Who’s Who in Benicia: Teacher Kristyn Andrews

Where are you from? I’m from Fairfield but live in Vacaville.

Where did you go to school? I graduated from Armijo in 2000 then attended Solano College and UC Santa Barbara. I majored in communications and sports management without any idea of education as a career. 

How did you get into teaching? I worked for the San Diego Padres (baseball team) and thought I’d teach later on. I started subbing when my teachers were retiring. They said ‘I always knew you would teach’. I got a multiple subject teaching credential at Chapman University. Now I am finishing my masters in curriculum and instruction.

How did you end up in Benicia? I was working in the Travis school district and attended a credential program where I met Casey Rooney. She told me about an opening for a special ed. teacher in Benicia. I had heard wonderful things about Benicia. 

How long have you been teaching here? This is my second year.

Where do you teach? I am a Special Education teacher at Mathew Turner Elementary. I teach a Special day class that provides a environment for students that require my program for 51percent of the day. It’s called a core inclusion program for kids with an IEP (Individualized Education Program). I teach core curriculum; reading, writing and math, either at grade level or at the level they are at.

How did you get into Special Education? I started in general education for first and second grade, then took classes in special ed.

What are the misconceptions about Special Ed? Most people assume I am working with significant disabilities, but there is a spectrum. I am a facilitator of learning. I am teaching them how to learn. I get to individualize the instruction for each teacher. 

Who are your students? Most are on spectrum. I have 15 kids on my case load, nine are on autism spectrum. Some have speech and language challenges, some have emotional or processing disorders but I really don’t label them as any of those things. It doesn’t define who you are. I don’t think about what their disability is. That’s why it’s an individualized program. 

What is the hardest part of your job? Teaching kindergarten to fifth makes it challenging. 

What’s special about your students? Their resilience. I love how much they want to learn and how they learn, they just need a facilitator. We provide things they’ll use the rest of their life.

Do you learn from your students? Yes! I get different perspectives, I learn from them hourly. They teach me about myself. They have different ways of expressing themselves. It’s made me a much better well-rounded individual. 

What were you like as a student? I was quiet, attentive, an over-achiever. I loved to learn, always have. As a kid, I would play school. I know all the names of my teachers, I learned something from all of them.

What advice do you have for students? Always advocate for your own learning. Ask questions. Don’t be afraid. Not everyone learns the same way. There are so many ways to learn. You are not always going to get it right the first time, second or seventh. Just keep trying. 

Why do you love teaching? It’s my outlet. The kids come see the Miss Andrews show. They know I will do whatever it takes. It’s entertaining. It’s my job to engage them. 

What do you do for fun? I am big reader and a dog lover, I love my dog Lulu. I volunteer with dogs and mentor for big brothers and big sisters. I spend time with my family, we travel together. My parents are my best friends and I still love baseball.