Community and Connection: A Paraprofessional's Story of Growth and Empowerment in Education

Education is not just about textbooks and lesson plans; it's about building relationships, fostering growth, and creating a strong sense of community. In a recent episode of the Hornet Hive podcast we welcome Morgan Paulsen, a dedicated paraprofessional at Williamston Community Schools, to discuss her journey into education, her role as a paraprofessional, and the impact she has on the students and community around her.

Origins of a Journey

Morgan Paulsen's entry into the world of education was not a traditional one. With a background in photography and social work, Paulsen found herself drawn to the role of a paraprofessional in the school district. Her decision to make this career shift was driven by a desire for flexibility and a deeper connection to her children's school life. This decision highlights the diverse backgrounds and experiences that individuals in the education field bring to the table, enriching the learning environment for students.

The Role of a Paraprofessional

As Paulsen explains, the role of a paraprofessional is multifaceted and tailored to the needs of each individual student. Whether providing support, encouragement, or a guiding hand, paraprofessionals play a crucial role in the classroom dynamic. Paulsen emphasizes the importance of understanding each student's unique needs and strengths to effectively support their academic and personal growth. This personalized approach underscores the dedication and commitment of paraprofessionals to the success of every child in their care.

The Role of a Paraprofessional

As Paulsen explains, the role of a paraprofessional is multifaceted and tailored to the needs of each individual student. Whether providing support, encouragement, or a guiding hand, paraprofessionals play a crucial role in the classroom dynamic. Paulsen emphasizes the importance of understanding each student's unique needs and strengths to effectively support their academic and personal growth. This personalized approach underscores the dedication and commitment of paraprofessionals to the success of every child in their care.

Community and Collaboration

One of the key aspects that Paulsen highlights is the strong sense of community within Williamston and its schools. The warm welcome she received upon moving to the area exemplifies the collaborative and inclusive spirit that defines the school district. Paulsen's experience of building relationships with students, staff, and families underscores the importance of community engagement in creating a supportive and enriching educational environment.

Celebrating Milestones

Paulsen shares a heartwarming anecdote that encapsulates the joy and pride that comes from witnessing a student's growth and achievements. The moment when a struggling student writes a beautiful paragraph with confidence and skill not only showcases the individual progress but also exemplifies the collective effort and support provided by educators and peers. Such milestones reaffirm the impact of dedicated professionals like Paulsen and the transformative power of education in shaping young minds.

Morgan Paulsen's story illuminates the vital role of paraprofessionals in education and the profound impact they have on students' lives. Through her unique blend of skills, passion for nurturing growth, and commitment to fostering community, Paulsen exemplifies the values of dedication, empathy, and collaboration that define the educational landscape. Her journey is a testament to the transformative power of education and the enduring influence of individuals who strive to make a difference in the lives of those they touch.

 

TRANSCRIPT

Dr. Christopher Lewis [00:00:19]:
Welcome back to the Hornet Hive. I'm your host, Doctor. Christopher Lewis, one of the members of the Williamston Community Schools Board of Education. Really excited to have you back again this week. As always every week, I love being able to share the great news about the things that are happening within our school district. Share great people that are working with our kids, and allow you an inside look at what's happening in our district. And that's why we bring you this podcast, an opportunity for you to be able to really look under the radar here, to be able to see what's happening underneath and be able to meet people and understand what's happening. So I'm really excited to have you here today to allow for you to join us on this journey.

Dr. Christopher Lewis [00:01:00]:
And today we've got another great guest today. Morgan Paulson is with us today. And and Morgan is a paraprofessional in the classroom of one of our past guests, Cara Behmer. And I'm really excited to have Morgan on the show today and have her share her story. Morgan, thanks so much for being here today.

Morgan Paulsen [00:01:17]:
Thank you for having me.

Dr. Christopher Lewis [00:01:18]:
It is my pleasure. And you know, one of the things that I love doing first and foremost is every person has that origin story, that story that brings them into not only here in Williamston, but what they do. So tell me what originally brought you to Williamston.

Morgan Paulsen [00:01:33]:
Well, it was actually my husband. He is the athletic director. So he got this job about 4 years ago, and we came from just north of Grand Rapids. My family was still there and is still there. And he had some family in this area. And so that's what brought us over here.

Dr. Christopher Lewis [00:01:54]:
And I mentioned that you are a paraprofessional in the district. And why don't you tell me a little bit about that role and what made you decide that you wanted to be a part of the district in that way?

Morgan Paulsen [00:02:04]:
Well, I've been a photographer for the past 15 years professionally, and it's great. It's still a very large part of my life. But when we came here and my kids were younger, it was still and it was COVID, but we I still worked doing that. I could do that from home and that was great. But now that my kids are older and they're both in school and they're both doing sports and they're both very busy. I needed something that was gonna give me a little more flexibility on weekends. And my degree is actually I was a former social worker and I worked with at risk youth. And so to give me a little bit more flexibility, I thought, you know, maybe I'll tap back into that for a second and just kind of take a little mental creative break from photography for the school year and be on their schedule for a minute and be able to see their games and take them to practices.

