Past Stories
Focus on UWW: Going to School After Being in School All Day
Photo: Ben Barnhart.
First, spend the whole day in (elementary) school. Then, go to school again (the university, this time) after school.
That’s what 18 paraprofessional educators from area public schools are doing this year at a new UMass Amherst University Without Walls program for adult working students. The Elementary/Early Childhood Teacher Licensure Bachelor's Degree Program has been developed over the past year by UWW and the university’s School of Education.
Judy Lavin, a kindergarten aide in Agawam, said "I have found the support at UWW to be awesome. After so many years it is scary to go back to school, but UWW has made it pretty easy. I felt like I would be at a huge disadvantage but what I found was that we are all in the same boat."
Students in this fall's entering class of paraprofessionals work in public schools in Northampton, Turners Falls, Agawam, Springfield, Amherst, South Hadley, West Springfield, Cummington and Wilbraham. They work in classrooms from kindergarten through middle school, as classroom aides, literacy specialists, individual aides, and special education aides, and on average have about seven years of experience on the job.
"The opportunity this program affords its students benefits not only those in the program, but the children in all of the classrooms they work in, along with the school communities and towns across the Commonwealth. It is a great example of a "win-win" situation," said Liz Brinkerhoff, UWW’s Paraprofessional Program Manager.
What makes this program even more appealing to these students is the fact that the Commonwealth is providing financial support for the students. Paraprofessionals who have worked in public schools for two years or more and who are pursuing a bachelor's degree at a public college or university in Massachusetts are eligible. Those who have worked less than two years as a paraprofessional may also be eligible for the grant if they are interested in becoming licensed in a "high need" area, such as special education, science or math.
"The experience gained through years of working with children in the classroom is a strength these students bring with them when they return to the University to complete their bachelor's degree,” says Gary Bernhard, Director of the UMass Amherst University Without Walls.
“The schedule is flexible and accommodates the life and schedule of the adult learner. I would encourage any para who may be waffling about returning to school to go for it. UWW's Paraprofessional program is structured to make the transition seamless. It's the best decision I've made for myself in a long time,” states Greer Winslow-Carter, a kindergarten aide in Springfield.
Cynthia Rosenberger, faculty member in the School of Education, was struck by the dedication and commitment to children voiced by the members of the class, and by the amount of experience they had in a wide variety of educational settings. "They bring such a wealth of experience that we don't typically see in newly licensed teachers," she said.
While the program is not exclusively for paraprofessionals educators, virtually all of the current students had searched for a program that would fit into their work schedule. A second group of students will be admitted to the program for spring 2005. The application deadline is November 1. To learn more about the program, visit www.umass.edu/uww.
