My name is Ashley Roberts and I am from Fresno, California! I am currently student teaching in an ACC (special education) class in Nebo School District! My mentor teacher and I teach 11 students in grades 1st-3rd and I love it so much!
I always knew that I wanted to be a teacher and work with young students, so my first semester at BYU, I started as an elementary education major. After my mission, I needed a job and my school district was hiring for classroom aids in a special education classroom. I took the job and soon realized my love for special education. When I got back to BYU, I soon changed my major to special education and have loved it ever since!
I think the most rewarding part of teaching is seeing my students understand a concept, however big or small, that they didn’t understand before. I love having this first hand experience of watching such young students learn and exceed their potential.
One of the challenges that I have faced while teaching is not always knowing how best to handle students problem behaviors. Collaborating with my mentor teacher and university supervisor has really helped me to understand my students and be able to come up with interventions to help them improve.
Going from being in classes all day at BYU to student teaching every day has definitely been a transition, but I have learned so much about what it really means to be a special education teacher! There is a lot that special education teachers do and it has been really awesome to have this firsthand experience learning all of it.
One of the biggest lessons that I’ve learned while working with my students is that they have such a high potential. Many of my students have significant disabilities that impact their daily lives and will always impact their lives, but they have such a great ability to learn so much academically and socially.
After I finish my student teaching and graduate in December, I am planning to be a stay-at-home mom for a while, being that I am having a baby in February:) However, I hope to eventually go back into the classroom and have my own students!
Have any questions about the special education major or the McKay School?
Come see our ambassadors in the newly-built McKay Commons (180 MCKB) during our Ambassador Afternoons every Monday from 11am-1pm, Tuesday from 1pm-3pm and Wednesday from 12pm-2pm. If those times don't work for you, you can schedule an appointment with an ambassador here.
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