Brian Crossley

Where are you teaching? What subjects and grades?

Currently, I am teaching at the Trinity Area School District at Trinity North Elementary School in Washington, PA. I am a Kindergarten through 5th grade emotional support teacher.

What have you done particularly well in your position?

I have created positive relationships with my students and parents. As a teacher, it is very important to maintain trust and open communication with parents and students. I always make sure that I listen to the needs of every single one of my students and meet them the best I can. Also, I communicate with parents to gain insight on their children's' interests, what works for them as parents, and how I can implement those insights into the classroom.

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

The advice I would give to current students who are enrolled in the teacher preparation program is to take every opportunity given to you in observations, field experiences, and student teaching. Throughout your experiences, ask questions to your field supervisor and mentor teacher because it helps you grow as a teacher candidate. By doing this, you will develop many professional relationships and networking opportunities. Also, I would tell each student in the teacher preparation program to take one day at a time, and it is okay to make mistakes. You will be faced with many obstacles. When you are, remember tomorrow is another day to make improvements. Just like your students, you are learning. Be the educator you want to and know you can be through the preparation from Slippery Rock.

What SRU experience or faculty positively influenced you, and in what way?

If it wasn't for Slippery Rock's teacher preparation program, I would not be the teacher I am in or in the current position I am in today. Slippery Rock's teacher preparation program gives you every opportunity to prepare you for the educational field. One faculty member that has positively influenced me was Dr. Erickson and his Special Education Assessment class. He gave us every opportunity in his class to learn the IEP process through the development and implementation of it. With special education being my passion, Dr. Erickson allowed us to use IEP Writer to learn how to write this document. This was such a valuable experience because I have sat in many interviews, with school districts, that have asked if I am familiar with IEP Writer. By becoming familiar with this program, in college, it allowed me to better myself. Also, Dr. Erickson allowed students to participate in an ALICE training at one of the school districts he worked for. Again, the ALICE training gave me a real world experience and opportunity in the field of education.

What makes a great teacher?

What makes a great teacher is passion, willingness to take risks, and patience. Every student I have come across has influenced me. I learned about success and how to overcome hardships through my students. My students always make me want to come back to teach, even if we had a bad day before or a great one the day before that. My students rely on me every single day, and knowing that grows my passion for teaching. It is crucial to understand that each day will not be perfect, but that the most important thing is how you adapt and overcome challenges. Finally, great teachers need to have patience. Being patient, understanding, and open with your students will create positive relationships and a safe classroom environment.