Meet and Greet with Cohort 22

While following my journey through the Elementary Education MAT Program at Columbia College Chicago, you have gotten to know me, my cohort and the CCC professors well. Today I’d like to introduce you to some of the soon-to-be second year education candidates in the program, Cohort 22. Get to know their reasons for choosing Columbia, their perspectives on our program, and some of their teaching experiences.

This is Andy Knuth:

Photo Credit: Andy Knuth

Andy came to Columbia College Chicago after attending the University of Wisconsin-Madison, majoring in Communication Arts-Radio, Television, and Film. He is studying education because he enjoys working with the creativity of kids, and really loves working with youth in a variety of capacities. Currently, he teaches clowning and improvisation at The Second City. He was excited to learn more efficient methods of teaching at Columbia to become a better teacher.

So far he loves the program and culture within Columbia’s Education Department, as he states, “I enjoy the intimate and caring classroom environment. I came from a very large undergraduate institution where you hardly knew your professors so the small cohort structure really helps build relationships and bonds with fellow pre-service teachers.” Andy also notes the creative, practical and useful methods that we learn in class and their application to any and all subjects we teach as highlights of the program. When asked about an interesting fact he’d like others to know about him, Andy stated, “I am literally a clown and perform and teach throughout Chicago!”

Here is Camille Gregory:

Camille Gregory. Photo Credit: Debra Gregory.

Another excellent representation of Columbia College Chicago’s Elementary Education MAT program is Camille Gregory. She studied Art History right here at Columbia College as an undergraduate student before deciding to attend CCC’s Elementary Education MAT program in pursuits to become a kindergarten teacher. When asked what she likes most about Columbia’s program thus-far, Camille says she loves the “hands-on, meaningful learning techniques.” Camille knows what good schools and good teaching look like, as she revealed she grew up moving around a lot, and went to 6 different schools before high school!

Meet Kristin Hill:

Kristen Hill playing hockey. Photo Credit: Kristen Hill

Kristen also attended Columbia College Chicago as an undergraduate student, graduating with an Interdisciplinary Major in Theater and Film with a minor in Fiction Writing. She has taught at Columbia College for 14 years in the Theatre Department and wanted to move down into elementary to work with a different age group. Kristen says, “I love teaching and working with children so I am very excited to be doing elementary education! I love the mentality towards teaching children. It is very hands on and extremely creative.”

When asked what she likes most about Columbia’s program thus-far, Kristen says “the teachers are involved in what you do and set great examples of powerful teaching. I don’t think I would want to learn how to teach anywhere else.” Aside from teaching and studying at CCC, Kristen is also a girl scout leader of a daisy troop and plays hockey.

Stay tuned for blogs to come where you can meet more CCC elementary education students and teacher-candidates, investigate the work we do within the program, and share in our experiences as we look ahead to graduation and summer! Be sure to check out the great work of the graduating cohort’s student teaching experiences as we share a culmination of our semester’s work in Masters of Flight, the graduate student showcase at Manifest. The education department’s portion of Masters in Flight will be held on Thursday, May 15 at 33 E. Congress from 4pm-6pm.