What is your educational background and what positions have you held?
I completed my undergraduate career at Slippery Rock University in 2016. I dual-majored in Early Childhood Education and Special Education with a minor in Political Science. Since then, I have become a middle school special education teacher with Baltimore County Public Schools in central Maryland. This is my second year teaching 6th grade reading and 8th grade language arts.
What is the most rewarding aspect of your job?
I put great value in my relationships with my students. Because I also push-in to other general education classrooms when I’m not teaching in the self-contained setting, I pretty much know all of the kids around the school. I love when my students come to me for help with assignments, want my advice on social issues they may be having, or just to say hi.
What advice would you give to current students who are enrolled in the teacher preparation program, and to SRU students generally?
Keep an open mind when it comes to your educational journey. When I first started in the program, I thought I was going to be a kindergarten teacher for the rest of my life. After spending a few weeks working in the Head Start program in Pittsburgh, I realized that wasn’t for me. I fell in love with assisting people with special needs during my sophomore year, which led to me teaching self-contained classes in a middle school. That’s something I never thought I’d do, yet here I am.
Name an SRU experience or faculty that had a positive influence on you and explain why.
If I had to narrow it down, I’d say Dr. Amodei helped me the most during my undergraduate career. I took two classes with her throughout my four years, and both of them helped to shape me into the teacher that I am. Beyond that, she’s such a kind, caring soul who always wants the best for her students. I knew that I could go to her for whatever I needed.
What makes a great teacher?
Patience and a sense of teamwork are the greatest virtues a teacher can have. Whether it comes to your students, fellow staff members, or parents, you need to have a great level of understanding and tolerance for events and ideas that are beyond your control. I don’t know how many times I’ve been in a situation that seemed impossible to solve that ended up fine after I worked with my team. As long as you have others who are working on behalf of your students, everything will work out in the end.
What is your educational background and what positions have you held?
I am a recent graduate of Slippery Rock University, graduating in May of 2017. I graduated with a dual degree in both Early Childhood and Special Education. Right after graduating, I accepted a Preschool teacher position where I worked with 3 and 4 year-old kids. As of the middle of December, I have accepted a new position working at Monarch Center for Autism. This is a school that specializes for students who are on the spectrum. I have seven students within my classroom who all range between grades one and five.
What is the most rewarding aspect of your job?
The most rewarding aspect of my job is seeing each kid have success at their own levels or abilities. Some of my students achieve success by completing a new math concept, whereas others achieve success by using words to express what they need or want. The look on their faces once they have mastered a skill or have shown progress towards a goal makes me smile!
What advice would you give to current students who are enrolled in the teacher preparation program, and to SRU students generally?
One piece of advice that I would give current students is to take as many opportunities as you can to help you grow in the field of your degree, whether it be education, business, or sports management. While you are still in college, this is the best time to further your knowledge outside the classroom. For me, I worked many years at a summer camp for special needs, as well as volunteered and got involved in other things that would help me gain experience and knowledge in the field which I wanted to make my career. It can often seem too time consuming to get involved or to take opportunities with school, work, and other obligations; however, down the road when you need to recall the information learned, you will be thanking yourself. It does not always have to be a huge opportunity or obligation either! Any little bit will help down the line.
Name an SRU experience or faculty that had a positive influence on you and explain why.
When I think about who inspired me throughout my college career, many professors came to mind. One in particular is Dr. Bieniek. He was so engaged and invested in our learning. He constantly was making all of what he was teaching applicable to the real world. He also filled his lessons with real life situations. In my current job, I use a ton of what was learned in his class. My school uses ABA (applied behavior analysis), so having that prior knowledge from that class has helped me be successful. Throughout my time knowing him, he has always showed compassion, passion towards Special Education, and took a genuine interest in all of his students. He is the exact teacher I hope to be with my students for my career.
What makes a great teacher?
A great teacher is someone who knows their students, and helps them achieve goals and success at their individual levels. I feel as if many times, teachers are pressured so much to teach certain topics and lessons, that the students who are above or below their average class level tend to fall behind, or lose interest in learning due to the work being too easy or hard. Making sure that all of your students can not only feel success, but loved, genuinely cared for, and feel important is crucial. Another thing that makes a great teacher is constantly reminding yourself that everything will be okay. Especially in the Special Education field, there are many times where you will leave defeated and at your wits end due to all that is going on and the stress of the job. But reminding yourself that each day is a new one, you are a specialist in your job, and you can do it, you will be able to keep being the teacher that your students need, and that you want to be! This will help you to continue to love your job and to be excited to go in every morning!
