Courtney Gallagher

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

 

I started at Slippery Rock in August 2012 as a Middle Level Mathematics major with a minor in Instructional Strategies for Students with Disabilities. I graduated in December of 2016. In December of 2017, I started my Master’s Degree at SRU for Technology for Online Instruction. I graduated with that degree in December 2018. Currently, I am in my second year of teaching at the Mars Area School District. Last year I was the eighth grade special education teacher, and this year I am the Autistic Support Teacher, the Emotional Support teacher, and I teach pullout English Language Arts and pullout Math to seventh and eighth graders. Before getting hired at Mars, I was substitute teaching in multiple districts across western PA.

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

There are so many aspects of my job that I find rewarding. To me what is the most rewarding is when a student is struggling with a concept, and suddenly the lightbulb in his/her head goes on. The excitement they get when they understand what they’re learning makes my job worth it.

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

A piece of advice that I would give current students in education is to be open to anything. I originally didn’t want to go into special education; I was set on becoming a math teacher. But then I realized how much more marketable I would be if I added certifications to my degree, such as: Special Education, Middle Level English, and Library Media Specialist. One of the constants in my interviews that I had before I landed my job was that I expanded my horizons to other subject areas than just my major and concentration. I made more doors open for myself by taking more PRAXIS tests adding those certifications to my resume.

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

I have so many great memories from my experiences throughout my SRU career. If it wasn’t for Dr. Merhaut in the Special Education Department, I would never have even pursued my minor and the certification that helped me obtain the position I have today. Dr. Hilton in the Secondary Education Department was someone that I looked up to a lot throughout my experiences, both for undergrad and graduate school. He pushed me to do my best and to work hard. I also looked up to my tennis coach while at SRU, coach Matt Meredith. He was always there for me when I needed him, and always had my best interest at heart. He was someone that pushed me to coach after graduation. All three of these men made me work towards becoming a better educator, and I am extremely grateful for each of them being a part of my college career.

5.    What makes a great teacher?

What makes a great teacher, and the teachers who I remember had the greatest impact on me, had a memorable relationship with me. I think building a good relationship with students is something that is extremely important. My students know that I am there for them whether they’re struggling with schoolwork, with friendships, or with something at home. Students need to gain your trust. Students may not remember everything they learned from you, but they will remember how you as an educator treated them.

Jessica Radjavitch

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

In May 2016 I graduated from Slippery Rock University with a major in Early Childhood Education with minors in Elementary Math Education and Instructional Strategies for Students with Disabilities. Following the PERC job fair, I accepted a 3rd grade teaching position in the Cartwright Elementary School District in Phoenix, Arizona! Working for Cartwright has given me so many amazing opportunities, such as being able to obtain my Gifted and Structured English Immersion endorsements, as well as completing over 200 professional development hours! Over the last two years, I have developed a passion for working with gifted and talented students, as an identified Gifted Cluster Teacher at my site! In addition to my classroom position, I recently was hired as a per-diem trainer with Benchmark Education Company, and I look forward to training and supporting school districts who are newly implementing the program Benchmark Advance!

 

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

The most rewarding aspect of my job is watching students become independent in their learning. At the beginning of each school year, some students may be behind on their decoding skills, or math facts, while others struggle with other skills. I work very hard with my students to meet the personal and academic goals that they set. Throughout the year, it is incredible to watch the transformation of my students who become independent learners who can monitor their own success! Each year I have “Aha!” moments where I realize how much my dedication to each of my students has paid off. Watching a student learn to read or watching a student grow Social-Emotionally is one part of my job that never fails to make me smile!

 

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

BE INVOLVED! I cannot stress enough how important it is to be involved in clubs, events, and any opportunity you have to work with children. As a student at Slippery Rock, I was a member of Early Childhood Club, Kappa Delta Pi, and the First Year Leader Scholar Program. Through these experiences, I was able to work in different schools around the area, which gave me more classroom exposure to prepare for my own teaching adventure, and I was able to form lifelong relationships along the way! There are many different organizations that team up with SRU to provide the students with once in a lifetime opportunities; for example, I was able to travel to Washington D.C. with Exceptional Adventures and I was able to study abroad in Mexico at the American School Foundation, as part of my student teaching experience! Being involved gives you stories to tell, and those conversations may take you places you never imagined possible!

