Stephanie Cicero

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

My experience as a professional teacher has been very rewarding.  It was a wonderful feeling when I got my first job offer.  It was very satisfying to know that all of my hard work during my college days at SRU was worthwhile.  Not every day is easy, but the students make every day meaningful.

Where do you work? What is your current position?

After I graduated in May 2012, I received a job offer from the Titusville Area School District in Titusville, PA.  This is now my fifth year of teaching at two of the three elementary schools in the district.   I teach general music to approximately 500 students in first through fifth grade and also the fifth grade band.

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

One of my favorite moments came during my second year of teaching.  That year, I had decided to do an Olympic theme.  In each music class, we learned about a different country and sang songs/played instruments from those cultures.  The concert was absolutely amazing!  It even involved a medal ceremony for the classes that earned the most points through participation.  

One day, a student came up to me and gave me a paper gold medal.  It said “best music teacher ever” and had a string attached so I could wear it around my neck.  What made it a truly special moment was the student who gave it to me.  I had no idea how much he really enjoyed music and knowing that I made such an impact on him was incredible.  He went from barely singing in class one year to joining the show choir the following year!     

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

My most important piece of advice is to take every experience and learn from it.  It can be very easy to say a class, lecture, presentation, etc. was “pointless” or “a waste of time”.  As teachers, we are constantly reflecting and learning from each lesson we teach.  If you have an open mind, you can always learn something new from every experience you encounter.     

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

The music department was absolutely outstanding and I credit the professors for giving me such a “rock” solid foundation.  They truly cared about each of us finding success as a teacher.  They set high standards in every area of the teaching world.  I am successful not only with teaching, but with the paperwork and professional aspects of the job as well.

     

What is one challenge that you have faced thus far and how have you successfully dealt with it during your professional/teaching experience? (Only successful experiences/outcomes)

When I was hired, I was told that the students were not huge fans of music.  Concert attendance (which is voluntary) was extremely low. This was something my administrators wanted to see change.  As an arts teacher, you never want to hear that students do not appreciate or care for your subject that you truly love.  I found ways to make music connect with the students.  I created year-long themes that incorporated other subject areas for students to see that there are connections between music and their daily lives.  I am proud to say that for our voluntary concerts, the percentage of students attending has greatly increased.  Due to this fact, concerts are now held in the high school auditorium where there is more seating available.  This past year, concert attendance reached 90% participation!

What are a few of your career goals?

My goal has always been to teach students through music.  My hope is that I can continue to do that for years to come.  

Why did you choose education as your profession?

I always wanted to be a teacher.  My dad was a history teacher for 37 years and retired only two years ago.  I would go to school with my dad whenever I could and would play school at home.  This is the only profession I have ever considered and it really has been the best decision to follow in my dad’s footsteps.  

What makes a great teacher?

At almost every concert, I have at least one parent who comes up to me and says how much they enjoyed the concert and how it looks like I was having a lot of fun.  I always tell them, “I am having fun!”  I am fortunate that my subject allows for a lot of flexibility and interactive participation.  If you make teaching enjoyable and show the students how much you love what you do, they will love what you teach!

Sara Kucenski

What has been your experience as a professional?

After student teaching, I spent 6 weeks subbing for a maternity leave in a 5th grade classroom at St. Leo School. I taught 5th grade homeroom, Reading, Writing, Health/Science, and 6th-8th grade Health/Science. Additionally, I had substituted at this school twice
before in their 7th grade classroom.

Where do you work? What is your current position?

I am working as a Kindergarten teacher at Saint John the Evangelist Catholic School in Bellefonte, Pennsylvania.

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

There are so many great stories…it’s so hard to pick just one! I think my favorite story so far would have to be something that just happened the other day. We had been discussing St. Anthony and how he is the patron Saint of lost things. Later on in the day during Religion class, the topic of discussion was stray animals and what we can do to help them and keep them safe. One of my students got the biggest smile on her face, raised her hand high and said “Miss Kucenski, why don’t we just ask St. Anthony to help? Stray animals are lost, and Saint Anthony is the patron Saint of lost things, remember?!” Seeing that look of recognition and connection in her expression made me so proud! I love when my students are able to grasp a concept and make a deeper connection. Isn’t that what teaching is all about??

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

My main piece of advice would be to never forget why you went into this profession. Never lose sight of the importance of what teachers do, no matter what obstacles you face in the day.

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

There have been many things that I have used within my classroom that I was taught at Slippery Rock University. One thing that a lot of teachers struggle with and feel pressed for time with are assessments. SRU taught me many ways to assess my students, both formally and informally. I have been using a method I learned in an assessment class called the “Sticky Note Method”. I have sticky notes for each child on the back of a notebook and take notes/write a grade down as I observe them working. It is very efficient and can be done anywhere!

What is one challenge that you have faced thus far and how have you successfully dealt with it?

I have faced many challenges throughout my career so far, just as any new teacher does. Job interviews, working with new people, learning the curriculum/procedures you’ll be working with, students who may be a little more challenging than others, and so on. I think my biggest challenge, though, would have to be teaching my younger sister. When I moved home to complete the long-term subbing position at St. Leo’s, I had to teach my younger sister’s 8th grade Health class. I taught many students that I knew personally, but this one was a little bit different. It was weird having to call or email her mom (my mom) about school related matters, as well as keep our professional vs. personal lives separate at school. She had trouble calling me Miss Kucenski instead of Sara, which I could totally understand. We worked through all of this, though, and I think that we came out of it with a different respect and understanding of each other. I treated her like any other student, giving her the same amount of attention/help that I would with any other student.

What are a few of your career goals?

At first, my goals were to be exactly where I am: an elementary school teacher at a Catholic school in Pennsylvania. Now that those goals are met, I am focusing on goals within my classroom: make my lessons even more fun and engaging for my students.

Why did you choose education as your profession?

I knew from a young age that I wanted to be a teacher. My mom is a preschool teacher at a small Catholic school, and I grew up seeing how much she loved her job, as well as how good she was at it. I would go in and help her in her classroom as I got into high school, and fell in love with teaching. She would let me observe her teaching her morning class, and then allow me to teach that lesson to her afternoon class. It felt effortless, and I loved being with the kids. My favorite part was watching their face light up when they understood a concept that they couldn’t quite grasp before. In fact, this is still one of my favorite parts of teaching! I couldn’t imagine myself doing anything different!

What makes a great teacher?

A great teacher needs to be kind, compassionate, and understanding. However, they also need to have accurate expectations for their students, and hold them to these expectations. A great teacher NEVER gives up on a student, and always goes above and beyond to make their classroom a fun and safe learning environment. I think that any teacher realizes that just because we may only have to be at school from 8:00-3:00, our time “on the clock” rarely stops.