Isabel Fernandes ’21, M’22, M’23, is deeply aware of how important accessibility in classroom communication can be. She had her own struggles as a young student, having been diagnosed with deafness at 5 years old.
“When I talked to accessibility services while (considering enrolling in Merrimack), they were much more knowledgeable (than others),” she explained. “They were able to answer my questions and give me what I needed to know so that I would be successful if I came.”
Today, she is working to make classroom communication more accessible for future generations of students as an eighth-grade English Language Learner teacher at Lafayette School in Everett, Mass.
“I started off with special education,” she explained. “What made me want to pursue (English as a Second Language education) is that it sometimes feels like we don’t talk about English learners enough.”
A self-described “Triple Warrior,” Fernandes holds bachelor’s degrees in education and human development and services, and two master’s in higher education and teacher education with a focus on ESL, all from Merrimack.
“I like how the Merrimack College teaching program is totally open to feedback” to this day, she said. “I’ve talked to professors about some of the things that I’ve seen here that I feel teaching programs need to talk more about.”
At Lafayette, Fernandes does pull-out classes for students, as well as assists English teachers in the classroom. It’s been markedly different from her previous experiences teaching, she said.
“In my student teaching, I did a lot of work in suburban areas,” she explained. “Everett is very urban. There’s a very big English learner population. In other places, I primarily worked with students who spoke one language. Here, 80 percent of the students speak two languages.”
Fernandes added her education at Merrimack had properly set her up for success.
“One thing I like about this school is there are many opportunities for professional growth,” she said. “Everyone is collaborative, solution oriented, and are here for the kids.”
