Reaching One Career Goal after Another

We first featured Ms. Janielle Henderson in the fall of 2022. She is now in a new role at a new school, supporting kindergarten, first- and second-grade special education students. She has also gained experience with case management and is a part of her school’s instructional leadership team. This allows her to coach teachers on effectively implementing best practices for managing their classrooms. 

She has certainly accomplished a lot over the past few years, and she has more goals that she wants to reach in the future! She is planning to begin a doctoral program in educational leadership so that she can expand her leadership skills further and make an even greater impact at her school. 

We caught up with Ms. Henderson to learn more about these accomplishments and hear her advice for other educators. Read more below. 

As you reflect on your career so far, would you have done anything differently? 

No, I wouldn’t. I’m glad that I started as a general education teacher because it showed me the foundational skills that students need to develop. This perspective helps me make sure that I’m doing right by my current students when writing their IEPs. Since I already know the standards and assessments from my time in the general education classroom, I’m able to step back and have the capacity to specifically support my students’ unique needs. Everything I have done has prepared me well for my next step. 

What are your current goals for your students? 

I’m focused on providing them with the necessary supports to be able to access the general education curriculum. Since second grade is a benchmark grade, I’m trying to increase their independence so they will be ready. I’ve noticed that they are always looking for reassurance, so I’m also trying to build their confidence so they feel empowered to keep learning even when I can’t provide one-on-one support. 

What have you been up to as part of the instructional leadership team? 

I’m showing my fellow teachers that kids evolve just as our world evolves. We can’t get too stuck in our ways and have to try different things to keep our students engaged. I’ve seen firsthand that giving students choice and autonomy really does impact their learning. They perform at higher levels and take ownership of their education. From there, we need to make sure that we are meeting the needs of all learners! 

What is your message to your students so that they can reach the goals they set for themselves in the future? 

Even though they’re young, my students have educational goals, even if they don’t realize it. They want to be able to do things like read and count. Sometimes, they get frustrated and say: “I don’t know how to do it.” I always respond: “You don’t know how to do it YET!” That is such an important word because it reminds my students that I am here to teach them these things, and I am fully confident that they will be able to do so by the time the school year is over.