Stephanie Snyder

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

I graduated with my B.S in Education with my teaching license in PreK-4 and Special Ed K-8, I also earned my first Master's degree in Special Education with an Emphasis in Autism in 2019. I am currently pursuing a second Master's in Special Education with a concentration in Applied Behavior Analysis. I am hoping to become a Board-Certified Behavior Analyst when I complete this program. With my degrees, I have worked as a Behavioral Consultant (BC) and a School Based Therapeutic Service Coordinator. During my time as a BC, I worked with children ages 4 through 14 with a range of disabilities such as ADHD, ASD, Bipolar, and OCD. I currently work with the Pittsburgh Public School District with middle and high school students.  

 

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

The professional semester for SPED was the highlight of my undergraduate degree! There was so much information that would allow me to help my kiddos inside and outside the classroom. Pro-Sem also introduced me to my passion, Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA). I always wanted to focus on the special education side of my degree, and this felt like my moment to soak up a large amount of information. 

 

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

Dr. Lynch and Dr. Bieniek. Though he was not my advisor, Dr. Lynch gave me some of the most helpful advice and encouraging feedback. For a time, I thought I was in the wrong field. During that time, Dr. Lynch's feedback on assignments reminded me that I was exactly where I needed to be. Dr. Bieniek exposed me to my passion for ABA. He has a great way of taking complicated topics and breaking them down into everyday scenarios that we go through. Dr. Bieniek has helped me shape my mind to look at behavioral scenarios through a different lens. Both Dr. Lynch and Dr. Bieniek challenged me academically and that is why they had such a positive influence on me. 

 

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

I distinctly remember this moment like it happened yesterday. I was in 8th grade, and I absolutely hated recess. Instead of going outside, I had the option of tutoring math to 5th grade students and helping kindergarteners recognize and correctly pronounce alphabet sounds. I ate my lunch so fast and eagerly went to help the younger students. That is when I knew I wanted to be in education. However, after going through my undergraduate degree, I quickly realized that I wanted to shift my focus from academic teaching to behavioral teaching. 

 

5. What do you love most about teaching? 

This is such a tough question! I would say that the thing I love the most about teaching is the confidence students have when they approach me with problems they are facing. Being a student in an inner-city high school comes with its own set of difficulties, but these students display immense amounts of courage. It can be very daunting to bring personal issues forward to someone else, but the students I work with every day continue to overcome obstacles and request help when they are stuck. 

 

6. What makes a great teacher? 

A great teacher realizes that students have to Maslow before they Bloom, meaning that teachers are ensuring that the student's basic needs are being met before they attempt to apply academics. We are currently in a place where mental health needs are at an all-time high. Until those needs are addressed, our students will have a difficult time reaching their fullest potential. A great teacher also develops meaningful relationships with their students while creating, maintaining, and teaching them boundaries. And of course, shower them with love, support, and encouragement.