Most people have been the new kid at some point. Most people have dealt with new faces, places, and schedules, but what does it feel like to be a new teacher at Providence Academy?
Ms. Funk, a new upper school religion teacher at PA, says the environment at PA makes things very easy for new students and teachers in their transition from one school to another. Ms. Funk says, “Providence has been a very welcoming community” and “I can’t say I feel like a new student other than trying to find where everything is located.”
Ms. Funk knows a lot about being new. She has studied at three colleges, the third of which she is still attending. She studied social work at The Catholic University of America, got her masters in Theology at The Franciscan University, and is earning her masters in educational leadership at Notre Dame.
Ms. Funk taught upper level theology at a school in Arlington Virginia, where she had 130 students, far more than the 90 students she is teaching this year. Ms. Funk says that having more students makes it harder to teach the way she wants to and that she is excited to be able to personalize her teaching style for each and every student she is teaching at PA. Teaching smaller classes also makes it easier to teach students as individuals. Ms. Funk also wants to teach using many different teaching styles so students of all learning styles can feel comfortable in her classes.
She is no stranger to helping those at a disadvantage. For example she gave pro life help to pregnant teens. She has also helped babies in the N.I.C.U. at The Children’s Hospital in D.C. In her words it was “a great Friday night.” She truly does enjoy charity work and helping those less fortunate.
Ms. Funk is excited to be a new teacher here and to become a part of the PA community and said she feels invited to take part in school activities such as football games. As always the PA community is very excited in welcoming not only Ms. Funk but all of the new teachers here at PA.
