How did your education at the University of Iowa College of Education prepare you for your current position?

I could not have been more pleased with the support and preparation I received while attending the University of Iowa College of Education.  The staff was willing to put forth effort to guide us through precise, authentic experiences to fully prepare us for our future career.  I received much more in-classroom experience than many of my current colleagues.  I am grateful for the hands-on learning experiences which taught me about daily planning, technology, and classroom management.  Specifically, I took advantage of an opportunity to teach for a full week in an inner-city Chicago Public Elementary school.  This experience left me with an imprint of the students' needs both educationally and emotionally.  I promised myself to return to a Chicago Public Elementary school in order to provide students with as much of their needs as I could, and to continue advocating for inner-city children and their lack of meaningful education.

What do you love about being a teacher?

I love my students, I truly do, as "cheesy" as it sounds.  My students are the ones who fill the majority of my days.  I feel blessed to be the individual who gets to spend her days surrounded by small giggles.  I get pleasure out of seeing my students work together and help each other.  I get the most joy out of seeing a student who hated reading and writing, or any particular subject, find pride and success in their achievements.  I'm so proud of my students for their efforts and successes.  I especially love to be here the following year about their literature endeavors that I was able to help inspire.  Seeing "that light" shine in their eyes, even the most challenging of kids, is what I love about being a teacher.

Tell us an anecdote about an important moment in your teaching

Being a leader for 35 students is not the challenge. The hardest challenge is being a leader for colleagues and administrators. I spent years struggling to educate adults about the woes of public education and NCLB and urging them to get on board through action. For me, important moments in teaching have been when administrators have asked me to participate in leadership activities where I can share my knowledge and inspiration. Being a teacher is not just teaching, it is about advocating for these young souls, and I get pleasure from seeing future educators get involved early on.