December 2019 commencement: Special education

20 Dec 2019    

Ann Hilton

Urbandale, Iowa | Master of Arts in Special Education

What made you interested in pursuing a master's in special education?
I had been working as a special education paraprofessional, and I knew that to renew my teaching license I should probably go back to school and get my graduate degree. I knew that I wanted to work in the realm of special education but was unsure about what specialized field within special education I wanted to pursue. One of the students I worked with was visually impaired, and I always enjoyed watching his TVI (teacher of the visually impaired) working him. The TVI talked to me about his process in getting his masters, and every thing he talked about made sense for me.

What made Nebraska's program the right fit for you?
The Nebraska program is local for me, and with the exception of one week in the summer, all the classes were online. The online classes that I could plan around my job and family were very important to me.

What has been your biggest takeaway from your master's program at Nebraska?
The world is not black and white, but many many shades of grey, and the same can be said of visual abilities of the students I get to work with. When I started the program I had only met one person who was legally blind, but did not have a grasp on what that meant. Even though logically I knew there were visual variations between 20/20 vision and being fully blind, I was not fully aware of what that meant. Now I can explain to other teachers, or parents how their student or child is viewing the world, and how to best help them adapt to the many environments they work within on a regular basis.

What's next?
I have been working for Lincoln Public Schools for the past year and a half as a teacher of the visually impaired, and will continue with that job. In addition, now that I am done with graduate school, my husband, daughter and I are looking forward to moving to a new home in the spring.

Anna Hershberger

Lincoln, Nebraska | Elementary Education & Special Education (K-6)

When and how did you know special education was what you wanted to study?
My mom has always been a role model for me. She went back to school at Nebraska and got her master’s degree in special education. When she became a teacher, I was able to volunteer in her classroom and help some of her students with extra reading and math practice. Last year, I was able to get my substitute license and I started subbing a lot. I took a month-long subbing position in special education and that is when I realized I had a true passion for special education. Being a special education teacher is a rewarding job. When a student is successful in their learning, then I as their teacher am able to understand the effort that is required in order for them to be successful. One of the most rewarding things is seeing a student accomplish something that they doubted they could do. It is my goal as a special education teacher to make sure that all students are successful.

What made Nebraska the right fit for you?
I made the switch to Nebraska after my freshman year of college. It was important to me to be close to my family. I also wanted to be a part of a dual education program where I could major in both elementary education and special education. I loved being able to be do my practicums and student teaching in Lincoln Public Schools. I am so thankful that I made the switch to Nebraska. I have met amazing friends, classmates, and professors who have helped me earn my degree.

What has been the most memorable thing you've done during your undergraduate experience in special education?
The most memorable thing that I have done during my undergrad experience in special education was my opportunity to student teach. I loved student teaching because I was able to see the growth that students were making from day to day. Being there every day allowed me to be a consistent teacher for the group of students I was working with. This helped to build relationships with each student. There was one student in particular that all adults were having a really hard time getting her to talk and show effort in her school work. One day, when it was writing time, I told her that our writing was going to look different. I spent 10 minutes doing an interest inventory with her. She told me how much she loved to play instruments and computer games. Taking those 10 minutes to really get to know what she liked opened up so many opportunities for me as her teacher and for her to be successful. She started showing effort toward her work because the rewards that she earned were things that she cared about. Every time I see her in the hallway I now get a smile and a hug when before she hardly smiled. It is the little moments in teaching that make a huge difference that will always be most memorable to me.

What's next?
After graduation, I will be starting a special education job with two amazing schools in Lincoln Public Schools. I am very excited to be joining two special education teams and applying all of the things I have learned at UNL to my teaching.

Morgan Hilker

Kearney, Nebraska | Elementary Education & Special Education (K-6)

When and how did you know special education was what you wanted to study?
I knew that special education was the right fit for me after I had completed one of my first practicum experiences. I realized then that I wanted to be able to be an advocate for ALL of my students. In order to do that, I needed to make sure I was properly educated so that I could educate those around me. Even though it has been tough at times, I have loved every second of deciding to dual major in both elementary and special education. It truly is the best of both worlds!

