Brittany Hyde
Special Education Teacher
Bachelor’s Degree, Education, University of Maine, Orono; Master of Science, Education, University of New England
If students and families want to thank Ms. Hyde for all the help and support she provides, they may also want to thank someone else – her grandmother. “She took the time,” Ms. Hyde says, “and showed me the kind of person I wanted to be.” Throughout her education, as she considered different professional paths, teaching “was something I always came back to,” Ms. Hyde says. “It just seemed to fit.”
Working with Students One-On-One
As a special education teacher, Ms. Hyde understands the difference she can make in the lives of her students. One of the best things about Maine Connections Academy is how much individual attention she can provide them. “I like being able to spend one-on-one time talking with students,” she says.
Online education is especially well-suited for the kind of relationship Ms. Hyde tries to develop. She explains: Connecting “online lets me work with students so they feel comfortable telling me where they are struggling in school.” This important first step is often more difficult in a traditional brick-and-mortar environment, where distraction-free opportunities can be harder to come by.
Ms. Hyde knows that once students open up, she’s going to be able to help them. “Once we are there, we are able to work in individual sessions using strategies that work for them,” she says, “until they can understand a concept or independently use a new skill.”
Summers of Music
When Ms. Hyde is not helping students, she’s taking care of her own kids. It’s a full-time job on top of her full-time job, but somehow she still finds time to enjoy a good book. She also likes to travel and explore new places, “even if it’s just virtually,” she says.
Like many teachers, Ms. Hyde tries to do something special during her summer break. During a recent summer, she volunteered at a three-day music festival. How fun!