One Austin College alumna has found her own classroom—
on the Austin College campus.
Sandy Philipose ’99 completed her Master of Arts in Teaching degree the next year through the ATP. That January, she accepted a paid teaching internship at a high school in Plano. “I felt ready to step into the role of head teacher even though that is what is normally the student teaching semester,” Sandy said. “At a time most people are just getting their feet wet, I was ready to take the lead and be the head teacher in the room. We are very well-prepared beginners.”
Sandy remained at the school for four more years, then felt she had come to realize some of the difficulties of the teaching profession and wanted to help prepare young teachers to face them. She entered Stanford University to complete a Ph.D. in curriculum and education.
She had joked with her Austin College teacher education professors that she would take their jobs when they retired. The completion of her Ph.D. coincided instead with the sad news of the death of longtime ATP professor Tom Baker. Sandy had to consider whether she wanted to apply. “From my Ph.D. work, I knew the model Austin College uses has been researched and supported,” she said. “I realized the strength of it and that this would be my dream job.”
She joined the ATP faculty in 2010. “To have five years to help a student grow is an honor,” she said. She pointed out that ATP-prepared teachers tend to have long careers, differing from the general population of teachers. Research shows that, in general, 50 percent of new teachers leave the profession within five years. “That’s not the case for Austin College students,” Sandy said. “Even if no longer in the classroom, many Austin College alumni have moved into leadership or have taken on some other role in education.”
“Austin Teacher Program graduates have staying power,” Sandy said. “That’s connected to the fact that with so many hours of classroom experience, we already know that we are truly committed to education.”