Kristy Harter teaches her students that their voices matter — those voices can get peers, teachers, parents and communities to listen.
“I want all people — no matter their abilities or disabilities — to feel loved, known, seen and heard,” the University of Arkansas College of Education and Health Professions alumna said. “I want each of my students to recognize the superpowers they have within.”
That desire inspired the superhero-themed program in Kristy’s special education classroom called Harter’s Heroes. It’s been so successful that Kristy and her Structured Learning Services team at McNair Middle School in Fayetteville recently won the “Team That Makes a Difference” award from the Arkansas Association of Middle Level Education.
Kristy diverted the praise to her six team members.
“My team feels like family to me, and to see them recognized for the amazing work they do was an incredibly rewarding experience,” she said. “It’s an honor to work beside them and to be celebrated for the work we do together.”
Kristy Harter and her McNair Middle School “Harter’s Heroes” team.
Their work centers around helping students find their unique “superpowers.” Then, the team teaches students how to use those “superpowers” to learn and grow, overcome challenges, and positively influence the world.
Kristy Harter standing by her Teacher of the Year parking space.
Kristy’s desire to work with students who have special needs was sparked in the fifth grade when she participated in her school’s “buddy program.” As a part of this program, she spent her recess time tutoring and peer mentoring in a special education classroom.
“That’s where I discovered a passion for inclusion and helping others,” she said.
She learned to lead while a student at the U of A.
“I was lucky enough to serve as the manager for the Arkansas softball team for three years. This gave me the chance to work closely with a team,” she said. “That experience has helped me support, encourage and lead the team that I work alongside today.”
She gained confidence in her teaching abilities by learning from faculty members like Dr. Angela Elsass in the Master of Arts in Teaching program and mentor-teacher Mindy Duell.
“Thankfully, I was placed with Mindy at Root Elementary for my internship,” she said. “Almost everything I do in the classroom is better because of her. She greatly impacted my relationship with teaching, my ability to navigate the dynamics of leading a group of paraprofessionals, and the complexities of serving students with varying abilities.”
