There is a certain joy found in walking into a classroom full of life, laughter, and color. For one of Etowah’s newest special education teachers, Deanna Sareen, this is the environment she strives to create to enrich her students’ lives.
“My goal is to help these kids grow, and learn, and be happy,” Sareen said.
Before she ventured into schooling, Sareen worked in several different career fields. She started her professional career working in business; however, after discovering a love of helping others, she dipped her toes into teaching. Sareen instructed religion classes before finding her place in special education. In her current position, Sareen prioritizes her students’ growth. She believes that, given the proper learning mechanisms, anyone has the capacity to be successful in life.
“Sometimes others feel that because students are in the special education room, they cannot do anything, and that is really a false perception. They are capable,“ Sareen said.
Sareen was previously located at Carmel Elementary School where she first started working in the special needs department. Her time there not only gave her an understanding of both the challenges and rewards of working in special education but also an idea of her job’s importance. From her experience, Sareen has come to believe that, underneath everything, all people are the same. With this outlook, she intends to create a supportive environment that encourages furthering students’ knowledge of all learning levels.
“(…) I have seen that students in special education are just like anyone else. They just need to be taught the tools,” Sareen said.
As Sareen makes the transition from Carmel to Etowah, she will continue to use her experience and understanding of others to create a positive learning environment for all who enter her classroom doors.