Supportive Faculty Make All the Difference

Christy (Waters) Danenhauer '04, 19年，MAEd回到MMU攻读硕士学位，因为教职员工的支持和个性化帮助.

MMU: Why did you decide to go through the Master of Arts in Education program at Mount Mercy?

CD: 2004年，我毕业于Mount Mercy，获得了K-6课程的通识教育学位. 2014年，我获得了一份特殊教育教师的职位——专注于行为二年级. 我需要在我的执照上加上一个背书，我认为慈悲山是我继续学习的好地方. 我是一个12岁女儿的单亲妈妈，我自己也有学习困难的历史. The staff at Mount Mercy remembered who I was, the type of learner I was, 并张开双臂欢迎我继续攻读硕士学位. Mount Mercy offered night classes, flexible ways to communicate with my professors, 在小班授课和大量的支持和鼓励下，非常个人化.

MMU: What is your exact job description? Could you walk us through a day at your job?

CD: I’m a special education teacher with the Iowa City Community School District. My job includes providing supportive tools to students with behavioral plans. 我撰写行为干预计划，帮助学生与同龄人一起进入通识教育教室——当学生在行为或学业上挣扎时，提供一个安全的教室. 我还为学生撰写个性化教育计划(IEPs)，以便他们能够建立自己的学习水平并实现教育. Along the same lines, 为有学习差异的学生提供专业设计指导(SDI).

A normal day would be checking in with my students, 确保他们有开始一天所需的东西(通常情况下学生可能没有睡好觉), support at home, clean clothes or food), check in with the para educators that work directly with my students, provide a listening ear (student often carry many responsibilities, anxiety, stress and trauma). My day continues with teaching students, either in small group or individually, 他们需要帮助他们继续学业的技能(我的学生通常在社交、情感、学习技能和与他人互动方面获得强烈的技能). 很多时候，我每天都会和学生讨论他们在课堂上的行为问题，或者处理有攻击性的情况，使用降级技巧和学生强烈的行为干预计划. The end of the day often includes data reports, collaboration with parents and school staff, and attending meetings.

MMU: How did the program prepare you for your current job? How did you benefit from the program?

CD: Mount Mercy的教育项目帮助我为今天的课堂和学生做好了准备——给了我很多工具来帮助满足今天年轻人的个性化需求. 我已经成为一名非常注重细节的老师，能够适应有不同学习需求的学生. Mount Mercy帮助我建立了坚实的教学基础，使我能够教育来自不同背景和需求的学生. 提供给我和教我的材料总是包括自我反思，并将其与我或我的同学遇到的现实生活情况联系起来.

有一件事是非常有益的，那就是我能够在自己的教室里教学生，让我的教授来上课，并对我的教学提供反馈, students, or my handling of situations or staff. 即使毕业了，我也会继续向Mount Mercy的同学和教授请教. 我真的能够建立我的资源工具箱来帮助我适应不断变化的课堂和教育平台.

MMU:除了你在教育上的成长，你在整个项目中是如何成长的? If so, when and how did you acknowledge your personal growth?

“Mount Mercy医院的员工仍然是我个人生活和职业生涯的重要组成部分. Throughout life’s traumas, 我不断增强对自己的信心，并与学生和教育工作者一起工作."

CD: Mount Mercy的工作人员一直是我个人生活和职业生涯的重要组成部分. Throughout life's traumas, 我不断增强对自己的信心，并与学生和教育工作者一起工作. I realized this when talking with MAEd staff that I could accomplish this degree, and that I had a very strong support system with me, thanks to Mount Mercy. 作为一个30多岁的单身女性，回到学校是非常有压力的. Mount Mercy was the support system I needed to achieve this goal.

MMU:在教育领域最重要的技能是什么?你如何培养它?

CD: The most important skill in education is patience. Without patience, you can’t truly listen to your students and help accommodate their needs, or even really hear what they need to become a better learner. 磨练这项技能的能力需要一个积极的心态，并理解我们每个人都是不同的——这是一种深呼吸的能力，在生活中保持专注和有条理. 为了获得这种技能，你需要在各种生活情境中练习这些技能. Mount Mercy has reminded me to just breath and be patient with those around us. We all learn and view things differently.

MMU: What differences can you see in yourself before and after the MAEd program?

CD: 我进入硕士课程的一般教学知识和我自己的特殊教育项目的个人经验, but, through my education, 我能够对有特殊需要的学生和我们所生活的世界有更深入的了解. 硕士课程展示了特殊教育的各种深度，并挑战我从不同的角度看待问题. 我对特殊教育的法律有了更好的理解，也对父母为自己的孩子所做的努力有了更好的理解.

MMU: Did you have any difficulties during your time in the MAEd program? If so, how did you overcome those difficulties? (difficulties could be work, kids, time, and so on)

CD: When I first enrolled at Mount Mercy to compete my undergrad, I came with an IEP (Individualized Education Plan), meaning I needed some help with learning. When I came back for my master's, 工作人员记得我有这些困难，并且能够通过在线阅读教科书和写作中心的写作支持来帮助满足我的需求. Thanks to the master’s program, 我可以避免上课的问题，因为他们提供夜间课程，从爱荷华市通勤也不是问题. 在我读硕士期间，由于照顾孩子的问题，我需要带我的女儿几次. The staff were welcoming to this and allowed her to come with me.

"I would not have completed my master's without Mount Mercy, 我无法想象自己参加另一个硕士项目并取得我所取得的成功."

MMU: Anything to add?

CD: 对于那些对继续他们的教育感到紧张和对获得学位有疑问的成年人, I strongly recommend Mount Mercy University’s master's program. 员工更像是我家庭的一部分，他们挑战我，支持我. I would not have completed my master's without Mount Mercy, 我无法想象自己参加另一个硕士项目并取得我所取得的成功.