Name: Delaney Taylor
Location: Emporia USD 253, Emporia, KS
Class/content area taught: Special Education–Intensive Resource
What are you most excited about with your new career? I am eager to grow as an individual in my career as a teacher. This is the first time I have felt fully independent and I am looking forward to building confidence in myself!
What do you enjoy most about teaching? I enjoy making connections with students over topics that are not related to content. Oftentimes, students are being pressed down with instruction and content by their teachers. My favorite part of teaching is asking students questions about their lives outside of school! Specifically, I look forward to making connections with students over their taste in music.
In what ways has your school/district supported you? Throughout the months of June and July, my principal hosted 3-4 meetings a month for all employees to tune into. The meetings were in place for extra communication regarding COVID-19. This helped ease my nerves with going into my first year of teaching during a pandemic!
What are some specific things you believe KSU especially helped prepare you for your new career? One specific thing that was influential for me that I learned from my time at KSU is the aspect of collaboration. I was taught the importance of collaboration and how it positively improves relationships between teachers and students. Most of my classes were based around working in groups and collaborating with each other. I am thankful for this, because I will be spending the rest of my career collaborating with others.
Are there specifics about your background that make teaching the perfect fit for you? I grew up with my mom being a 3rd grade and 5th grade teacher at the elementary school in Paola, KS. I spent most of my afternoons after school in her classroom writing on the marker board and the smart board when they came around! In addition, my older sister went into teaching and she is a 5th grade teacher in the Emporia school district, as well!
Suggestions/encouragement for new teachers: Ensure that you have a strong support system within the school district or school you teach in that you can go to for help. Build mutual trust between coworkers and your administrators. Remain calm, listen with intention, and always smile!
Bonus question, thanks to the Pandemic: How has the Pandemic shaped your classroom—the environment, safety precautions, etc.? How has it affected you as a new teacher? Overall, the pandemic has affected me as a new teacher in a variety of ways. The hardest part has been the unknown of what is going to happen! However, I have had comfort knowing that teachers all across the nation are experiencing the same emotions that I am. I will be teaching in a hybrid classroom this year, with some of my students being onsite and others will be remote. Of course, students and teachers will be required to wear masks, keep 6
feet of distance, and practice proper hand washing. Luckily, I will only have a maximum of 8 students in my classroom at a time, so placing desks 6 feet away was not a hard task for me. We are all trying to stay safe by following all safety precautions in hope that one day we can return back to normal!