Courtney Lebetz

1. What is your educational background and what positions have you held?

I attended Slippery Rock University (2014-2018) and had a dual major in Early Childhood Education and Special Education.  During my time at SRU, I worked at the SGA/SRU Preschool& Child Care Center. I also worked at a daycare in my hometown during the summers and holiday breaks.  These experiences allowed me to find my passion for teaching young kids. I was an executive board member for Kappa Delta Pi, an international honors society in education, at SRU.  I was able to volunteer my time to help others in the community and build relationships with my peers. Currently I am an Elementary Autistic Support Teacher at Merakey, located in Leechburg PA.  This school is made up of both Autistic Support and Emotional Support classrooms.

2.  What is the most rewarding aspect of your job? 

The most rewarding part of my job is watching my students’ progress.  When I enter their data into graphs, monthly summaries, etc. and I see the number of behaviors decreasing and their academic goals being achieved I know that I am making a real difference. 

3.  What advice would you give to current students who are enrolled in the teacher preparation program, and to SRU students generally?  

 

I would suggest paying attention in your education classes—you will use what you learn!!!  If you are in the special education program ask to write mock IEPs, run a mock IEP meeting, or really anything that will give you a real-life experience.  Ask to go to a private special education school such as Merakey or Hope Learning Center. These places will give you experiences that no class could teach. To any SRU student—in the teaching prep program or not—get involved on campus and make connections with people outside of your classes. NETWORK.  Join a club, volunteer, play a sport. Do something that you love and will help you grow as an individual.

4.  Name an SRU experience or faculty that had a positive influence on you and explain why.

This is a hard question for me to answer. Mainly because all my professors and experiences at SRU were amazing and made a positive influence on me. However, I have two professors that really stick out. One being Dr. Michelle McCollin. This lady made every day feel like a party.  She loved life to the fullest and everyone knew it. Her classes were influential because she didn’t just teach from a book. She gave us authentic experiences and opportunities to learn from. She was real with us. She told us that our jobs were not going to be easy. But she also gave us the confidence that we could make a difference for children everywhere.  Dr. McCollin is extremely missed. I pray that her spirit and love for education is still felt by all of those at SRU.

The second professor that made a lasting influence on me is Dr. Bieniek.  I was lucky enough to have Dr. Bieniek for several special ed. classes as well as my student teaching advisor.  He was there for me every step of the road. From being stressed over schoolwork to cheering me on during student teaching observations, he was always there to guide my way and help me with whatever I needed.  Now, almost a year after graduation, I am still in contact with him and have decided to join the ABA master’s program that he is the graduate coordinator of. 

5.  What makes a great teacher?

Before I became a teacher, I thought I knew what made a teacher great. I thought he/she was confident and prepared and knew it all. Now that I am an actual teacher, I know that isn’t the case all the time. There are some days that I am “winging” it and just trying to survive the day.  And I quickly realized that this is okay sometimes.  What makes a great teacher isn’t materials and test scores and being perfect. What makes a great teacher is showing your students that what you do isn’t a job or for a paycheck. Show your students that you actually care.  Give high fives. Smile. Be weird and crazy.  My students tell me almost every day “Ms. Courtney, you’re crazy” and I am perfectly okay with that. Not every day is a dance party. There are days when I go into a closest and cry. However, I suck it up and go on with the rest of my day because I LOVE my students.  Now I’m not saying I’m a great teacher. I still have so much to learn, and I am grateful for my co-workers that have helped me through this insane first year.  A great teacher continues to learn, grow, and better themselves for their students’ sake.  And that is what I plan to do.

Ashley Dugaw

 

1. What is your educational background and what positions have you held?

I graduated from the Early Childhood and Special Education program at Slippery Rock University. I knew I wanted to go into this field because I loved to work with kids at various summer camps in high school. While I was attending college, I worked in the SRU/SGA Preschool on campus for three years. I LOVED working at the preschool not only because of the children but because of the staff that works there as well. The summer right after I graduated college, I was given the opportunity to be the Head Teacher during the summer program at the preschool. This was an amazing opportunity that allowed me to get hired for the job I have now. I am currently a Kindergarten Teacher at Byrns Darden Elementary school in Clarksville, Tennessee and wouldn’t trade it for the world!

2. What is the most rewarding aspect of your job?

Being a first year teacher, it is so easy to get bogged down with all of the little kinks that need worked out, the stress of making sure your students are learning, making sure you are prepared for your observations and getting ready for your team meetings but when that student who is struggling to learn content finally gets it, I would say that is the most rewarding aspect and makes you forget about all of the other things that come with the job. To see how happy and proud they are of themself is amazing. You feel this warmth deep down because all of your hard work is paying off and that student can finally feel confidence in themself that they can achieve anything! 

3. What advice would you give to current students who are enrolled in the teacher preparation program, and to SRU students generally?

Some advice I would give is SRU students is to not worry about the future and what’s in store for you. You will get those interviews; those offers and you will get that job that you are dreaming of. Don’t worry about the things that you cannot control. If you are prepared, confident and ready for the further everything will work out! You are WAY more prepared than you think that you are! Just have the confidence that you can do this because you can!

4. Name an SRU experience or faculty that had a positive influence on you and explain why.

While attending SRU, I had many influential professors that reassured me that education was the field that I wanted to be in. Even though all of the professors are amazing in the education department, there are two that come to the top of my mind. Dr. McCollin was one of the most influential people I have ever met in my life. Her classes were ones that I looked forward going to every day. She taught me that I don’t have to go by the book with not only teaching, but everything that I do. She taught me that when a student needs you, they really need you and it is okay to take that time to be there for them. She also taught me to advocate for every student that comes into my life because they deserve to get the best education possible. I had Dr. Hilton for only one class throughout my college career. As much as I loved his class and listening to his lectures, his advice came to me when I moved to Tennessee. I was reading the SRU newsletter and there was a section on advice from professors. Dr. Hilton’s advice was to never mix home and work life. If you have to come in early or stay late, do that but don’t take work home. That was the best advice I could’ve read as a new teacher because as a new teacher, you want everything to be perfect and that made me realize, not everything has to be perfect.

5. What makes a great teacher?

A great teacher is someone who takes the time to get to know their students. It is so important to make a connection with every single student that is in your room. Even that one student that disrupts your teaching every day. That student is the one that needs your attention and connection the most. When students feel that you care about them and love them, they like coming to school and trying their hardest. Students can do anything that they put their minds to and they really can change this world. It all starts with you and how you treat them. If you don’t care how they do in your class or how their home-life is, they will feel that. If you love them and care about them and how they are doing, they will feel that too! You don’t know what a student is going home to or what they had to go through to get to school. Make their time with you the best part of their day!