From Art School to Special Education: How One Teacher Brings Creativity and Heart to the Classroom
Makena Gadient never set out to become a teacher. Fresh out of Cornish College of the Arts in 2016, she watched her fellow graduates scatter into retail and restaurant jobs—paths that held zero appeal for someone who, by her own admission, lacked the patience for customer service work.
But Makena had something her classmates didn't: years of experience navigating the world of disability alongside her younger sister, who has cerebral palsy. That experience would become the foundation for a career that beautifully bridges her artistic creativity with her deep commitment to students with disabilities.
Today, Makena is a special education teacher at a Seattle Public Schools high school, designing tote bag projects that teach executive functioning, leading journaling practices that change lives, and advocating for systemic changes that will help the next generation of educators follow in her footsteps.
The Unexpected Path: From Paraeducator to Teacher
The summer after graduating art school, Makena found herself training one of her sister's at-home aides—a position that rarely attracts people with extensive disability experience. As she watched her friends settle into jobs they didn't particularly love, a realization struck her.
"I was like, while I'm training this person to work with my sister, I have tons of disability experience. I've been to lots of physical therapy appointments, speech therapy, occupational [therapy]. I worked at a summer camp for kids with disabilities. I helped train the volunteers and I was like, I should look into being an IA."
An IA—instructional assistant, or what many districts call a paraeducator—seemed like the perfect solution. She could work with a population she cared deeply about, leverage her considerable experience, and crucially, she wouldn't have to return to school or abandon her visual arts practice.
For several years, this arrangement worked beautifully. Makena taught during the day and pursued her art in the evenings and on weekends, landing shows throughout Seattle's vibrant art scene.
A Pandemic Pivot
Then 2020 arrived, bringing the COVID-19 pandemic and a dramatic reshaping of life as everyone knew it.
For Makena, the pandemic meant two significant changes: Seattle's art scene essentially disappeared (no shows, no buyers, no galleries), and she suddenly had time to take online professional development classes through the Washington Education Association.
"I was like, oh my gosh, I really love learning about all these laws. I really love learning about all these practices, all those different ways to collect data," she recalls. "And I was like, is it time? Like am I ready to be in the classroom as a teacher?"
The timing felt right. The art opportunities had dried up. Her curiosity about education law and practice was growing. But life had one more curveball to throw: Makena was diagnosed with vocal cancer.
She went through with her interview for the Seattle Teacher Residency anyway—"literally like totally out of it because of radiation. 'Cause it makes you so exhausted and loopy." When she got accepted, she was shocked. "I was like, how did I get in?"
She deferred for a year to rest and recover, and then she began the intensive journey toward becoming a classroom teacher.
When Boredom Becomes a Catalyst
While the pandemic and her health crisis were certainly factors, Makena's decision to pursue her teaching credential was also driven by something less dramatic but equally powerful: boredom.
"When I was a paraeducator I was really bored and I definitely reached that ceiling where I was just like, oh my God. Like what am I doing here?"
The frustration was compounded by the notoriously high turnover rate among special education teachers. Year after year, Makena found herself working alongside educators who were either brand new or on their way out. As someone who had been in the building longer, who knew the students better, who understood how the school operated, it was exhausting.
"I honestly, I'm not sure if this sounds a little full of myself, but like I really got bored being the para being the one that's like not paid as much and can't make all the decisions, but yet has been there longer than the classroom teacher," she explains with characteristic honesty.
She was caught in a frustrating dynamic: helping new teachers get up to speed, supporting them with insights about students and school culture, yet needing to "stay in my lane" as a paraeducator without decision-making authority or commensurate pay.
"It's hard year after year having new colleagues that are brand new," she says. "And I was like, oh my goodness, it's too much. And so maybe it's this time to be the classroom teacher so I don't have to be frustrated with this turnover."
A Family Legacy of Teaching
In many ways, teaching was always in Makena's DNA, even if it took her a while to recognize it.
She's the oldest of three sisters. Her middle sister teaches special education in Boise, Idaho. Their mother—who homeschooled all three daughters—went back to school when Makena started college, training to become a neuro movement therapist to work with Makena's youngest sister.
"I just felt like so much of our life was already disability and so much of our life was teaching. And then it was like, okay, I can do this," Makena reflects. "Like, it's so obvious that you don't see it for a while."
The realization that there could be two classroom teachers in the family—not just one—was both simple and profound.
