In today's episode, recorded live at the CEC 100th Anniversary, we were able to sit down with CEC President-Elect Dr. Andrea Jasper. Dr. Jasper is a Professor of Special Education at Central Michigan University. Tune in as Drs. Rebecca Hines and Lisa Dieker honor, celebrate, and reflect on CEC's past 100 years while also thinking ahead to the future with Dr. Jasper.
Don't forget we love to hear from our listeners! If you have any questions, feel free to reach out. We look forward to receiving your questions on our Google Phone (407) 900- 9305, Facebook (Practical Access), Twitter (@AccessPractical), or Instagram (@Practical_Access).
In today's episode, recorded live at the CEC 100th Anniversary, we were able to sit down with CEC President-Elect Dr. Andrea Jasper. Dr. Jasper is a Professor of Special Education at Central Michigan University. Tune in as Drs. Rebecca Hines and Lisa Dieker honor, celebrate, and reflect on CEC's past 100 years while also thinking ahead to the future with Dr. Jasper.
Don't forget we love to hear from our listeners! If you have any questions, feel free to reach out. We look forward to receiving your questions on our Google Phone (407) 900- 9305, Facebook (Practical Access), Twitter (@AccessPractical), or Instagram (@Practical_Access).
Lisa Dieker: [00:00:06] Welcome to practial access, I'm Lisa Decker. [00:00:08][2.2]
Rebecca Hines: [00:00:09] And I'm Rebecca Hines and Lisa this season, we're excited about all of our guests, but today we have someone special. [00:00:15][6.2]
Lisa Dieker: [00:00:16] Yeah, so we are so excited and we're going to be honest, we literally drag her into this discussion. We have the president elect for S.C., Dr. Angie Jasper. Welcome. And we're so excited. [00:00:28][12.4]
Dr. Angie Jasper: [00:00:29] Yes. Thank you all for having me. I really appreciate it. [00:00:31][1.8]
Lisa Dieker: [00:00:31] Oh, yeah. Well, so we're kind of trying to do a little reflection, you know, at CC's 100th birthday. And so I've just kind of curious with your background, we know you're a professor at Central Michigan. You've taught 16 to 20 year old student, 21 year old age students at the high school level. What is like at this point, like you are most proud of in your past hundred years, we know you're not 100 years old, but what's your what's your what's your favorite accomplishment that you'd like to kind of highlight in as we celebrate 100 years? [00:01:00][29.3]
Dr. Angie Jasper: [00:01:01] You know, I think for me, it would be pursuing my Ph.D. I'm the first in my my family to achieve that, that that achievement. So I'm so excited about it. And my parents are extremely proud of me and supportive. So I say that's important because for me, it has provided an opportunity for my nieces and my nephews to see someone who has pursued advanced education, graduate education, and that's something that they aspire to do in the future, too. So that's really important to me. [00:01:32][31.6]
Lisa Dieker: [00:01:33] Right. Society, we're in first in college. So yeah, we appreciate that, and that's a huge accomplishment. So congratulations on your service that you got your Ph.D., but now you're giving so much. I mean, being a national leader, an organization and being professor is not a small feat. So thank you for that. We really are celebratory of that. [00:01:50][17.5]
Rebecca Hines: [00:01:51] And so a. As you think about your career and the students that you've worked with along the way, I am sure having also worked with secondary level students that you would have many stories to tell. But what do we what do you what do we tell these new teachers or these teachers who are just getting into this secondary level of teaching students with disabilities? What are some practical thoughts you have about teaching them that age group? [00:02:16][25.6]
Dr. Angie Jasper: [00:02:17] I think one of the things that I had to learn was to not take things personally. The students that I worked with had some emotional behavior disorders, and they often say things that don't necessarily mean ten minutes later or the next day. So realizing that you can't take those things personally. And another thing that I think is important for First-Year early career teachers to realize is that you have to be gracious and compassionate when we're working with our students. We don't realize the fullness of their their backgrounds, their experiences and what they bring with them into the classroom every day. So just being mindful of that, I think, is very helpful to them and to you personally. You know, it helps you to realize that you don't have to take those those instances of challenge. Personally, you can give a little grace and a little compassion. [00:03:07][50.3]
