Letter From Student Sarah Jane

Class of 2017

Sarah Jane S

Summa Cum Laude, with Highest Honors

Bachelor of Arts in English Literature

Teaching certification in Secondary 

Education

Arizona State University

Barrett honors Theses:

Multi-age Curriculum Utilizing

Thematic Units, Grades 4-6

Mr. William Floore

May 31, 2017

Sarah S




Dear Mr. Floore,

       I want to share with you thee impact you had on my education as a child and throughout
my young adult life. I was one of your many students in the multi-age program at Copper Creek
Elementary. While I would never assume that you can recall all of your students by name (as I
am struggling to remember one year's worth of students), I want you to know that you
always stood out as the most impactful of all of my teachers.

      If you do recall, I was a shy and lazy student when I first entered your classroom. I was
eager to please, but I did not have the motivation nor organization to keep up with your
demanding homework schedule. About half-way through fourth grade I figured it out. While I
will readily admit that I never fell in love with math, I remained two years ahead of my peers
throughout my middle and high school years thanks to your determination to have us actually
complete a math textbook. I also gained a sense of pride in my love of reading after completing
the Accelerated Reader challenge. however, I think the skills that stuck with me the most were
planning ahead and in turning work in on time. since leaving your classroom, I have never turned
in a single assignment after the deadline. While I know many parents were reluctant or
even resistant to the late homework table (I'm sorry I cannot recall the actual name of the table
where the students sat in "exile" for not completing their homework on time), but the fear of turning
in late work was very effective and kept me on track throughout college.

    You were my most challenging teacher. through your no-nonsense attitude and
adherence to deadlines, I was able to gain essential skills to become a successful student
and employee. I cannot tell you how many of my college friends stayed up all night to complete an
essay, only to miss the midnight deadline by one minute. I am so thankful that I had a teacher
that required a high level of organization and time management skills.

    I can also pinpoint my love of reading back to fourth grade in your classroom. We were
completing the Accelerated Reader program and you required each of us to complete the entire
program by the end of the school year. at first, I was intimidated by the challenge and a little
resistant since my friends in other classes completed AR for fun. Yet, you made this daunting
task more interesting by bringing in a variety of books into our classroom. You remembered that I
loved dogs and so you brought me several books about talking dogs and young dog owners. I
also recall the parents who read to us once a week. i still love Of Two Minds. I
also appreciate that we read every Newberry award winner in our age bracket. when browsing
the bookstore for new books for my little cousin, I always reach for one of the chapter books we
read in your classroom. Thanks to you, I discovered the world of books, one that
allowed me to travel anywhere, interact with colorful characters, and even enter fantasy worlds.
Thank you for opening up my imagination.

    I wanted to share with you that I graduated with my degree in English Literature and certificate
in Secondary Education. To my complete surprise, I fell in love with teaching my
sophomore year of college. As a a freshman, I was determined to become a book editor, but after I
began tutoring disabled college students, I realized I actually liked helping students. Teaching for
a month in South Korea affirmed my love of classroom teaching and I signed up the next
semester for my teaching certificate. I further drew on my elementary years when i created a
multi-aged curriculum for my honors thesis. I hope to one day implement the curriculum in
schools after I gain more teaching experience and earn my masters.

      As I completed my teacher preparation program and student teaching, I kept asking
myself what kind of teacher I wanted to be.  While I am still trying to sort out my course
objectives and discipline policy, I hope I can incorporate high expectations and appropriate
academic support just as you did for me. Everyone deserves to have a teacher like Mr. Floore in
their lives. I hope to instill a passion for learning in my students. Thank you for
inspiring me to become a teacher.

Sincerely.

Sarah

Sarah S (BA, SED ’17) is an English major who knew she wanted to teach, but wanted to keep her English degree separate from her teacher preparation because she wanted to “emphasize her content knowledge.” She said, “I was almost done with my English degree when I added the secondary education certificate, so it didn’t make sense to change my major. I feel just as supported and prepared as the education majors, and everyone in Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College was extremely knowledgeable and has every student teacher’s best interests in mind.”
Slater, a Tucson native, said that while volunteering in South Korea recently, she decided she wanted to pursue a career as an educator. “That experience was one of the defining moments of my career path. I spent more than 12 hours a day teaching English, playing games and getting to know young students. One of them was a troublemaker and encouraged others to join in his misbehavior. I sat next to him during an assembly, and he agreed to teach me some Korean phrases. After that, he used his leadership role to corral the other kids and remind them to pay attention. That little victory sealed the deal. I realized that I love teaching!”
Slater had a passion for English since she was in elementary school, and decided to teach high school English while working as a writing tutor for students at the ASU Disability Resource Center. “One of my students graduated from high school with a third grade reading level. After just a few weeks in tutoring, he completed his first college essay. When he turned it in, he was so proud, and we were both ecstatic when he received an ‘A.’ I am excited to see where I end up teaching after this year, and I hope to go on to complete my master’s degree in education.”
Tales Out of School
A lightning-round interview that introduces you to members of the Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College community.
What three things are always in your fridge? 
Chocolate, cheese and lunch meat.
Coffee or tea?
Coffee.
Last movie you watched that made you cry:
“Me Before You.”
Last book you read:
“Reading Reconsidered” by Doug Lemov.
Teaching is the most important profession because …
Teachers are often the most influential people in children’s lives. A teacher can change a student’s perspective of a subject, mold their character and create a lifelong learner.
The real-life teacher who most inspired you was …
My elementary school teachers. I was in a multi-age program, so I had two teachers in elementary school. They encouraged us to take leadership roles and grow in our interests, two valuable approaches that I rarely saw after I went on to middle school.
Favorite fictional teacher:
Dumbledore.
What are you most grateful for?My family.
Why did you choose education as a major?
I knew I wanted to do something with English, but once I began tutoring I realized the impact I could have through teaching. I also recognized that I looked forward to going to work each morning and could not stop talking about the progress of each of my students.
Who inspired you when you were young, and why?
My mother is the strongest woman I know. She works harder than anyone I know and never complains. She is completely selfless, something that I hope to one day inherit.
Who inspires you now?
My students. So many of them face challenges outside the classroom and still maintain a positive attitude and strong work ethic.
Three historical or fictional people you would have over for dinner:
Jane Austen, Hermione Granger and Rhett Butler.
What’s your favorite mode of transportation, and why?
My car because I can escape the heat.
What’s your go-to food?ASU moment to remember:
Watching the Pac-12 championship against Stanford my freshman year.
Biggest change in classrooms from when you were a child to today:
Technology has vastly changed the way to engage students and how to approach management of various devices.
Biggest mistake:
Not starting the teaching certificate program earlier.
Biggest accomplishment:
Connecting with a disruptive student through a language barrier.
Most adventurous thing you’ve ever done:
Teaching in South Korea for a month.
What advice would you give your 18-year-old self:
Do not be afraid to try new things and explore other interests.
Favorite movie quote:
“We accept the love we think we deserve” –“Perks of Being a Wallflower”
Pet peeve:
Dirty dishes.
Chocolate (it should be its own food group).