Carolyn Vachon

1. What is your educational background and what positions have you held?

 

I graduated with my Bachelor’s of Science in Education in Early Childhood Education and Special Education in 2016. I graduated with my Master’s of Education with specializations in Autism and Special Education in May 2018. I graduated with both these degrees from Slippery Rock University. Directly after my undergraduate degree, I accepted the Graduate Assistant position at Slippery Rock University/SGA Preschool and Child Care Center until I finished my Master’s degree. I accepted my current position directly after graduating with my Master’s. I am currently an elementary self-contained Multiple Disabilities Teacher in a Title 1 school with Fairfax County Public Schools in Virginia right outside of Washington, DC.

2. What is the most rewarding aspect of your job?

 

I teach students with autism and intellectual disabilities. There are many rewarding parts of my job. Many of my students are non-verbal and when they are able to vocalize, say a new word, or use their communication device in a new way is one of the most amazing parts of my first year teaching. My students require direct and repetitive instruction and sometimes it takes them months to master a functional task such as washing their hands, writing their name, or following a routine such as our morning meeting. Now at the end of the year, I cannot believe how much they have grown and all they have accomplished throughout the school year. I love working with our Autism teacher and flexible grouping with students from our other autism classrooms. 

3. What advice would you give to current students who are enrolled in the teacher preparation program, and to SRU students generally?

There are a few pieces of advice I would give to teacher candidates. The first piece of advice would be to take advantage of any opportunity the department or professors offer. I took advantage of collaborating with Sharon City School District during Block 2 and Student Teaching with Dr. Walsh. I initially implemented lessons in the classrooms, established myself in the building during field, and then student taught in the same school. I would also take the Responsive Classroom Management class. My school utilizes Responsive Classroom and it was great to have a step up at the beginning of the school year. I would take advantage of the international experiences that SRU offers. Through the education department, I was able to travel to Sweden, the Netherlands, and Ireland. In each location, I was able to go to schools and see how their classrooms were ran. I have even utilized some of the strategies I saw overseas in my current classroom.

4. Name an SRU experience or faculty that had a positive influence on you and explain why.

Many professors in the Special Education and Early Childhood Education departments had an integral part of making me the teacher I am now. Dr. Merhaut was a wonderful advisor and always made time to listen to me and assist me in any way possible. Dr. Snyder was my student teaching advisor, professor, and leader of the student teaching experience in Ireland. Dr. Snyder’s science methods class during Block 2 made me interested in science and has a great influence on my kindergarten science group. Lastly, Dr. Katsafanas had the biggest influence during my educational career at SRU. Dr. K always came to class with a smile on her face and a story and experience to teach us from. Dr. K genuinely cared about how we were doing and would help you with whatever you needed. I was always so inspired and ready to take on the world after leaving her class.

5. What makes a great teacher?

 

A great teacher is someone who is willing to do whatever it takes to help their students succeed. A great teacher gets to know their students as much as possible and establishes a relationship with the student and their family. I took the first few weeks at the beginning of the year to get to know my students and the other students in our program. A great teacher teaches their students functional skills as well as academic skills. A great teacher is also a collaborator. At my school, we have a team of 5 self-contained classrooms and each classroom has a head teacher and two paraprofessionals. We have to collaborate at every moment of our day with teachers, paraprofessionals, related service providers, general education teachers, and administration. As a self-contained special education teacher, I adapt and modify everything for each one of my students. Not one of my students is working on the same thing or on the same level and differentiating instruction for each of them is what makes them succeed. Be flexible, everyday there will be a new challenge or obstacle. Take it all in stride and do your best! Learn from your mistakes and come back to school everyday on a fresh page.