Dr. Kathleen VanTol, professor of education and director of the Special Education Program at Dordt University, has been making a difference at a school in Managua, Nicaragua, dedicated to providing education and vocational training for students with special needs.
Dr. Kathleen VanTol, professor of education and director of the Special Education Program at Dordt University, has been making a difference at a school in Managua, Nicaragua, dedicated to providing education and vocational training for students with special needs.
VanTol, who has been working with Tesoros de Dios this semester during the second half of a year-long sabbatical, has been instrumental in teaching the staff new strategies to enhance the learning experiences of their students. From coaching teachers on how to implement innovative strategies to directly working with students and parents, VanTol’s impact is evident in the smiles and positive feedback from everyone involved. One teacher was overheard exclaiming, "¡Funcionó!" (“It worked!”), a testament to the effectiveness of VanTol's guidance.
“Often, I find myself saying to a teacher, ‘Remember this strategy I taught you? Let’s try modifying it in this way to use with this student and see what happens.’ Then, as I review the methodology for implementing the strategy and coach them through implementing it, I get to see them make those connections between knowledge and application. What I love most, though, is when they come up to me later after they’ve tried it on their own and they say, ‘It worked!’”
VanTol has led several workshops in Nicaragua. One recent multi-school workshop focused on teaching literacy skills to children with significant disabilities. “About 125 teachers participated, some of whom traveled quite a distance to attend,” she says.
Earlier in the semester, VanTol provided a multi-day workshop for professional development at Tesoros de Dios. She has also worked with the staff at Nicaragua Christian Academy as they work to provide an inclusive education for students with disabilities.
She held a workshop for the staff of a music school in downtown Nicaragua as well. “They provide music lessons to the poorer children in the city of Managua, and they are now including more children with disabilities in their classes,” explains VanTol.
She also led three weeks of "Parent School" sessions for the parents of Tesoros de Dios students, which will provide them with relevant and applicable strategies for supporting their children's education.
During the first half of her sabbatical, VanTol spent time in Spain working on her Spanish speaking and writing skills. Throughout her sabbatical, she has taught two online courses each semester and will teach another one this summer.
“This sabbatical has allowed me to pursue areas of learning and research that are important to me,” adds VanTol. “It has also provided me with wonderful opportunities to be immersed in different cultures. I hope to incorporate insights from these experiences into all the courses I teach at Dordt.”
VanTol has served as a professor of education at Dordt for the past 14 years. She is the faculty director of the Thrive Center for ABA at Dordt and is the director of Dordt’s Master of Special Education Program. VanTol earned a Doctor of Education degree in Special Education and Teaching English Language Learners at Western Michigan University. She holds a Master of Education degree from Calvin University.
About Dordt University
As an institution of higher education committed to the Reformed Christian perspective, Dordt University equips students, faculty, alumni, and the broader community to work toward Christ-centered renewal in all aspects of contemporary life. Located in Sioux Center, Iowa, Dordt is a comprehensive university named to the best college lists by U.S. News and World Report, the Wall Street Journal, Times Higher Education, Forbes.com, Washington Monthly, and Princeton Review.
“The mild winter weather has provided an opportunity for an early start to the townhome project,” says Fred Verwoerd, vice president of operations. “The land has been prepared, and the footings and foundation of the first building have been set. With the weather cooperating, we should see steady progress on the project."
Five Dordt University finance students recently won the state of Iowa’s local section of the Certified Financial Analyst (CFA) Institute Research Challenge. They competed against 9 other teams, including University of Iowa, Iowa State University, University of Northern Iowa, and Grinnell College.
Related Events