Sian Mclean

Teacher/Mentor

BA English Literature, Hons Geomorphology, TC Clinical Psychology, BA Hons Clinical Psychology, Registered Behavior Technician

Education

Sian was born prematurely in Sheffield, Great Britain, during a snowstorm and has struggled to be on time ever since. She grew up in New Zealand surrounded by sheep. A lot of sheep. She attended Victoria University of Wellington before working as a post-graduate student at the University of Norwich Centre for Climate Change. After an accidental but life-changing stint teaching in India, Sian returned to New Zealand and trained in clinical psychology. She has completed multiple courses on exceptional education through NCCU and holds several advanced qualifications through TEACCH in evaluating and educating children and teens with autism. She is a Registered Behavioral Technician and has training in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA). Sian is the Exceptional Education lead at the Raleigh campus.

Experience

Herding sheep who have gone astray is an essential farm girl skill for a Kiwi and I have found these skills useful when trying to persuade an unmotivated student to open a book or write a sentence. As a person who has lived in several countries and has settled in America, I try to bring a global perspective to the events that impact us. As Exceptional Education lead, I try to model compassion and an unwavering belief in a student's ability and right to do what Phoebe did - to reach for the golden ring.

Fun Facts and Hobbies

  • I help make giant paper maché puppets for Paperhand Puppet Intervention.
  • I teach teens how to use KIVA.org as a way to learn about microfinance and global equity for women.
  • I try to workout at the gym each day, but I often don't make it. This teaches me humility.
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