My name is Cole Whitaker, and I have been a teacher all my adult life. I started teaching cosmetology at age 19. I have been licensed in Cosmetology, Esthetics and Nail Technology since 2002. My time working in the beauty industry has been invaluable to my growth as a teacher. I was fortunate enough to attend many trainings by companies such as Paul Mitchell, Pivot Point, Milady and Success Signals. Learning how to teach in a vocational environment has made me a creative educator. The student body I have encountered in the vocational setting has been extremely diverse and has included many students with learning differences and learning disability diagnoses. This helped build my passion for teaching in a learner-centered environment. At least seven of the twenty years I have been teaching included teaching and over-seeing instructor training programs as well as working in director positions.
I decided to go back to school at the age of 30 in order to teach traditional college. I earned my B.A in Psychology from Central Washington University and my M.S. in Psychology from the University of Louisiana at Monroe. Completing my degrees was challenging for me due to being dyslexic. In the process of acquiring my degree I was diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder. This diagnosis has helped me understand myself much better as well as many of my students. Looking back, I think that being autistic and dyslexic has been very beneficial for me as a teacher. I credit my autism for my ability to break things down into bite size pieces for my students. I credit my dyslexia for my creativity. Both have been beneficial in relating to students who are atypical.
Outside of Bellevue College I spend my time designing custom quilts, spending time with my husband and our dog Leonard and playing video games like Super Mario 3 and Minecraft.
COURSES I TEACH AT BC
Chart Your Course, Self- and Community Advocacy, Executive Functioning in the Workplace, Strengths-Based Career & Life Planning, and Connecting with Community
