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Walking in Her Shoes A day in the life of an Ed Tech III 7:20 a.m. Ed Tech III Lindsey Morin takes notes and does all the math worksheets so she can grasp the material herself in order to help her student. By mid-year the student is learning well and Morin answers questions when asked.
9:15 a.m. Classroom Teacher: What is happening during the freezing process? Cindy Whispers: Kinetic energy. Morin: Yeah! Say it louder! You totally got it. Trust yourself. You have the right answers. Morin is a constant source of encouragement for her Special Education Students who need both learning and support. “She helps me with my work. She’s cool, nice and friendly,” says Cindy. Do you remember what particles are? Cindy isn’t sure so Morin turns back to the notes she took from the last class. Yes, she keeps detailed notes, arranged neatly in a binder. She has one for each subject.
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ou really need sneakers to keep up with Lindsey Morin who is in her 10th year as a Special Education Ed Tech III at Cony High School in Augusta. On her way to meet her assigned students, in the pre-vocational program, she hands out high-fives in the hall. She’s fast. And it’s clear she’s needed. “If our kids don’t have anyone in the classes—it’s brutal—it’s the difference between sink or swim,” said Morin, Augusta Education Association. The increased need for special education ed techs keeps Morin and the one other ed tech in the program more than busy. Cuts reduced the level of staffing over the years so students are now grouped together to make sure each child gets the attention required. “We want them to be as successful in the mainstream as possible, empowering themselves by good choices and hard work; that’s our goal,” said Morin.
9:42 a.m. “Ready to work magic?” Morin asks Cindy as they both put on protective goggles for an in-class experiment. While they appear to look like lab partners, Morin is much more, guiding Cindy to examine the chemical reactions and analyze the data. Morin didn’t study chemistry as part of her formal college education but like Cindy, she is a good student and uses her love of learning to help Cindy succeed. 24
Maine Educator • January 2015
10:28 a.m. On her way to her next class, Morin stops to ask a student she doesn’t work with how things are going. She has a continued interest in all the students she meets, which is clear as the walk from one side of the school to the other is filled with “hellos” and friendly waves.
