Nicholas and Desirae Endres

Nicholas

What year did you graduate from SRU and what was your major?
Spring 2014 / Health and Physical Education

What jobs have you landed?
I got my first teaching job offer about a month before graduation at The Covenant School located in Charlottesville, VA. I am currently the PreK-6th grade Health and Physical Education teacher here.

How did you prepare for the interview for the job you landed?
At the time of my interview I was finishing student teaching and so I spoke a lot with my co-operating teachers about the upcoming interview. They were all fantastic at their jobs so I used their input and advice.

What have you done well at that job?
In addition to my day to day teaching duties I lead our annual Jump Rope for Heart event for the school district. Last year our students raised over $13,000 for the American Heart Association.
I also take the lead role in directing our annual Parent-Teacher Basketball game. Last year, we had over 10 University of Virginia basketball players come and partake in the event as well to help out the teachers as “substitutes”. It was quite the hit!

What types of recognition, awards, honors or even activities have you been involved in?
I am in my second year as our school’s Head Junior High Football Coach and Varsity Wrestling Assistant. With the wrestling team, I was part of a coaching staff that coached our school’s first wrestling state champ in school history!
I also served as the Head Coach for our youth wrestling club last year; I was very busy to say the least.

What SRU experience or faculty influenced you and in what way?
It’s hard to pinpoint just a few of the faculty at SRU. Our Health and Phys. Ed. program is just that high quality of a program that each and every one of the professors I had shaped a big part of my love for teaching.
If I had to mention one name it would be our department chair, Dr. Randy Nichols. He of course is a big reason of the department’s success by the way he leads. It takes a great servant to be a leader and he certainly takes plenty of time, from what I noticed during my time there, to spend with the students and faculty alike. He’s not just one to sit in his office all day, but he puts to practice what he teaches. All the faculty do. The day the Health and Phys. Ed. department take each fall to take their students out to Moraine State Park is a prime example of faculty encouraging their students to get active. That’s important because that’s part of what we teach.

What else can you tell us about your success story that SRU students could learn from?
My success story is not just my doing but has a lot to do with those I spent my time with at SRU. I tell students I work with all the time that are older and heading off to college that the biggest piece of advice I can give from my experience is to find a good community of people. What you do and who you do it with during your time in school will have a big impact on your future. I was blessed to be surrounded by great peers and staff that were doing the right things and encouraged me to do the same.

Desirae

What year did you graduate from SRU and what was your major?
I graduated in December of 2013, and my major was secondary education/ English.

What jobs have you landed?
Last year I was a long term substitute teacher from October-June teaching 9th and 11th grade honors English. This year, I was hired full time by the same county to teach 8th grade in a middle school. I teach at Walton Middle School of Albemarle County Public Schools, a wonderful school district near Charlottesville, VA.

How did you prepare for the interview for the job you landed?
Because I was already experienced with the terminology of the school district and knew what they held important, I studied the key concepts that they implement. Even if I hadn't worked in this school, all of this type of information is usually available online. I typically find it helpful to research as much as possible on the district, and then think about how I have implemented what they value in my previous teaching experiences, and how I plan to implement it if they were to hire me.

What have you done well at that job?
I think one of the most important things that I have done is asked for support/ accepted every support they have offered. The first year of teaching is so much harder than anyone lets on- even though they do stress that it is difficult in the first place. I work with a mentor teacher/ instructional coach, I am by choice collaborating with the other language arts teacher for certain classes that match up well, and I humbly ask other teachers what works best for students that I have trouble with/ the culture of the students at the school. I am in no way afraid to sound like I don't know it all- because I don't! And through asking for help I am able to reflect on what I am doing well and what I need to change.

What types of recognition, awards, honors or even activities have you been involved in?
I ran an all day poetry slam last year at the high school that I taught at. It is an annual event where students are encouraged to share their poetry or read poetry that they love in front of an audience. It was the best turn out that they'd ever had!

What SRU experience or faculty influenced you and in what way?
My student teaching experience was wonderful, and my supervising teacher, Dr. DuPont, really encouraged me. I can think of so many wonderful faculty members that influenced me, though, including Dr. Hilton and Dr. Hicks. Not to mention the great English professors, Dr. Balok and Dr. Permenter. I still keep in touch with Dr. Balok and felt so encouraged by her through my job search. Can you tell I loved my professors?

What else can you tell us about your success story that SRU students could learn from
Two things: First, move for a job if you have to. It is so tough to find a job in PA, so if you can't find one, move if you are able to. My husband and I moved for teaching and found ourselves in this lovely, sunny city in Virginia. We are so happy we made that choice.
Second, when field experiences and student teaching are our first real tastes of the classroom, it is really easy to become overwhelmed by seeing all of the responsibilities teachers must take on each day. Don't be discouraged by that. I remember looking at my cooperating teacher and wondering how she could possibly do it all. The first year of teaching is extremely hard, as I mentioned before, but we adapt to the challenges that we take on. There have been many times where I've felt the scary feeling that teaching isn't for me- but I know it is because of the overwhelming nature of the job. When you feel those overwhelming feelings that come with the first steps into the classroom and your first days in front of students, don't doubt yourself, but rather trust that you are capable of far more than you believe. I know it sounds cheesy, but it is absolutely true. And more than ever, students need good teachers to care for them and to learn from.