The Curry School of Education at the University of Virginia

Class of 2007

Curry Memories

The following entries were submitted by graduates of the Curry School Class of 2007. If you would like to add your thoughts, please email your entry to CurryMemories@virginia.edu. Please include your full name, major, and degree.

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From Bernadette Black:

I took these photos of graduates from the Curry School and thought that you might like to add them to your growing listing . . some are doctoral studetns and some are master's students. All the best . Click on the following link:

UVA Graduation-2007

You'll be asked to type in your name and email address and then
choose a password. This ensures the privacy of my pictures and also sets up your own password-protected account on Snapfish.

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Colleen D. Leleck
Reading Education
M.Ed

I have always had a passion for teaching, but the Curry School has taught me how to use my passion to become an effective leader. My favorite course, Effective Reading Programs, taught by Dr. Vickie Alley, empowered me to use what I learned about effective reading instruction to make recommendations to improve my school's reading program. After graduating this May, I'll miss the rich, passionate discussions that took place in each of my reading classes. It meant so much to be surrounded by dozens of devoted individuals that truly care about this wonderful profession called education!

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McKendry Marano
Mathematics Education
MT

I learned at Curry at how classes should be, which is fun,
informative, and not lecture!! Through the years, I had come to internalize the fact that classes should be where students sit there quietly and teacher lectures. This broke my stereotype and made a huge impact on my life. I now look at schools and students in a new light. I also learned that professors are approachable and helpful, which I did not get or take advantage of in my last school.

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Robert D. Staley
Administration and Supervision
Ed.D

- My favorite Curry course or instructor

Dr. Cheryl Henig, my advisor. Dr. Henig is an exceptional teacher, mentor, leader, and friend. I am eternally thankful for all she has done for me as my advisor. I am a better person, teacher, leader, and researcher due to her tireless efforts and amazing professional and personal skill-set.

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Daniel Christopher Smith
Chemistry-PGMT
MT

My favorite courses were those with Randy Bell as my instructor, and the science cohort as my classmates (EDIS 550A, 550B, and 550L). We all learned so much about science, how to teach science, ourselves as science teachers, and ourselves as young adults.

We were blessed to have an awesome cohort, we were all there to learn and excel as students and as teachers. We seemed to be a very tight group, with many long lasting friendships being formed. We were constantly supporting and pushing one another in and out of Ruffner Hall.

I, nor anyone else, can say enough good things about Randy Bell...he has helped us develop as teachers and as adults in the very short time that we have known him.

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Tim Leslie Everett
Social Foundations of Education (Educational Psychology with a concentration in ESL)
M.Ed

What I learned at Curry...
Where do I begin to relate what I learned while a student at the Curry School? I studied under some of the most amazing professors while at Curry...I even offered to nominate one for "professor sainthood". I read and studied some wonderful theorists, some with whom I agreed and others with whom I did not agree. My whole world opened up more and I saw more opportunities than I had seen for a long while and I was so glad to reacquaint myself with some philosophers and to meet some new ones. I think it is becoming more and more necessary to possess an insatiable desire for more knowledge and information in order to live in today's world. I want to thank the school, the professors, and my fellow students for inspiring me to be more "insatiable" in my quest for knowledge and understanding. Much of what life is all about has to do with never being satisfied. My best wishes to all at the Curry School.

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Rebecca E. Peek
Reading
M.Ed.

My favorite Curry instructor was Dr. Sandy White who sadly passed away this year. This is my first year teaching and I think of her every time I use one of the terrific strategies she modeled for us. She had a gentle way of encouraging us to work hard to meet the needs of all of the students we teach.

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Kerry Bruce Armbruster, Jr.
B.A. French & German
M.T. Secondary Foreign Language Education

***What I learned at Curry

" Know your students."

