Amy Chase started as a kindergarten through 5th grade teacher, but a move from northwestern PA to Berks County launched a second career as an early intervention special instructor. She now helps kids develop their play and early language skills.
While considering college majors, Amy chose education because working with kids felt like a good fit, and she knew there would always be job opportunities. While it hasn’t always been the easiest path, she knows it’s where she belongs.
Amy has two daughters, and decided shortly after becoming a mom that she wanted to work with kids who were different ages than her own. When they were younger she taught older kids. Now that they’re teens, she works with younger children from birth to three years old.
When Amy moved to Berks County twelve years ago, she began shifting into early intervention. She met Jess Tofany at a social gathering at their church, and asked about her Happy Hearts sweatshirt. After a few months of conversation, she joined the agency as a special instructor in February 2020–right before COVID hit. The pandemic actually made her transition easier in a way. “Things that were new for me were suddenly new for everyone,” she explains. “We all had to follow different procedures but I didn’t know any different.”
Her favorite part of being a special instructor is interacting with children and families in their home environment. She finds it easier to see the progress made there, rather than in a classroom setting. “Sometimes parents start early intervention feeling defeated already,” she shares. “Then they see their kids pick up on new skills and come to realize that they're the one that helped them. We’re just coaching the parents. At the end they can feel the pride that they’ve helped their kids.”
While Amy enjoys working with all her clients, some of her most memorable have been twins or triplets. “It’s always fun seeing the uniqueness of their personalities and the family dynamics.” She’s worked with families where only one twin qualified for services, and another where both twins had similar language challenges and they’d bounce back and forth in their progress. She’s also worked with two of three triplets, each with different goals.
For any parents new to early intervention, her advice is to keep an open mind and be willing to try some things outside your comfort zone. “You’re going to be your child's best teacher. Don't be afraid to play and be silly with your kids because sometimes that's what it takes.”
When she’s not working, Amy likes to spend time outdoors with her family. She and her husband own property in northwestern Pennsylvania, and often spend long weekends there hiking and visiting extended family.
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