Thank you for visiting my Professional Learning Portfolio! On this site, you will be able to learn about bits and pieces of my experiences working with children. My passion for teaching began when I was 14 years old. I decided with a best friend to teach a Sunday School class. We had the option of a second grade classroom or a single student with an Autism diagnosis, which many people were not yet familiar with. We enthusiastically agreed to teach the boy, Thomas, who was diagnosed with Autism and muscular dystrophy, which kept him in a wheelchair. I can remember researching Autism on the internet before our first class because I had never heard of that disorder before. After teaching Thomas for 4 years and learning much more about him and the disorder, I knew I wanted to explore a career in special education.
My friend and co-teacher went in the direction of teaching regular education elementary students, as I decided to enter the world of special education. After all these years, she continues to be a dear friend and colleague that aides my professional development greatly. During my high school years, I was also the caretaker of a family consisting of over 20 adopted children with special needs. These needs ranged from children with amputations to others with severe cases of PTSD, Autism, Rhett's Syndrome, and other behavioral and attachment disorders. Being able to handle the wide range of needs these children presented and loving my time spent with them, assured me I was headed in the right direction on my career path!
In 2007, I graduated from James Madison University with a bachelor's degree in Interdisciplinary Liberal Studies, concentrating in special and exceptional education. Throughout my college years, I had the opportunity to work as a communications facilitator for a student named Andrew, who was non-verbal. He attended the Virginia Institute of Autism (VIA) and I had the opportunity to observe him frequently in this setting. VIA also trained me in Applied Behavior Analysis, which was the therapy they implemented in school, so I could continue Andrew's work in his home and community settings. During my work with him, he began to learn how to write and express his thoughts and feelings. He was the first student with Autism to be enrolled in regular education in his school district and together we faced the challenges this brought. I was able to educate Andrew's teachers and peers about Autism Spectrum Disorders and his needs particularly. This experience has had a huge impact on my career thus far.
During my college years, I also had the rare opportunity to learn how to implement Rapid Prompting Method (RPM) from the creator of the theory, Soma Mukophadhyay. After traveling to Austin, Texas, for training, and attending conferences, I worked with a group of children, (age range of 3-16) all of whom were non-verbal, and was able to provide them with RPM therapy in the Charlottesville, Virginia area. This experience was invaluable and put all emphasis on educating students who were non-verbal and took the focus away from repetitive behaviors displayed by the students. I was able to see a child go from learning life skills, such as sorting silverware, to writing down questions asking for updates of stories he had heard on CNN, which was often on in the background in his home. This life changing experience, combined with my college education, provided me with a plethora of knowledge and techniques in educating students with special and exceptional needs. While my focus had been solely on education, I began to question the idea of ignoring negative behaviors, especially as I observed some of the intensity of these behaviors increase.
Given all my behavioral questions, I completely changed directions after graduation and my return to my hometown, Lancaster, PA. In 2007, I began working for Philhaven, a mental and behavioral healthcare facility. From 2007-2014, I worked solely on behavioral modification of students with mental and behavioral disorders, focusing most of my attention on Autism Spectrum Disorders. During my time at Philhaven, I was a Therapeutic Support Staff (TSS), ASD therapeutic program counselor, on-call counselor for day hospital, residential and inpatient units, and an after school program activity counselor. I provided one-to-one support to children and their families in the implementation of behavioral modification treatment plans, across all settings (home, school, community) as a TSS. I worked with children ranging in ages from 3-21. As an ASD counselor, I worked with 6 other staff in running a therapeutic day program for 20-30 students with Autism Spectrum Disorders. As an activities counselor, I taught 25-40 students strategies and skills to help with hygiene, anger management, social skills, communicating wants and needs, and appropriate behavioral responses daily. In all three of these positions, I worked very closely with a treatment team. The team included the individual client, behavioral therapists, psychiatrists, psychologists, speech and occupational therapists, school districts and educators, and also each child's family and support systems.
I have had the opportunity to provide behavior management and support to children and their families, working with a wide range of behavioral and mental health disorders. In fall 2012, I began my studies at Drexel University's School of Education program, Teaching, Learning, and Curriculum. Throughout this website, you will be able to view my work and reflections during my student teaching experience. In the winter of 2015 I graduated with my Master of Science and obtain teaching certification for regular education PreK-4th grade. I have also continued my education and have completed all requirements to receive my certification to teach special education, PreK-8th grade. With my comprehensive background of teaching children, I am confident and excited to take the next steps in my career of educating children. As the education field and my students are always changing, so is my research and knowledge base. I am looking forward to taking the next steps in my own education and fieldwork to better teach each individual student and plan to update my journey and experiences throughout my website. Thank you for taking the time to visit and check back in for updates in education and my own personal journey!
