ABOUT ME
Educator
I'm Cassie McConkey, licensed Special Educator in Illinois and Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA). I have extensive training in using behavior analytic principles to assess maladaptive behaviors and environments and develop goals and interventions to improve the lives of those engaging in the behaviors and their supporting stakeholders. What does that mean? If someone is exhibiting behaviors that are stopping them from meeting milestones, experiencing life's ups and downs, or interacting with others, I utilize my skills to find a path towards positive growth. I assess what could be maintaining the behavior in their environment (how are people around them reacting, what items do they have access to, or what might they be trying to avoid). I assess their strengths, motivations, and skills in the areas of social emotional learning, executive functioning, and social skills to determine what helpful skill they could learn. I include the client's desires and needs first and foremost, to individualize the assessment, intervention, and goals. And I teach the skills necessary to meet milestones, experience life's ups and downs in more flexible ways, and appropriately interact with peers, teachers, parents/guardians, etc.
Mom
The most important role I hold is that of Mom. In fact, supporting my own child through challenging behaviors, difficulty obtaining a diagnosis, and collaborating with school personal and administration inspired me to enter the field of education. With a unique perspective as a parent, I wanted to be an educator who worked alongside parents and guardians to improve their child's educational outcomes. I've experienced doctors brushing the reports of my child's behaviors off, the calls from preschools and camps letting me know that I needed to pick my child up (and often times, not return), and the desperation and costs of finding the right therapy to support my child and our family. I've also experienced finding the right team, seeing amazing growth, and being thankful to see my 16-year-old land his first job and be able to walk through all of his teenage milestones with confidence and flexibility. Every journey is different and the journey lasts a lifetime. I felt what you are feeling and there is hope for the future!
Advocate
I am an advocate for inclusion. Not the type of inclusion that is a group of special education students that are the "special friends" come to a class to listen to a story and then leave. But the type of inclusion that says, you belong, you are different but we're all different, and we all belong. Every person has strengths, talents, and skills that contribute to the whole. Every. Person. An inclusive environment is a classroom, a school, a teacher, an administrator that believes this statement. It is meeting students where they are, adjusting our instructional methods, removing barriers, and providing supports. I present professional development on various techniques to keep students with maladaptive behaviors included in the general education setting to the greatest extent possible and enjoy working with teachers to improve their skillsets to make this possible. I have designed systems and procedures for collaborative teaming throughout the behavior assessment and intervention process within the school system and I believe that in increasing school staff's understanding of behavior will result in empowered teachers and adaptive students.
Cassie McConkey
Owner of Grow Beyond, LLC