Aspire Teacher Residency Central Valley at Alder GSE

Resident, Cohort 2019–2020
Residency Placement: Aspire Capitol Heights Academy
Mentor: Madison Hiebert

What is your hometown? Visalia, California

What college did you attend? California State University, Sacramento

What degree did you earn? BA in Liberal Studies

What inspired you to teach? Whether I was going outside and playing with bugs or filling my art books to explore my creative side, my mom stimulated my interests and she facilitated them so I could gain my own knowledge and ideas. I want my students to be independent and resourceful, and the best way to do so is to encourage their own wonders and thoughts like my mother did with me. Every child deserves to learn just like I did when I was little; they deserve the educational freedom I had growing up, but not everyone has that. I want to introduce that vision into the formal classroom and give children the chance to explore, gain independence, learn common social behaviors, and love the process at their own pace.

Why did you choose Alder’s Teacher Residency program? Teaching is not only about covering the basics of subjects, but it is also about reaching a deeper understanding of concepts that are useful in life and how every decision in life should be made with emotional and logical intent. I am committed to teaching students in a way that engages their creativity, opens their minds to new perspectives, and enriches them with knowledge and skills to succeed in their individual pursuits. The Alder residency will provide me with the close community of mentoring four days a week and resources through online education at the University of the Pacific that I will need in order to help my students enthusiastically engage in academics and believe they have purpose.