Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Ariael Brooks-porter. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Ariael, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. How did you get your first job in the field that you practice in today?

My grandmother taught me as a child to always have a Plan B and sometimes C-Z. In college, I always knew it was my dream to work with kids or students, but I never knew which capacity that would be. I had two plans: apply for Drexel’s dual degree program to get my Juris Doctorate in Law and PhD in psychology or to apply for Teach for America to support students in the classroom. I had dreams to be a lawyer, to open my own practice and to even teach kids who looked like me to achieve anything their hearts desired. In my final year of college, ahead of application deadlines, I lost one of my girlfriends to a car accident and it really took a toll on me. Impacting my ability to show up, be present and to ultimately meet the deadline for the Dual Degree program at Drexel. With my Plan B and C thought out, I began to complete other applications for opportunities with-in my field and in teaching to gain the experience I needed to guide my dreams. Joining Teach for America was one of the best things I could have done. In this fellowship program, I landed my first, and favorite, job as a 7th Grade English Language Arts teacher in Wilmington, Delaware. I entered the classroom nervous, yet eager to teach students who looked like me and give them real courage and belief that they could be anything that they wanted to be. In my first role, my goals were to expand, become a teacher leader and support other teachers in the field to grow their practice and their skills. Early on, I knew that our kids are as successful as the teachers placed in front of them and I knew that I wanted to play a role in that, for our students. My first job was a monumental one, because it set the foundation for who I am today.

Ariael, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

Hey everyone, thank you so much for taking the time to learn a little bit about me. I am Ariael Brooks-Porter, a Special Educator and Educator at heart. I work in the field of education serving students and their families by ensuring they have access to resources, services and supports that will help guide success in the classroom. In my current role as the Director of Student Services, I oversee compliance for a Charter School Network to ensure Students with Disabilities have access to high quality learning.

My work is so important because I get to bridge the gap between what people used to know about special education with what it has evolved to become. So many people have had negative experiences with Special Education and I am here to first apologize for what it was and set the record straight about what it is. The truth is, as the world and science evolves – we get to learn more about ourselves, our students and our learning styles and research has come to show that everyone learns differently. Since we know that everyone learns differently, we have to shift our minds to understand that learning IS SPECIAL, and that everyone gets to benefit from Special Education that provides equitable entry points for high quality learning. In my role, I get to work along side parents providing them the tools and knowledge to advocate for and support their students learning needs. It’s truly necessary work and mostly rewarding work.

In my career, the challenges are in educating teachers, school staff, families, kids and communities about Special Education. This is a challenge because knowledge about Special Education isn’t always readily accessible for our communities and this often impacts the ability to support and assist our neighbors, friends, kids, cousins and students with disabilities. It is my belief that while a lot of Special Education work starts in the school, special education is a community issue because it supports how we can create safe and equitable spaces that are accessible for everyone despite their ability.

I am so proud that I get to do this work, that I get to continue to learn about this work because It truly brings me joy and creates the space for me to bring joy to others making communities better one step at a time.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

Growing up, I had to unlearn the idea that Special Education wasn’t a service, it was a place. The corner room down the hall, the room that no one would go near that housed all the ‘bad’ students who learned differently for an entire day away from their general education peers. I remember the isolation of those kids, the reputation that created, the mindsets it instilled…

I know a lot of people who have experienced a special education story like this one and as I grew older and began my work in my field I had to unlearn this limiting story and create my own – Special Education IS a service that helps everyone gain access to any place they dream of.

As we continue to work and learn new information, it is my belief that Special Education will continue be more wide spread in meeting people where they are so that they can one day get to where they want to be.

Do you think you’d choose a different profession or specialty if you were starting now?

If I could go back, i’d choose this same thing over and over again.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ari.4short?igsh=MmM3cW1uYnJ6ZXc2&utm_source=qr
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ab-p?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=ios_app
• Other: TEDx Talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m53WGYaLwUg&pp=ygUUYXJpYWVsIGJyb29rcy1wb3J0ZXI%3D

Image Credits

Ariael Brooks-Porter