PROOF O.K. BY: ____________________________ O.K. WITH CORRECTIONS BY: _________________________
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Why are you a teacher? Honestly, I fell into being a science teacher. I had always
thought from a young age I would teach Language Arts, or fourth grade like
my favorite teacher. I set up school and taught stued animals in my bedroom
from a young age, moving on to my brothers when they were old enough to sit
up. Then somehow, I changed my mind, and decided maybe I would do nursing.
There was a shortage, why not? I was in nursing school, and on the first day
the professor called me up in front of an entire auditorium of nursing students.
She said “What are you doing here?” and motioned to my pregnant belly. I had
previously met her assistant director while waitressing at the yacht club, and
she had told me being pregnant would be fine, as long as I had doctor clearance.
Well, the director disagreed. She humiliated me in front of an entire auditorium,
made me withdraw from nursing 101 and clinicals, and switch to just pre-requisites.
Sometimes I wish I had handled the entire thing dierently, but if I had,
would I be here today? Also it taught me a valuable lesson in how to not treat
my students. Ever. Best thing that ever happened to me, because that is when I
found my love for the sciences. I did like science in high school. I went to a small
Catholic school for seventh and eighth grade, and there was not really a strong
science curriculum. College science fascinated me.
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COBB Shannon
Ventresca
Current school and grade (subject): East Cobb Middle School — sixth through eighth grade ESOL science and seventh grade ESOL
math support
Other schools/grades/subjects previously taught: O’Donnell Middle School (Stoughton, Massachusetts) — seventh grade life
science; Stoughton Academy (Stoughton, Massachusetts) — high school biology and chemistry; East Cobb Middle School — eighth
grade physical science; East Cobb Middle School — sixth grade science
How many years have you been an educator? 17
26 COBB LIFE | JANUARY 2022
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