Sarah Syverud

“I enjoy making school a safe place for every single student to feel heard, accepted, and loved each day. Watching students reach their goals is so rewarding! I also love sparking students’ joy for the arts by bringing song and dance to the classroom.”

“I use my previous experiences from my major and minors courses to guide decisions and planning for my group of students every day. I use my Spanish language skills from my Spanish minor to communicate with parents and to help my students make connections between English and their native language. Additionally, I use my dance minor to coordinate creative movement in the classroom, which helps students make mind/body connections to their learning.”

“As an educator, it is critical to be able to approach problems from the perspectives of others and with understanding and care. It is especially important when working with a diverse population of coworkers, students, and families, as I do on a daily basis. Hands-on learning is something I benefited from at Carthage and is something I use in my classroom every day to make learning fun and to connect it to students’ lives outside of school.”

“I chose Carthage because I felt like I was a member of a community and was able to make great connections with other students and my professors. I gained valuable experiences and did not feel like just another number in a big pool of students.”

“Due to my Carthage experience, I have been able to work in a variety of grade levels as a teacher and feel prepared for anything. I gained teaching experience as early as freshman year and taught at the first, third, and fourth grade level. I have also been able to communicate with Spanish-speaking individuals and even spent an entire week abroad in Spain using the language skills I gained at Carthage. I have been a dance instructor for 10 years and am still using my dance minor to create new concepts for every new performance season.”

“Some professors who stood out to me throughout my Carthage experience were Professor Nina Weisling and Professor Karin Sconzert in the Education Department. They were always challenging me to think deeper and teaching me the skills to be a highly effective educator. Professor Stacy Pottinger in the Dance Program also stands out as a professor who challenged my creativity and encouraged me to look at dance (and life) through different lenses. I wouldn’t be half the teacher I am without their guidance!”

“These qualities are emulated through my role as an educator. Encouraging each student to try their best and helping them find their way in the world helps me feel fulfilled. The acts of service that I experience and participate in each day by some of the strongest individuals I know are also so inspiring.”

“My favorite Carthage memories include performing in every fall and spring dance show and the rehearsals leading up to each show. Another favorite memory was completing education fieldwork via Zoom! Trying to teach 30 kindergarteners how to add through Zoom was an accurate representation of what teaching ‘feels’ like!”

“Your Carthage experience is what you make of it! Get involved, work hard, and make connections with your professors!”

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