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Heather Sanders, BA ’22, MS ’23
What made you decide to become a teacher? Did you always know you wanted to go into education?
In high school, I dove headfirst toward any opportunity that would lead me into medicine but realized I didn't love it. After three years of working as a peer teacher at my former middle school, I realized that I really loved teaching. Looking back to when I was much younger, I had always loved any occasion to organize and teach children younger than me.
Did you have any work or educational experiences that solidified your interest in being a Spanish teacher?
In addition to working with middle school students during high school, I took on various leadership roles at Hofstra that encompassed teaching and mentoring. These roles, like resident assistant, tutor, teaching assistant, helped me to identify the aspects of teaching I loved most. I realized I had a passion for teaching language as a means to connect with and understand people. I also loved that in teaching language, there was space to teach about culture, history and a bit of linguistics.
Why did you decide to pursue your studies at Hofstra?
As an undergraduate student, I developed amazing relationships with other students and faculty members. When I found out about the [dual-degree] accelerated licensure program, I was excited to continue my path to becoming a teacher at Hofstra.
How did your professors at Hofstra inspire you and provide guidance?
Throughout my time at Hofstra, I had several faculty mentors. I appreciated their support and willingness to take extra time to guide me toward my individual goals, while also pushing me to try new things and take risks.
How would you describe your experience student teaching?
Working with middle school students in Massapequa and high school students in Baldwin truly set the tone for my first year of teaching. My cooperating teachers were so terrific and provided me with unique experiences.
In Massapequa, I discovered a style of teaching I am passionate about. It suits and engages the learners in my ICT [integrated co-teaching] classroom today.
In Baldwin, I taught Spanish Language Arts to students who recently immigrated to the U.S. and needed to not only learn English but also hone their home-language skills to achieve working-level literacy. It was clear that my mentors at Hofstra put much thought into curating these experiences, and I am forever grateful to the cooperating teachers who dedicated so much of their time to my growth as a teacher.
How do you think Hofstra made you the teacher you are today?
Having been a part of several departments over the course of my two degrees at Hofstra, one constant is that while I was frequently thrown right out of my comfort zone, I always had the tools and support I needed for success. Especially through my student teaching experiences, I became very comfortable with trying new things, ultimately leading me to take and thrive in a setting that I had never imagined myself in as a first-year teacher.
When you remember your time in the School of Education at Hofstra, what are your favorite or most memorable experiences?
The cohort of aspiring language teachers at Hofstra is tight knit. My most memorable experiences are the minutes preceding and following class, in which we would talk about our days of student teaching, vent about the hiring process, and imagine our future classrooms. I feel very fortunate to have made connections with close friends I'll have for a long time.