Suzie is just finishing up her second year as an English Language Learner Paraeducator at Lynden Middle School where she serves over 80 students, provides classroom support, and supervises the Access Intervention Class. Suzie believes the most important things she can teach her students is to set goals and dream big. She uses her own training in early childhood education and her experience as a former ELL student to develop differentiated strategies based on each student’s unique circumstances.
Suzie believes students need more than one person to help guide them to success. They need their families, teachers and paras like her to work together. One of the largest parts of Suzie’s job is to be a liaison between families and the school. She connects with families about both academic issues and life skills. She coordinates parent-teacher meetings, organizes family nights and an afterschool homework club. Suzie is a bundle of energy and ideas, taking on new challenges and opportunities as fast as she can.
“Suzie possesses the ability to connect with kids and challenge them to take advantage of their educational opportunities,” says teacher Dirk Denniston. “She empowers them to work hard each day to see what they are capable of. She offers constant praise and compels these kids to reflect upon current family circumstances to understand what they want out of life . . . Suzie’s ability to listen to our students, relate to them and advocate on their behalf as improved their self-esteem and self confidence, and growth mindset.”
