Maria Strnisha

1. What school district and grade/s do you currently teach?

I teach 3rd grade at Montclair Elementary which is a Prince William County Public School in Northern Virginia.

2. What do you love most about teaching?

As a first year teacher, I love building relationships with my students. I love learning more about them every day. From their favorite outside activities, to their future dreams, to what it’s like to take a walk in their shoes, I strive to learn something new about each one of them every day. I love their personalities at this age and being in a position to facilitate their growth is such an amazing thing.

3. Name one SRU experience, in general or specific to the field, that you will never forget and explain why.

It’s impossible to name every unforgettable experience! There are so many amazing ones. At SRU, I dual majored in both Elementary Education and Dance. Some of my most favorite experiences were any chance I had to combine both of my passions. For example, I took a teaching of dance class where we had field experience getting to teach classes in dance studios. It was incredible how my background and education for elementary teaching was able to shine through while teaching dance as well. I also loved my arts integration class where I got to create a lesson which  incorporated movement with the curriculum standards. It was really cool to be able to have both of my favorite things come together so perfectly.

4. What advice would you give to current students who are enrolled in the teacher preparation program?

The best advice I could give to a current student is to soak in every single moment of the experiences you get. I know we hear it all too often that this time goes by too fast, but it’s definitely the truth! I would tell them to be the best they can be at every moment. There were times, especially while I was student teaching, that I felt as though I didn’t give my best effort because I was terrified about my time at SRU quickly expiring. Even more so, I was petrified at what was coming after it was over. With that said, the professors in the department are incredible and offered me endless encouragement and support. They are there for you! Don’t be afraid to talk to them. It’s okay to feel scared of the unknown, but there are so many great people to turn to at SRU. Even to this day, every day is a kind of like a brand new learning experience. It’s all about your approach and your attitude.

5. What makes a great teacher?

I believe that a great teacher is something that can be defined differently for everyone. To me, a great teacher is someone who recognizes the needs of the students on any given day and is okay with being flexible to accommodate them. While instruction is extremely important, I also am a firm believe that sometimes the one thing your students need most has nothing to do with what’s on your lesson plan. As teachers we wear many different hats. Sometimes we go from coach, to detective, to event planner, to mediator, to comedian, to entertainer, to cheerleader... All in the span of a few moments! It’s all about knowing when to change that hat and which hat to switch to. I also believe that a great teacher is a lifelong learner. We are constantly educating ourselves on various topics and learning from ourselves and even our students in a daily basis. A great teacher also provides and accepts support. With encouragement from my family, friends, my boyfriend Matt and his family, my mentors at SRU and Montclair, my students, and my own perseverance, the challenges of teaching can be overcome with strength in numbers.