Sarah Terrill

What has been your experience as a professional teacher/educator/administrator?

I am enjoying my first year teaching at Woodbridge Senior High School in Prince William County, Virginia. I teach tenth grade World History from 1500-Present, eleventh grade U.S. History, and Virginia History. 

What is one positive experience that you have had with a student, or a student story that you would like to share?

The best experience I have had with a student comes from my time as a student teacher at Butler Intermediate High School. I watched a student become a lover of history over the course of 16 weeks. My student was enrolled in special education services, was very shy in class, and did not like to participate when I began teaching the class. Over the course of the following weeks, she began to greet me at the door before I could even say hello! She soon became enthusiastic about class material. When I met with her mother halfway through the year, she thanked me for the change that she had seen in her daughter. Her mother could not believe that her daughter would come home bragging about all of the great things she learned in history class that day. I was so touched by the sentiment and I still remember the feeling today. I was shocked that I could leave an impact on a student's life, especially one that went beyond the classroom. I attribute this to my desire to get to know all of my students, and I continue to build those relationships here at Woodbridge. There is no greater feeling than helping a student find their passion. 

What advice would you give to current college students who are preparing to be teachers?

Enjoy college and don't stress so much during student teaching. Student teaching and Slippery Rock University's College of Education will prepare you to be the best teacher that you can be. Go the extra mile during student teaching but don't forget that this is the best time to take advantage of all the great things that SRU offers -- and definitely do not neglect your friends! 

What is one thing that you learned from Slippery Rock University’s teacher preparation program that you have integrated into your profession?

SRU's teacher preparatory program helped shape me into the best teacher that I can be. I attribute a lot of my success as a teacher to the amazing professors in the education department. I have to mention Dr. Hilton due to his guidance, humor, and wisdom on teaching social studies. Dr. Hilton helped me create my own teaching philosophy during my time as a student at Slippery Rock and I could not be more grateful to have him as a professor and a mentor. Creating lesson plans and designing summative assessments are important, but there is much more to what I learned during my time at SRU. It is the relationships that I built with my peers and professors that are reflected in my classroom today. We are great teachers because we care for our students and we want to see them succeed. 

What are a few of your career goals?

I am enjoying teaching in Virginia, but I hope to move back to Pennsylvania in the future. I am planning on pursing my Masters in education through Slippery Rock University. To me, there is no greater feeling than being in the classroom, especially when you really make a connection or change misconceptions that your students have. I plan on remaining a classroom teacher for the rest of my career. 

Why did you choose education as your profession?

Although embarrassing, I definitely played teacher throughout my childhood: creating fake tests and lessons for my parents and family so that I could grade them! I knew from a very young age that I was meant to be a teacher. In high school, my love for history grew, but was not until I became a college student that I realized my true passion for teaching was not creating lessons and grading tests; my passion for teaching is reflected in my admiration of the students. The interactions I have with students are the best part of my job, and if I get to be a mentor or a hero to someone, that is tremendous. My goal is to have each student walk away with something memorable that they can use when they leave high school. I'm always telling stories in class to hopefully leave this impact on students and hopefully end the idea that history is "boring". To me, education is the best profession because it is the groundwork for everyone's success. 

What makes a great teacher?

The best teachers are passionate. There will always be students who dislike particular subjects, but it is a teacher's job to make their class as interesting as possible. Because I am consistently excited and enthusiastic about the topic, this helps my students stay engaged and truly take something away from the class. I think that having a great attitude and being passionate about the material and the life lessons you bring to class will help students find their voice and encourage them to find their own passions. As an educator, there is no better feeling than watching a student succeed. I am a supporter of dreams and an example of living out your own dream.