A Nurtured Heart Approach
Finalist for 2021 ND Teacher of the Year concentrates on the positives By Tom Gerhardt, NDU Communications
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, some school districts are limiting the number of visitors who can come into buildings to visit with personnel. While we weren’t able to visit in-person with Dana Kasowski, a special education teacher in Wahpeton and finalist for the 2021 North Dakota Teacher of the Year award, at her school for a story, she was gracious enough to join Education Mindset podcast host Tom Gerhardt virtually for a special episode. This is a partial transcript of the podcast. Visit our website to listen to the full conversation. Tom Gerhardt: “Well, 16 years in the classroom, middle and elementary schools. And as you mentioned, you are a special-education educator. What drew you to students who faced challenges with behaviors, social, emotional skills and academics?” Dana Kasowski: “You know, it is just very satisfying and rewarding to see the growth that is made over time. I have the privilege of working with kids across multiple years. Some of the students that I have now, I’ve worked with since they were – they’re eighth graders now, and I’ve worked with them since they were in first grade. Just because I made a transition at the same time that they made a transition to the middle school. So, to see that growth over time is just such an amazing thing, to develop such deep relationships with families over 8
|
ND United Voices
that time as well. These kids are resilient and persistent and determined to improve themselves every day. And it’s just an honor to be able to spend that time with them.” TG: “Another thing I saw looking at your background is that you mentor first-year special education teachers. That’s amazing to see that, that you’re willing to step up to the plate and do that kind of work can help others succeed.” DK: “Yeah. That’s a lot of fun. I enjoyed that. This is my third year of doing that in our district. I get to mentor them through the special education paperwork process, but also in things like working with parents and how best to navigate [that], working with general education teachers and building those relationships with general education teachers, too. So, it’s very rewarding to see their growth over the year as well from the beginning of the year, being kind of nervous about writing their first IEP meeting and what I need to help support them with that. And then just how they grow in their own and step into their own teacher role as the year goes on. It’s lots of fun to see.”
ON THE WEB
Check out our newsfeed at ndunited.org/ articles to listen to this podcast.