Morgan Paulsen [00:02:55]:
And because photography is never 9 to 5. It's always weekends and nights. So so I looked into just the paraproposition, and it's been great.

Dr. Christopher Lewis [00:03:04]:
So being a past social worker and with your photography background, talk to me about how all of that how you take those skills and incorporate them into the work that you do on a daily basis.

Morgan Paulsen [00:03:15]:
I think being a former social worker has given me the more formal training, especially with some potential behaviors and helping kids to work through those behaviors or see the long term bigger picture of what they're doing. But as an artist, I think that that helps me live more in the moment with them and see them for what they are right now and where we're at right now and meet them where we're where they are at and what they need. And like I said, art is a very big part of my life, so I bring a lot of that with me and what I do with the kids. A lot of times, you can find us drawing together or just kind of using art or similar techniques to calm the mind, calm the body, maybe pay attention a little bit more. So I think those two things together, social work background and then photography, work really well with the parapro.

Dr. Christopher Lewis [00:04:09]:
You know, I don't know that everyone understands what the role of a parapro is. Can you talk to me about that and let me know a little bit more, but also let's let our community know a little bit more about the role of a paraprofessional.

Morgan Paulsen [00:04:22]:
That's a hard question because I think the role of parapro can vary from child to child and from teacher to teacher. What does that child need from you? Does that child need you to back off and just kind of be an observer and let them figure things out on their own and you are there to support as needed? Or are you there to really be more hands on and really be more encouraging, more directing? It's really just a big support role, whatever that looks like to that child. So sometimes it's a little harder. In the beginning, you have to get used to each kid. You have to get to know them, and that's a really big belief that I had this. I have to get to know that kid. What is best for them? It's not about what's best for me or what's easiest for me to get through my day. It really is what is best for that kid, what is best for the class, how I can support the teacher and what I can bring to the classroom.

Morgan Paulsen [00:05:16]:
So I think the role is different for a lot of people and it's also what you can bring to the table as cliche as that sounds. Yes. I think all the pair of pros have their strengths and they think that we're all pretty well matched with our strengths and what our kids need.

Dr. Christopher Lewis [00:05:33]:
Now every teacher, every staff member, every person in the district have different things, different things that sustain them in the work that they do. Talk to me about that for yourself. What sustains you in your role in the district and what makes Williamston a great place to work?

Morgan Paulsen [00:05:49]:
I think one of the things that I truly love the most is when we first moved here, how welcoming everybody was. That hasn't always been the case. Sometimes you are met with competition or that feeling of being a competition or some sort of political climate. And that was never the case for us. We moved here and we were very welcomed and it was great. And I think really what keeps us here and what I love the most is that sense of community and how it has changed and how it has evolved and even just going to things in the community now, like parades or soccer games or things like that. Now that I'm at the school, there is really no better feeling than standing there and having, you know, 6 little arms come up because I'm gonna give you a hug and so happy to see you. And that's the stuff that really is just amazing and building relationships with people in the community and watching businesses grow and children grow and just flourish within the school and the community.

Dr. Christopher Lewis [00:06:52]:
Now similarly, one of the things that I hear from a lot of people in the district is they have stories and there are many stories. Positive, negative, every which way. Can you share a story with me that for you really epitomizes the experience that you've had thus far as a Williamson staff member?

Morgan Paulsen [00:07:10]:
One of the biggest reasons why I wanted to work in the school and why I'm glad that I am working in the school, one of the children I work with, she had a lot of difficulty writing and putting her thoughts into words. And it was just kind of one big long run on sentence of random letters. And we had just worked together for a while, and all of a sudden, one day it just clicked, and she wrote this most beautiful paragraph. And I happened to not be in the classroom at the time I was down in one of the break rooms, which is for the kids' break rooms. Just kind of a little quieter room where I would take another child to go read. And, she came running down and showed me this paper. And I said, wow, that's really great. And I kind of, for a split second thought, who wrote this for you? Because it was so drastically missus Bamer had sent her down to show me.

Morgan Paulsen [00:08:04]:
And that missus Boehmer had sent her down to show me. And that was just probably one of the best moments for me because not only was she so proud of herself, but the teamwork that Kira and I had kind of been doing with her in particular and just some of the kids too really came full circle at that moment. And how excited everyone was for her and how even the kids, they were so excited that she had really improved on her writing. And they were so proud of her and she was so proud of herself. And that whole little community we have in that 3rd grade classroom just really celebrated her. Teachers and other parents and other just staff members in general really just came together and celebrated this little thing in her writing. And that was just one of the best moments because it was such a sense of pride for everybody. We're all just proud of her and proud of us working together and more so proud of her though for how far she had come.

Dr. Christopher Lewis [00:09:06]:
Sometimes it's those incremental steps, those things that you see in those, like you said, the individual children and that I love hearing because I know that it is those things that keep you moving and keep you moving in the direction that you wanna be moving. And I appreciate you sharing that story because I think it is profound and definitely important to understand that it can be in big moments, in small moments, and everything in between. But I truly wanna say thank you. Thank you for the work that you do, for the work that you do in missus Behmer's class, but also the work that you do with kids in this school in many different ways. And I truly wish you all the best.

Morgan Paulsen [00:09:43]:
Thank you very much.