Junior Gretchen Glewwe is majoring in elementary education and special education with minors in both teaching English as a second language (TESL) and Asian languages and literatures. The extra courses have been worth it so she is prepared to make the biggest impact possible for students who need it the most.

What drove you to enroll in the BS in elementary education foundations program?

The idea of pursuing elementary education has always been floating around in my mind, but I originally wanted to teach high school literature or be a computer engineer. After taking a Shakespeare course, I figured that teaching literature wasn’t for me. My section of CEHD’s First Year Inquiry had a service-learning component and I was able to regularly visit an elementary school for the entirety of my first fall semester. I felt the most alive during my first semester when I was working with the fourth graders, so I decided to take the introduction course for the elementary education major. I took CI 1001, Introduction to the Elementary School during my first spring semester and I loved it!

When did you realize you wanted to be a teacher?

My mom is a teacher and my dad works in banking. Originally, I wanted to do something that wasn’t related to either of these two fields because I thought that was the only way I could become my own person. Naturally, many of my mom’s friends are teachers, librarians, and school administrators. My mom and her friends were often able to trade stories of times when they made a difference in a student’s life. I wanted to be able to do that for someone, and so I decided to pursue teaching.

What do you hope to get out of your educational experience?

My hope in doing all of this—the double major and double minor—is that I am prepared. I want to ensure that I have done all that I possibly can to be ready for my future students. My educational experience here at the U has been dedicated to ensuring I am knowledgeable and able to advocate for my students in order to ensure their needs are met in an educational setting.

Were there any surprises and challenges along the way?

To my surprise, I added a second major! I never expected that I would fall in love with special education, but I did in CI 1001! My time here has been filled with lots of classes and a few 20+ credit semesters, but I choose this path because I know it will help me prepare for the future.

What has been your experience with the faculty?

I have been fortunate to work with many professors who have had experience as elementary school teachers, and I am grateful that they are able to bring their insight into the classroom. I have also had some graduate students teach my courses, who are still working on their own academic goals. I appreciate that they remember and understand what it means to be an undergraduate student. One of the best experiences I have had with staff is with my academic adviser, Carole Anne Broad. Every time I meet with her, I’m always bringing in some new idea about what I can do during my time here. While she supports me endlessly, Carole Anne keeps me grounded. She has been my rock from the very beginning, since the summer of my first-year orientation, and she will be my rock until the very end, as I’m finishing up my Honors thesis and graduating come Spring 2020.

Do you feel the coursework and student teaching helped you to begin teaching in your own classroom?

One thing that I love about the elementary education program here at the U is that you are able to have time in an elementary classroom. I have been in either a service-learning course or a teaching practicum for every semester that I’ve been at the U thus far. The real-world experience in schools reminds me that I am capable of teaching and dedicated to working with students. By the time I am finished here, I know that I will be ready to go out into the world and make a difference.

Any other thoughts you want to share about your experience?

I leave you with my favorite quote from the late Maya Angelou: “Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better.”