By: Erik Pedersen, Content Strategy Director
BALTIMORE – In the eight years that Sarah Morris ’24 spent as a paraeducator for Montgomery County Public Schools, she always had an eye on transitioning to a full-time teacher in the future.
Morris’s desire to teach dated back to when she herself was a MCPS high school graduate over 20 years ago. As a paraeducator, she went out of her way to work with students at all grade levels to give herself experience for a future expanded role.
Coworkers and family members encouraged Morris to take the first step towards teaching full-time by enrolling at a local community college. After two years there, she transferred to Notre Dame of Maryland University’s School of Education, completing her bachelor’s degree and certification in special education last December.
Morris now works full time as a special education teacher at Viers Mill Elementary School in Silver Spring. Learn more about her educational journey below:
Had working in education always been a goal for you? What originally led you to become a paraeducator?
I’ve always wanted to be a teacher. I attended a local community college after graduating from high school, but I dropped out due to life circumstances. After that, I was an orthodontist assistant for a while before becoming a stay-at-home mom. When my youngest child started school, I became a paraeducator partially so I could stay on the same schedule as my kids, but also because it was taking me back to teaching, which is what I had always been drawn to.
What grade levels did you work with during your time as a paraeducator?
In the eight years that I was a paraeducator, I always knew that I wanted to get my degree at some point, so I pushed myself to get outside of my comfort zone. I worked with students in kindergarten all the way through to 12th grade, and I loved it so much. I loved working with different levels and different subjects. I’m glad I pushed myself, because I gained a lot of experience by doing so.
After wanting to do it for so many years, what inspired you to make your move and enroll back in school? What drew you specifically to NDMU?
During a lot of my time as a paraeducator, it was almost like I was co-teaching. I was very blessed to work with people who had faith in me and saw my potential. They’re the ones who encouraged me to go back to school. They were like, ‘You’re a teacher, you’re doing it already, you should go!’
I started looking into my options, and Notre Dame was one of the schools that had a partnership with my school system. There were others, but Notre Dame felt like the best fit for me. It aligned the most with my core values. As I met with School of Education representatives, I could see that I would have all the resources needed to thrive there. They were responsive to all of my questions, and they made me feel wanted.
What was your educational experience like here?
It took me out of my comfort zone. I can be a passive person, but at Notre Dame I was really motivated to do my best. I wanted to make sure that spending so much time, energy, and effort was going to be worth it. I learned to advocate for myself, and I learned time management skills. There were times where I was taking three or four classes at once, so I had to work hard to stay on top of everything.
What motivated you to specialize in special education?
It connected with me. My family migrated to the United States – we are immigrants here – and my parents had to work. They couldn’t take off, they didn’t know anything about special education. I struggled through a lot of learning disabilities, and I had to do it all on my own because my parents didn’t know to talk to the teachers about accommodations or any of that kind of stuff.
When I see students struggling, I can relate because I was in that seat before without help. I know what to look for, and the things that I used to deal with, and I don’t want those students to struggle with the same things. If I can break things down or explain it in a different way or make it easier for them, that’s what I’m here for. The students that need the most help are the ones that I’m most drawn to.
What are the primary responsibilities in your current role?
I’m a home-school model teacher. I work with students in all different grade levels. The students who are having the hardest times in their classrooms reading, keeping up, or even learning letter sounds and formations – basics that they haven’t yet been able to master – I pull them into small groups and I teach those skills to them. I also work in classrooms, where I go in and support students there, co-teaching with their teachers.
I’m their case manager. I advocate for them, I’m always in direct contact with their teachers, and I’m always making sure that my students have everything that they need. If they have any behavior problems, I’m the person that they contact. Every day is different. I have a schedule, but my role changes depending on the highest priorities that day.
How does it feel to have achieved your goal of becoming a teacher, after all those years working as a paraeducator hoping to reach this point?
I can’t believe it. I really can’t. I’m still pinching myself. When I introduce myself as Sarah Morris, special education teacher, I have a pride inside of me that just beams, because I never thought I would be able to achieve it. Even halfway through school, there were times where I didn’t know if I would be able to do it, and I thought about stopping. My husband and friends, though, they wouldn’t let me. They kept pushing me during those tough times. I had a lot of support and love throughout the process.
Established in 1895, Notre Dame of Maryland University (NDMU) is a private, Catholic institution in Baltimore, Maryland, with the mission to educate leaders to transform the world. Notre Dame has been named one of the best "Regional Universities North" by U.S. News & World Report.