Portfolio of Carie Shirley

Carie Shirley has 20 years of experience in the education field. She started out her career in education as a special education paraprofessional, working with students with autism, learning disabilities, and high functioning Down's Syndrome. She also has experience working with medically fragile students.

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Carie didn't start out wanting to be a teacher. She has an Associate's Degree in Accounting and worked in the accounting field for 10 years before finding her true passion... education. 

She then received her Bachelor's Degree in Elementary Education. She became certified in Elementary Education 1-6 and Special Education Mild-Moderate K-12. 

Carie also received a Master's Degree in Education- Curriculum and Instruction with an emphasis in Reading from the University of Kansas.

She is now attending KU again and is torn between receiving another Master's Degree in Special Education in Autism Specialist or to complete her Doctorate in Autism. To be continued...

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Carie is currently a Functional Skills Teacher in an Autism classroom for students K-5. This is a brand new program that has been in the making for 3 years and it has finally become a fully self-contained classroom for Autism students. She chose to continue her education to learn more about Autism and how she can help her students become successful.