Michelle Casten Magbanua

Since September 2018 I have been the executive officer for the U of L's Improv club, also known as The Unscripted Theatre Society. Having been a regularly-attending member for the past three years, I have developed several skills that I believe will help me as a future teacher. In the club, we have learned to have a "yes, and" mentality, or to be flexible. We have also learned to think on our feet and be supportive. I can apply what I have learned to my career in the sense that I will support every student, and that I can accept any situation given to me. 

I have been a general member of the Undergraduate Education Society (EUS) for the past 4 years, and this past April I was elected to be the Director of Tutoring Services. My role in EUS is to reach out to local families and university students to sign up for our tutoring services and match them up to their needs and interests. What I have learned from being a part of EUS is a sense of shared responsibility and the importance of community building. By matching our university students to local families who have children struggling in school, we are able to build strong relationships within the community. I believe that this position has enabled me to truly care about the well-being of each and every individual student rather than just looking at students as a class. Click the button titled "PD Reference Letter" to view my Professional Development Reference letter given to me by the EUS. 

For the past few years, I have had the opportunity to volunteer at St. Michael School with the kindergarten class. There I learned the basics of what it's like to be a primary teacher and was immersed in a different school atmosphere from my other practica. I believe that my time at St. Michael helps me as a future educator because I am gained experience with different grade levels. This document, written by the kindergarten teacher at St Michael, showcases my duties while volunteering as well as my experience outside of practicum. Click on VOLUNTEERING to view the reference letter.