supporting the student in whatever way they need – and sometimes, what they need is someone they can talk to in their first language.
VOICE Mentor: Wenli Mithal. Wenli speaks Mandarin and English and mentors several students at Sunny Hills Elementary. My name is Wenli Mithal. I have been a VOICE mentor for more than a year now.
What is the benefit of having VOICE mentors who can speak different languages? Many of our students benefit from having positive, caring mentors who talk and connect with them in the language they feel most comfortable using. This mentor support has made a huge difference for many of our Multi-Lingual Learner (MLL) students. That is why our program is seeking mentors who can speak various languages. We have an immediate need for mentors who speak Korean, Spanish and Mandarin. Additionally, we receive requests for mentors who speak Russian, Arabic, Farsi, Japanese, and
I’ve always wanted to be a mentor. Last year, I was able to take this role. Since I also speak Mandarin, the site coordinator thought it might be a good fit to support students who were new to the school and a bit quiet in the classroom. It would help student ease their shyness and build confidence. We read books, play games, and share interesting stories during the time we have together. With my older mentee, I am helping with time management and homework support. It’s very rewarding to see the mentees flourish since we first met. They are building friendships with their peers, expressing their thought/idea more often than before, and
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