Hey everyone, my name is Maizah Gomes and I graduated from the elementary special ed program in 2019. I chose this program because it was local, which meant a low commuting cost and in-state tuition. And as someone who had just finished my undergrad, both of those were very appealing to me. I was also interested in the program because I had heard great things from past students of RIC. And also every time I was researching special ed programs in New England, RIC was always towards the top. So the program really prepared me for the field because the courses I took covered every aspect of what I'm experiencing now. So some of the courses I took included creating content to best support English language learners, and culturally and linguistically diverse populations, which is the exact population that I do currently work with. The majority of my students' parents do not speak English. So the family communication course that I took really did give me helpful tips and tricks and resources for creating fostering relationships with them. So I do currently teach second grade in Worcester, Massachusetts. This is my second year in the school system. And the majority of my students are English language learners, and special education students, and many of them are actually duly identified. So pretty much every course that I took, has really helpfully teach the kiddos that are in front of me. RIC has helped me gain the knowledge and resources to further improve my teaching. I had a bunch of different experiences in different classrooms, meeting with different teachers... meeting with different students in different settings... So I think all of those have really helped me become the teacher that I am today and I really do highly recommend the programs.
