Introduction

Hello, my name is Maggie! I am a Senior at Ashland University and will be graduating in just a few months with a Bachelor's degree in Early Childhood Education & Intervention (PreK-5). Over the past few years, I've loved growing in experience and excitement about becoming a teacher one day soon.

I grew up in the Ashland area and graduated from Hillsdale High School in 2021. I've known I wanted to be a teacher ever since I was little. I still remember setting up a pretend classroom in our playroom, where I would spend hours playing teacher with my brother and cousins. I've had countless teachers who have been positive role models in my life, including my mom. They’ve shown me that teaching is a profession that requires a special heart, one that’s there to love kids and show them just how fun learning can be!

Life lately has been so sweet! I love spending time with family and friends, going on long hikes, thrifting, and exploring new coffee shops wherever I go! I am also greatly involved at Wooster Grace Church, where I spend a lot of my time. I love the chance to share my faith on Sunday mornings with kids of all ages, and I lead a group of 8th-grade girls on Sunday evenings. My faith is incredibly important to me and the biggest reason I am who I am. This world can be hard, but I have seen how much of an impact you can have on others’ lives by loving and serving them!

This semester has flown by, and I can't believe I'm already halfway through my student teaching experience. The first half of this semester was at Edgewood Middle School in the Wooster City School District, where I was placed with a 5th-grade Intervention Specialist. Being in a middle school was a new experience for me, but I learned so much over the past 7 weeks. I’m sad to leave the teachers and students I’ve built connections with. I look forward to visit them soon after I get home from Australia!

Now, with the end of these 7 weeks, I’m about to embark on a new journey across the world. In just a few weeks, on October 5th, I will be heading to Perth, Australia, to finish my student teaching experience! I’ve been placed with a Kindergarten class (or "Kindy" as they call it in Australia) at Hillcrest Primary School. I’m so excited to be immersed in a new culture and to learn and grow in ways I never have before. While in Australia, I’ll be staying with a local host family. I can’t wait for this experience through Ashland University and the COST program. I’m most looking forward to learning about the unique ways Australian schools operate and bringing those ideas back to my own future classroom!

During my time in Australia, I’ll be posting on this blog about my experience. I’d love for you to follow along as I embark on this once-in-a-lifetime journey!

Thanks for reading!

-Maggie