Kayla Moio

1. What is your educational background and what positions have you held? Please include the current school district and grade/s.

I earned my bachelor’s degree from SRU in 2021 in Early Childhood/Elementary Education and Special Education. I am currently completing a graduate assistantship that allows me to be an assistant teacher in a preschool classroom at the SRU/SGA Preschool and Child Care Center. While teaching preschool, I am finishing the Reading Specialist Master’s program and am due to graduate this December! 

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

I will never forget my undergrad and current years working at the Child Care Center on campus. I have grown as a student and educator by having the opportunity for practical application of the skills I was learning in my classes. Working in both roles as a student worker, and now as a mentor to the student workers has positively shaped my appreciation for the leadership, teamwork, and passion it takes to be a teacher. It has been such a rewarding experience that I will forever be grateful for. 

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

Dr. Walsh has been my professor for quite a few classes in my undergraduate and graduate programs. With each class, I gained more and more knowledge and found a love for teaching literacy to young students. She is knowledgeable in her field and always kind, encouraging, and supportive, which always made for enriching learning experiences in her classes. 


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

Growing up in a family of teachers, education was highly valued in our household. I always knew I wanted to be a teacher and make a positive impact on the lives of young learners. 

5. What do you love most about teaching?

There’s a lot to love about teaching, but what I love most is knowing I am playing a part in building a strong foundation for my preschoolers as they prepare for elementary school and their life ahead. The lessons in preschool go beyond reading, writing, and counting, and it is so rewarding to watch my students grow into their roles as kind, caring members of our classroom community along with all of the academic progress they will make throughout the year. 

6. What makes a great teacher?

A great teacher is a role model, a mentor, dedicated, persistent, flexible, reflective, and passionate about what they do. It is more than a job, it is a pursuit to create a better world around us by educating and empowering our students to be well-rounded and conscientious individuals, and a great teacher recognizes and pours into that.