Faculty Spotlight: Susan Grogan
I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving break and are settling back into a routine as you finish out the last few weeks of the semester. Due to the break last week, we didn't have a Faculty Spotlight but never fear, we are back in gear and we have one this week! In the spotlight this week is Susan Grogan, Assistant Professor of Education in our Reading program. I managed to catch Susan one day this week after chapel and this is what she had to say!
Me: How many years have you been in the field of education?
Me: How many years have you been in the field of education?Susan: 22 years.
Me: What made you decide to become a teacher?
S: First off, I love kids. When I first started teaching my kids were young and I wanted to do it so I’d have summers and vacations off with them. Now my motivation has shifted to helping teachers get better at teaching so fewer kids fall through the cracks. Teaching is really a mission for me.
Me: What is your favorite thing about your job?
S: It’s a chance to positively influence teachers who are in turn going to influence hundreds or thousands of children.
Me: What is your favorite class/subject to teach?
S: SPED 609 – Literacy for Children with Exceptionalities. We’re working on getting the name changed however because it is really more about Literacy & Diversity; learning to deal with all kinds of kids who are different (gender, race, ethnic background, socio-economic status, etc). It’s a very challenging but exciting class. A lot of my students are white, middle-class females so there is a lot of room for learning when it comes to dealing with diversity in schools!
Me: What’s the funniest thing that’s ever happened to you in the classroom?
S: The funniest moments in class are often the ones where students just say funny things. I remember the first time a student called me “Grandma”. I was only in my early forties but in his eyes, I looked older than his mom so I fit into the “Grandma” category!
Me: What do you like to do in your spare time?
S: I love stories so I love watching movies and reading a lot of books. I also love to travel, especially to historical places.
Me: If you could travel anywhere in the world all expenses paid, where would you go?
S: Europe… particularly England, Scotland, Ireland, Italy, Germany…
Me: What is your favorite season and why?
S: Fall – it’s the beginning of the school year and everyone gets a clean slate. The weather is also cooler and everything is really pretty.
Me: If you could meet anyone in history, who would it be?
S: Paul – he was a highly trained teacher yet he was able to be everything to everyone. I would love to talk to him about how he transitioned from being this highly trained scholar and rabbi and became a teacher of the common man.
Me: What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?
S: “Trust your instincts.”
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