Who am I?
Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Crystal Codrington. Fondly known as “Miss Crystal” to my students and their families. Although I have many tittles, these are close to my heart. I am a special education teacher, an early intervention coach and the founder of the Virtue Inclusive Private School. I have been in the field of special education for the past thirteen (13) years. What started out as simply a job quickly turned into a mission and fueled a passion for helping children who didn’t have a voice. As well as an advocate for those who had to fight for a place of acceptance and inclusion especially in a regular classroom setting.
At a very early age, I knew I wanted to make a difference to help the children who where under privileged in my community. I often joined community groups such as Hands and Heart program and the youth council of San Fernando and volunteered in a camp for visually impaired students in Tobago. But the desire to do more still lingered. Little did I know that God would put me on a path that was truly both challenging and rewarding.
In 2008, I started a job with the Ministry of Education as a Special Education Student Aide
commonly known as (SESA). At that time, I was assigned to the St. Patrick education district where I assisted students with various disabilities in the mainstream classroom.
In reflection, each student has contributed or impacted my career in their own special way. Memories of each student I have ever worked with both publicly and privately are engraved in my mind and heart quite vividly. In 2013 I opened my home intervention services, where I worked with students in the comfort of their homes on life, academic and social skills. With the success seen by parents many encouraged me to open my own school. This was a far fetched thought for me. I had many doubts and many reservations regarding this move. But through the support of my mother and close friends and family I took the charge and opened my school formally known as “Virtue Intervention Services”.
Qualifications and Experiences
I hold many certificates such as braille interpretation, sign language and play therapy. I also obtained a certificate from the University of the West Indies in Early Childhood Care & Education – Teacher. I later pursed my bachelor degree in Primary Education with honors in Special Education and I am presently pursuing my Masters Degree in Inclusive Education.
A few years ago, I was asked, “why special education?” I simply responded “why not special education?” This question posed, got me thinking and started me on a journey of reflection, inspection and goal setting. “Why did I love this field?” In Trinidad and Tobago, more often than not, Special Education students have always been associated with a negative stigma. The main-stream education institutions, has avoided, spoken softly about them and looked upon those with special education needs with pity. Unfortunately, they are rarely treated fairly and respectfully by their peers, teachers or members of society.
As a special education student aide, I witnessed first-hand how many teachers and students treated with students who were different or were faced with this particular disability. I observed how students were often left behind in class due to their inability to understand the concepts being taught through the delivery chosen by the teacher and how teachers claimed to include students with exceptionalities only when an aide was placed in the classroom. This fueled a fire
that later guided my ambition to strive to provide an environment where children could learn, play and foster relationships which will assist them in their educational and personal development.
Call to Action
Education for all students is not only a saying, it is essential to life and regardless of special needs, It is my firm belief that every child deserves the best education possible. As a teacher, I am obligated to provide a safe and inviting classroom environment to maximize student learning. With this in mind, I must ensure I create a well-managed environment to optimize learning opportunities. Every child is special and needs to feel important and invited to learn.
The following highlights areas than can aid in improving the quality of education for specifically special need students;
Parent workshops
Parents knowing their child’s rights
Where to access information and diagnosing
Development of not only policies but laws which govern our special schools
Availability of grants
IEP and the importance
My Mission
My aim is to educate parents and guardians of their children rights and opportunities while providing a safe and thriving all-inclusive learning environment. I hope to continue to be an advocate and provide a high quality education for all students who walk through my doors. To promote more understanding of special education and to ensure that all my students are equipped with the skills to live a full meaningful life regardless of their exceptionalities.
Look for part 2 of SpEd in Trinidad and Tobago!!