When a Fellow says yes, he or she embraces Mary’s words: “Let it be done to me according to thy word.” In this moment there is joy and peace! It is humbling to know that, imperfect though I may be, God allowed me to be a part of these children’s lives.
This special reflection comes from Cohort 9 STF Anna Stevenson. Anna, who studied English and education at the University of Dallas, shares some of the hard-earned fruits of her first year as a middle school teacher. Are you new to teaching? Wondering what education and mission work might have in store for you? See the eight lessons Anna has to share with new teachers in this blog post.
This reflection is from Anna Donnelly, a Cohort 9 Seton Teaching Fellow. Anna served in our founding Catholic school, Romero Academy at Resurrection, where she taught Catechism and literacy blocks. We are blessed to share that Anna will be joining her community members as one of the founding teachers at our second school in Cincinnati, Ohio: Romero Academy at Annunciation. In this meditative reflection on grace and the movement of God in our lives, Anna shares the trust she has in the Lord and the mystical ways in which He works through us.
While I was yet discerning and preparing for my possible year as a Seton Teaching Fellow, I distinctly remember reading that Fellows “live simply” and instantly panicking. There are a number of things that inspire a life of simplicity—detachment from money, vastly reducing your possessions, seeking necessity over luxury, placing people before comfort—and to a young person considering entry into the professional world this doesn't often seem attractive. Despite concerns around self-denial, I was drawn to the mission of the New Evangelization and I said yes to Seton Teaching Fellows. I then braced myself for what I thought would be a year of discomfort and—reluctantly, I admit—left half of my wardrobe behind as I packed up to move to the Bronx.
From money, to masters, to mission—Shannon Griffin shares how she discovered STF while pursuing an M.A. in economics. Her studies and interests found an intersection in STF, and Shannon found God in the margins.
This fall, the Seton Teaching Fellows recruitment team packed up and headed down to Cincinnati where we had a chance to visit with students, staff, and families at Romero Academy. We encountered an inner city Catholic school where a young and dedicated staff from varying backgrounds came together to support a unified vision of uplifting education immersed in the Catholic faith.
To be an authority in the classroom requires authenticity, and that includes choosing to acknowledge our mistakes. Teaching students the gift of error, and how to respond freely and virtuously to it, is a necessary facet of the Christian experience.
By: MaryJane Plote, a member of STF Cohort 4 | MaryJane graduated from the University of Dallas in 2017 and joined Seton Teaching Fellows as a 4th grade teacher. Upon the completion of her missionary year with STF, she entered University of Dayton's Pastoral Ministry Program, where she is working in campus ministry & on her masters degree. Seton Teaching Fellows will forever be blessed by Ms. Plote's love and dedication to the children she served, her coworkers, & her community members.