The Power of Connection
A key component of Katherine Holman’s teaching philosophy is connecting students with information, resources and meaningful experiences to empower their performance in the classroom and community.
Katherine Holman, associate professor in the Department of Special Education, believes in empowering TU students, autistic individuals, students with disabilities and their families to feel confident in themselves and their own agency. Through the TU Immersion Training Classroom and Family Support Program, offered in conjunction with the Baltimore County Infant and Toddler Program, Holman creates opportunities for TU students to gain first-hand experience working with the youngest students with developmental disabilities and their families.
The program allows student teachers to collaborate with parents and share information and resources, so they are both equipped to serve as the best possible advocates for their students and children.
“Research supports that teachers’ relationships with families can have a significant impact on student success. Families need access to information and resources as early as possible in their child’s education, and teachers must have a true understanding of those family dynamics,” says Holman, who received a Wilson H. Elkins Professorship from the University Systems of Maryland to fund the inception of the program.
Sharing Strategies, Supporting Well-Being
Holman believes connection is a primary source of well-being and resiliency for students, as evidenced by a program she spearheads with Shannon Monacelli, a lecturer in the Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) program.
“ We are in the midst of a mental health crisis, and we know that connection and resilience are pathways to well-being. We wanted to create this space for students and address this significant problem head on. ”
Tiger LINC (Leading with love, Individualizing well-being, Normalizing and Connecting through conversations and practices that support mental health and resiliency) is a multi-faceted program that creates a community for TU students preparing to become educators that facilitates conversations and shares strategies that not only positively impact their own well-being, but also local high school students.
The pilot program was so impactful it has expanded to become the Tiger LINC Club (TLC) that meets monthly and welcomes all College of Education students.