Karen Weber, left, with Matheny teacher Peggy Zappulla and student James Wild.
Karen Weber is a third grade teacher at the Bragg School in Chester, NJ, and is currently pursuing an MA in Special Education at the College of Saint Elizabeth in Morristown, NJ. As part of her summer course work, Weber wants to learn about the resources and/or agencies that serve the special needs population.
So on July 11, she visited Matheny, observing all the classrooms and activities. She has a special interest in assistive technology, fueled by one of her College of Saint Elizabeth professors, Dr. Brian S. Friedlander, who is coordinator of the MA in Special Education program and teaches several courses dealing with assistive technology.
Matheny School vice principal Sean Murphy guided Weber on her tour, and they stopped to visit with some students and faculty members who were outside by our organic garden. While Weber, a resident of Rockaway, NJ, is not planning a shift into special education, she believes the special education knowledge will help her with all her interactions in the classroom. She admitted to being somewhat familiar with Matheny by reputation, but was surprised, she said, to learn that we care for and educate adults as well as children.
