Teacher Spotlight: Mrs. Goszewski

The Fall season continues to be a great time for parents and children to grab a hot cup of cocoa, a comfy throw, a good book and settle into an intimate corner for some good ol' reading. Even as the cooler air pushes us indoors, some of us may remember imaginary play time that would end up realizing itself in our adult careers. Our 3rd grade teacher, Aly Goszewski recounts with bcsfamiliesunited her favorite childhood books and dreams. We love how she reconnects us to the wonder and adventure of being a child! There is everything to love about Mrs. G...- read on and find a new friend!

bcsfamiliesunited:

What was your absolute favorite book as a child and why?

Wow, this is a tough question! Growing up as a child who LOVED to read, it seems almost impossible to pick one book that I loved the most. When I was a student in elementary school, I was very quiet and shy and was a girl of few words. Although I did not talk very much, I was always thinking and always reading.

While reading books, especially on my long bus rides to and from school, I loved to put myself in the characters’ shoes. I made connections with the characters and often felt what they were feeling—frustration, worry, disappointment, excitement, all of it!

As Paul Sweeney once said, “You know you’ve read a good book when you turn the last page and feel a little as if you have lost a friend.” This is how I felt! I often became lost in the stories and hated it when books would end! Because of this, my favorite books were the books that seemed to never end…books in a series! I read through nearly all of the Boxcar Children Mysteries, Babysitter’s Club and Babysitter’s Little Sister, American Girl Books, Nancy Drew, Pony Pals, Little House on the Prairie, and many, many more. If I had to choose one series that I especially loved, it would be the Dear America series. I’d never fully enjoyed learning about history or social studies in school, and these books made history come alive for me. Written from the perspective of a child in a given time period of history, I was able to learn a lot because I was able to connect with the characters and their emotions through their journal entries. Now, as a teacher, this is what teaching reading is all about—helping students fall in love with books as I did, putting themselves in characters’ shoes, and learning in the process.

bcsfamiliesunited:

What contributed to your desire to become a teacher?

Growing up in a home where my dad was and still is an elementary school principal, I think some people assume I became a teacher because of him or because teaching “runs in the family.” As much as I love my dad and admire him, the amount of work he was doing and all the stresses of his job was not what made me want to be a teacher-haha! Ever since I was a little girl in first or second grade, I’ve had the idea in my head that I wanted to be a teacher. I’ve always loved the environment of a school—I loved learning, reading, working hard and watching my hard work pay off. I used to sit in class and imagine ideas of what I would do if I were the teacher. It’s funny looking back at that desire because I was so shy and afraid to speak in front of people!

As I grew up and went to a public high school, my desire to become a teacher was still there, but it started to shift. Through many Christian camp experiences and youth group mission trips, God began really working in my life and I began to feel called into some sort of ministry. I wanted to be a teacher, not just because I loved school, but because I love Jesus and wanted to share His love with His children. As I continued on to a Christian college, God only cemented that idea as I continue to grow in my faith, serve him, and grow in my knowledge of teaching.

Teaching is an amazing profession where you have so much influence over so many. Teachers have the ability to pour into their students’ lives in a way that no one else can. I’m thankful God brought me to be a part of the ministry at BCS where I have the freedom to teach school subjects and teach about Him all at the same time.

Thank you for reading!

bcsfamiliesunited