Celebrating our Boundless Educators
- News
Happy Teacher Appreciation Week
National Teacher Appreciation Week is May 8 -12.
Did you know Boundless offers a range of education programs designed to help learners in the I/DD community thrive? Some examples are SOAR (Social Opportunity and Academic Readiness), a program helping students aged preschool to young adult, and ELM (Early Language Models) for young students who are identified early with autism.
Our educators don't work in a traditional school setting, and they often use non-traditional learning methods, too. We appreciate the work they do using music, puzzles, games, outdoor adventures, role-play, and adaptive skill building to make learning fun! We're so grateful to each of our Boundless educators for the impact they make each day and wish them all a Happy Teacher Appreciation Day.
While we don't have time to highlight them all, here are a handful of our Boundless educators who are helping learners across Ohio reach their full potential. We hope you enjoy reading their responses. Meet Krystyn, Megan, Brigitte, and Jayme.
Name: Krystyn
Job Title: Intervention Specialist
Years at Boundless: 9
Total Years Teaching: 9
What is the most rewarding part about working in education at Boundless?
The most rewarding part is seeing a student’s growth over time and witnessing the challenges they’ve overcame. Not just coming to work, but be in a position to serve and make meaningful changes and spending time with some of the best individuals I’ve ever met is what it’s all about for me.
What do you wish people knew about your job?
That I get to focus a lot on inclusion. It may be difficult for some families to take their children into the community due to challenges, but we have supports and interventions in public places to help expose our students to various settings and opportunities. For over a year now I’ve been in our new Transition Program for students nearing the transition to adulthood. I get to figure out how to incorporate various life skills into realistic instruction to our center create opportunities to practice skills that translates to the leisure, vocational, volunteer, and internships our students experience in the community.
Do you have any learning tricks/methods to help students in the I/DD community?
I take time to build rapport with all of the students and get to know them all individually. This helps me to be an advocate for my students, to make sure educational needs are being met in order to help them have the best quality of life after school aged services. An important part of that is also helping them develop self-advocacy skills as much as possible that they can use at school and in various vocational and leisure activities we provide in the community setting.
What was your favorite subject when you were in school?
Math and Science. I loved how hands on these subject areas allow you to be, and as a teacher I like to make my activities as hands on as possible so my students can develop real world connections through experiences. I also loved gym class and played many sports growing up which ultimately led to me coaching high school girls' basketball for the past ten years, so over the years I try to make sure my students stay active as well.
Name: Megan
Job Title: Intervention Specialist
Years at Boundless: 11
Total Years Teaching: 15
What is the most rewarding part about working in education at Boundless?
Watching my students learn a new skill whether it's big or small and knowing that I had a part in that. Also just coming into work every morning and greeting each one of my kids when they come in.
What do you wish people knew about your job?
Our students are just like any other child. They have incredible hearts and big personalities. They have extraordinary talents. They have good days and not so good days. Though they may have behavioral challenges, this does not mean they are 'bad' or 'lazy'. Though they learn differently, they can learn. Don't underestimate or pity them and most importantly don't limit them.
Do you have any learning tricks/methods to help students in the I/DD community?
Get to know them as much as possible, this includes getting to know their families, their culture and their likes and dislikes. I feel like the more you build a relationship with them the more they will trust you. I feel this is very important in teaching the population that we serve here at Boundless.
What was your favorite subject when you were in school?
My favorite subject in school was English as I love to read.
Name: Brigitte
Job Title: Clinic Director
Years at Boundless: 4
Total Years Teaching: ~22
What is the most rewarding part about working in education at Boundless?
Seeing growth in the kids. Watching something click for the first time and the light in the kiddos' eyes when they realize they are capable.
What do you wish people knew about your job?
How rewarding it is to see staff and clients gain knowledge and skills.
Do you have any learning tricks/methods to help students in the I/DD community?
Find what works for each kid. What works for one doesn't always work for another. Be flexible in your expectations and meet the kiddo where they are each day.
What was your favorite subject when you were in school?
Reading/Language Arts. I was fortunate to have teachers that encouraged creative ways to show my knowledge.
Name: Jayme
Job Title: Intervention Specialist
Years at Boundless: 1
Total Years Teaching: 12
What is the most rewarding part about working in education at Boundless?
Watching the children grow and mature over the years.
What do you wish people knew about your job?
I love being a teacher!
Do you have any learning tricks/methods to help students in the I/DD community?
When you watch and pay attention to their likes and incorporate that into the "work" they are more likely to attend and have better results. I think building a rapport with kids is most important, kids do not learn from people they don't like.
What was your favorite subject when you were in school?
Anything science related!
To all our Boundless educators and to teachers everywhere, Happy #NationalTeacherAppreciationWeek! Thank you for your creativity, patience, and passion for learning.
