Invested teacher
Whitney’s parents are Northwestern graduates, and after multiple campus visits, she decided it was the college for her as well—a place where she would be challenged spiritually and academically. She combined her elementary education major with reading, TESL and coaching endorsements and now teaches in Inwood while commuting from Hull, Iowa.
How well prepared were you to teach?
By the time I graduated from Northwestern, I had accumulated over 100 hours in the classroom working with students in grades K-4. You don’t have this at every college, but Northwestern got me in the classroom so early on that I felt like I was ready to be on my own when the time came. I went from simply observing other teachers, to working in small groups with kids, to teaching lessons, to substituting, and to teaching a whole class for an entire day. Northwestern professors and classes prepared me in so many ways, making me confident in who I am as a person and teacher.
What did you learn from your Northwestern professors about teaching?
I learned that forming a rapport with my students first allows me to better reach them through learning later. In order to reach kids academically, they have to trust you relationally and know you care about them as a human being. An inviting classroom atmosphere stems from how each student feels and how they are influenced when they step foot in my classroom each day. I saw that displayed by my professors throughout my four years at Northwestern, and I made it my goal to create that same environment in my own classroom.
Why did you choose elementary education as your major?
I've always loved children, but the older I got, the more I realized the need for great teachers who truly invest in their students. Kids need to be reminded daily that they are loved, valued and capable of doing hard things. I felt called to make that my mission each day by being a teacher—making school a safe space for kids where they feel constantly poured into. Teaching children fills my cup, and I have no doubt it’s the purpose God laid on my heart as a way to show his love.
How were you prepared to stand out as a Northwestern College graduate?
Whenever someone asks me where I went to college and got my degree, I’m proud to answer, “Northwestern College.” Standing out means others notice something different about you—something that sets you apart from others. Northwestern prepared me to stand out in the way I teach, to teach with love and passion and a desire to see that lightbulb come on in the minds of children. Northwestern helped me build my foundation of what I believe about who God is and how I want to shine his light every day.
