Inspiration:
Teachers change the world. Giuseppe Levi, an anatomy professor at the University of Turin, never won a Nobel Prize. However, he mentored 3 students who would eventually become laureates with groundbreaking discoveries in virology and genetics. Although this example is rather extraordinary, it shows the impact a teacher or mentor can have on the world.
In high school, I had an English teacher who transformed my aversion of grammar into an affinity for it. The interest he inspired propelled me to concentrate in neurolinguistics in college, and to work at an infant language acquisition lab after graduation. As the next chapter of my life unfolds, I want to propel more students into subjects they may never have considered.
Preparation:
I have been preparing to teach for over a decade. As a teaching fellow at Pingree, I practiced management skills: learning how to regain the attention of a class discussion that has developed into a free-for-all while maintaining a calm quietude, practicing regular time-checks to make time is not getting spent elaborating needless fascinating details, and building effective rubrics to set consistent expectations for my students’ work.
Intentional lesson planning has been integral to my preparation. Learning to plan lessons with specific goals based on skills, experience, or knowledge has set a foundation for my teaching to be effective and purposeful. In addition to integrating backwards planning, I’ve also enjoyed integrating project-based learning into my courses.
Lesson planning extends out of the classroom and onto the field. As the sole distance track coach, I built out a fitness schedule that was designed to be engaging, fun, and effective. Utilizing principles I learned from my mentor, I looked at the goal of the day and found fun ways to achieve it.
At Pingree, I have seen my colleagues support policy decisions that are clearly communicated. As a new teacher, learning some of the administrative side of school operations has helped me understand the impetus behind some school policies. Working on the financial aid side via book reuse, contributing to recruitment efforts by compiling a database of local youth organizations, or building a foundation from which to reassess our social media strategic plan has both shown me the interconnected nature of the admission office and has given me a taste of the marketing, recruitment, and financial aid priorities of a private school.
Before working at Pingree, I was a project manager at Duke University where I created and implemented a pilot k-2nd grade afterschool program focusing on the roles that vision and hearing have in communication. A secondary goal of the program is to deconstruct stereotypes of what a scientist looks like, wears, and what tools they use. Through leading the program, I worked with a typical range of attention spans but an above average level of enthusiasm, as all participating students had chosen to come to “Science Camp.”
As a swim teacher in high school, I used empathy to allow the young students to feel comfortable with their fear and ready to try a new and scary skill anyway, whether that be getting in the pool or jumping off the diving board. As a Vela intern, I used this empathy to help students complete their work despite their various frustrations. As an orientation leader, I sat with incoming students in their shyness, apprehensiveness, and doubt, helping them feel comfortable in their new environment. Working at Duke, I would use it to coax toddlers to participate in EEG experiments, where they needed to wear a tight-fitting cap covered in wires. Now, I use it to guide students to discovering answers themselves and to understand when my teaching plan was insufficient and needs to be readdressed. When teaching swim lessons, encouraging students in their efforts to complete projects, leading orientation trips, fitting infants into EEG caps, or to teach critical thinking, I use empathy to keep people moving forward.
In every position I have held, flexibility has been an asset. Both times Chemistry teachers have needed to take leave, I have volunteered to cover a week of class. Moving class plans after an unexpected rainstorm blows in, readjusting class plans when a topic takes more or less time to teach, and creating new ways to describe a concept are ways I have utilized flexibility in the classroom. Before cementing my foundation at Pingree, I built the Duke afterschool program around many unknowns; room size, pre-existing supplies, number of children, and other variables were expected to change between schools and dates. As an orientation trip leader, I improvised a poetry writing exercise when the group had unplanned free time on a mountain top. This short activity ended up being one of the highlights of the trip. During my Art/English teaching internship, the timeline for final projects began falling behind schedule, so, along with the teacher, I helped students chose what steps to skip so they could present a final project that looked complete to their parents and peers at the end of the program. As a full-time teacher, I fully expect to use this asset often.
Regardless of the age group I work with, the most influential trait that shines through my teaching is an indefatigable enthusiasm. I never lose faith that my student will be able to accomplish the tasks, even if they need more time or a different method to do so. Any step is exciting. A middle schooler simply speaking the first sentence for their paper out loud is one step closer to writing it down and one step closer to learning how to pen thoughts independently. A first-year student writing poetry to clarify and confide their mixed emotions with their small orientation peer group builds trust, self-confidence, and friendships. Kindergarteners helping each other to draw images blindfolded builds teamwork, creativity, and communication skills. Each of these events is a reason to celebrate.
Culmination:
As a teacher, I create environments for students to feel empowered, accepted, and safe. After two years of professional experience in my Pingree Fellowship and years of informal teaching and leading children and young adults before that, I will continue to excel in a classroom setting. I sincerely hope to be like those who inspire me and to change the world by inspiring world changers.