On a new Teachers’ Lounge, it’s Ashley Carls! She’s a special education teacher at Ottawa Township High School.
Over the past few years, she’s built her own curriculum for a class helping her students transition to college. It’s daunting for everyone and particularly for special education students.
Ashley spends a lot of time helping them understand their rights and how to navigate college. A big part of it also building their confidence and the soft skills they need to succeed anywhere. She was just reminded of that the other day when she took her students to the local community college for placement exams.
“I said, 'I'm proud of you for taking this placement and scoring, but the biggest thing that day, and what I'm proud of you is, that the lady in the cafeteria told me that you were the most respectful group of students that she's ever had,'" she said. "So, it's not about the test you took, it's about you being a good person.”
We talk about the common misconceptions people have about special education, what keeps her passionate after 20 years in the classroom, and why she became an educator in the first place.
SHOW NOTES
Educator(s) in this episode:
Ashley Carls
Stories featured in this episode:
Music: Our show's theme music is from the northern Illinois-based band "Kindoves" and their songs "Popn," "Origins" and "Quiche." You can find more of their music on their Soundcloud page. You can also listen to the episode of WNIJ's Sessions from Studio A where they were featured.
Teachers! People who know teachers! People with stories about teachers! Send us an email and be part of the show!
