Student Spotlight: Anna Wroten, M.Ed. ‘25

 

After more than 15 years as a paraeducator, Anna Wroten knew she was ready for more. She just needed the right opportunity to take the next step. 

“I have wanted to be a special education teacher since I was in elementary school at Hebbville Elementary in Baltimore County,” Anna said. “When I was in 4th grade, the regional special education school closed, and our school became half special education and half general education. Each general education class had a buddy special education class that they spent time with each day. My love for special education and students with special needs began there and has continued throughout my life.” 

That early passion would eventually guide her to Loyola University Maryland School of Education’s Baltimore Teacher Apprenticeship Program (BTAP). This unique graduate pathway prepares paraeducators to become licensed teachers while continuing to work in Baltimore County schools. 

“The BTAP program was the perfect program at the perfect time,” Anna said. “I was able to still work for Baltimore County and be paid as a paraeducator while going to school and student teaching full-time.” 

Through the BTAP program, Anna earned her M.Ed. in Special Education with a focus on elementary/middle grades, all while completing her full-time internship at Elmwood Elementary School. She worked closely with kindergarten through fifth grade students who receive special education services. 

“During the program, I completed my internship full-time throughout the 2024-2025 school year,” she said. “My mentor was a general education inclusion special education teacher, and I shadowed her for the first few weeks, then began teaching parts of groups, and then finally taught groups on my own mid-way through fall 2024.” 

The level of hands-on experience is one of the things that makes BTAP so impactful. Students, like Anna, balance working full-time in the classroom with their Loyola coursework and online classes. 

“Working full-time at school as an intern and completing my M.Ed. was not always an easy task,” Anna said. “Being organized was critically important to balancing work and school during this process.” 

Throughout the program, the mentorship she received helped Anna to stay grounded. Every BTAP student receives guidance from an experienced teacher mentor at the school where they are interning.  

“The guidance I received from my mentor has been invaluable,” Anna said. “My mentor, Kiley O'Hara, is a top-notch special educator. She has shown me every aspect of the job, from lesson planning to third-party billing to writing IEPs. She took me to all meetings with her and showed me how to be organized and efficient. I am incredibly grateful for all the time I have spent with her.” 

When her first mentor went on maternity leave, Anna was assigned a new mentor at her school and gained an entirely new perspective. 

“While Ms. O'Hara was on maternity leave, Chelsea Glorioso became my mentor,” Anna said. “She gave me a different type of guidance from Ms. O'Hara, but equally invaluable. Ms. Glorioso and I collaborated often on scheduling of special education staff, to covering for absent staff. We also collaborated on different student issues and how to best proceed.” 

Perhaps most importantly, Anna saw the difference she was making in the lives of her students throughout the BTAP. 

“I have seen my work, especially the bonds I've created with my students, make a difference in their lives,” she said. “I have students who ask to complete work and tests with me because the help I give them helps them be successful. And I have students that come to me when they are sad or angry or frustrated and need to work things out before returning to class as a productive member.” 

This fall, Anna will return to Elmwood Elementary as a primary ISDM (Integrated Services Delivery Model) classroom teacher.  

For prospective graduate students considering the BTAP, Anna offers this insight: 

“My best advice for someone considering the program is to stay organized! This program is a lot of hard work, but if you stay organized and complete assignments and tasks on time, you will be successful,” she said.  

“I would also advise them to ask their mentors every question they can think of and truly listen to their mentors, and make the most of opportunities such as going to IEP meetings, data meetings, behavior meetings, etc. Becoming a part of the school where you are interning is so important to learning every aspect of the job, not just the teaching portion.” 

As one of the first graduates of Loyola’s Baltimore Teacher Apprenticeship Program, Anna Wroten is proof that with the right support, structure, and dedication, experienced paraeducators can grow into transformative teachers. 

Are you ready to make an impact in special education? Explore Loyola University Maryland’s Baltimore Teacher Apprenticeship Program.