1. What
is your educational background and what positions have you held?
In May 2016 I
graduated from Slippery Rock University with a major in Early Childhood
Education with minors in Elementary Math Education and Instructional Strategies
for Students with Disabilities. Following the PERC job fair, I accepted a 3rd
grade teaching position in the Cartwright Elementary School District in
Phoenix, Arizona! Working for Cartwright has given me so many amazing
opportunities, such as being able to obtain my Gifted and Structured English
Immersion endorsements, as well as completing over 200 professional development
hours! Over the last two years, I have developed a passion for working with
gifted and talented students, as an identified Gifted Cluster Teacher at my
site! In addition to my classroom position, I recently was hired as a
per-diem trainer with Benchmark Education Company, and I look forward to
training and supporting school districts who are newly implementing the program
Benchmark Advance!
2. What is the most rewarding aspect of your job?
The most
rewarding aspect of my job is watching students become independent in their
learning. At the beginning of each school year, some students may be behind on their decoding skills, or math facts, while others struggle with other skills. I work very hard with my students to meet the personal and
academic goals that they set. Throughout the year, it is incredible to watch
the transformation of my students who become independent learners who can
monitor their own success! Each year I have “Aha!” moments where I realize how
much my dedication to each of my students has paid off. Watching a student
learn to read or watching a student grow Social-Emotionally is one part of my
job that never fails to make me smile!
3. What advice would you give to current students who are enrolled
in the teacher preparation program, and to SRU students generally?
BE INVOLVED! I
cannot stress enough how important it is to be involved in clubs, events, and
any opportunity you have to work with children. As a student at Slippery Rock,
I was a member of Early Childhood Club, Kappa Delta Pi, and the First Year
Leader Scholar Program. Through these experiences, I was able to work in
different schools around the area, which gave me more classroom exposure to
prepare for my own teaching adventure, and I was able to form lifelong
relationships along the way! There are many different organizations that team
up with SRU to provide the students with once in a lifetime opportunities; for
example, I was able to travel to Washington D.C. with Exceptional Adventures
and I was able to study abroad in Mexico at the American School Foundation, as part
of my student teaching experience! Being involved gives you stories to tell,
and those conversations may take you places you never imagined possible!
4. Name an SRU experience or faculty that had a positive influence
on you and explain why.
As a student who
was selected to student teach in Mexico with Dr. Snyder, I’ve got to say, he
was one professor I will never forget, and I’m pretty sure I became a student
he will never forget, too! On our journey through Mexico, I unexpectedly had to
undergo surgery to have my appendix removed, and Dr. Snyder sat by my side the
entire time I was in the hospital. He really showed that being a professor and
a supervisor on the trip was only a small portion of his job; he stood in place
of my parents when they could not be by my side and that honestly meant more to
me and my family than anything in the entire world! This inspired me to not
only be a great teacher like he is, but to always have a genuine concern for my
students; it is my most important responsibility, as a caretaker, to watch
after my students to make sure they are safe. Despite my time in the hospital,
Mexico was one of the most amazing experiences of my entire life! Being able to
immerse myself into a new culture in the country and build relationships abroad
has helped shape me into a more well-rounded person.
I believe, first and foremost, a great teacher is someone who
gives their all to their students, despite whatever obstacles may get in the
way. Taking the time to understand where your students come from, the daily
struggles they face, and how they learn best is extremely important! Before a
teacher can do his/her job, they must first build relationships with each of
the students to build trust and respect. Also, a great teacher should have a
deep understanding of the content they are delivering to students. The educator
should know exactly what students should be learning, how they
should be learning it, and why it is important. A great teacher
should use data to drive his/her instruction; by using the data, the teacher
can intervene with students who still haven’t demonstrated mastery and they can
enrich students who understand the concept. Finally, a great teacher is someone
who is passionate about helping children and a believer that all
children can and will succeed if they are equipped with the tools and support
they need!
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