About Lorena Vaughn
My Education Philosophy
My mission is to provide quality education and support to children with special needs. I strive to create a safe, inclusive, and fun environment where every child can thrive and meet high expectations.
I believe children are very capable and if given the opportunity, they will amaze us with all they can do.
My teaching is adaptive to ensure that every child receives the support they need to succeed. I incorporate engaging lessons, movement, nature, Montessori materials and appropriate technology into the lessons I provide.
“When I approach a child, he inspires in me two sentiments−tenderness for what he is and respect for what he may become.”
-LOUIS PASTEUR, French chemist and microbiologist
Get to know me!
My journey has been far from linear........
during the pandemic, I began substituting in schools and immediately fell in love with teaching. In 2024, I obtained a Transition to Teaching license with a specialization in special education from Indiana Wesleyan University.
Prior to teaching at GMA, I obtained a Masters in Clinical Social Work and completed internships and early jobs nationally and internationally. I was an assistant teacher at a Montessori school in Florida. I provided therapy for children while briefly living within the orphanage, St. Dominic Children's Home, in Trinidad and Tobago. I studied child welfare and policy in the Czech Republic. During my college years, I also took time off to serve in AmeriCorps NCCC. Over the next twelve years, I primarily worked within education policy, program management, and funding with institutions such as the Florida House of Representatives Education Council, Heartland Alliance, United Way of Metropolitan Chicago, and YWCA of Metropolitan Chicago. I was humbly awarded “Best Under 40” by Suburban Life. After receiving this recognition I completed a Ladders to Leadership fellowship sponsored by Community Memorial Foundation.
I briefly stepped out of the traditional workforce when my third child arrived and spent a few year nurturing my little ones, exploring museums and playing outside as much as possible. During my stay-at-home years, I conquered a bucket list dream of completing a 70.3 and 140.6-mile Ironman in October.