TAKISHA HENRY, Special Programs

Q: How did you get into teaching?

A: Once I graduated from college I saw there was an after school program for youth. I enjoy working with the kids so I applied to work in the school system as a teacher assistant. I loved being a teacher assistant so that final year I wanted to be able to work with the students, teach them, and build relationships with them.

Q: What is your educational background?

A: I have a bachelor’s degree in psychology and I have a masters degree in special education.

Q: If there is one impact on students, what do you think that would be?

A: The biggest impact I want to make on kids is for them to know that I care. I want my students to know that I am there and I care for them. 

Q: What sparked your interest in teaching?

A: What sparked my interest in teaching was working at the after school program and seeing how the kids that were struggling in their reading and math skills were being creative in after school programs. [They took] their homework and turned it into an interactive and fun lesson where it seemed like they were playing games instead of [doing work]. [It] really sparked my interest [in teaching] when the kids were like, “Oh I get it Ms. Takisha!” That’s when I really fell in love with teaching.

Q: Do you have any fun teaching stories?

A: I have several, one of the funniest teaching stories was when, for Black History Month, we were talking about different inventors. We were talking about one of the first people on the moon, Matthew Henson. My student was like, “No he wasn’t the first person to walk on the moon. It was God, because God created it.” That was very hilarious to me, it was [really] funny.