The Seattle Teacher Residency: An Accelerated Path
The program that helped Makena make the transition from paraeducator to certified teacher was the Seattle Teacher Residency, an intensive graduate program that partners four major educational entities: Seattle Education Association (the union), Seattle Public Schools (the district), University of Washington, and Alliance for Education.
What makes this program unique—and particularly valuable for aspiring special education teachers—is its structure and philosophy.
From Day One, You're in the Classroom
Unlike traditional teaching programs where student teaching might happen only at the end, Seattle Teacher Residency puts participants in classrooms from the very first day.
"Rather than just having six weeks of student teaching, you are in the classroom the whole entire program," Makena explains. "You're doing mini lessons from day one, you're doing one full day a quarter, right? Like from day one."
This immersion means graduates enter their first year as lead teachers with a level of competency and confidence that many new teachers simply don't have. They've already worked through the challenges, tested different strategies, and built relationships with students.
Dual Endorsement: General Education Plus Specialization
Every graduate leaves the program with both a K-8 general education endorsement and a specialization—either multilingual education or special education.
For Makena, this dual endorsement was crucial. "I think that's really important because we need to have educators that feel competent and comfortable teaching all of our students and not segregating students and being like, oh, that's your student. Like you are the special ed teacher, you're the one that works with them."
"A lot of times my students are at a seventh grade reading level or a fifth grade reading level. And so choosing Seattle Teacher Residency meant that I was gonna be focused on all the different subjects for my K-8 endorsement, and then I would feel comfortable jumping in and being tasked to co-teach humanities or co-teach a science class."
The program even required a PE class—not something you'd expect in most special education certification programs, but incredibly practical for teachers who need to support students across all content areas.
A Focus on Teaching, Not Just Paperwork
One of Makena's favorite aspects of the program is its emphasis on actual instruction, not just the administrative side of special education.
"Seattle Teacher Residency is one of the only programs that really has an emphasis on teaching, which sounds funny, but a lot of special ed programs, there's a really big emphasis on like paperwork and compliance and knowing how to run the meetings," she notes. "Which like is a big part of my job, but like at the end of the day, like I'm in it to teach and to help students reach their academic and independence goals."
The Challenges: When the System Isn't Ready for You
Despite her deep appreciation for the Seattle Teacher Residency program, Makena is refreshingly candid about the barriers she faced—particularly as a paraeducator trying to transition to teacher while still employed by the district.
"While I completely love Seattle Teacher Residency, I'm gonna be really frank with people that like there is some room to grow when it comes to the instructional assistant to classroom teacher routes," she says plainly.
The problem? There aren't clear guardrails in place. Principals don't always understand what's required for student teaching. The district knows what support they need to provide, but that information doesn't always reach building administrators in a meaningful way.
"I had a really difficult time in grad school because I was at a really supportive high school that would've let me student teach in all the different subject areas. The program told me I had to take a job at an elementary school in order to do my student teaching residency."
The catch-22 was brutal: Makena had to apply and interview at multiple schools, but once administrators learned she was a student teacher, they didn't want to hire her. They wanted instructional assistants who would stay, not someone who would leave after a year.
And once she did find placement, she faced constant challenges getting the teaching time she needed to fulfill her program requirements.
"I shouldn't have to choose am I going to upset my principal by continuing to push back on the schedule that she's given me or be 6, 7, 8, 9, 12 weeks late on an assignment because I'm not getting the teaching time," she says.
The situation was particularly difficult post-COVID, when students were emotionally dysregulated and paraeducators were frequently pulled for behavioral response—meaning they were outside the classroom dealing with crises rather than teaching lessons.
Makena eventually had to conduct 13 different interviews to find a placement where she could actually student teach effectively. Ironically, she ended up at a different high school when she could have stayed at her original placement all along.
Advocacy and Change
Rather than simply moving on, Makena is actively working to prevent other paraeducators from facing the same obstacles. She's collaborating with Seattle Teacher Residency and the district to establish clearer expectations and better support systems.
Her advice for current instructional assistants considering the program? "Get in touch with the union immediately, like get in touch with the district immediately and let them know that like if you're not working at an elementary school that like you want to still stay in your current position."
This kind of advocacy—speaking up not just for herself but for those who will come after—exemplifies the kind of educator Makena has become.
Creativity in the Classroom: Art Meets Education
Now that Makena is a classroom teacher with the autonomy to design her own curriculum, her artistic background shines through in every lesson.
Take her current tote bag project. Students aren't just making bags—they're working on executive functioning skills by creating proposals, listing materials, and analyzing what could go wrong. They're practicing writing through product descriptions and ad copy. They're learning to think through processes from start to finish.
