Profile

Ashley Colburn

Pre-K Paraprofessional

I am honored to partner with the already remarkable Pre-K team at AES. In previous years I  taught Special Education in Knox County. Between public education and private tutoring I have served K- college students and families for almost nine years. Knowledge of students and cultivating strong student relationships are two of my greatest strengths and attributes in this setting. I cannot wait to get to know these little ones! I look forward to helping our students develop coping mechanisms and grit in a supportive and engaging learning environment. As a neurodivergent person I can relate to learning and functional barriers and will strive to meet every student with empathy and patience. I truly believe those elements hold a transformative power in the field of education.

My husband, Adam, and our family moved to the city of Alcoa about two years ago. Adam and I have been married for 5 and a half years. Both of our children proudly attend AES. We are unapologetically TN Vol fans!!! I am passionate about gardening both fruits, flowers, and vegetables. I live for a good thrift or curbside haul, DIY project, all things artistic, animals,  and baking. Many of my hobbies integrate into my lessons. I am a firm believer that real life applications deeply enrich the learning experience. I graduated from the University of Tennessee with a Bachelor of Arts, majoring in Psychology. I studied Special Education Mild to Modified K-12 and Clinical Mental Health counseling at Carson Newman.