 

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

As a student who was selected to student teach in Mexico with Dr. Snyder, I’ve got to say, he was one professor I will never forget, and I’m pretty sure I became a student he will never forget, too! On our journey through Mexico, I unexpectedly had to undergo surgery to have my appendix removed, and Dr. Snyder sat by my side the entire time I was in the hospital. He really showed that being a professor and a supervisor on the trip was only a small portion of his job; he stood in place of my parents when they could not be by my side and that honestly meant more to me and my family than anything in the entire world! This inspired me to not only be a great teacher like he is, but to always have a genuine concern for my students; it is my most important responsibility, as a caretaker, to watch after my students to make sure they are safe. Despite my time in the hospital, Mexico was one of the most amazing experiences of my entire life! Being able to immerse myself into a new culture in the country and build relationships abroad has helped shape me into a more well-rounded person.

 

5. What makes a great teacher?

I believe, first and foremost, a great teacher is someone who gives their all to their students, despite whatever obstacles may get in the way. Taking the time to understand where your students come from, the daily struggles they face, and how they learn best is extremely important! Before a teacher can do his/her job, they must first build relationships with each of the students to build trust and respect. Also, a great teacher should have a deep understanding of the content they are delivering to students. The educator should know exactly what students should be learning, how they should be learning it, and why it is important. A great teacher should use data to drive his/her instruction; by using the data, the teacher can intervene with students who still haven’t demonstrated mastery and they can enrich students who understand the concept. Finally, a great teacher is someone who is passionate about helping children and a believer that all children can and will succeed if they are equipped with the tools and support they need!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Brittany Kratz

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

I graduated from Slippery Rock University in 2018 with my B.S. Ed in Early Childhood Education and Special Education. While at SRU, I worked at both the Office of Alumni Engagement and the Student Health Center. During the summers, I worked jobs at multiple day care centers and summer camps. All these experiences have helped me grow my love of working with children and develop the skills to be a great employee. Also, during my time at SRU I served as an executive board member of NRHH (National Residence Hall Honorary), which provided me a lot of opportunities to give back to my school and local community. Currently, I am a 5^th-6^th Grade Autistic Support Teacher at New Story New Holland, located in Reading, PA. My school is a private autistic support school for grades K-8.   

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

The most rewarding part of my job is getting to see how far my students have come and the progress that they make day in and day out. Seeing their progress through out the year is monumental because of the students that I teach. It is also rewarding to see the little battles that they overcome daily as well as the way the students light up and are proud of themselves when it happens. Also, knowing that I helped them get there is rewarding as well.

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 to SRU students in the teacher preparation program would be, first always go into all your field and student teaching experiences with an open mind. You may not always get the grade or subject that you like but you will never know unless you try it out and experience it for yourself. Second, get to know your professors!! They might be a reason you get a job or not. They could write you the best recommendation letter or have a connection to a district that you want to teach at that you would have never know about. Also, thank your professors! I felt that all the professors that I had with in the college of education went above and beyond with what they taught and how helpful they were to their students. Finally, for all SRU students, get out and get involved on campus. You will learn how to work with all kinds of people (some you may like and some that you may not). You will have more learning experiences and develop job skills you will never learn by sitting in your dorm room!

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

The SRU experience and faculty members that influenced me the most was my time working at the Office of Alumni Engagement as their Student Assistant. I worked there all 4 years that I was at SRU, and it has forever changed my life! Working alongside Tracy Allison, Kelly Bailey, and Lisa Luntz at the alumni office was the most rewarding experience of my college life. I learned so many important job skills, communication skills, time management, etc. Tracy, Kelly, and Lisa were my school family they helped me through a very rough time in my life and I know that I had not worked with them that I wouldn’t be where I am today or the person that I am today. Working at the Office of Alumni engagement also provided me with a multitude of opportunities to network with alumni, be involved with events that showcased the outstanding work that other SRU alumni are doing all around the world.  

5. What makes a great teacher?

A great teacher puts time and effort into making sure every single student’s needs are met. Great teachers provide loving, respectful classroom environments where all students are welcome and encouraged to be themselves. A great teacher also sets high expectations for all their students and then encourages and teaches those students to reach their potential, and they don’t give up on their underachieving students. Finally, great teachers are passionate about teaching and learning. Passion is what drives us to put so much energy into our teaching. It stops us from giving up when things get hard, and it motivates us to learn ways to improve our craft – no matter how good we already are. You cannot be a great teacher without a passion for helping kids learn!