4 minute read
Alumna Brings Education Home
ALUMNA BRINGS EDUCATION HOME
Fifth-grade teach Brittany Pierce is fulfilling her dream by teaching at the same Shelbyville school she attended as a child.
“The opportunity to work with children every day is one I am so grateful for,” Pierce said.
It was Pierce’s time at Lake Land that has influenced her teaching career even today.
“When you think about it, I spend more time during the day with these students than their parents do,” Pierce said. “Because of that, I do my best to create individualized experiences for my students. I use a lot of the same techniques I learned at Lake Land, because not only do they work, they make the learning process better for everyone involved.”
As the salutatorian of her high school graduating class, Pierce accepted a Presidential Scholarship to Lake Land.
Upon her acceptance, Pierce said she was asked “aren’t you better than that?” by an individual who did not understand her decision. She responded by sharing her reason for attending.
“Lake Land is a great option for college,” Pierce said. “You get one-on-one experience with instructors and can make a lot of really wonderful friends. That’s why I try to refute the community college stigma whenever I can, because I had a really great experience.”
Not only did Pierce speak highly of her college experience and instructors, she also shared that English Instructor Matt Landrus “was a great teacher” who had helped her to learn a lot of important aspects to the career of Elementary Education.
“I actually went to Matt’s office and cried hysterically the day I graduated because I was sad to leave,” Pierce said. “Lake Land is just awesome. I could not have loved my experience there more.”
FACULTY SPOTLIGHT
Dave Johnson, Health and Physical Education Instructor
Health and Physical Education Instructor Dave Johnson said his favorite aspect of teaching is meeting new students, which he does often as students cycle through their time at Lake Land.
While Johnson had not originally planned on teaching at a college level, after teaching at a middle school for eight years, he found himself seeking more. Now in his 33rd year of teaching, he said as long as he still has enthusiasm for the job and for his students, that’s all that matters.
“At the postsecondary level, there is much more application of knowledge,” Johnson said. “I am a lifelong learner, so I love learning about people and having the opportunity to hear different opinions in class and things like that.”
For the rewarding aspects of his career, Johnson said one of his favorite moments is when a former student recognizes him years after having his class.
“I’ll see someone five or even 10 years later, and they’ll say ‘Do you remember me?’,” Johnson said. “That’s always really fun, and I appreciate that I made that kind of impression on them.”
Johnson has also been Head Coach of the Women’s Basketball Team for several years, and has led the team to many victories, including a national championship in 2021.
While he of course hopes students take away a great deal of beneficial information from his classes, Johnson said that one of his biggest goals is to give them knowledge that can widen their perspective in some way.
“I hope that my students at least take something away from my class that can broaden them as a person and help them to continue to seek learning opportunities,” Johnson said. “That’s how we grow as a society.”
EDUCATION AREA OF STUDY
Business Education
Child & Family Services
Early Childhood Care & Education
Early Childhood Education
Elementary Education
Health Education
Mathematics Education
Nanny Child Care Provider
Paraprofessional Education
Paraprofessional Educator
Physical Education
Secondary Education-Biology
Secondary Education-Chemistry
Secondary Education-Physics
Special Education
Education Exploratory Area of Study
LEARN MORE
For more information or to get started in an Education Area of Study visit lakelandcollege.edu.