My friend and co-teacher went in the direction of teaching regular education elementary students, as I decided to enter the world of special education. After all these years, she continues to be a dear friend and colleague that aides my professional development greatly. During my high school years, I was also the caretaker of a family consisting of over 20 adopted children with special needs. These needs ranged from children with amputations to others with severe cases of PTSD, Autism, Rhett's Syndrome, and other behavioral and attachment disorders. Being able to handle the wide range of needs these children presented and loving my time spent with them, assured me I was headed in the right direction on my career path!
In 2007, I graduated from James Madison University with a bachelor's degree in Interdisciplinary Liberal Studies, concentrating in special and exceptional education. Throughout my college years, I had the opportunity to work as a communications facilitator for a student named Andrew, who was non-verbal. He attended the Virginia Institute of Autism (VIA) and I had the opportunity to observe him frequently in this setting. VIA also trained me in Applied Behavior Analysis, which was the therapy they implemented in school, so I could continue Andrew's work in his home and community settings. During my work with him, he began to learn how to write and express his thoughts and feelings. He was the first student with Autism to be enrolled in regular education in his school district and together we faced the challenges this brought. I was able to educate Andrew's teachers and peers about Autism Spectrum Disorders and his needs particularly. This experience has had a huge impact on my career thus far.
During my college years, I also had the rare opportunity to learn how to implement Rapid Prompting Method (RPM) from the creator of the theory, Soma Mukophadhyay. After traveling to Austin, Texas, for training, and attending conferences, I worked with a group of children, (age range of 3-16) all of whom were non-verbal, and was able to provide them with RPM therapy in the Charlottesville, Virginia area. This experience was invaluable and put all emphasis on educating students who were non-verbal and took the focus away from repetitive behaviors displayed by the students. I was able to see a child go from learning life skills, such as sorting silverware, to writing down questions asking for updates of stories he had heard on CNN, which was often on in the background in his home. This life changing experience, combined with my college education, provided me with a plethora of knowledge and techniques in educating students with special and exceptional needs. While my focus had been solely on education, I began to question the idea of ignoring negative behaviors, especially as I observed some of the intensity of these behaviors increase.
Given all my behavioral questions, I completely changed directions after graduation and my return to my hometown, Lancaster, PA. In 2007, I began working for Philhaven, a mental and behavioral healthcare facility. From 2007-2014, I worked solely on behavioral modification of students with mental and behavioral disorders, focusing most of my attention on Autism Spectrum Disorders. During my time at Philhaven, I was a Therapeutic Support Staff (TSS), ASD therapeutic program counselor, on-call counselor for day hospital, residential and inpatient units, and an after school program activity counselor. I provided one-to-one support to children and their families in the implementation of behavioral modification treatment plans, across all settings (home, school, community) as a TSS. I worked with children ranging in ages from 3-21. As an ASD counselor, I worked with 6 other staff in running a therapeutic day program for 20-30 students with Autism Spectrum Disorders. As an activities counselor, I taught 25-40 students strategies and skills to help with hygiene, anger management, social skills, communicating wants and needs, and appropriate behavioral responses daily. In all three of these positions, I worked very closely with a treatment team. The team included the individual client, behavioral therapists, psychiatrists, psychologists, speech and occupational therapists, school districts and educators, and also each child's family and support systems.
I have had the opportunity to provide behavior management and support to children and their families, working with a wide range of behavioral and mental health disorders. In fall 2012, I began my studies at Drexel University's School of Education program, Teaching, Learning, and Curriculum. Throughout this website, you will be able to view my work and reflections during my student teaching experience. In the winter of 2015 I graduated with my Master of Science and obtain teaching certification for regular education PreK-4th grade. I have also continued my education and have completed all requirements to receive my certification to teach special education, PreK-8th grade. With my comprehensive background of teaching children, I am confident and excited to take the next steps in my career of educating children. As the education field and my students are always changing, so is my research and knowledge base. I am looking forward to taking the next steps in my own education and fieldwork to better teach each individual student and plan to update my journey and experiences throughout my website. Thank you for taking the time to visit and check back in for updates in education and my own personal journey!