Ms. Lindsey has taught special education here at iCademy for almost 8 years. She started about halfway through our first year open as a school. She’s spent a ton of time traveling, and loves to bring a wide worldview into the classroom by virtually taking her students with her on her travels! She loves to teach classes like life skills, world religions, world cultures and more.
What drew you to working in special education?
All throughout college I volunteered at Camp Sunshine, which is an inclusive summer camp in West Michigan. It didn’t take long before I realized that these were my people, and that working in special education is my calling!
What’s one of your favorite things about working at iCademy?
We’ve got a unique group of kids at iCademy whose ability to learn was actually hindered by more “traditional” ways of learning. But here, they get to grow and be challenged in safe, empowering ways. Being virtual gives them greater control over their learning environment, so there’s more opportunity to develop an environment that better supports their learning.
What about teaching inspires you?
I’ve always aspired to be a lifelong learner, and I’ve learned that being a teacher isn’t just about me teaching my students. It’s very much a two-way street. I’m constantly inspired by sharing experiences with my students, and it’s incredibly rewarding to be able to fill that role.
Do you participate with or run any extracurricular clubs or activities at iCademy?
I’ve led several capstone student trips in the past, but most recently I led the Diversity Book Club. We’ll probably take a more multimedia approach in the future, pulling in podcasts and documentaries, but the students get to pick the topics that are interesting to them.
If you could give one piece of advice to iCademy students, what would it be?
Take the time to understand yourself as a learner and evaluate what you need in order to be successful. iCademy is a very supportive environment, but it requires better self-advocacy! Set yourself up for success, then get it done!