Learning All About a Wonderful Special Education Classroom Assistant at Skinner North Classical School

As she works toward her ultimate goal of becoming a school counselor, Ms. Aubrey Boonstra has found a great fit as a special education classroom assistant. In fact, the parent of a student with whom she works closely recently shared the amazing impact Ms. Boonstra is making in her classroom. This parent noted that she radiates calmness, happiness, and understanding every day to help her kindergarten students be their best selves. 

We caught up with Ms. Boonstra to learn more about her approach to being such a positive presence for her students at Skinner North. Get to know her more below.

You’ve been part of the Skinner North community for four years now. What keeps you coming back each year? 

I love Skinner North. The kids here are so bright and fun to be around, and the community here is wonderful. We have great teachers and staff, and the families are wonderful, too. I’ve developed relationships with different families each school year and love connecting with them. 

Do the qualities needed to be a successful special education classroom assistant come naturally to you, or have you had to work on them? 

They come naturally to me because I have basically been around children since the day I was born. My mom was a nanny, so I learned a lot from working with her. I also babysat during high school and college. And then I became a nanny for almost 10 years earlier in my career. I have naturally developed patience for working with kids. I feel like I have a deep understanding of how they function and what they need. 

What is your approach to working with your colleagues and families in support of your students? 

It’s all about being a team player. At the same time, it’s important to be intuitive about your students’ needs. For example, there is one student in our special education classroom who is hitting their goal every day. In response, I might mention that to their teacher and suggest that they pursue a more challenging goal. 

I also try to put a personal touch on my role. For the student I work with most closely, I send their parents an email at the end of the day so they know how the day went. It can also be used as a starting point for conversations at home between the student and parents. 

What are your long-term goals for your students? 

Developing and instilling positive affirmations in their minds is huge for me. I want to see them grow their confidence and their friendships. I also want to see them be successful in everything they do because they are so smart. Whatever I can do to help facilitate their growth, I am trying to do it every day. 

What is your message to your students for the rest of the school year and beyond? 

Keep listening to the people around you and learning from them. I see so much curiosity in our classroom, which is a beautiful thing. I hope our students never lose that.