With a credentials in international relations including a master’s degree from Yonsei University in Seoul, South Korea, Soo Ahn was recruited to cooperate with federal intelligence agencies in Washington, D.C.
But her work as an alternative teacher led her to change career paths and instead turn into teacher in special education, that has been identified nationally like a teacher shortage area.
“I fell in love with that challenge, and this need, and when using the students,” she said.
Ahn, a whole new assistant professor during the Iowa State University School of Education, said she applies a number of the same problem-solving skills working together with her students, as she’d have employed by the government. Her students normally have average to above-average IQ, but lower academic achievement due to their behavioral needs.
“It is actually like solving puzzles,” she said. “Each child has a unique group of challenges but in addition an exceptional set of strengths. I need to establish discover the easy meet those challenges and strengths.”
Applying evidence-based practices
Ahn began her career to be a special education teacher for a public day school for college students with emotional disabilities. She’d no training in special education at the time, but was handed her own classroom full of students who required the main emotional and behavioral support in Fairfax County, Virginia, among the largest school counties in America.
“Needless to suggest, I had to learn effective practices fast,” she said. “I found myself researching and employing evidence-based practices, that was included in my everyday instruction. This provided me with the insight that strengthening instructional practices through research is the most powerful strategy to educate students with disabilities.”
Eight years later, Ahn joins the school at Iowa State. She received her doctorate in special education from George Mason University through an emphasis in disabilities which have been at their peak among students, and also a secondary emphasis in international education.
“I left the K-12 education system to pursue employment in advanced schooling, where I endeavor to bridge the research-to-practice gap by preparing future educators,” she said.
Some of Ahn’s past reports have explored the effective use of technology. She labored on a multi-year, multi-site research project funded through the U.S. Department of Education that investigated the effects of supporting struggling writers having a technology-based graphic organizer.
“There can be a dearth of research in utilizing mobile apps in academic interventions,” she said. “In this regard, a fantastic potential in this field – to provide students with disabilities writing supports through a familiar technological platform.”
Ahn offers focus her future research on behavioral classroom management. She offers wholistically have a look at combining academic and behavioral interventions for college students with emotional disabilities. The majority of her research involves commencing schools and working directly with students. ?
Constantly striving to improve
Ahn is usually a highly coveted hire that is a frontrunner among her peers. Through her research activities up to now eighteen months, she co-authored three published articles including a book chapter, and presented more than 15 papers and posters at national and international conferences.
As a doctoral student, she was selected as being a Dean’s Scholar because of her past scholarship and test scores. She was an ASCEND (Applying Scholarship to produce and Evaluate Next Developments in Special Education) Fellow who had extensive opportunities in research, teaching undergraduate and graduate classes, writing manuscripts, and presenting at conferences.
Ahn joins the Iowa State team of Anne Foegen, Patricia Carlson, and Linda Lind in offering knowledge special education. Foegen, professor and director of graduate education who led Ahn’s search committee, said there are a few things about Ahn that were alluring to looking committee.
“Soo brings an understanding of serving students with emotional and behavioral disabilities,” Foegen said. “She’s had multiple several years of teaching expertise in a public day school as a student with emotional disabilities, which complements the experiences of other special education team members.”
“She also offers expertise and teaching experience within international special education, that could provide unique insights for students. Soo is often a go-getter! She has been active in special education professional organizations in Virginia, and successful presenting and publishing work regarding technology-based writing supports for young students with disabilities.”
Ahn pertains to Iowa State having already taught both undergraduate and graduate courses in special education. But the girl with constantly striving to further improve. To increase prepare herself to be a teacher educator, she took a non-credit course in order to effectively teach online classes and took part in a Bug-in-Ear study, a real-time coaching program designed to improve teaching practices through technology.
