Caitlin Hodgman, a lead teacher in one of The New England Center for Children’s (NECC) Public School Services (PSS) partner classrooms in Milton, NH, has worked at NECC for six years. She was nominated by a colleague for Staff Spotlight because she “is a dedicated employee who shows up to work ready to make a positive change. She is extremely engaged with the school community as a whole and fosters meaningful connections for our partner classroom students throughout the school.”
What are your duties working as a lead teacher in a partner classroom?
Some of my main duties as a lead teacher are communicating regularly with the students’ teams (district administrators, tutors, specialty service providers, parents/guardians, clinic supervisors, and classroom teachers), special education paperwork (writing IEPs, evaluations, etc.), conducting clinic and IEP meetings, training new tutors, and developing and implementing students’ academic, social, and behavioral programming.
What is your favorite part of your job?
My favorite part of the job is seeing the students’ progress behaviorally and socially. I also love getting to know the students’ personalities and developing trusting relationships with them.
Why did you choose a career in helping children with autism?
After I started babysitting in middle school, I knew that I wanted to do some kind of work with children as an adult. Once I graduated high school, I got a summer job working with students with autism and other related disabilities. I knew immediately that I wanted to work with students with special needs. It wasn’t until after I completed my student teaching in 2015 that I discovered my love for applied behavior analysis (ABA) and how it can help individuals with autism.
Why NECC?
I was introduced to NECC in 2016 when I started working as a district tutor in the Bedford, NH, partner classroom. I was immediately impressed with the knowledge the NECC staff brought to the job. Working in the Partner Program as a tutor for two years inspired me to want to continue learning about ABA. I’ve learned so much more about NECC since then, and I love the support and opportunities NECC provides for its staff, the research and work NECC staff does in the field of ABA, its inclusiveness as an organization, and, most importantly, how dedicated everyone is to children with special needs.
Have you taken advantage of any of the grad programs or teacher training at NECC? If so, how has it affected your teaching style?
I completed my master’s degree in ABA through the Regis College online program in December of 2022. The program helped me further develop my clinical skills and knowledge about ABA concepts, which allowed my teaching style to become more individualized based on the student and their needs.
What is something about you that your colleagues might be surprised to learn?
They might be surprised to learn that I’m a little bit of a control freak and a perfectionist. This job has taught me that I need to delegate at times and let some of that control/perfectionism go.
Who is someone you look up to?
I look up to my dad! He is a retired high school teacher who taught in Australia for 10 years before finishing his teaching career in Amherst, NH. I admire how smart he is, his dedication to education, and how he has always been a positive support and role model in my life.
What is your life philosophy or motto you like to live by?
I try to laugh every day and find humor when times are tough, so, as Charlie Chaplin said, “A day without laughter is a day wasted.”