November 18, 2024 — In celebration of American Education Week, the National Center for Teacher Residencies believes in recognizing the contributions of those who may go unnoticed for the work and talent they bring to classrooms. One impactful role that comes to mind are teacher residents. We are shining a spotlight on teacher residents’ passion and contributions to the field of education by amplifying the real voices and stories of teacher residents across the United States.
Meet Kelsey O’Hara, Teacher Resident
PEBC Teacher Residency
How did you come to find out about the teacher residency program?
After graduating from college, I was really struggling to find a job that I felt passionate about. Although I had been an education major when I started school, my values were often at odds with the program I was in; and to further complicate matters, the COVID-19 pandemic had put my student teaching semester on hold. I ended up changing my major to journalism, which I loved, but when I graduated, I realized that the jobs that it had prepared me for didn’t align with my passions, which evolved from seven years of working with children at summer camps. I looked for jobs in schools, but without a teaching license, my options were very limited. I ended up seeing the PEBC Teacher Residency program mentioned on the website of a school I was applying to, and digging deeper, I realized that it was one of the most accessible and supportive ways available to start a career that I was deeply invested in.
Why did you decide to take part in the program?
I’ve wanted to be a teacher since I was in elementary school, but as I began to pursue education, I ran into a lot of discouraging negativity from the community surrounding my college program. As I began my PEBC interviews, I finally felt like I had found a community that shared my enthusiasm for working with children. The people I met not only had a wealth of knowledge about education, but were realistic about the struggles of teaching while still embracing the joy and fulfillment that comes with it. I also found that the PEBC program was much more supportive and thorough than the traditional teacher prep programs I’ve explored, making the sometimes complicated and overwhelming path towards earning a teaching license much more accessible to people from all walks of life.
Before beginning the program, what role(s) did you hold or continue to hold?
For seven years, I was an employee at JCC Ranch Camp, a sleepaway camp in Elbert, Colorado. I started off as a cabin counselor; and from 2021 to 2023, I was a supervisor there, helping train staff members, communicate with families, and support behavior management for all elementary-aged campers. I am also currently on my second year of teaching with Jewish Explorers, a weekly, project-based after-school program for elementary school students.
How has being part of the program contributed to your life?
Being a part of the PEBC Teacher Residency program has been one of the most fulfilling things I have done. Every day, I know that I am working to make a difference in someone’s life. As someone who has recently moved back to Denver, I am so grateful for the opportunities for community and friendship the program has cultivated as well. Maybe most importantly, my residency experience is continually contributing to my confidence in my skills, deepening my understand of the importance of this work, and reinforcing my knowledge that I have made the right choice in choosing a career that aligns with my values, personal goals, and desire for a robust community.
What does teaching mean to you?
When there are a lot of difficult and scary things going on in the world, it’s easy to feel hopeless and powerless. To me, teaching is something that makes me feel like not only can things change for the better, but that I can be an active part of that change. We often talk about education as the crux of change in society, an idea that I take to heart. Each and every student has the potential to become a great politician, a prolific author, an influential scientist, and so much more, if only given the right opportunities to learn. Our impact as teachers is real and tangible. And we get to make that impact in a way that is, to put it simply, really fun. Children bring so much joy, creativity, and passion to their classrooms. Working face-to-face with such an active and earnest community every day is not something that I take for granted.
What are you looking forward to most upon completion?
Though it may be cliche, I absolutely cannot wait to have my own classroom. As excited as I am to put what I’ve learned into use, I’m sure there will be so much more to figure out that can only come with experience. Above all, I want to use what I’ve learned from PEBC and from my mentor teacher to cultivate a classroom culture that lets every individual student feel included, seen, and safe. I want my students to feel free to be exactly who they are, while embracing the changes in themselves that happen throughout the year—a journey I’ll be honored to go on with them.
We invite you to read more stories of teacher residents from our NCTR Network teacher residency programs!
Photo provided by PEBC Teacher Residency