Interview with Amy Ray

Amy Facius Ray earned her bachelor's degree in business administration from West Virginia University in 2006. She completed her MAT in early childhood education in 2013 from Towson University.

Miss Ray is currently a kindergarten teacher in the Anne Arundel County Public Schools. These are her reflections. Miss Ray, thank you so much for taking your time on a Saturday

to come in and share with us some of your memories of your preparation to become a teacher and your new career that started, I guess, in August. Yes. Yes. I think a good place to begin is always the beginning.

So if you would, would you talk to us a little bit about your early social context, where you grew up, what kinds of ideas you were having about your life after high school and possible careers that you seemed interested in?

I grew up in Catonsville, Maryland. My dad's family had grown up there and so we were very close with his family. I went to high school in Catonsville as well at a private

all-girls school. And when I was getting ready to graduate, I was trying to decide what I wanted to do and I talked through it with my dad. He was in marketing, and so I always thought that was

something I might be interested in doing. And so after talking to him about it, I decided that that would be a good way to go because I thought that it would give me a lot of opportunities once I graduated.

I wouldn't have to do just one thing. I would be able to work for a variety of different companies. And so in the back of my mind, I think teaching may have been there.

Growing up, I always played school with my sister. I would come home from school and teach her everything that I had learned that day. So I did enjoy playing that role.

But ultimately I decided to go the business route because I thought that it would allow me to be creative, which was something that I really liked to do. And I really sometimes wonder why teaching wasn't something

that I decided to pursue at that time. So you went to West Virginia University? Yes, I went to West Virginia University and I got a Bachelor of Science in business administration.

I graduated in 2006 and came out of school and I got a job and I worked there for about a year. After working there for about a year, my husband, who I'm currently married to, we were dating at the time and he

was working as well. And I had always said, oh, I don't know that I would go get a master's degree. I'm not really sure, you know, if that's something I want to

do. And so he was working with someone that had previously lived in Belgium. And so we got to talking about it and he said, why

don't we go over to Belgium and get our master's degrees? And I said, OK, well, that sounds interesting. I actually had connections to Belgium myself. My father, his company, their corporate headquarters, their European

headquarters was over there. And so I lived there for three years as a child. So that was my connection there. And so we kind of packed up and we went over there and we got

our master's degrees. So that's kind of how that went. Yes. And that was... Where, what institution was that?

That was the, it's very long, the Vlerick Lueven Gent Management school and I went to the Gent campus and it was a one-year program and my husband did the management program and I pursued marketing.

Wow. And you could do that speaking English. Do you speak either French or German or... They actually, the area is the Flemish region and I don't speak Flemish, but it was an all English-speaking school.

I see. So everyone who went there spoke English. Wonderful. So you're through the program, the two of you come home, and

what's next? Well, I got a job at a corporate office and I worked there for about, I think two years before I started thinking I might want to make a change.

I did like what I was doing, but I felt that there was something missing. So I started thinking about it and I tried to think back to times when something I was doing I really enjoyed and

teaching my sister growing up really popped into my mind. In addition, I also had opportunities to teach other people in my department things, new employees that were coming in, kind of getting them used to the department and what

everything looked like. So that opportunity for me to teach others also had an influence on my decision to change careers. So I actually started looking into teaching programs.

I wasn't sure if I wanted to go back and get my bachelor's degree in education. And so I ended up finding the Master of Arts and teaching program through Towson University, which was perfect

because it gave me an opportunity as a career changer. And so I applied and I decided to do the extended-year program because I had a few prerequisites and with timing and I wanted to be able to keep my job for as long as I could...

Sure. ...for financial reasons. And so I did the extended program, which is two years plus. I see. And I applied and I got in.

And so I started that in January of 2011, and I was able to work at my company all the way up until I started my student teaching, which was in the fall of 2012. So in that program, then, are the courses primarily at night?

I'm thinking, how did you manage to do a job and this program? And it might be the extended program over two years, but I would think that it was still pretty intensive. It was.

