Four seniors from Grace College’s School of Education were recently honored for excellence in student teaching: Claire Thomas, Breah Liles, Chloe Knollenberg and Lily Demeter.
“These ladies exemplify the excellence, both in and out of the classroom, of Grace College graduates,” said Dr. Cheryl Bremer, dean of the School of Education at Grace College. “We are very proud of the effort they put into their student teaching and education.”
Each school year, the School of Education selects students who demonstrate excellence as student teachers. Recipients are awarded a plaque and recognition for their achievements in the classroom.
Claire Thomas, of Indianapolis, Indiana, was named the Outstanding Prospective Elementary Education Teacher.
Thomas, who comes from generations of educators, says her time at Grace taught her how to make teaching a ministry, intertwining principles of character, competence and service to help form her into a well-rounded teacher.
“I flourished in first grade at Washington STEM Academy with the support of my mentor teacher, Andrea Allison,” said Thomas. “She saw potential in me, and that gave me confidence in myself. Having a Christian woman invest in me professionally was so valuable as I figured out who I was and who I wanted to be as a teacher.”
After graduating in December, Thomas moved to Bloomfield, Indiana, where she teaches as a Title One Paraprofessional at North Daviess Elementary. Next year, she will teach in her own first-grade classroom at Lighthouse Christian Academy.
Breah Liles of Glendale, Arizona, was named the Outstanding Prospective Special Education Teacher.
Liles has wanted to be a teacher ever since she knew what a teacher was, and according to her, she couldn’t have chosen a better place to become one.
“Grace’s education program was without a doubt one of the biggest blessings of my whole college experience,” said Liles. “Each professor and staff member poured into both my personal and academic life, but I specifically am thankful for Laurie Owen and Julie Thompson, as they have become close mentors and friends.”
As a teaching all learners (TAL) major, Liles split her time between a general education placement at Lincoln Elementary and a special education placement at Madison Elementary, where her supervising teachers, Julie Klepinger and Monique Lyon, made a marked impact on her. This year, she will return to Lincoln Elementary to teach kindergarten.
“The Lord has so graciously provided this open door at a school that I already feel so encouraged and supported in,” said Liles. “My dream is to teach internationally one day, but for now, I get to continue learning and growing in a place I already know and love.”
Chloe Knollenberg of Plainfield, Illinois, was named Outstanding Prospective Secondary Education Teacher.
Knollenberg realized teaching math would be a fulfilling profession while in high school, and Grace’s math education program equipped and empowered her to enter the teaching field with confidence.
“I especially appreciated the school’s emphasis on early and consistent classroom experience, which continually reinforced my decision to pursue this major,” said Knollenberg, who had the opportunity to participate in a two-month classroom immersion prior to student teaching through the Indiana Teacher Residency Program.
“My secondary math methods course with Dr. Kevin Voogt also played a key role in my development as an educator,” she said. “Our cohort learned numerous research-based practices to facilitate meaningful mathematical discussions and use student contributions to drive our instruction. We then had the opportunity to implement these practices in an Algebra course at Grace, which was such an enjoyable and enriching experience.”
Knollenberg plans to teach near her hometown and eventually pursue a master’s degree in curriculum and instruction, with the goal of becoming a math department chair or curriculum coordinator.
Finally, Lily Demeter, of Plain City, Ohio, was named Outstanding Prospective Reading Teacher.
Demeter enjoyed getting involved at the Center for Literacy and Learning during her time at Grace, where she served as a tutor and gained hands-on experience teaching what she was learning in her classes, a highlight of her time there.
“Our professors put so much time into designing the classes,” said Demeter. “They really take into account our feedback and change up classes as needed.”
As a student teacher, Demeter learned a lot from her mentor teacher, Sarah Herring, at Harrison Elementary School.
“She passed on so much knowledge that I will take into my own classroom,” said Demeter. “I loved being able to see how much my students changed from August to December.”
Demeter is currently in the interview process, hoping to have a classroom of her own this fall.
To learn more about Grace College’s School of Education, visit www.grace.edu/academics/undergraduate/academic-schools-departments/school-of-education/
