October 5, 2007

Carroll trades title for classroom
By DEBBIE L. SKLAR
CONTRIBUTING WRITER

ALISO VIEJO - Addie Carroll is a resource specialist at Aliso Viejo Middle School, but the former department chairperson for the Special Education Department decided to step down so she could be in the classroom, working directly with students where she makes a difference every day.

Carroll is also a part time lecturer at Cal State Fullerton, where she has been teaching for the past 10 years.

Here, Carroll explains why she made the move from resource specialist back to classroom teacher.

Q: What do you like about teaching?

A: I love teaching because it gives me the opportunity to make connections with kids and be a part of their educational journey. It's something I truly love doing, so it's not a job but something I look forward to each day.

Q: Why did you choose special education?

A: I've always had an interest in those who 'marched to a different drum' or were 'outside-of-the-box' thinkers. When I was in college, I volunteered at a preschool for toddlers with disabilities. I fell in love with one particular little boy with Down syndrome. That very day, I chose special education as my minor in education.

Q: Is it challenging day in and day out?

A: Every day brings with it a new challenge in the classroom. That's what keeps my job so interesting and fulfilling. Working with students who have learning disabilities presents different challenges in that these students need to use compensatory skills to overcome learning deficits. Sometimes, it takes a while to convince others that these students can and do learn just like their non-disabled peers.

Q: What's the best part of your job?

A: The best part about teaching special ed is that I get to work with students who are very bright and creative, but just learn differently. Many times, by the time they reach middle school, they are frustrated and their self-esteem is impacted because learning had been a struggle. I get to work with them using a variety of strategies that draw on their learning strength rather than their deficit. I am always fascinated to learn how much they know, if only they have the opportunity to access that knowledge.

Q: What have you learned over the years through teaching?

A: My journey as a teacher has provided me with so many wonderful experiences and opportunities to meet a diverse population of students and families. I have been a part of so many lives and my life has been enhanced and impacted by every student who has entered my classrooms over these past 36 years.

Q: Do you hear from any of your former students?

A: I treasure the phone calls I've gotten over the years from students who had me as their teacher many years ago and still remember something we did in class or something I said to them that made them feel special. That is why, as a teacher, I believe that I can, and do, make a difference in the lives of my students.

Q: Will you retire soon?

A: I hope to retire in a few years, but I'll never leave the classroom entirely. Between teaching at the college level and possibly substituting, I'll always be connected to kids. Plus, I'm looking forward to being a grandmother and I'm already gathering books for a new generation of students – grandchildren.

Addie Carroll

Age: 58

Family: Four children

Born: Chester, Pennsylvania

Dreams as a kid: To be a news broadcaster but couldn't convince her dad to let her go to a college far away from home.

Hobbies: Cooking Sunday dinners for family and friends, spending time with friends, going to the theater, dancing and shopping

Education: West Chester University in West Chester, Penn. Moved with family to California more than 20 years ago and had to get a California credential. Attended Cal State Fullerton, for multiple subject credential, and learning handicapped credential, resource specialist credential, and master's in special education