It was. I was very lucky to work for a company that let me leave about fifteen minutes early or so, so that I could get to my classes. I think my earliest class started at 4:30.

Some of them were at 6:15, others were at 5 or 5:30. And so I did have to make adjustments. And I was very lucky that I was able to, working in a corporate environment, leave a little bit early.

I know other other friends that were in the program had jobs where they had more flexible schedules as well. And so, yes, it was very intensive. I tried to take originally one or two classes at a time and I

worked with the director or advisor here at Towson University to plan out what courses I would take throughout my two, two and a half years so that I would be able to graduate on time.

So you came to Towson, MAT, the Master of Arts in Teaching, is not sort of one program in the sense that you can do that with different age levels or grade levels of students.

And I noticed that you chose early childhood education. How did that come about? I mean, was that something you knew going in or is that something that at some point you made that that choice?

Well, I knew going in that I wanted to work with younger students. I felt that with my personality that I could make more of a difference in the lives of the younger students.

So I did choose early childhood. I also had one summer in college, I worked at a daycare for the summer. And so those children, I think they were, I was in the four-

year-old room. And so I knew that I wanted to do something with the younger kids. So I did choose early childhood since it only goes from pre-

kindergarten up through third grade. And so you're going through your coursework and let's say, how are you thinking about this after the first year of courses? Are you thinking at that point that this, 'cause this was a major

move, do you think, were you thinking that you were feeling reassured about this choice? I was, I felt that I was really learning a lot. Whenever I was in

undergrad, it was more... not, I don't want to say work, but it felt a little more I didn't want to do it as much, whereas and I thought that once I got into the workforce, it would be

different. I felt like this is school. It's supposed to be something that I might not like to do as much.

And so once I get into the workforce, it's going to be great and I'm going to be able to do all of these things. And that wasn't really what it ended up being for me. And that also helped me to make the move.

And I realized that once I was in the education courses and I liked what I was doing, and even though I had papers and assignments and projects, I enjoyed what I was learning. And so that really... The light went off.

This really is what I want to do. And you were feeling that way when you were having a full time job in addition to doing this. So I guess that's reassuring in some ways.

When did you have an opportunity to go into schools and do things with kids? Was there any opportunity before you got into your student teaching semester?

Yes, there are actually five core classes, I believe it's five, in the MAT program, where you do a one-day observation in a classroom. The program sets it up for you.

It's at one of the professional development schools. I actually live in Howard County, and so I did them in Howard County. And so you go in for the day and you help the teacher or you can

just observe. And so that interaction was really good because I was also able to see that... It was in a first grade classroom, so I was able to see, oh, you know, I really do like working

with the younger kids. So we get to your student teaching semester. Now you've had to resign, take a leave of absence from your job because that's every day, I assume. Yes.

And tell us a little bit about that experience. Were you with children of the same age the whole semester, or did you work with children of different ages? Well, actually the fall semester is one to two days a week. Yes.

And then you have a seminar course which is in the evening, one night a week. And then you also have, I think, two classes during the fall semester that you take.

And so having the three days off... I say "off," that you're not student teaching. That's the time when I was able to do the coursework and prepare for my classes.

So I worked with, I started in third grade. The way that it works is the fall semester you start, you have an A placement and a B placement. So you start in your A placement and that was third grade for me.

And then you move in October to your B placement, which was kindergarten for me. And then once you get to the spring, you stay in your B placement through March.

And then you return to that same A placement, in third grade for me, from March through May when you graduate. So tell us about that. So you're in third grade and you're thinking maybe this is a

little too old for me or... I actually... I was not sure about either grade level before I started. I thought, oh, I don't know, third grade might be too old for me.

And then I thought, well, you know, kindergarten might be too young for me, but I wasn't really sure and I was open to both possibilities. And I went into third grade and I had a amazing mentor teacher

and I was able to teach some lessons in math. And I thought, wow, you know, I really like this age group. I could do this. I really love it.

