Danielle Swezey

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.