Thomas College alumna and Madison Junior High School social studies teacher Savanna Kandiko ’17 is thankful to have the support of her colleagues as they work through this new world of teaching – together.

“The transition from teaching in the classroom to remote learning has been an innovative process. It has put our flexibility, creativity, pedagogy and instructional strategies to the test. Fortunately, as educators, flexibility, creativity, pedagogy, and instructional strategies are at the heart of the profession on an everyday basis. Although our skills are being tested, we are able to maintain a positive mentality as we move forward collectively.”

Savanna finds herself thankful for her Thomas education during this time. Her experience at Thomas taught her the importance of flexibility and differential learning opportunities for students, especially in maintaining structure in this new setting.

“Thomas College also taught me about what it means and what it looks like to be a lifelong learner and a passionate educator. I learned from many wonderful professors including Dr. Biffle and Professor Steve Ball what it means to learn through travel, conversation, and world studies. I learned from Dr. Thompson, Dr. Rybakova and Dr. Lepley what it means to learn from reading and how to engage students through the process of active reading. The passion I now have for learning and for teaching comes from my experience at Thomas.

“My hope is that the passion I have developed can be relayed to my students to help them foster a love for learning. Learning comes from all types of interactions, opportunities, and experiences. Learning is not just the byproduct of schools and education, but the understanding that there is and will always be more to know, more to discover, more to immerse in. Learning doesn’t just take place in the classroom.”