Lauren Decker is a special education teacher, part of the Community Based Classroom program.

What exactly is Community Based Classroom?

We do a lot of life skills, a lot of social skills, and then we bring kids out to the community to get the life skills they need from the community, with them going to CVS and knowing how to buy things in CVS, how to walk to CVS, how to have appropriate manners when you’re at CVS. Any store, not just CVS.

What drew you to work as a special education teacher?

I started working with kids with special needs when I was in high school, volunteering for a Special Olympics swim team. I was on a swim team for like 8 years when I was in high school, before high school. And I loved swimming. I was a lifeguard, I was a swimming instructor. I love the water.

How do you get taught to be a special education teacher? Is it special courses you take?

I mean, aside from just the regular education you have to go to school to be a special education teacher, it’s like a different course of study. And, you know, honestly, I did learn a lot from college, but I learned a lot more with the experience and practice and watching other people do it. And sometimes things come natural and sometimes you have to really work at them. The students’ needs are so varying that just because you know how to do something with one kid doesn’t mean the same thing’s going work with the same kid. It’s a lot of trial and error and sticking with it.

So, what do you think is the most important thing you can teach?

Communication. For these kids, because they’re so severe and limited in their abilities, just to have a good time and learn and communicate with each other. Ask for help if you need it.

Why did you come to this school?

There was a former student here who went to the school I used to work at. And I came over to visit, and he came over to visit, and I enjoyed the atmosphere, and the people seemed great and the kids seemed great.

Is there anything really different about your high school versus this high school, do you think?

Yes. Because I went to a private high school. It was a lot more strict. There were bells, so every time that we had to change classes there was bells, I mean you got like, demerits or detentions for walking down the wrong staircase.

Do you think this is better?

I do. I think it gives more freedom and teaches responsibility.

Mairin Quillen can be contacted at [email protected]