As a teacher in special education at East Haven Academy, Nicholas Palazzo recognizes the value in working with students who have physical and/or mental disabilities, and the great outcomes that come from their hard work. Nicholas brings that mindset to the academy every day while doing something that he loves.

“I’ve kind of always known that I was going to be a teacher to some degree, whether it was going to be in special ed[ucation] or regular ed[ucation],” says Nicholas. “I really just always loved working with kids and just being able to help them and know I’m making an impact on them. It always makes me feel good when I see them progressing and learning.”

While working at East Haven Academy, Nicholas concurrently attends the online Charter Oak State College, a decision he made so he could teach full-time. Already possessing an associate’s degree in early childhood education, Nicholas plans on graduating this May with a bachelor’s in child psychology and then pursuing his master’s at Southern Connecticut State University in the fall.

“I believe when I finish, I’ll be heading more in the direction of just becoming a teacher with my own classroom,” Nicholas says.

Nicholas has always been dedicated to working with students with special needs at the academy. He strongly dislikes getting sick and having to miss a day with his students.

“I very rarely miss days,” he says. “I think I missed one day last year.”

Nicholas appreciates seeing the development of his students in the special education program at East Haven Academy as well as the impact that he has had on them. However, Nicholas understands that as he works with children between the ages of 8 and 13, it is not always the best approach to have an established curriculum for all of them.

“Every kid in [a] special ed program has an individual program designed specifically for them,” Nicholas says. “So, it’s not like one big curriculum.”

The lack of an overarching syllabus for students with mental and/or physical disabilities establishes the biggest differences between a special education teacher and the average classroom teacher. According to Nicholas, the former has to be more cognizant of the individual needs for each student and offer them more “direct attention.” He elaborates on the difficulty of using a one-size-fits-all pedagogy for all special education students in a classroom.

“Every kid is on a different level. I really have to learn about each kid specifically and adjust to whatever their needs are,” he says. “Something that really works well for one kid could work, or it could be terrible for a kid sitting five feet away, and that’s the same age.”

While adapting to the needs of each student is an integral part of special needs education, supporting a safe environment for those students to learn in also goes a long way toward ensuring their academic success. Nicholas loosely defines his approach as being “very friendly and open” with his students.

“One staff member told me, ‘You shouldn’t be friends with your students,’ which I think, maybe from a full teacher perspective, is true. But as a paraprofessional who specifically works with these students every single day, you want them to like you, you want them to be comfortable around you, and you want them to be happy that you’re working with them,” Nicholas says. “I want them to be comfortable working with me at all times and just being themselves. I don’t ever want them to be nervous or uncomfortable to work with me. If they’re not comfortable, then they’re more likely not going to get stuff done.”

Nicholas reflects back on one of the challenges he faced with a particular student who faced a serious hurdle with regards to their ability to write, and how he was able to observe their progress at the academy.

“His previous school told us that he was never going to be able to write. I remember hearing that and thinking, ‘This kid’s eight years old. How is that possible that they’ve already determined he can never write?’” says Nicholas. “The progress he’s made in a little over a year with his writing is just incredible...and he can do it very consistently and confidently at this point. Compared to last year, not being able to write any letters independently, to now this year, being able to write every single letter independently, I’m very proud of him for just continuing over time, but I’m very happy with myself that I took on that challenge.”

Nicholas’s work with special needs students extends beyond the classroom. He also coaches Unified Sports teams that combine students from the academy and Joseph Melillo Middle School (JMMS). Nicholas was encouraged to coach by JMMS language pathologist Courtney Wettenstein and Giana Fazzino from both institutions.

“One of my students participates in it, and I am mostly there to support her, but I have really loved and enjoyed all of it,” Nicholas says. “Watching the kids support and encourage one another as well as just having a lot of fun with it has been a joy to see.”