Amanda Carnes

Where are you teaching? What subjects and grades?
I am currently a special education teacher for Easter Seals. We are an approved private school for children ages 3-8. I teach life skills as well as the implementation of the verbal behavior program in the classroom.

What advice would you give to current students who are enrolled in the teacher preparation program?
To be successful in the teacher education program, you must be dedicated to studying and practicing different teaching techniques to successfully execute lessons to students. Current teacher education students need to be aware of deadlines for certification tests to prepare for graduation.

What is one positive experience that you have had with a student?
I have had many positive experiences with students. I would have to say the greatest experience with a student with special needs is when I taught a specific picture card for the student to label, and they were able to identify the picture aloud.  To many this may seem simple.  But in reality, and for this student, this represented a real milestone.

What makes a great teacher?
A great teacher thinks “outside the box,” is not afraid to get messy, and ensures students are retaining skills as well as maintaining them across other environments. Also, a great teacher always reflects what they could do differently after teaching.

Nick LaMantia

 
 

Where are you teaching? What subjects and grades?

I am currently at West Shamokin Jr./Sr. High School where I teach Learning Support English for grades 8, 9, and 10. I have a Bachelor's Degree in Media Communications from the University of Pittsburgh, a Master of Arts in Teaching English and Communications from the University of Pittsburgh, and a Master of Education in Special Education from SRU. I am currently enrolled in the Principal's Certification Program at Point Park University. 

 

What advice would you give to current students who are enrolled in the teacher preparation program?

The biggest advice I can give to new teachers is to not compromise who you are in the classroom. Always be yourself. Having been in the classroom for seven years, I have seen other people become frustrated because they tried to live up to expectations which were unrealistic for them. Always be professional, but understand who you are as a person and as a teacher. It may take some time to learn the latter, but don't be afraid to try something new in your classroom. 

 

What is one positive experience that you have had with a student?

A few years back, I was teaching regular education 10th grade English, and I had a student who was in English 10 for the second year, as well as English 11 with another teacher. He openly disliked English class, but loved to read. I found this to be a common theme among the students in the class. I decided to work in an independent study program in my curriculum. The students could choose any work over ten pages as long as they had parent/guardian approval, and then they would write a one-page reflection on that. There were two due for each nine weeks. The student really found an interest in this assignment. For him, it opened up what English class could be instead of all of his preconceived notions as to what he thought it was. He finished my class with a B average and passed his English 11 with an A. 

 

What makes a great teacher? 

It is our job to be the "mayor." We need to listen to the students, and we need to decide what is best for them. It may not always be what they like or enjoy, but it definitely can be. We are there to make the best decisions for their education. It is their learning environment, and we need to accept that and give them some ownership of what they do and how they do it.