Brittany Miller

 

 

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

I graduated with my BSEd in Secondary English in January 2015 (after the winter session), having student taught at Allderdice High School in Pittsburgh Public. I was offered a full-time sub position at Allderdice at the beginning of the 2015-2016 school year and by February 2016, I was hired permanently; I have been here ever since. I currently teach two sections of English 3 PSP (11th), two sections of English 2 CAS (10th), and a creative writing elective (9-12th). Next year, it looks like I will be teaching English 3 PSP and English 3 CAS/AP.   
*PSP = Promise Scholar Program; CAS = Center for Advanced Study

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

I teach a vastly diverse group of students. NICHE rates Allderdice with an A in diversity and as a teacher, I recognize it in a multitude of ways. I try to validate and incorporate aspects of this diversity in my teaching methods, classroom climate, and relationships with students. Being able to sincerely connect with an array of students is often challenging but always rewarding. I have grown tremendously as a person since student teaching and while that probably sounds cliche, I could not mean it more genuinely. Rapport building is important for building a climate students can learn in, and it is the RISE Domain I consistently score highest in. I have found it helps my students in general and it is rewarding for me, as well.

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

For prospective teachers, please do not get into education to "save" kids; kids do not need saved--they need someone to believe in them, challenge them, and hold them accountable. I hope they do not watch movies like Dead Poets Society, Stand and Deliver, Freedom Writers, or Dangerous Minds and think that is an accurate norm for what it is like to teach. My other advice would be to refine time management skills before graduating. One needs stellar time management skills in the classroom, grading and planning during prep periods or at home, and balancing all that while pursuing a graduate degree and/or working a second job. Sometimes I work an eighty-hour work week. This school year is the first time in the last ten years I have not needed to work a second job and I will be finishing my MA in the fall. It can be brutal; do not make it harder than it is going to be.

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

I was extremely blessed to have some amazing professors. I was working in the city and commuting one hour each way to SRU three and four times a week. Dr. Pitard, Dr. White, Dr. Oldakowski, and Dr. LaCom (all of the English Dept.), and Dr. Hilton (of the Ed. Dept.), respected my time, challenged me, and supported me. Each of them goes above and beyond for their students and genuinely cares about the quality of their classes, and not only am I a better graduate student (and independent learner) because of their classes, but I'm a better teacher. I owe them a lot. I am also thankful that Dr. Preston placed me in Allderdice for student teaching, especially because I would not be teaching here had he not.

5. What makes a great teacher?

I think a great teacher is someone who, despite sometimes finding his/herself crying in their car because of stress, shows up and tries; it is someone who tries to grow, tries to adapt, and is not afraid to take chances. No teacher, no matter how successful, is perfect every single day because at the end of the day, teachers are human. The difference between an average teacher and a great teacher is how those failures are turned into learning experiences used to create positive change.

Dylan Vamosi

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

I graduated with my B.S. Ed in Secondary Education - Social Studies at SRU in 2016 and immediately moved on to my M. Ed in Social Studies. I earned my M. Ed. while working as a graduate assistant in the Dean's Office and a substitute teacher at Slippery Rock Area School District. From there, I was hired as an 8th grade Civics teacher by Princess Anne Middle School at Virginia Beach City Public Schools in Virginia Beach, Virginia. 

2. What is the most rewarding aspect of your job?
The most rewarding aspect of my job is telling my students' parents how awesome their kids are. It really makes parents proud to hear about their child's accomplishments in my class, and it builds a level of respect between myself and my students. The learning process works so much better when a level of respect exists between teacher and students -- and even more so when it becomes a community with the parents. 

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

Keep your personality in the classroom. Teachers are pulled in a million directions about how to teach and what to teach. Teachers get so caught up in being a professional that it can be easy to lose a bit of your individualism trying to fulfill your responsibilities. If you normally get visibly excited when you talk about your subject of expertise, bring that excitement into the classroom. If you have other passions like music, your family, dogs, mention all of them in the classroom. Kids enjoy knowing about your life, and that is a good reason to combine your individualism and profession. 

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

Dr. Hilton is the greatest of all-time. He addresses methodology well, but he also ensures that teachers also have a great understanding of classroom management and what really works for students. There is no fluff to his classroom, and he guarantees himself as a a lifelong resource for all of his students. For this reason, students should take him whenever possible. 

I also have to give shout-outs to Dr. Amodei for being an awesome faculty leader for our Italy trip, Dr. Christmann for helping me throughout my graduate program, and Dr. Hicks for being a great undergraduate advisor. SRU has an awesome education faculty. 

 
The history/anthropology departments were also amazing. Dr. Cowan and Aksel Casson taught me educational skills and knowledge from other disciplines which are now indispensable in my teaching philosophy and approach.   

5. What makes a great teacher?
A great teacher is constantly advocating for students. I have great teachers around me who go beyond their means to vouch for and help students. This means highlighting accomplishments, noticing the small developments students go through, and leading by example in the classroom. There is no limit on the amount of guidance that teachers can provide for their students -- and great teachers are at the forefront of that development.