And then I got to kindergarten and I also had... I was so lucky. I also had an amazing mentor teacher in kindergarten. And once I got there, I said, this is where I meant to be. I need to be in kindergarten.

So I was very lucky that I was able to see both sides of the spectrum because third grade would be as high as my certification would allow me to go. I could go down to pre-K, but kindergarten is certainly a

young age group. And so I was lucky that I had kindergarten and third grade and was able to see both sides of where I'm certified to teach. So after the fall semester, when you're going into spring,

this is where you're doing most of the teaching. Yes. And kindergarten is a full day for children in the state of Maryland. Yes.

So wow, tell us about that. Well, once I got back from winter break, I started in kindergarten and it picked up right away. And the way that the MAT program works is you start to pick up

lessons, you fill out a schedule with your mentor teacher and one week I would teach one lesson a day and then the next week I started picking up one or two more. So you work your way up to teaching everything for two full

weeks. So after your two full weeks, you start to phase back out and every few days you start to hand back a subject to the main teacher.

And then that was the same in third grade as well once I went back there. And that's a shorter time span. And so it was a little more quickly that I had to pick up

those lessons and do the two full weeks. But it really gives you an idea of what it's like because you come into it thinking, oh, you know, I can do this.

And you're not really sure what all goes into it. I mean, you see your mentor teacher and everything that she does, but she's also a seasoned veteran teacher who's been doing this for a very long time.

And so you really learn all of the extra work that goes into it, and you really have a new appreciation for teachers and everything that they really do. So it really allowed me to experience the day from coming

in early to working through the day with the students and then the planning that that is involved at the end of the day. And I think doesn't MAT bring you in in the fall so that you can actually see teachers setting up classrooms and doing

the things, all the things that happened before the kids come for the new school year? Yes, you start with the teachers. The teachers all start a week before the students come in.

So you set up the classroom with the teacher and you attend all of the meetings that the teachers attend. And that's throughout. So any day that you are at the school and your teacher has a

meeting, parent conferences, you get to experience all of those things with the teacher. Wonderful. So you've had the full experience, truly, once you've

gotten through that professional year. Yes, it really prepares you for teaching. So how are you feeling at the end of all of this? I mean, is this... Are you thinking, yes, indeed, I made

the right, this is the right career move for me? Yes, it definitely was the right career move. I was very sad, obviously, to leave the program. It had been two and a half years of my life.

And, you know, I made a lot of great friends and met a lot of great people, a lot of great teachers. But I do feel very prepared, very prepared for my career now and I knew what to expect at the beginning of the year.

And I also felt like I had really great resources to go to to help me as I started at the beginning of the year. When did you apply and when did you hear that there was a position available for you?

I started sending out my resumes shortly after I graduated. I graduated in late May of 2013 and I started sending out my resumes probably mid-June and I sent them with a cover letter out to some schools that I knew of in the area.

I actually... A student who was in the MAT program one year ahead of me worked at the school that I am currently working at and she suggested that I apply. And so I did and I was very lucky to accept the position.

Wonderful. And when did you hear about that? The end of June. Oh, OK.

So that happened quickly. So you had a summer to sort of get ready? Yes. It was very nice to have that time to mentally prepare to

think about what I wanted my classroom to be and, you know, just to relax at the same time. Of course. Absolutely. So August comes and it's time and tell us about... This is

wonderful because we're hearing from somebody who's starting their first year of teaching. Tell us a little bit about the beginning. The beginning. Yes, well, I was a little nervous...

Of course. ...at the beginning. I'm fortunate to work with a very great team that's very supportive. And so I came in and, you know, I was able to talk to the

resources that I had at my school and set up my classroom and we had parent conferences at the beginning of the year. Oh you do? In kindergarten we do, the parents come in and we speak with them about what

it's going to be like this year. So it's a great opportunity to meet the families and to meet the students before they come into the classroom. And it just... You don't really have time to think.

It just gets started and before you know it it's November. Indeed, it is. How many kids do you have in your class? And I have 24 students in my class.

