Abigail Buzzie

 

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

I graduated from SRU in the fall of 2022 with my Bachelor's in Elementary Education PreK-4 and Special Education PreK-12. I am about to start my second year at Queen of Angels Catholic School as a fourth grade teacher!

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

One SRU experience in the field that I will never forget would be during my first student teaching placement when I was teaching a fourth grade math class at Maxwell Elementary for Hempfield School District. During my last week at the school I participated in a fundraiser event where the students earned the prize of "pieing" teachers in the face. When it was fourth grade's turn to pie teachers in the face, I kept getting picked by my students to be the one getting pied! The kids were going crazy and it was so fun to do that with my cooperating teacher and the rest of the staff members!

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

An SRU faculty that had a positive influence on me would have to be Dr. Preston. Dr. Preston supported my success at SRU and helped me to become the teacher that I am today.

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

When I was in fourth grade I was picked to go down to a first grade classroom in the morning and work with students in the classroom. I would go over sight word flash cards with them and go over small skills that they needed to practice. I loved being able to help the first graders and it became something that I looked forward to doing! After completing my "teacher role" with first grade, I received a little teacher themed gift from the class! I knew after that experience that I wanted to be a teacher when I grew up.

5. What do you love most about teaching?

What I love most about teaching is being able to help my students learn and grow every day. I love having fun with them and seeing students improve and enjoy the material that we are working on. Noticing their progress from the beginning of the year to the end of the year is so rewarding and special to see.

6. What makes a great teacher?

What I think makes a great teacher is patience, a passion for teaching, and empathy. Every child has different needs and as teachers we need to help make an impact and be an advocate for every student.