What made Nebraska the right fit for you?
I knew that Nebraska was the right fit for me as soon as I stepped onto the campus during my first visit. Nebraska has always been my home and I knew that I wanted to further my education in a place where I felt comfortable. After only a couple weeks at UNL, I knew that I made the right decision due to all of the friendly faces and welcoming professors on campus.

What has been the most memorable thing you've done during your undergraduate experience in special education?
The most memorable thing that I have done in special education was working in the Kit and Dick Schmoker Reading Center. For one semester, I tutored a fourth-grade student who was struggling with reading. Toward the end of the semester, he was reading at the fourth-grade level. It was extremely rewarding seeing him get excited about reading, as well as seeing him accomplish something that he didn't believe he could.

What's next?
After graduation, I am going to continue working in Norfolk Public Schools. I know that UNL has prepared me for my future as an educator and I can't wait to start my career!

Ely Naveja

South Sioux City, Nebraska | Elementary Education & Special Education (K-6)

When and how did you know special education was what you wanted to study?
My initial intention was to enroll as an elementary education major at UNL. On New Student Enrollment day, I realized that I was somehow enrolled as a dual major! I knew that my main goal in teaching was to provide opportunities so that ALL of my students had the means to grow and succeed. Therefore, it was an easy decision to keep my dual major and learn from both programs. To this day, I do not regret this decision. All of the special education classes I have taken have provided valuable information that I know I would have not received otherwise, such as behavior management, collaboration skills, assistive technology, collecting assessment data, field experience, and so on. I am incredibly thankful for my professors and the opportunities for growth upon taking these classes.

What made Nebraska the right fit for you?
I chose to attend UNL because I was awarded the Susan T. Buffett Scholarship. I wanted to make the most out of having the opportunity, and I realized that UNL was able to provide that and more! Transitioning to UNL was not easy as a first-generation college student, but I found people and faculty that made me feel like a valued member of the community. Since then, I've wanted to pay it forward and give back to my community as well.

What has been the most memorable thing you've done during your undergraduate experience in special education?
The experience I have valued most in special education is the field experience during my student teaching at Gomez Heritage. Although classes are insightful and full of useful information, I think that being in the schools and applying everything to real-life scenarios is powerful. The most meaningful part is building relationships with those students and seeing them grow. I will always remember them and the lessons they have taught me.

What's next?
This upcoming year is full of big events! I plan to substitute teach in the spring semester, move to California in May, start a teaching job in Sacramento, California, and get married in September. Maybe after a year or two of teaching, I am definitely considering grad school as well.

Alaina Rast

Newman Grove, Nebraska | Elementary Education & Special Education (K-6)

When and how did you know special education was what you wanted to study?
I knew I wanted to work in special education in high school right before I graduated. I have a lot of love for students with disabilities and I want them to be fully accepted in the community. I felt that special education was where I was called.

What made Nebraska the right fit for you?
I started out at a community college in northeast Nebraska because of the cost and close distance to my home. After graduation, I wanted to stay in Nebraska with my family and UNL provided a great education that is still close to my home.

What has been the most memorable thing you've done during your undergraduate experience in special education?
I think that the most memorable experience I have had at UNL was over the summer working with UCARE. I was able to research the IEPs for students with visual impairments and determine whether they were getting the services they need. It helped me become more familiar with navigating IEPs and analyzing what good and bad goals look like.

What's next?
I plan to substitute teach in the spring in rural schools near my hometown. Next school year, I will be traveling to India to teach. The school I will be teaching at is an international school. I won't be leaving until July, so I am unsure what grades I will be teaching. This is a two-year contract and then who knows where I will be called to teach next. Going overseas opens many doors for teaching in other locations. Eventually I would love to look at special education services around the world and find out the best practices for helping students with disabilities to thrive in the community and work force.