That's a lot. And I have a great room, a great large area. And so it's... In my student teaching, I only had about fifteen students.

So it was a big jump going from 15 to 23. But in my third grade classroom, I had 25 or 26. And so I was used to having that large number. But we have teaching assistants and other great resources

throughout the school that allow me to focus on all of those students. So for the kids, this, for a number of them, will be their first time at school.

I mean, there might be a few pre-K kids, I don't know. Was that true of your class, that this was a first experience for most of them? I actually had a very good majority that had been to a pre-

kindergarten or a preschool of some sort, some sort of daycare that provided that school experience. So, but you know, as in many situations, there are always students that this is their first school experience.

And so that's definitely a new adventure for them and for me. So here you are. It's November and you've had three months, three very busy months, I'm sure.

Tell us what you're thinking about the whole thing at this point. Well, one of the things I really feel that I've told a lot of people is for me, while it is a lot of work, it

doesn't feel like the same type of work that I was doing before. It's fun for me. I enjoy it. It's a job that I love and that is something that I really

wanted, and I wanted to want to get up every day and go to work. And that's something that this job provides for me. I love all my kids and it's just a great experience. And what's the curriculum like for kindergarten?

What are some of the expectations for what kids will know and be able to do at the kindergarten level? Well, we really jump right in with teaching them how to read. We are teaching them how to write.

We do informational writing, so teaching, books, we do narrative writing. So they really, I've heard some people say it's kind of, you know, what first grade used to be.

So there are high expectations and I think that it really is going to prepare them for the rest of elementary school and for the rest of their school career, teaching them, giving them the foundations for reading and reading strategies and how

to comprehend text. And I think that the Common Core really helps with that as well and with writing, again, building those foundations for good writing.

And as far as math, they're learning counting. That's the beginning of the year. But we do do measurement, we do addition, we do subtraction

using manipulatives, of course, but then also, you know, guiding them into using addition and subtraction equations to solve problems, and not just 2 + 2 = 4, but word problems, real- life situations of when they could use addition and

subtraction. That's wonderful. As you look back at your professional preparation at Towson, do you think that the program puts you in a pretty

secure position and what do you think were the strengths of the program and what might we do differently? I personally think that it prepared me very well. It's a very rigorous program.

There are high expectations but it certainly prepares you for what teaching is. You put in a lot of hours in the program and it's a tough, rigorous professional year in the student teaching, but I do

feel very lucky to have been placed where I was. My supervisor was phenomenal and I feel like her high expectations of all of her interns also helped as well for us to all get jobs to prepare us for what was

expected, we had to complete a Evidence of Student Learning project and that was basically monitoring the growth of students from the beginning of one subject area, for instance, addition.

Where were they before you taught it and then where were they while you were teaching and where did they end up at the end? Which, that also prepared me for what all of the

counties are now doing with student learning objectives, monitoring student progress. And so that was, I felt, also a great part of the program for us to have.

What have we forgotten to talk about that you would like to share with us about your preparation or this new career? I just feel very prepared to be where I am. I think that not only getting the degree, but also having the

master's degree has helped me to feel more comfortable where I am now. I think that... I don't know. I mean, I just, I'm very excited.

I'm very happy where I am and I think... That's great. That's wonderful. Even though you've only been teaching for three months, what would you say to other people who are thinking about making a

career change and going into teaching? I think that if it is something that you think that you want to do, and what I would recommend actually is somehow working with children, whether it's in the classroom, observing or through

a youth organization, can help you to really determine if that's something that you want to do. Once you decide that it is something that you want to do, go for it because it's really rewarding.

Obviously everyone has tough days in every career, but I feel like the rewards that you get out of being a teacher just outweigh any bad day you could possibly have. Seeing the students learn and seeing where they are from the

beginning. Even it's only been three months, the amount of growth in those three months is just... It makes you feel like you've helped them or contributed somehow to their life and to

their education. So you'd recommend it? I would. OK.

Thank you very much. Thank you.