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Getting to Know:
TR: Give us some background on yourself.
MC: Most of my students already know that I am from St. Louis, other than that, I
moved to central IL about 3 and a half years ago when I transferred to ISU from St.
Louis University. I used to be a debate coach at UHigh. I have 4 tattoos and I am
a huge Denver Broncos fan.
TR: How has your experience been here at PTHS?
MC: Student teaching is a really tough experience no matter what school you’re at,
but the students and the staff here at PTHS have really helped to make the
experience easier. Mr. Christie has been great about letting me take over his
classroom, the whole department has really supported me and the students here
are fantastic (especially my students). I’ve told many of my students this but a few
weeks ago, I worked with another student teacher who is at a different high school
and there is no way you could ever compare the students there to the students
here at PTHS. My students have made this experience so positive for me.
TR: What got you interested in a career in teaching?
MC: Most teachers will tell you that they always knew they wanted to be a teacher,
but I actually started college as a political science major and I was a prelaw
student, meaning I had the intent to go to law school and become a lawyer. After
my first semester of college I realized that the career wasn’t for me, so I sat down
and wrote two lists. I wrote one list of the things that I was good at and one list of
the things I liked. I had determined that I wanted to teach and decided to give
history a shot because it was always my favorite subject in school. Deciding to
switch my major to history and education was the best decision I ever made and
looking back there were a lot of indications growing up that this is what I should be
doing (I wanted to be Sacagawea for Halloween three times).
TR: What advice would you give to seniors looking to go to college?
MC: One thing that I learned is that you shouldn’t have a lot of expectations going
in to college. A lot of people tell you that college will be the best years of your life
and you will love it, or that college is too expensive and too stressful. Everyone’s
college experience is different so if you go in expecting it to be a certain way then
you will end up being disappointed if it doesn’t work out the way you thought it
would and that can be really discouraging. College can be really fun, but it is also a
lot of work, and it can be scary at times too. So it is best to just go in with an open
mind and make the most of whatever experience you are faced with.
What was your
favorite moment
from 1st semester?
Camryn Feddern
"Playing in the
Powder Puff game
and coming so close
to beating the
seniors."
Madison Mennenga
"The thrill of playing in
the championship
game in our freshman
volleyball tournament
and taking home 2nd
place!"
Patrick Bromley
"Working with Mr.
Brown and Mad
Brass on the
Madrigal tour,
specifically the tour
of schools."
Ms. Cook
Anyone who is currently taking one of Mr. Christie’s
social studies classes is sure to know his student
teacher, Ms. Cook. In this article, Ms. Cook tells us a
little about herself and shares her professional
aspirations.
By Taylor Ritter