I have heard this phrase (and repeated it myself) many times throughout my time in and out of Ruffner Hall. The phrase is often called "The Curry Mantra." I did not realize how important it was to heed these three short words until I student taught in a local high school in Charlottesville. I found that so much of my classroom success rides on achieving this simple, but complex goal:

*Are my students physically and psychologically safe? If not, what is bothering them?
*Are my students interested in the lesson? If not, what interests do they themselves have?
*Are my students ready for my summative assessment? If not, what do they already know, and how do I best help them reach my learning objectives?

In short, many--if not all--of the challenges that teachers face in the classroom have something to do with the cognitive and emotional exercise of building relationships with the 25+ individuals in their classrooms. It is probably one of the most important lessons I have ever learned, and I know it will serve me well in the future wherever I may go.

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Margaret Rodgers Cronin
Elementary Education & Sociology
BA/MT

- My favorite Curry course or instructor: Ellie Wilson

- The best Curry educational experience: 788 Student Teaching!

- What I appreciate about Curry: Gigi White was so helpful in job searching

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Alissa Rubin
Sociology and Special Education
BA/MT

My best experiences were whenever we got to go into the classroom and demonstrate what we learned in our Curry classes. Making the connection from the books to the teaching classroom really solidified the methods and theories we were studying. It was great when we got to see our hard work in action.

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Amanda Spear
Speech Pathology
Master's in Speech-Language Pathology

I will really miss all of the friends I have made over the last 2 years. I enjoyed seeing my peers in all of my classes and getting to know them in and out of the classroom. I will miss seeing them all the time and hope to keep in touch!

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Lee, To-Ken
Curriculum and Instruction
Ph.D

As the sun is daily new and old, so my love for Curry is still telling what is told.

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Richard Benjamin Talbot
Biology and Secondary Science Ed
BA/MT

I learned that every student is different, with different needs and different interests... that every school is different, with particular strengths and pitfalls... that every school system is different, with a lot of politics and various mission statements... that every state is different, with a variety of standards and qualification requirements... and that everyone in the nation has different ideas of how to make education in general more effective and efficient... (overwhelming isn't it!?)

Best of all though, I learned at Curry that such differences mean very little to a well-prepared, self-motivated person who knows, understands, and can do those things which educate children and adults in a school environment. =)

I will miss all of those people whom I have had the blessing of meeting here at the Curry School. Thank you all for supporting me and all of us over these past years.

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Adam Swiger
History/Secondary Social Studies
BA/MT

You can't beat EDIS 560 - Teaching Social Studies or EDLF 710 - Contemporary Educational Issues with Professor Van Hover! The Big Review makes all the difference. I’ve never come across a more fun (or effective, of course) way of bringing closure to a semester. The only remaining question: Why don’t all Curry courses end the same way?

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Danielle Elise Fallon
Secondary Math Education
MT

- Memorable Curry event: Angie's performance in Susan Mintz's EDIS 503 class!

- My favorite Curry course or instructor: Kristen Sayeski and Susan Mintz

- What I learned at Curry: Know your students

- The best Curry educational experience: Student teaching experience and discussions in Susan Mintz's class

- What I appreciate about Curry: I transferred to Curry my 2nd semester of 3rd year from Engineering and Curry was incredibly welcoming! In particular, Sandra Cohen and Kristen Sayeski were so helpful and influential.

- What I'll miss most about Curry: Most definitely the incredible, wonderful students and teachers I have met. I feel so lucky.

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Briana Lappan
Elementary Education & French
BA/MT

My favorite Curry instructor is darling Ellie Wilson. I missed her so much this past semester when she was abroad in England. Ellie was fabulous for the two years I had her, from courses on Curriculum Instruction to one in the College SWAG department on Women in Education. She brings a zest and warmth to the classroom, making all feel excited to be in class. One of my favorite Ellie-memories is showing up with my roommates at her door on a Sunday night to quickly get a signature and being invited in for hours to sit on her back porch and talk about life. Ellie made my Curry school and my UVA experiences more personal.

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Publisher:
Curry School of Education Foundation
PO Box 400276
Charlottesville, VA 22904

Editor:
Lynn Bell
Director of Communications