Kassidy Boots

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

I attended Riverside High School in Ellwood City, PA and graduated in 2016. From there, I started my college career at the Community College of Beaver County. While enrolled, I obtained my associate’s degree. In 2018, I transferred to SRU and loved every second of it! In December of 2020, I graduated with my Bachelor’s in Early Childhood and Special Education. Since graduation, I was a substitute teacher, but the experiences I have gained thus far have been unforgettable. I taught in a Life Skills Classroom at Riverside Middle School for about a month and really enjoyed the time I had with those kids. After that, my cooperating teacher (from when I was a student teacher) went on maternity leave and I took over for her. Gaining experience in her grade 6-8 learning support classroom at Riverside really benefited me as a new teacher. Currently, I am teaching in a self-contained learning support classroom.

 

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

I’ll never forget the experiences I had with the people that were in all of my classes during my education classes. We were all like a little family and we helped each other conquer all obstacles that came our way, especially when one of our semesters fell short due to COVID19. We did a lot together, from completing projects to having dinner. Those experiences made me feel like those classmates were another family of mine, for that I’m forever thankful!

 

3. Name an SRU faculty that had a positive influence on you and explain why.

All of my professors made an impact but Dr. Jeremy Lynch is the most unforgettable. He made his classes enjoyable. We didn’t learn by listening to him read notes off of PowerPoint. We learned from his stories, projects he had us do, and activities we completed. Dr. Lynch showed us he genuinely cared for each and every student he taught. You could see the passion for his profession.

 

4. What initially piqued your interest in pursuing a degree in education?

I had some of the best teachers in elementary school. They were teachers I could go to for advice, help, etc. They each made an impact on my life and I still keep in touch with some to this day. I realized later in my schooling career that I want to impact a student as much as my teachers have impacted me. I want to be that person students feel comfortable talking to.

 

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

Seeing that “ah-ha!” moment during a lesson is the most rewarding aspect of teaching. When a student grasps a skill or task, it is so rewarding not only for the teacher, but for the student as well. I love seeing students learn and grow once they understand a concept. 

 

6. What makes a great teacher?

A great teacher is someone who not only teaches the content to achieve the goals. A teacher is someone who shows they genuinely care about the students they teach. They teach from the heart. They connect with the students, and they don’t just pay attention to the outcomes. They pay attention to the students.