Special Ed Teacher Brenda Ashley

Welcome to my profile page.  I am a special education teacher at Northview Middle School, but I have a lot of different instructional experiences under my belt.  In 1995, after earning my BA in vocal music education from Northwest Missouri State University in Maryville, Missouri,  I moved to Central Iowa and began teaching 7-12 vocal music. Also in that position, I coached the color guard with the marching band and sponsored the junior class. In the next 16 years, I also taught 4th-12th grade music and led the yearbook for a middle school.  While teaching general music classes at the elementary level I realized I did not have the content background to address the reading and behavior deficiencies I was encountering.  To become a better teacher I pursued a Masters of Special Education and earned that in 2005 from Graceland University.  That’s when I started putting together the creativity and skill-development instruction I learned in the music setting with the content knowledge of special education as a full-time high school special education teacher.  In 2016 I began teaching special education, focused on literacy, at Northview Middle School. I earned a K-12 reading specialist certification in 2018.

I continue to sing and love being creative; I love paper-crafts, sewing, crochet, photography, making designs on Cricut, gardening and doodling.  I also love my job.  I look forward to coming to school every day to work with spectacular students and supportive colleagues.  There really isn’t a better profession if you like challenges, collaboration, and change.  No two days are the same and you have to stay on your toes.

Feel free to contact me with any questions.

Graduate of:

• Northwest Missouri State University; BA in Vocal Music Education
• Graceland University: MA in Special Educations
• Morningside University: K-12 Reading Specialist Certification