Nicole Cordle

 

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

I graduated from Slippery Rock University’s College of Education with a degree in Early Childhood Education and Special Education. While attending college I worked at a daycare in my hometown, Toddler Town USA, while on breaks and during the summer. I also worked at the SRU/SGA Preschool and Childcare Center on campus. These were both great opportunities and I learned so much while working at both of these wonderful places! I am currently working at Coventry Elementary School with the York County School Division in York County Virginia as a Special Education Teacher. I love my job and my students and couldn’t ask for a better job!

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

Being a first year teacher can be challenging, but the most rewarding aspect of my job is my students. I have gotten to know the students on my caseload so well over this school year. I love seeing the “aha” moment when they are finally grasping a new concept. I love having the ability to work with not only the students on my caseload but also the students in all 3 of the inclusion classrooms I get to be a part of. My colleagues are so helpful and I have a wonderful mentor helping me with all the things teaching carries with it. It is so rewarding to make such an impact on my students lives. They put a smile on my face every single day and I love that I am able to do the same for them.

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

The advice I would give to current students in a teacher preparation program is to get as many experiences as you can. You can learn and memorize things from a book, which is important as well, but a book can not prepare you for real-life teaching. I was lucky enough to not only have the experiences Slippery Rock provided me with, but also I took experience into my own hands and chose to work at places that could offer me even more. College isn’t easy, but in the end it is all worth it. Enjoy your time in college because it goes so much faster than you realize.

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

While attending Slippery Rock Universtiy, I had the opportunity to have many influential proffesors that ensured I was well prepared for my future career. There are a few that stand out in my mind. One of them being Dr. Eric Bieniek, he was not only my student teaching supervisor but I had the opportunity to have him as a professor for class. Dr. Bieniek taught me so many things and shared so much useful information that I honestly still use to this day. I saved his powerpoints and projects and use them as resources and references in my current position. I cannot thank him enough for all of the knowledge he provided me with. Another professor that stands out in my mind is Dr. Michelle McCollin. Her classes weren’t easy, but in the end she taught me so much and I thoroughly enjoyed going to her classes. She once said to us, “go where you’re needed, not where you want to go” and to this day I think about what she meant by this. She wanted us, because she knew SRU prepared us so well, to go where there are students that needed us. You can get caught up and want to work in the best and most prestigious schools, but in the end, the students that need us most may not be at those schools. Something else that she taught us was to ADVOCATE. Advocate for your students. Stand up for them. Be there for them, be their voice. And I’ll never forget what a wonderful professor she was and how much she taught me. 

5. What makes a great teacher?

A great teacher cannot be defined as one or two things. A great teacher is a multitude of things. A great teacher does anything and everything in their power for their students. A great teacher collaborates, a great teacher learns along side their students, a great teacher perseveres and a great teacher puts a smile on their face every single day and leaves all their problems outside the school, regardless of what’s happening in their personal lives for their students. We do it for them.

Alaina Smith

 

1. What is your educational background and what positions have you held?
 
I am a 2016 and 2018 graduate of Slippery Rock University with a Bachelor's Degree in 7-12th grade Social Studies and a Master's Degree in 7-12th Special Education.  I student taught at West Allegheny School District in Imperial, Pennsylvania. Upon graduation, I was employed at West Allegheny as a substitute teacher for 2 years.  In addition, I was the color guard instructor for the West Allegheny Marching Pride for 3 years.  I currently teach Special Education at The Summit Academy in Herman, Pennsylvania.  The Summit Academy is an all male school for adjudicated youth from various states ranging from 13-20 years of age.  

 
2. What is the most rewarding aspect of your job?
 
The most rewarding aspect of my job is to see the impact that I have made in many of my students' lives.  I teach students that are on many different instructional levels.  It is rewarding to see the personal growth that my students have made when they progress through each grade level. 

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

The best advice I would give to a new teacher or a recent graduate would be to network as much as possible with many people, regardless of their professional backgrounds.  Make it a priority to attend professional and social events.  Slippery Rock holds events such as Backpacks to Briefcases and the Senior Transition Conference for college seniors who are graduating.  Utilize the Office of Career Development and Education.  They provide free services to students that assist with resumes and interviewing techniques.  Don't ever stop learning and growing professionally. 

 
4. Name an SRU experience or faculty that had a positive influence on you and explain why.
 
Working in the Office of Alumni Engagement was one of my best experiences during my time at Slippery Rock University.  While I was working in the Alumni Office, I met numerous alumni that shared their experiences with me about their lives and careers. I have been involved in the planning and organization of many events that positively changed my experience at Slippery Rock.  The Alumni Director, Kelly Bailey, was a positive influence on me because she taught me how to be a successful planner, sharpened my communication skills, and engage with others in a professional setting.  She demonstrated to me the importance of the bond between alumni and the current students attending Slippery Rock University.   
 
5. What makes a great teacher?
 
A great teacher is someone who devotes their time, effort, and energy to ensure that their students are successful.  A great teacher is a person who is a counselor, a confidant, and a mentor before teaching can take place.  The best teachers are the ones who can captivate their students and can make the information relatable to life outside the classroom.