Share your  background.

I earned my bachelor’s degree from K-State to be a math teacher and taught math for eight years in Junction City, Kansas and Kansas City, Kansas. While teaching, I got my master’s degree in academic advising and accepted a position at K-State as an academic advisor for the College of Education. I stayed in that position for three or four years before transitioning to my current role of supporting MAT students.

What is your role in the MAT program?

My role as the academic services coordinator is essentially just a fancy title for an academic or student success advisor. I meet with many prospective students and share information about the program and how it might fit their life and goals. Then, once they’re admitted, I meet with them via Zoom or in my office (for local students) to map out an individualized plan of action. We discuss their timeline, how they can pursue their teaching license and what their program will look like from start to finish. This really helps our students understand that they are supported as individuals.

As students near the end of the program, I help with the licensing they will receive. My role is truly to support our students from beginning to end and to be the person they can reach out to if they have any questions or concerns during their time in the MAT program.

What drew you to education and what keeps you passionate about it today?

Not only does K-State run in my family, but education does too. I am a third-generation teacher. I grew up around educators and got to see the value they bring to the classroom every day and the interactions they have with students. My favorite part about my job is the interactions that I get to have with so many different people. This is an online program, and there are hundreds of students enrolled. I get to meet with all of them. I get to meet with students fresh out of college, midlife adults who have families at home and retirees who have so many experiences to share. It inspires me to see their backgrounds and hear what draws them toward teaching.

What is one piece of advice you would give to incoming MAT students?

My advice is to stay in communication. The program has many supports built in at every level. If you have questions, confusion or are struggling with anything, reach out to someone in the program so we can support you. I’ve seen countless examples of the faculty in our program being supportive in every way possible. We’re here to support you, and we can help you navigate your pathway.

What are two words or phrases you use to describe the MAT program?

The two words I would use to describe the MAT program are timely and supportive. Everyone’s on the same page, and we can provide timely advice and communication to all of our students. We are supportive in that we meet every student where they are. Students go through so many different situations, and we navigate each individually.

Share a background about yourself.

I got my undergraduate degree here at K-State. I had a really great experience during my first college visit and felt like it was big enough, yet had a small-town feel. I grew up in Kansas City, but Manhattan felt like a nice size. I really liked the campus, people and the program throughout my undergraduate studies. My first job after graduation was in the Blue Valley School District in Kansas City. While I was there, I worked on my master’s through Baker University. When my husband and I got married, we moved to the Washington, D.C. area. I taught in a school and started a preschool there as well. When we moved back here to Manhattan, I started working on my Ph.D., and after I finished that program, I started in my current position. I have had several title changes since then, but I have been very lucky to do what I love throughout my career.

What are your research interests at K-State?

I try to dovetail my research with what I’m doing in my instruction and the classes I teach. One of my primary interests is world language, so I’ve started working with second- and third-grade classrooms in the local district to incorporate language classes for younger students. It has been a great gateway in my elementary methods classes that I’m teaching for the world language educators. I am able to pull from those experiences and highlight what teaching practices look like at an elementary level, not just a secondary level. 

I’ve also been working with the gamification of the curriculum to help motivate and engage students.

What makes the MAT program special?

So many things make the MAT program at K-State special. What I love most is that our College of Education has identified some of the hoops and hurdles keeping possible teachers out of the classroom and found ways to remove them. It has allowed midlife career individuals who want to get into the classroom and are unable to complete a traditional undergraduate degree a roadmap to the classroom. Our students get a personalized experience and lots of perspectives on what classroom instruction can look like. They are able to connect with fellow students, as well as professors and staff in the program.

What drew you to education?

My career has almost all been in education because I truly enjoy it. It has always felt less like a job and more like a calling. Even growing up, I was always playing school with my cousins and helping them learn new skills. There was a small stint when we first moved to the D.C. area when I decided to try something new. It took me about three months to realize I wasn’t happy doing anything else outside of the classroom. I realized that working with kids energizes me, and creating those connections gives purpose and meaning to what I was doing. I have been in education since and have loved it. 

Do you have a favorite teaching moment?

I obviously love watching the students “get it.” I think that’s probably why most teachers go into teaching in the first place. While I love those moments, some of my favorite moments are when I am able to talk and interact with students on a different level outside of the classroom. I enjoy getting a glimpse into their worlds, whether it is something they are struggling with or a success they are celebrating. I’ve been invited to weddings and I’ve been asked to take students to AA meetings. To have students who feel comfortable approaching me and see me not only as a teacher in the classroom, but also as a person who cares about them, means a lot. Those experiences have been some of the most meaningful moments in my teaching career.

What advice would you give to incoming MAT students?

I’m a language person, and there is a Japanese word, Ikigai, which means your reason for being or waking up in the morning. I always tell my students that why is a powerful word. With any career, there are going to be highs and lows, ebbs and flows. If you can keep a solid grasp of your why, it will focus you and keep you on the path. It will be different for everyone, but it will allow you to weather the storms that come your way.

Share a background about yourself.

All three of my degrees are from K-State’s College of Education, and I am a Wildcat through and through. I have a B.S. in Elementary Education, an M.S. in Curriculum and Instruction with a focus on English Language Arts, a Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction and a Special Education Endorsement. 

I taught general education for several years, teaching both fourth and second grade. Then I moved into K-6 special education before returning to K-State. I am entering my eighth year teaching at K-State, and I teach a course designed for general education teachers focused on supporting students with disabilities in their classrooms. I also teach courses on dyscalculia and dyslexia, as well as a practicum course. Those courses are housed in our special education master’s program and the MAT Unified program.