"I'm like, we're working on executive functioning skills, we're working on our writing, we're working on our project analysis," Makena explains. "And like, those are all ways to get my reluctant writers writing and interested and really knowing their audience."
The Journaling Practice That Changes Lives
From day one of each school year, Makena invests in her students' emotional wellbeing through a daily journaling practice. She runs Donors Choose projects to get high-quality journals and pens, lets students choose their own supplies, and provides prompts alongside SEL (social-emotional learning) lessons.
The journals are private—no one reads them but the student. This creates a safe space for processing emotions, working through challenges, and building self-awareness.
Recently, a student Makena had worked with for two years shared something remarkable: "Yeah, it's been really hard, you know, like junior year and a breakup and a lot of drama at home. She's like, I'm almost done with the journal you gave me in October. Like I've been journaling so much."
"She's like, yeah, I even bring it to therapy with me. And I was like, you do journal before our class. And she's like, well, I started last year when I was with you for the first time. And I was like, it's working, you know, like the practice of journaling for emotional regulation and like just going to it on your own is working."
These are the moments that make teaching worth it—seeing students develop tools they'll use for life, long after they've left your classroom.
Building Confidence and Joy
One of Makena's core beliefs is that students with Individual Education Plans (IEPs) often internalize messages about their limitations rather than their capabilities.
"If you have an IEP, sometimes you feel like you have it because you're not good enough or because you suck or you are a failure," she observes. "But like that ends up defeating your sense of confidence and then you don't end up knowing that you're able to do certain things and you kind of stay stuck."
Her mission is to build up students' confidence and joy in academics—to help them see possibilities rather than limitations.
She brings her whole self to the classroom and encourages students to do the same. She shares her interests, listens carefully to theirs, and incorporates what she learns into her lessons. When students notice that their journal stickers include things they love—the Filipino flag, plants, pets—they realize someone is truly paying attention.
"I was like, you know, I'm listening. Like, I want things that you want to be in your project," she tells them.
The Importance of Being Yourself
Makena is critical of teachers who don't bring their authentic selves to the classroom—a frustration she developed during her years as a paraeducator.
"One of the things that really frustrated me when I wasn't a classroom teacher was being bored in the class I was supporting looking at the teacher and I'm like, you're so interesting. You do motor crafts, like you ride a motorcycle, you travel like the country across the summer, like why aren't you sharing that person in the classroom?" she recalls.
"You don't light up when you're teaching and you could if you were actually bringing yourself and letting kids bring themselves into the classroom."
Her advice for aspiring teachers? Volunteer in a classroom. See what it's really like. And know that who you are is genuinely needed.
"Our students need examples of who they could be when they grow up," she says. "I don't really try to be a stereotypical teacher, you know, I wanna bring in being an artist, my, you know, whatever my interests are and then try to really listen and hear what the kids are into."
Practical Advice for Aspiring Educators
Throughout our conversation, Makena shared invaluable advice for young people considering education careers:
Start with a Bachelor's Degree
Seattle Teacher Residency is a master's program, which means you need an undergraduate degree first. "If you're a high school student, I would let you know, hey, like you definitely need to choose like a bachelor's program to be ready for Seattle Teacher Residency."
Ask for Help—Constantly
"Continue to ask for help, right? Like, I was always asking my principals at my old job and then I stay in touch with them even as I got jobs elsewhere. People at the district, you know, like ask them if there is any support for becoming a classroom teacher and like what scholarships are there?"
Makena discovered the Seattle Retired Teachers Association, which offers scholarships for both high school students interested in teaching and current student teachers. She received a scholarship simply because she asked what was available.
"Just like make your needs known and once you become a classroom teacher, just keep that up because you're gonna wanna fund and find new opportunities for your students in the projects that they wanna make as well."
It's Never Too Late
"Even though this is geared towards people like teenagers or in their early twenties, like it's never too late to become a teacher. And I was in a teacher program with someone who was a grandfather, you know, like you are needed in the classroom."
Consider Special Education
The field desperately needs qualified, committed special education teachers—particularly at the high school level where turnover is highest. The work is challenging, but for the right person, it's deeply rewarding.
"If you're actually working with kids with disabilities, even if you plan to be a general education teacher, those students with disabilities will still be in your classroom," Makena notes. "It might look different, but they are still general education students first."
The Rewards of Teaching
When Makena became a classroom teacher, she finally got to implement all the ideas she'd been storing up during her years as a paraeducator—ideas about building resilience, boosting confidence, and creating joy in learning.
