Saratoga News

Photograph by Robert Scheer

Alex Svoboda (left), Carol Karlson and Candis Teerlink finish a spelling assignment.

Building Blocks

Foothill special education teacher helps students gain confidence and self-esteem

By Tim Persyn

Every child should have at least one teacher like Carol Karlson, resource specialist for Foothill School. To understand why, just observe her at work. Her job is to help students who have been identified through the special-education process as needing assistance in areas such as reading, math or language. Karlson works with these children until they can function at their grade level without assistance.

In her classroom, she guides rather than lectures, cares rather than criticizes, and builds rather than tears down. And in the end, the children, nurtured by her concern, seem to learn.

For her work, Karlson was recently named California's Resource Specialist of the Year by the California Association of Resource Specialists (CARS).

"What's most impressive about Carol is her special qualities: her warmth and caring, her professionalism, and her knowledge and understanding of special-needs students.We were all so excited when she won," said Louise Levy, Foothill School principal.

Karlson has been a resource specialist for 15 of her 27 years of teaching in the Saratoga Union School District. Her work involves helping her students with specialized programs as well as assisting them in the mainstream classroom through helping teachers modify their programs.

She earned her credential for working with learning-handicapped children while completing a master's degree from the College of Notre Dame in Belmont.

One morning recently in her classroom, two first-graders sat at their desks, waiting to work with Karlson. She called them up one by one to play a spelling game in which the children had to sound out a word and then spell it using cards.

The first child was given the word "desk." First, he had to find the vowel sound, then sound out the other letters as he spelled the word with cards. Karlson gently and carefully guided the student through the exercise, not interfering, until the child had successfully spelled the word.

"The children I work with need confidence-building. I enjoy watching that happen," Karlson said. "I can't think of any other job that gives such immediate feedback."

One fifth-grade student of Karlson's said he has felt positive effects from her teaching.

"She helps me when I'm not sure of myself. She helps to make me sure," he said.

Other students have seen improvement in their work. Alex, a fifth-grader, said, "She helps us study."

Parent Joan Thompson said she has witnessed the effectiveness of Karlson's teaching by noticing the changes in her son.

"I've been delighted with the improvement I've seen. With the extra help he's gotten, he appears to be catching up with his age group. I think he's enjoyed the experience--she's a kind, warm, giving person."

Karlson's advocacy can reach deeply into the lives of her students and their families. Parent Patti Klayko called Karlson her "saint" for all the work she has done in helping Klayko's daughter gain the confidence to participate in the mainstream classrooms at Foothill.

"Carol will take one-on-one time to relate to my child in a way that makes learning possible," Klayko said. "Carol has been an advocate for my daughter--she's like a second mother. I don't know what I'm going to do without her when my daughter moves on to middle school."

Another parent commented that Karlson helps her whole family to adjust to the special needs of her son. "She's very sensitive to guiding parents, and she's sensitive to the needs of children," she said. This parent said that when she was told her child could come out of Karlson's program, she preferred that he stay. "He gets much more individualized attention," she said.

Alice Ruzicka, the district's psychologist, said Karlson's relationship with parents is one of her strengths. "Parents go to her for assistance even beyond academic needs, for help with the social or emotional needs of students," she said. "She has the ability, above and beyond other people, to be a counseling resource for parents about their children."

Two aides, Marilyn Schreiber and Lexie Reichel, help Karlson in her classroom. "They're an incredible team," Principal Levy said. "They give students coping skills, help them gain success and improve their self-esteem."

Karlson's involvement with Foothill doesn't end with her job, which involves extended hours. She also serves on the Student Study Team, which helps students with special needs, whether they be social or emotional, English-as-a second language, academic or gifted.

She is also a member of the faculty advisory council and has been recognized three times as a mentor teacher.

To be selected as a mentor, a teacher must propose a project to the district's mentor committee, which then decides whether to fund the proposal.

One of Karlson's mentorships was in the area of spelling and involved a two-year project in which she researched and reviewed various spelling programs and assisted teachers in implementing programs of their choice. Another of her mentorships resulted in a reading program for students who have special needs but who don't qualify for special education.

Ruzicka commented on Karlson's level of involvement with Foothill School.

"The staff goes to her for advice because she's level-headed," she said. "She inspires confidence in teachers and parents."

Levy commented on how Karlson's involvement with the school helps her students. "The learning-disabled child feels a part of the school because she's a part of the school," she said.

Despite all the praise, Karlson retains a certain humility. "Darned if I know why I won the award," she joked. But she then added, "I think the CARS organization wanted to select someone who has had a positive impact on the district and on the community as a whole."

Judging from the comments of those who know her, Karlson has had this kind of impact. "She serves the whole community," said Levy. "She represents the finest and best we have to offer."