Every month during the school year, KSAT and Firstmark Credit Union recognize educators in our community who make a difference in students’ lives.
Elyssa Fields, a special education teacher at Langley Elementary School, is KSAT’s October Educator of the Month. She works with students from three to five years old.
Fields tells us she has always loved working with children, but she said she was inspired to pursue special education when she had the opportunity to work with her friend’s sister, who has autism.
“I actually had a friend in high school; her sister had autism, and I absolutely loved working with her,” Fields said. “She really made me want to go into this line of work.”
This is Fields’s third year at Langley Elementary. She teaches early childhood special education in a self-contained setting, and for many of these young students, this is their first time at school.
“It’s an important part of them coming into schools, being that first time where we are the first people that they ever see, some of them have never been in daycare before,” Fields said. “So, it’s building that trust with the kids, too, knowing that we love them and that they’re safe here at school with us.”
Fields sets up her classroom and curriculum to help with the transition from home to school.
For example, she has a “sensory area” with a pressure canoe, a mini trampoline, a sensory swing and a ball pit. She also takes time to focus on each child’s specific needs.
“My students in here have a lot more needs than a regular general education student, so being able to meet those needs, whether it’s at home or at school, it means a lot to me,” Fields said. “I love making a difference in somebody’s home. I love when parents come up to me and tell me you don’t know the difference you’ve made in our house.”
Fields also credits her two assistants, who she said help the students succeed.
“It’s so exciting to watch them flourish, even if it’s the smallest little gain that we get,” Fields said. “It’s a huge celebration, and so celebrating those little moments is what means the most to us here.”
