Seizing All Opportunities

Maddie Barsch

Class of 2016
Major: Secondary English education
Hometown: Libertyville, Ill.

Professor Lydia Brauer recently sat down with Maddie Barsch ’16 to discuss how Valparaiso University’s education department prepared her for a career as an English teacher.

What was your job search like?

I was offered a position teaching high school English at the first place I applied to, and I was hired before my spring 2016 graduation! I don’t think they even realized it was my first interview. Attending the Education Seminar at Valpo helped me polish my interview skills.

How well prepared did you feel for your first year of teaching?

Very well prepared. For example, the curriculum class based on “Understanding by Design” helped me develop an appreciation for the ways in which this framework uses authentic assessments to develop understandings that include and transcend state learning standards.

What did you learn from your fieldwork in the teacher preparation program?

From the first course we took, we had the opportunity to observe and teach in many different kinds of schools and communities. These experiences, along with our coursework, prepared me well for working with teenagers and their range of learning needs.

What is one thing you love about teaching?

I love to help my students make connections between English studies and life outside of school and watch them build self-advocacy through writing and discussion.

Why did you choose to teach English?

My interest in English was driven by my  love of reading, which began early in life and was always there. However, my love of teaching was inspired by my own high school English experience, where supportive faculty served as powerful and caring mentors. I want to be able to pay that forward to others.