MY TR ANSITION FROM T E AC H I N G A S S I S TA N T TO D E PA R T M E N T C H A I R
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My transition from teaching assistant to department chair _______ I took a few detours on my journey to becoming
Soon after that, I was hired by the Special
I started college at the University of Missouri-
Administrators noticed my passion and
a special education teacher. A St. Louis native, Columbia as a special ed major, but I ended up
switching to geography. When I graduated, I went
to work for Enterprise Rent-a-Car. The job was fine, but within a few years I knew it just wasn’t for me.
I started substitute teaching at my old high school
School District to work as a paraprofessional. encouraged me to go back to school. I’d been
fortunate enough to learn from some wonderful
special education instructors, and I wanted to put myself on a career path toward becoming one of them. That’s how I ended up at Fontbonne.
and was instantly drawn toward the kids with
disabilities. I loved working with them and watching them flourish under the direction of brilliant,
dedicated teachers. Even though I had changed my mind about going into special education
before, this time I knew there was no turning back. This was the career I was meant to pursue.
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fontbonne.edu
Fontbonne University is well known in this area of the field of education, and their reputation for service-oriented academic rigor piqued
my interest. As I began looking into the special
master’s program designed for paraprofessionals (MAT in Special Education: Paraprofessional
Pathways), I realized it was the perfect fit for my needs and goals.
I enrolled and spent the next couple of years
My experience as a
paraprofessional provided me with a foundational understanding of the
classroom and the needs of students with disabilities, but my time at Fontbonne provided me with the
training I needed to take that next step.
developing the skills I needed while continuing to work as a paraprofessional. Since it was
designed for people who already work full time,
My experience at Fontbonne played a significant
that made sense for my lifestyle. The content
recommend the program to anyone whose story
the Pathways program was structured in a way was rigorous but manageable, and I was able
to immediately apply what I was learning in the classroom at work every day.
The curriculum covered everything I needed to
know to be successful as a special ed instructor. There were classes on behavior management, counseling techniques, learner development, reading and writing instruction, assessment
and more. My experience as a paraprofessional
provided me with a foundational understanding
role in getting me to where I am today, and I highly is similar to mine. If you’re looking into continuing your education, you already know that doing
so involves a significant time commitment. The
benefit of the Pathways program, though, is that
it was created for people just like us who already lead busy, sometimes stressful lives, so the
workload is completely manageable. You’ll also
be part of an incredibly supportive environment
where the connections you make with faculty and fellow students can last a lifetime.
of the classroom and the needs of students with
As someone who’s been doing this work for many
with the training I needed to take that next step.
have chosen a more rewarding career. Anyone who
disabilities, but my time at Fontbonne provided me
After graduation, I started working as a special
education teacher and eventually came to chair the department at my school, Mehlville High.
Every day, I get to help our teachers create an
educational environment that fosters learning,
creativity and joy. I can’t imagine a better way to spend my time.
years now, I can say without a doubt that I couldn’t
works in the field of special education knows it isn’t always easy, but there’s nothing I love more than
watching our students prepare to lead full, happy,
successful lives. I’m forever grateful to Fontbonne University and the Paraprofessional Pathways
program for equipping me with the tools I needed to serve my students — and my school — well.
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