March 3, 2023
An Early Childhood Education major, Abby Baer is ready to begin her career. A native of McDermott, Ohio, Bauer transferred to SSU because she wanted to be closer to home.
“I started my college career at two other universities,” she said. “With the COVID-19 pandemic beginning and just not feeling at home, I decided to transfer back to SSU. I am so happy I made that decision.”
Attending her hometown university, Baer’s favorite part about being at SSU is having people around her who are striving to reach the same goal. Within her classes, she’s made friendships with others that are studying to become educators and is thankful with how they’ve been able to help each other on their journeys.
Baer first knew education was the path for her when she was a junior in high school. During the year she had the opportunity to work in a reading lab at her elementary school.
“While working in there, I met a very special boy named Chase,” she said. "I taught him how to read during my time there. I knew from that moment that I loved helping students reach goals and accomplish their greatest challenges. Unfortunately, a few years ago, we lost Chase in a car accident. While he may no longer be with us physically, his memory lives on in my mind continuously. He is the reason I wanted to become an educator.”
Baer recently attended the Education Career Fair held on campus, where she was able to talk to the Assistant Superintendent of the school where she’s completing her student teaching.
“It was a great opportunity for me to reach out to him and let them know I was interested in continuing my teaching career at their schools,” she said.
Looking toward her graduation, Baer feels she is very prepared for her future career thanks to her experiences at SSU.
“I absolutely feel prepared to go into my future career,” she said. “Being put into the classroom early is an excellent way to tell if you are willing to be in this career field. I have met some really amazing people throughout this journey, and I cannot wait to start my career!”
SSU’s Early Childhood Education program prepares students to teach pre-kindergarten through third grade classes. Within the program, students learn practical skills from professors across several departments, allowing them to gain the experience needed to lead classes through learning adventures and guiding students through their own unique challenges. Students take three years of foundational classes with their peers before preparing for student teaching and then working side-by-side with a current teacher in the classroom.
To learn more about the School of Education at Shawnee State University, visit shawnee.edu/education.