After discovering the Urbana school district at a job fair during her senior year at Illinois State University in the spring of 2022, Alyssa Ginzburg immediately realized the district’s goals aligned with hers.
“I went up to their booth and fell in love with their mission, vision and emphasis on diversity,” she said. “From there, the rest was history.”
Ginzburg, who will teach language arts at Urbana’s new Sixth Grade Center this year after spending the first three years of her career at Urbana Middle School, goes above and beyond to engage with her kids, finding creative ways to allow them to explore the subject matter.
I find my work important because ... Not only do I get to teach 11- and 12-year-olds how to read and write on a daily basis, but I also get to shape future generations and be a big part of someone else’s story. There is nothing like seeing a student have that “light bulb moment” when they finally grasp a concept or get to show off their learning in unique and creative ways. Not only do I teach them, but they teach me every single day, too.
I became a teacher because ... I wanted to be the teacher that I needed and had growing up for someone else. I had a lot of amazing teachers and people in my corner growing up, thankfully, and I know not everyone is that fortunate. I wanted to pay it forward and be that light for another student. Plus, the job is never boring, and no one day is the same.
My favorite or most unique lesson that I teach is ... I really love to teach lessons that allow students to creatively express what they have learned. This year, my district adopted a new curriculum called HMH Into Literature. One of the stories we read was “I Am Malala.” My students LOVED it! They loved it so much, that I took it one step further and created a choice board project so they were able to choose how they wanted to express their learning. They were able to create a playlist with songs that represented Malala Yousafzai as a person or her life, write an email to a news organization about whether reporters should ask students to report in dangerous conditions like Malala did, complete a research project that highlights what has happened to Malala since she published her book, and a free write where they could talk about what they would do if they were forced to not go to school. The completed projects that I got back were so amazing and in depth. I could tell that the students thought critically and were passionate about the topic.
My most fulfilling moments on the job are when ... students feel comfortable enough to open up to me about hard things, feel motivated to do well both inside and outside of the classroom, and whenever I get a sweet note or drawing from a student. It truly warms my heart and makes me feel like I am making a difference. I keep every note and drawing I get in a folder that I call my “Smile File” that I look at when I’m having a particularly rough day. It reminds me of my “why.”
I keep students engaged by ... It’s all about building relationships with the students! I keep them engaged by creating lessons that involve movement and things that they enjoy. For example, I created a lesson on tone and mood with movie trailers. One movie trailer was the original trailer and one was a scary version. Watching them watch a scary version of “Frozen” was hilarious. Seeing students engaged and feeling like they are being heard and valued in the classroom is very important to me.
Something else I’m passionate about is ... music. I sang competitively for 13 years growing up, and it will always be something I have a passion for. Music helps get me through the best and worst times. This year, I also helped direct Urbana Middle School’s musical “Moana Jr.,” which was so much fun.
My favorite teacher and subject to study in school was ... There are so many to choose from! However, the teacher that had the biggest impact on me growing up was Mrs. Kastor at Tri-Valley Middle School. She taught my favorite subject (English/language arts, obviously), and was there for me unconditionally. Middle school was a very tumultuous time for me. Not only was Mrs. Kastor there for me through the good and bad, but she was also a phenomenal teacher. She is the reason I am the teacher I am today. Mrs. Kastor was the kind of teacher who everyone loved and adored. She was empathetic, witty and exactly what every middle-schooler needs. I also want to give a shoutout to the guidance counselor, Mrs. Whitworth. She got me through some of the best and worst times of my life and I wouldn’t be where I am today without her!
If I weren’t a teacher, I would be ... I’d like to think I’d be in the political field, still making a difference in people’s lives.
I’m spending my summer ... resting, relaxing, traveling and planning for the first year of the Urbana Sixth Grade Center!
— ANTHONY ZILIS