My name is Katie Brown and I am a licensed Special Education Teacher. I live in Colorado with my husband and our two children, as well as two dogs, a cat, two rats, two turtles, a bearded dragon, and six chickens. I enjoy reading, camping, hiking, crafting, and building Legos. I play on a co-ed summer and spring softball team and I absolutely love teaching!
I have wanted to be a teacher since the first time I wrote a sentence on my chalkboard easel for my stuffed animals to copy. And while the goal has always been clear, the path has not. In 2009, I returned to school after my youngest was born with the purpose of getting my license. However, when I realized I would have to put her in day care full-time while I student taught, I had to change course. To that end, in 2013, after getting my Bachelor’s degree in English, I applied and was accepted for a position as a teacher aide in the school my children attend. As an aide, I worked with students either individually, or in small groups and helped them with reading, writing, or math. I moved quickly from aide to substitute to interventionist; until the spring of 2015 when I was offered the opportunity to train for the Special Education teacher position.
In the fall of 2016, I began my training, learning how to keep files, administer assessments, interpret results, and write Individualized Education Plans (IEP), among other duties. I also applied and was accepted to the graduate program at Western State Colorado University. I received my license as a Special Education Generalist in 2017, and will be receiving my Master of Arts in Education with an emphasis in reading leadership in May 2018.
I currently teach at a charter school where my responsibilities include writing and implementing IEPs. I run the Special Education team meetings, and IEP meetings. I am knowledgeable in all content areas and provide reading, writing, and math services to students with learning disabilities. I provide these services both in the classroom and outside the classroom in the resource room. I administer assessments and interpret their results to know how to best support my students. I also teach. I teach letter names and sounds. I teach math concepts. I teach patience and compassion.
I teach for many reasons; to inspire a love of knowledge, to continue my own learning, to share in the joy that comes with understanding, to be involved in my own children’s education – but the biggest motivation for teaching is the opportunity it affords to create future thinkers and problem solvers. I believe that as a teacher it is my duty to encourage communication, cooperation, perseverance, kindness, compassion and effort, as well as teach necessary content matter. I can create a safe place where mistakes are good, risk is necessary and growth happens. I can listen to children who are not heard and I can engage children who are not seen. As a teacher I have a chance to change the world on a regular basis.
Katie Brown's Education Adventure 