Lisa Paradiso: Passionate About Teaching Students Life Skills

“Seeing the looks on their faces when they realize they have worked hard to accomplish something challenging, that is one of the things I like to keep in my back pocket for when days get hard.” – Lisa Paradiso ‘14

Making sure students know you “are in their corner” is one of the most important tasks a teacher has, said Lisa Paradiso ‘14. She knows this as a fifth-grade special education teacher and as a  bachelor’s in education alumna and current master’s student at Caldwell. “We are all on the same team here, and I’m willing to do whatever it is that you need to help you be successful” is the sentiment she communicates to her students at Riverview Elementary School in Denville, New Jersey. 

Paradiso finds her greatest passion in education is teaching her students life skills. Working with children, Paradiso knows that fourth- and fifth-graders begin to compare themselves to others, so it is important to her to celebrate their individual progress, support them when they achieve their goals and help them build their confidence. 

This idea of being in a student’s “corner” was something she learned from her Caldwell University professors, who modeled to her and her peers the importance of being invested in their students. “You always felt like you had someone in your corner no matter what was going on” in student teaching, observations, elsewhere or in the interview process, said Paradiso, who earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in elementary education and special education at Caldwell. She appreciated how the School of Education provided programs that allowed for the pursuit of several certifications, which Paradiso earned in preschool through third grade and middle school math. That foundation gave her many opportunities when applying for positions.  

Paradiso is studying for her master’s in special education with a learning disabilities teacher consultant certificate, which qualifies a professional to do the educational assessments for students who are referred for special education. It is a bit of a role flip to reconnect with some of the professors she had as an undergraduate. “I have a different knowledge base now, so being able to have the conversations in class … is totally different than when I had them in undergrad.”    

The relationships Paradiso built with her Caldwell professors and the support they provided helped her most in launching her career. “They knew your name, knew your face, knew where your placement was even on the days you could not remember.” That empowered her before going on all her interviews and then out into the field after graduating. She carries that relationship-building with her now to her fifth-graders in celebrating their accomplishment of small goals. “Seeing the looks on their faces when they realize they have worked hard to accomplish something challenging, that is one of the things I like to keep in my back pocket for when days get hard.”