Lisa Dieker: [00:03:09] I love that. I love that. And you know everything about you. I wish our listeners could see you talk because your your passion just comes in your beautiful smile and your thoughts. And so I have a question for your vision. I mean, you're stepping into leading this great organization, but I'm just curious. And again, it's a laugh moment. But where do you see, what do you hope the field looks like 100 hundred years from now? [00:03:30][20.8]
Dr. Angie Jasper: [00:03:30] I hope that it looks very diverse. I hope that it looks like a rainbow, you know, and that's I say that jokingly. But realistically wanting to ensure that our field represents everyone, represents our students, represents a variety of teachers, administrators. My my hope is that. Yes, that we are diverse. [00:03:54][23.4]
Rebecca Hines: [00:03:55] And what what do you what do you see? You're you're just entering the field compared to me, at least the world, 30 years on. Yeah. So what do you what do you see as the steps to getting there? It just your thoughts. How do we get there? [00:04:12][17.1]
Dr. Angie Jasper: [00:04:13] I think for me, it starts with mentoring, like so I just talked about my experience and pursuing my Ph.D. That was the result of someone pouring into me who was supporting me, who was encouraging me. And so I think it starts there with mentoring, with pulling people in, helping them realize their strengths, helping them realize their abilities and kind of encouraging and supporting them along the way to help them realize their potential. [00:04:39][26.6]
Rebecca Hines: [00:04:40] And so when we think about kids with disabilities, my experience also includes kids with emotional and behavioral disorders and some significant disabilities. And I'm always concerned that we're not doing enough mentoring with that group as well. What would you say to new teachers out there who are thinking, Oh, I see so much potential in these kids, and I just don't know how to help them get to that next step, whether it's post-secondary, whether it's employment, how can we as teachers mentor our our students so they can reach some goals? [00:05:09][28.8]
Dr. Angie Jasper: [00:05:10] I think first of all, we can't be nervous about it. We can't be right, and we have to realize that we have to have high expectations for all of our students. All of our students can achieve academically, they can achieve behaviorally. And so if we have that mindset, I think that will help us to take that first step. And that's what it requires. We just have to step out and invest in and give the time and the effort. [00:05:31][21.5]
Lisa Dieker: [00:05:32] So my last question for you is I have the privilege of being a parent of a child with a disability. And you know, what do you think a hundred years from now, two parents can count on CC four or go to in this organization just to let them know of of, you know, the resources. What do you what do you see there now and in the future? [00:05:52][19.9]
Dr. Angie Jasper: [00:05:53] I'm not a parent of a student with a disability, but my my youngest brother has a disability and he's my my. Why I always tell my students, what's what's your? Why would I ask with you why he's my why for entering the field? And my hope in terms of parents would be that CTC would, as you mentioned, provide resources in a way that's accessible to them. I don't know what that might look like. Lisa, how we might push that push that out there. But my hope is that parents will realize that we are here to support them and they will come and seek us and we can develop that relationship where they can feel supported and encouraged. [00:06:32][39.1]
Lisa Dieker: [00:06:32] I love it. [00:06:33][0.4]
Rebecca Hines: [00:06:33] And for our listeners who are not familiar, CTC stands for counsel for exceptional children. And I think that our our new president has quite a job ahead of her. But I love the idea of making this organization and our entire profession more accessible to parents and to go to resource that has some real practical action items. [00:06:54][21.4]
Lisa Dieker: [00:06:55] So thank you so much for joining us. And if you have any questions, you can send us a tweet at Access Practical, or you can post a question on our Facebook page. Thank you again, Dr. Jess, for we really enjoyed talking with you. [00:07:06][10.9]
Dr. Angie Jasper: [00:07:06] I appreciate you all. Thank you. Thank you. [00:07:06]