Has special education always been your passion?

If you had told me as an undergrad student working on my elementary education degree that I would end up in special education, I wouldn’t have believed you. I have always been around special education because my dad and later my husband were both special education teachers. I was convinced I would be in an elementary classroom for my whole career. 

When I started teaching, I found myself drawn to the students who needed a little more help, had higher behavior needs or just needed more support. When I had the opportunity to move to a special education classroom, I got to work not only with students but also with teachers and paraprofessionals. 

What are five words you hope students would use to describe your teaching style?

I would hope they would describe it as passionate, energetic, caring, organized and invested. I strongly believe in ensuring that all teachers are prepared and that they view all students with disabilities as equal members of the classroom community. I work hard to bring energy to both my in-person and online classes through my teaching methods. I hope I come across as energetic about the content I teach. I hope students say I care not only about my content but also about them as human beings. I may only get them for a short period of time, but I truly care about them and their plans for the future. I hope they say I am organized because I spend a lot of time planning, organizing and teaching my classes for the best experience possible. Finally, I’m invested in my students’ growth and in equipping them with the skills they’ll need in the future.

What was one thing you struggled with during your initial years of teaching and how did you overcome it?

I remember that as a first-year teacher, the hardest part of my job was learning how to respond to unexpected student behaviors. When you’re an elementary teacher, there are a lot of unexpected behaviors that happen on a daily basis. I didn’t know what to do when a student had a behavioral outburst or displayed some less-than-expected things in the classroom setting. 

That mindset has completely shifted because when I started working in special education, I was dealing with severe behaviors on a daily basis. Now I feel like that is one of my strongest areas. I have a deep understanding of “What is behavior telling us?” and “What is this student trying to communicate with the things they are showing and saying?” 

What advice would you give to incoming MAT students?

Give yourself permission to understand that you are still learning. When I started teaching in the MAT program, I learned a lot from my students in the first round of courses, and that was my biggest takeaway. We don’t expect you to walk into your classes knowing everything; that’s what we are here for. Don’t be afraid to ask questions, to be vulnerable or ask for feedback. Be willing to try new things and don’t just treat your classes as homework you have to do. The sooner that you can connect your courses to your future in a classroom, the more meaningful they will be. We will prepare you to walk into your classroom with the skills you need.

Share a background about yourself.

I always planned on becoming an elementary education teacher, so that’s what my undergraduate degree is in. I pursued a master’s degree, and as I was nearing the end of that program, I needed an elective course. I selected a class taught by two teachers from the local school district that focused on special education and kids with behavioral challenges. That class really inspired me and opened my eyes to special education. After taking that class, I got a certificate to teach special education. 

I started working in an elementary school as a special education teacher, working with students from kindergarten to 5th grade. What stood out most was the kids with behavioral issues. I grew passionate about helping those students. I eventually moved to a middle school setting, and my classroom was primarily for kids with emotional behavior disorders. After 10 years in public schools, I moved to a university position. I spent 13 years there, doing research and teaching. I also worked with schools across the country to help implement a tiered system of support for students. 

Now, this is my fifth year of teaching at K-State. I am currently teaching an introduction to disabilities and the behavior course in the Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) program. 

What was your role in organizing the MAT Unified Elementary and Special Education Program?

When I first arrived at K-State, my colleague Dr. Nicole Meritt and I were approached by a faculty member in another department who was already running the MAT program. He was looking for a partnership and a pathway into special education. In Kansas, it’s more challenging to become a special education teacher than in other states. It requires a lot of coursework, time and money. At the time, we were skeptical and didn’t want to give up some of our coursework to make a schedule that would fit. We put the idea aside for a while, but eventually decided to write a College of Education Innovation grant. Once we had that funding, we called the faculty member who had contacted us a few years prior and said, “We have some funding, so let’s talk.” After that, we had a lot of meetings, presented the idea to our department, and got it approved through several more levels at the university. Then we had to present it to the Kansas Department of Education. It really took a team of us to see the project all the way through.

Where does your passion for special education come from?

My K-12 teaching experience is really what drives me. I have seen many students who become marginalized and disconnected from school because of their behaviors. They have very poor outcomes, both short- and long-term. It is devastating to see a kid who’s bright, intelligent and capable be put in situations where it becomes difficult to always be emotionally, behaviorally and socially appropriate. I am passionate about helping them succeed and teaching other educators that we have to teach behaviors in the same way we teach reading and math. Our first move is often to move that student out of the classroom, but the more we push them out, the more disconnected they become. It doesn’t serve the student well, and it doesn’t serve society well in the long run either.

I think I have a heart for the underdog. These kids are often the ones who others struggle to interact with, but I have had a little more success with them. It’s a good feeling to make a difference, and it’s what keeps me going.

What makes the MAT program special?

I think our students would say the convenience of being fully asynchronous online [makes the MAT program special]. While that might not be as uncommon now, it is special for me as a faculty member because students are career-changers. They are sometimes retired military or stay-at-home moms, but the one thing they all have in common is the desire to become teachers. Each of these students has a lot of context and background experiences that make it really fun to interact with them.

What advice would you give to incoming MAT students?

My advice would be to reach out to your professors and instructors. Reach out early if you need assistance or if circumstances arise where school can’t be your priority at the moment. It can be challenging in an asynchronous program to feel that way. To feel comfortable not only to reach out for assistance but to engage in conversation. We all want our students to be successful and to connect with them.