Graduate Inclusive Childhood Education
Student Success Stories
Anna Carey 
Sociology major; Elementary Education and Special Education, B.A., 1999
Literacy Education, M.S.Ed., 2000
Nazareth alumna Anna Carey is the executive director of County of Leslie Lifting Youth, a non-profit organization that provides health, dental, and education programs for elementary students in the Appalachian region of southeastern Kentucky.
As an undergraduate, Anna took advantage of Nazareth’s Intercultural Student Teaching Program. She spent her student teaching semester in a bilingual classroom at the Chinle Boarding School at a Navajo reservation in Many Farms, Arizona. “It was an eye-opening experience, “ she notes, “that Nazareth had prepared me for. I was able to be flexible and empathetic, and I was able to adapt and adjust to this very new teaching experience. Nazareth empowered me to have high academic expectations for my students and to follow through with appropriate teaching skills.”
Anna continued her studies at Nazareth by attaining a master’s degree in Literacy Education one year after completing her undergraduate childhood education program. “I feel reading is the basis for succeeding in any academic area – and for succeeding in life.”
She adds that her Nazareth educational experience prepared her for the administrative skills needed for running a non-profit organization. “At Nazareth I learned how to learn. As an executive director, I am able to successfully balance budgets, write grants, and analyze data because of Nazareth’s preparation of me as a learner, as well as a teacher.”
Dana Quante
Current Graduate Student
Inclusive Childhood Education, Initial Certification Program
Teaching is not a static profession, it evolves as we gain more understanding of what works best for all children in the classroom. As a person who is changing careers, I came to the graduate program with the model of teaching I grew up with in the 1970s and 1980s: rote learning, multiple choice tests, and separating students by their abilities.
My first semester in the Graduate Inclusive Childhood Program was personally transformative. I became enculturated into a different mindset, a way of viewing all students by their strengths, and to build on those strengths to design instruction that would create the optimal learning environment for each student. The wonderful thing about this strength-based vision is that I now interact with colleagues, parents, and administrators in a proactive way as well.
Nazareth is educating me to see that teaching is all about the student, and that students in the classroom are not separate from their family, community, and their peers. The Graduate Inclusive Childhood Program prepares us to teach children how to learn for the rest of their lives, not just for the few months they are in our classroom. It is a deeply satisfying program because of this.
Jillian Schneider
Graduated Spring 2006
Mathematics major; Undergraduate Inclusive Childhood/Middle Childhood Program
1. From your perspective, what are the strongest features of the undergraduate Inclusive Childhood/Middle Childhood program?
The strongest feature of the Inclusive Childhood/Middle Childhood program is the professors. They are extremely knowledgeable and passionate about what they teach. They know each and every one of their students and are willing to do whatever it takes to make them successful.
I believe this is what gives the teachers who graduate from Nazareth such a wonderful reputation. I was told that I was hired because I went to Nazareth and Nazareth is known to educate the very best teachers. I couldn't agree more. When entering the profession, I felt extremely prepared for my first year of teaching.
2. How did the program effectively prepare you to be an inclusive educator?
I was given the opportunity to visit and observe in many different classrooms through diverse field placements, allowing me to see how different teachers organize their classrooms. It gave me the opportunity to work with a variety of teachers, who have different teaching styles and philosophies. I also got to work with students of varying abilities and backgrounds. This gave me exposure to a variety of techniques to help students learn. This does not just apply to students with special needs. All of the techniques I learned in the program have helped me meet the needs of all of my students. When looking for colleges I wanted to be dual-certified because I was aware of the trend of integrating students with special needs into the general classroom. Nazareth's program gave me just what I was looking for. I would not only be dual-certified, but I would have four certifications. This had made me very marketable on the job scene.
3. Where are you currently teaching?
I teach in the Grand Island Central School District near Buffalo, New York. I teach 6th grade English Language Arts and social studies. I teach collaborative classes. I am also working on my Masters Degree in Literacy at the University of Buffalo.