Lisa Linnell-Olsen is a former writer for Verywell Family. Her first child experienced early childhood developmental delays. This led to Lisa's daughter attending public preschool and being on an Individualized Education Plan through the second grade. Lisa learned through experience how to be involved in her child's education, and how to advocate for her daughter's needs in the complex public education environment.
When Lisa's daughter was in the third grade, Lisa decided that the best way she could earn a living and be involved with her daughter was to work as a support staff educator in the public school district her daughter attended. Lisa continued to work during the school year as an in-school academic tutor for seven years. Her daily contact with students and families in a public school further increased her awareness and knowledge of the issues important to parents of children in public education today.
Lisa has participated in several staff trainings covering topics such as parental involvement, cultural lessons, and educational policy while being employed with a public school district. Lisa has taken a wide variety of graduate level education courses, covering topics such as educational technology, special needs/exceptional learners, and multicultural education. She has taken more than half of the coursework required to become a certified secondary-level science teacher.
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