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2008: Special Needs Citation

When Teaching is a Dance
Learning the basics while building confidence

 

Special needs teachers have to be both creative and flexible. Charlayne Williams, who teaches high school students at the special needs school P.S. 370K in Brooklyn, takes those qualities literally. With a range of academic and artistic credentials, Williams helps her special needs students learn the basics of reading and thinking, and also teaches them to dance.

“A lot of times our kids are very sheltered,” said Williams, who has a BFA in dance. “They often get teased because they can’t dance. But they can—it just takes a little time and structure. At the end of the day they can count, sequence movement and dance to the beats. It’s a phenomenal experience to watch the smile on their faces when they learn that they can.”

Williams has been teaching for six years, but has been working with children for nearly two decades. She began her career in child welfare administration and then moved into the private sector to work as a program coordinator before joining the New York City Teaching Fellows program.

“Ms. Williams joined our staff as a Teaching Fellow with no experience in teaching,” said colleague Desmond Vernon, who teaches primary subjects at the school. “For her first two years, she arrived early and left late because she wanted to read and understand every detail of what it takes to be a great teacher. Nearly five years later, she has become a great resource to other teachers.”

With a master’s degree in special education and an advanced certificate in school district administration, Williams has created a new philosophy to help special needs students excel.

In most special education settings, teachers prefer to have students of varying levels in the same classroom, hoping that the more advanced students will bring the others up to their level. However, Williams has found success with a different chemistry.

“I find that teaching students at the same level rather than at different levels is more beneficial,” she said. “Once a student reaches a certain level, it’s good that they’re with students that are at the same level so that you can move them forward together. When you see such a disparity in skills, you tend to lose the higher-functioning kids.”

Williams’ students have a range of disabilities, from dyslexia to autism, and the handful of students in her classroom all have different challenges to overcome.

“There are only six students in the room, but it’s a real challenge because each of those students is at a different level and each responds to different methodologies,” Williams said. “You have to differentiate the lesson so that it deals with the weak spots of all of the students.”

Williams still puts her background in administration to work, serving as liaison and coordinator for several school committees. But her heart is in the classroom.

“There is no greater reward than with teaching,” she said. “The joy that you get from teaching is no other. Those little milestones, they’re very large when you’re working on something for a year and you see the progress being made.”

— Carolyn Braff