By Branden Ferguson

As Ohio continues to face a teacher shortage in public schools, Bowling Green State University remains committed to preparing students like senior Grace Kirk to meet the state's workforce needs, fostering their passion for the profession and equipping them with the tools to succeed.

"If you want to change the world, it starts in the classroom," Kirk said. "Today's students are tomorrow's thinkers, workers, doctors and politicians."

With the goal of changing the future, Kirk enrolled in the University's highly regarded education program, focusing on middle childhood education for math and social studies. BGSU is the largest producer of teachers at a single site in Ohio.

"As a first-generation college student, my experience at BGSU has been amazing," Kirk said. "Students are prepared to be teachers through field experience, experiential learning, interactions with faculty, and through support from professors and President Rodney Rogers.

"He is one of the friendliest people you will ever meet, and he has made it a point to make me feel welcome as a first-generation college student."

As a Thompson Working Families Scholarship recipient, Kirk also had the dedicated support of a Thompson advisor to help guide her through her educational journey.

Kirk gained critical career experience as a pre-service teacher and connected with students through programming provided by the BGSU College of Education and Human Development.

With the aid of a grant from the state of Ohio, Kirk and other education students provided tutoring services to fourth and fifth-grade students in partner districts across northwestern Ohio. The after-school program, called BGSU TIME — Tutoring In Math and English/Language Arts — matched pre-service teachers from the University with students requiring additional help twice per week, both remotely and in person.

Kirk also participated in Project Educate, a four-pillar program to increase the recruitment and retention of underrepresented minorities into the teaching profession. Through the partnership between Washington Local Schools and Northwest Ohio Center for Excellence in STEM Education (NWO), Kirk was able to work toward her goal of being an inspiration to others.

"I know many people rely heavily on seeing representation before they think they are able to do something," Kirk said. "I want to be the representation that girls and African American kids need to realize that teaching is a rewarding and noble profession."

BGSU pre-service teachers begin field experiences during their freshman year. By graduation, they have logged nearly 1,000 hours in the field, making them standouts for competitive teaching positions. Kirk has accumulated many of her hours in the classrooms at Woodmore Middle School in Woodville, Ohio, near Toledo.

"I was really nervous going in, worried that I wasn't going to be able to manage a classroom full of kids, but BGSU prepared me to tackle classroom management. My mentor teachers at Woodmore have supported me every step, providing feedback and guidance," Kirk said.

"I love all my kids and have enjoyed every day I've been here at Woodmore. I enjoy working with the students and even had the amazing opportunity to go to 6th-grade camp with my kids this year."

During her field experience, Kirk worked with various mentor teachers at Woodmore Middle School, teaching and learning alongside teachers Jordyn Dunn '19 and Carrie Peters (Ayotte) '02. As BGSU graduates themselves, Dunn and Peters were eager to help a fellow Falcon.

A fifth to seventh grade social studies teacher at Woodmore Middle School, Peters has taught for more than 22 years. Working with many pre-service teachers, Peters has a unique relationship with Woodmore Schools, as she too completed her student teaching at the district.

"BGSU gave me a good start in education and provided me with a lot of field experiences and real-world applications," Peters said. "As BGSU students come into my class as student teachers, I can see that BGSU still provides an amazing education. I feel like BGSU has its students go above and beyond, and that prepares them for any situation they may encounter."

As a Falcon whose mentor teacher was also a BGSU graduate, Peters aims to provide a fantastic opportunity.

"I remember my mentor Michele Gephart making me feel comfortable and valued," Peters said. "As a teacher, I want to share experiences with my student teachers and give them as great of an experience as I had."

Kirk said her time at Woodmore Schools solidified her plans to become a teacher and further engrained the importance that BGSU places on putting students first.

"During my time at Woodmore Schools, I kept thinking about what BGSU taught regarding the importance of having the role of a student in the back of your mind while being a teacher," Kirk said. "It's important to remember that each student is different and has different circumstances and home lives. As a teacher, I can be the best part of a student's day and provide them a safe place to be themselves."

After graduation, Kirk plans to work in an economically disadvantaged district and make a difference in her students' lives. She hopes to inspire students to follow their dreams and let them know that anything is possible.