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Show Special ed teacher helps kids succeed By JAMS STUART ' WOODS CROSS-The Davis County School District has been rewarded with the services ' of special ed teacher Betty Spencer for the past eight years. Now, Spencer is being awarded for her outstanding outstan-ding contributions. The School Board honored Spencer with Utah's Special Education Edu-cation Teacher of the Year award. ? ' The Woods Cross teacher has had 12 years' experience in teaching and specializes .in teaching learning and behavioral ly handicapped children. Ryan Pierce, a former student : and now a sophomoreaLWoQdsi. Cross High School, presented the . award to Spencer. . , Spencer explained that by the time these handicapped youngsters come to her, they have usually been " expelled-by -other teachers,-have-i failed at being mainstreamed and are unable to dope with resource classes. Because of this, these kids -are functioning on a failure level by the time she sees them. She makes an effort to teach them on their success level, even if that is only second grade reading - for exampleThis way the kids lose ;.,. -their feelings of frustration and their ' a inhibition to learning. V Spencer teaches a self-contained 'if class of 19 fourth and fifth graders, 14 boys and five girls, ages 9 to 12, , all day, and teaches all subjects with the aid of one assistant . . The children are made to feel comfortable in the class but not to the point where they are disruptive or misbehave. Spencer has never had to have a child removed from her class. The belief Spencer has that all of , these students can be a success is transferred to the students. She sees their strengths and capitalizes on . them instead of dwelling on their weaknesses. One of her goals is to get them through the school system with enough self-esteem to succeed as adults. GayliaTannerbrfteT-earriing"" Disabled Association of Utah explained. ex-plained. "Betty Spencer will now be nominated for the Sam . Kirk ; Award." That is a national award ;:. named jafter.onaof- me-founding -fathers of learning disabilities. Dr. Kirk joined with many parents to ',: obtain special education services : for their children who were bright but did not learn as other children. Spencer has acted as a mentor teacher, trained interns and student teachers,,' served as a liaison between be-tween the University, 'of Utah Special Education department and ' Davis District in training regular teachers to be special ed teachers.. Betty Spencer, special ed teacher, is given the Utah's Special " Education Teacher of the Year award from a forrner student, Ryan Pierce. Spencer is known for lixin' broken kids; She is currently working on her administrative-supervisory endorsement. en-dorsement. 1 If former students like Tyler are an indication, Spencer certainly has earned that award. Tyleit wrote, .. "When I came her I was a bracken - :":,.'".;.'":!'V o:j,,.V I "".'' .':';V: , 'v- "' k., : ; ' vki.! tree that look's like a pile of junk you fixed me up and now I am nice what can I do for you to be happy i with me you are my best teacher I have ever had." The feelings her students have for her could not be summed up more eloquendy. : |