#whyIteach ~ Featured Fellow: Monica Cozza

For our June newsletter, O'Shaughnessy Fellow Monica Cozza briefly shared with us why she loves teaching. To learn more about Monica, please visit her biography.

Why do you love teaching?

I wake up every day knowing I am fulfilling my vocation, even when that vocation may look different because of the various settings I have taught in. Teaching certainly changes according to your setting, and I believe that is one of the most unique parts of this profession. No matter where you teach, you, as the teacher or administrator, have the opportunity to make decisions in order to meet the dynamic needs of your students or community. Teachers and school administrators take on the mission of helping a community grow academically, socially, professionally, and even spiritually. That desire for growth is what truly motivates me as an educator. Whether it be in the classroom encouraging students to have a growth mindset and helping them believe (and know!) that they can do hard things, or as an administrator coaching fellow teachers in hopes of creating a culture of reflective practice; therefore, I encourage new teachers to have that same growth mindset we teach our students. Seek out feedback on your lessons. Initiate discussions with your grade team or start a PLC (Professional Learning Community) if you do not have one. Celebrate little victories, but remember that your work is not yet finished, as you push towards the constant growth that comes with teaching.