"So much of it is confidence, right? Like if you have an IEP, sometimes you feel like you have it because you're not good enough or because you suck or you are a failure," she explains. "But that ends up defeating your sense of confidence and then you don't end up knowing that you're able to do certain things and you kind of stay stuck. And so I'm really trying to build up their sense of confidence and joy in academics and in the possibilities that they have."
The transformation from bored paraeducator to fulfilled classroom teacher is palpable in the way Makena talks about her work. She's no longer watching from the sidelines, wishing she could implement her ideas. She's creating curriculum, designing meaningful projects, and watching students develop tools they'll use for the rest of their lives.
"You don't often get to see the fruits of your labor," she acknowledges. But when you do—when a student tells you they've been journaling on their own, when they bring their journal to therapy, when they complete a complex project they never thought they could do—those moments make everything worthwhile.
A Career Path, Not a Straight Line
Makena's journey reminds us that career paths are rarely linear, especially in education. She started at Cornish College of the Arts with dreams of being a visual artist. She spent years as a paraeducator, gaining experience and confidence while pursuing art on the side. She faced a health crisis that could have derailed everything. She navigated systemic barriers that made her transition to teaching far more difficult than it needed to be.
But she persevered. And now she's not only thriving as a teacher—she's actively working to smooth the path for those who follow.
Her story illustrates several important truths about education careers:
Your Background is an Asset: Makena's artistic training isn't separate from her teaching—it enhances it. Her experiences with her sister aren't just personal—they're professional strengths. Whatever you bring to teaching makes you uniquely valuable.
Start Where You Are: You don't have to know from day one that you want to be a teacher. Paraeducator positions offer a way to test the waters, gain experience, and build relationships in schools before committing to a credential program.
Advocate for Change: When you encounter barriers, you can work to dismantle them. Makena didn't just survive a difficult student teaching experience—she's actively collaborating with programs and districts to make sure future paraeducators don't face the same obstacles.
Bring Your Whole Self: The classroom needs teachers who are passionate about their subjects, yes, but also teachers who are interesting humans with diverse experiences and authentic personalities. Don't try to fit a stereotype. Be yourself.
It's Okay to Be Bored: Boredom isn't always a sign you're in the wrong field—sometimes it's a sign you're ready for the next level. Makena's boredom as a paraeducator wasn't a problem; it was information telling her she was ready to lead a classroom.
The Bottom Line
Teaching, particularly special education, isn't for everyone. It requires patience, creativity, resilience, and a genuine commitment to students who often need extra support. The pay isn't always commensurate with the work. The bureaucracy can be frustrating. The emotional labor is real.
But for people like Makena—people who want to see students grow, who find joy in small breakthroughs, who can bring creativity and authenticity to their work—teaching offers something that retail and restaurant jobs simply can't: the profound satisfaction of knowing you're changing lives.
As Makena puts it, watching a student who's journaling on their own now, who's developed a practice for emotional regulation, who brings that journal to therapy: "It's working, you know, like the practice of journaling for emotional regulation and like just going to it on your own is working and you don't often get to see like the fruits of your labor."
But when you do? It makes everything—the difficult transitions, the systemic barriers, the challenging days—absolutely worth it.
Your Turn: Explore Education Careers
Makena's journey from art school graduate to paraeducator to special education teacher demonstrates that there are many paths into education. Whether you're a high school student considering your options, a college graduate looking for meaningful work, or someone later in life seeking a career change, education needs people like you.
The field particularly needs special education teachers who can bring creativity, empathy, and authentic commitment to students with disabilities. The challenges are real—Makena is honest about that—but so are the rewards.
If you're curious about what a career in education could look like for you, take Makena's advice: volunteer in a classroom. See what it's really like. Ask lots of questions. Research scholarship opportunities. Talk to teachers and paraeducators about their experiences.
And remember: it's never too late to start, your unique background is an asset, and the field needs people who will bring their whole, authentic selves to the work.
Ready to explore your path in education? Visit careersined.org to discover teaching programs, paraeducator opportunities, scholarship resources, and career pathways that could be the perfect fit for you. Your journey might not be a straight line—but it could lead somewhere amazing.
Makena Gadient teaches special education at a Seattle Public Schools high school, where she continues to blend her artistic creativity with her commitment to students with disabilities. She remains actively involved in improving pathways from paraeducator to teacher roles and is a graduate of the Seattle Teacher Residency program.
