“I think it is equally important to share with students and their families about their successes as it is to communicate about areas of concern.”
Meet Ms. Katherine Parker, a special education teacher, liaison, and Algebra II co-teacher here at GNBVT. Ms. Parker is responsible for monitoring student progress in their academic and CVTE (career vocational technical education). As a teacher, she works collaboratively with other teachers to differentiate instruction and provide additional support to students and help them make progress that is commensurate with their full learning potential. As a liaison, she serves students, families, teachers, and staff members, and communicates about student IEPs, their goals and objectives, and specific educational styles in order to ensure that students with different types of disabilities have access to the support and instruction they need, as well as to have them demonstrate individual growth and increased independence.
Teaching at GNBVT was not her first career. After graduating from the University of Massachusetts Amherst with a bachelor’s degree in Psychology and an undergraduate degree in Sociology and Criminal Justice, Ms. Parker worked as a social worker for Child & Family Services before going on to receive a master’s degree in Special Education at Bridgewater State University. Afterward, she worked as a special education teacher at Dartmouth Middle School and then as a school administrator at Bridgewater-Raynham Regional High School before transferring to her current position to GNBVT. “The reason why I transitioned to GNBVT,” she said, “was because I wanted to be closer to, and give back to, the community where I live.”
Ms. Parker said that she was “inspired by [the students’] “true grit” and “perseverance” when they finally “get” a particular concept or skill after initially struggling to learn it.” She thinks it is “important to remember that making mistakes is part of the learning process and actually makes our brains grow more than always getting things right the first time around.”
Ms. Parker wishes to have her students remember her as someone who held them with high expectations and provided them with extra help and support. She also wishes her students to remember her as someone that always challenged them to learn, grow, and become the best version of themselves.
Article and Picture by: Dillon Rebelo, Senior Media Technology