This is the latest in our “Weston Wednesday” series, spotlighting the winners of the 2024 Judy Weston Awards for Inspired Teaching. Follow along each week to learn more about the impact these educators are making in the Montclair Public Schools.
Thoughtfully supporting kids with behavior challenges is a tough job – but it’s one that Alexander Araton, a special education teacher at Charles H. Bullock Elementary School, excels at.
Parents of Mr. Araton’s students praised his use of positive reinforcement. They commended the “responsive conversations” he has with their children to talk about behavior and consider why they made certain choices. They admire his ability to connect with each child on a personal level and appreciate how he implements personalized schedules so students understand what is expected and feel supported and motivated.
As one parent said, “Each day, [Mr. Araton] wakes up and gives his all for the kids.”
Another said: “Mr. Araton was warm and welcoming… [he] even personalized our child’s in-class folder design to match our child’s obsession with soccer. Mr. Araton set the tone for other students to welcome our child.”
Another said: “After joining Mr. Araton's class, our son's behavior drastically improved so that he was actually able to spend time learning, and he was happy to go to school…. Mr. Araton completely changed the trajectory of our son's academic life (and honestly, probably his entire life), and we are beyond grateful that our son has had the opportunity to have such an amazing and dedicated teacher.”
Mr. Araton has shown dedication and an ability to connect with students to help them reach new levels of academic, social and emotional growth. For these reasons, Alexander Araton is an inspired teacher.
Commentaires