STORY BY Catherine Hamrick
Most people sign off emails with “Sincerely,” “Best regards” or “Thanks,” but Sydney Summers (26c) closes with “Joyfully, Sydney,” offering an idea of how the soon-to-be teacher approaches life — with gratitude and a smile.
Summers knew her path from an early age. In elementary school, she loved helping children learn in her grandmother’s kindergarten classroom. As a third grader, she jumped in to assist the substitute when her teacher was out for a few weeks, coaching classmates who struggled with math worksheets. In middle school and again in high school, she continued to seek out opportunities to support other students.
“My love of learning naturally led me toward teaching, but the joy of shaping young hearts and minds truly confirmed my calling,” Summers said.
At Berry, she has pursued her passion with vigor. Now a few weeks shy of graduation, the education major has her sights set on a second-grade classroom.
“At that age, curiosity and abstract thinking are constantly developing,” she explained. “It makes conversations and lessons more fun! The students are still small and sweet but have a level of exciting independence.”
Summers feels ready to step into a classroom of her own thanks in part to Berry’s emphasis on practical application of knowledge in an educational setting. Required field experiences in Rome-area schools first allowed her to observe classes, administer assessments and analyze data. Then she moved on to lesson planning and teaching, all while building classroom management skills.
Additional insights gained as both a student worker and now student teacher at Berry College Elementary and Middle School have provided a model of excellence for Summers.
“Several teachers there are Berry alumni, and they employ exciting strategies,” she said. “There is a level of excellence that Berry educators have that shines through in any environment.”
Inspired by these role models, Summers has leaned into every teaching opportunity, taking particular satisfaction in helping her students become better readers.
“It brings me so much joy to watch students develop this skill and learn its value,” she emphasized, recalling one student’s excitement over passing a language assignment after previously struggling.
“He looked up at me with a huge smile and said, ‘Miss Sydney! I did it! I get a sticker!’” Summers enthused. “His pure joy in accomplishing this task after working so hard still brings tears to my eyes.”
Summers experienced similar delight putting her teaching skills to the test while studying abroad in Ecuador. At first, the idea of engaging a classroom of Spanish-speaking students seemed daunting, but reassurance flowed from her Berry mentor, Dr. Eliana Hirano, program director for Teaching English as a Foreign Language.
“She sat down with me and intentionally reminded me of everything I had done to prepare,” Summers shared.
That preparation paid off as the aspiring teacher helped students in her assigned class of first graders gain understanding through rhyming, common phrases and descriptive words. Games and pictures facilitated spoken language, with Bingo reinforcing the presentation of vocabulary words and charades encouraging students to act out certain animals and then repeat the names together.
“As my teaching continued, my confidence grew,” she noted. “There was clear evidence that my students were learning, and I finally felt like a real teacher.”
As Summers completes her final semester of student teaching back in Rome, Hirano predicts a bright future for her protégé: “Sydney will be a wonderful teacher. Her joyful attitude inspires those around her, and the young learners in her classroom are certainly going to be positively affected by her genuine care and commitment to their growth.”
