Student Testimonials

Lauren Vigorito

Elementary Education

The Teachers@Heart residency program has been such a great experience! Being in the same classroom all year is a huge advantage. Building positive relationships with my students, initiating and maintaining classroom management strategies and learning how to plan are just a few of the major things that I have gotten to do from the very beginning. From walking into the classroom the first day to now, my confidence has grown immensely. I was nervous about managing a group of kids, learning and implementing the curriculum and keeping the students engaged. Now, after being able to observe my mentor teacher and then take over the entire classroom, I can say with confidence that I am ready to be in my own room. The support from my mentor teacher and the rest of the staff at Johnson Elementary has been a blessing as well. Everyone has been so welcoming to me and my mentor has been so helpful and encouraging. The feedback that I have gotten and the insight I have been given is something that I will take throughout my career as a teacher. During this program I have gained the confidence and the wisdom that I will need in order to make it as a teacher, and that is because of the excellent support that I have been given, as well as being able to be in the same classroom from beginning to end.

Chloe McEneaney

Elementary Education

I can easily say that doing the Teachers@Heart Residency Program was the best thing I could have done for my career! I have grown as an educator, more than I ever imagined, as well as a person. Being given the opportunity to work with my mentor teacher and students for a whole year has been a wonderful experience. I have gotten to know my mentor teacher very well; she has taught me so much throughout the year and is still showing me more strategies and resources every day. This experience has allowed me to get to know my students, where they feel comfortable enough to tell me what they need to be successful.  Sometimes they even guide me into trying new strategies that work best for them!

I am more prepared to have a classroom of my own than I ever thought I would be, I am super excited! Bridgeport is a fantastic environment to work in. The staff is amazing; everyone is willing to help and guide me through situations. The students put a smile on my face every day, they enjoy being in school and love to learn. They are all so curious and truly make going to work very enjoyable! I am thankful every day for the residency program and the opportunities I have been given. I would recommend this program to anyone.

Caitlin Wall 

Secondary Education, Science

I was a teacher resident at Bridgeport’s Central High School. While I was working toward my secondary education certification in Biology (7-12) and a cross-endorsement in computer science education. The Teachers@Heart Residency Program was an amazing experience, and I am so happy that this is the path I chose! I have lived in Bridgeport all my life, and always wanted to teach in an urban school district. When I first heard of the residency program, I was so excited. The opportunity to work within my community and teach in Bridgeport sounded amazing to me and I am so happy I pursued this path.

In the teacher residency program, I was assigned a teacher mentor and a classroom to be in all year long. Because of my presence in one classroom and co-teaching the entire first semester with my mentor teacher, I was completely prepared for my student teaching experience! As a resident teacher, I have been able to build meaningful relationships with students, practice classroom management, collaborate with other teachers and design and implement my own lessons and units! I really feel as though I have been accepted by the Central High School community as a faculty member and receive support from staff and administrators.

Not only was the residency experience amazing, but the weekly seminar with the other resident teachers and professors, Rene Roselle and Michael Brosnan, was wonderful. Weekly seminars allow residents to apply theory that we have formally learned in our courses and practice that theory in the classroom.

Krissy Rimmel

Secondary Education, English

My decision to join the Teachers@Heart Residency Program is one of the best decisions that I have ever made. I spent a lot of time discussing my options, exploring each route and thinking about what track I wanted to take for my student teaching and I am so incredibly grateful that I took the leap and decided to be a part of the program.

The most beneficial aspect of this program is the fact that you remain in the same classroom, with the same students, for the entirety of the school year. This program has helped me to gain confidence as I receive endless support from my fellow residents, my mentor teacher, building administrators and other teachers within the building. For example, I have presented my research on multicultural education at a conference, Leadership in Diversity. Additionally, I have led two different professional development sessions for the teachers at my school, one focusing on a strategy to engage online learners and one on gender inclusivity. By working with other educators to create and inspire students, I have grown monumentally, both as a teacher and an individual.

Samantha Simpson 

Elementary Education

The Teachers@Heart Residency Program is by far the best experience that I have had at Sacred Heart. Going into this program, I was a little apprehensive, but since then, I have grown and learned so much from this hands-on experience. Teaching has always been my passion, and this residency program has made me realize this even more. Working hands on in the classroom with the students and a knowledgeable, experienced mentor has taught me so much and has boosted my confidence in the classroom. I have learned from my mentor how to deal with those things and I am learning on my own as well. I feel good and ready to conquer what lies ahead and am excited for what the future has to offer.

Jayce Jones 

Elementary Education

The residency program is where you learn the ins and outs of teaching. This hand-on, full-year experience allows you to find yourself as a teacher and much more. It encourages you to become comfortable in front of the classroom and also make those mistakes that all teachers make their first year. Whether it's a lesson going too short or too long and the kids are not engaged anymore, you are able to experience all of that.

The residency program allowed me to see how teaching is on a day-by-day basis. My confidence grew so much as a teacher and I was able to come up with ideas and lessons at such an early time within the program because I was already comfortable with the routines in the classroom, the students, the school and also myself as a teacher.

The Teachers@Heart residency program is the way to go. You learn so much and basically gain a first year of teaching under your belt before your “official” first year.

Clarissa Baez 

Elementary Education

I am happy that I have completed the Teachers@Heart residency program. I was able to co-teach with an amazing mentor for a full academic year. What I really like about the residency program is that you are allowed to grow and learn with the same cohort of students. I learned how to teach kids remotely and even learned how to comfortably use applications I had never used before. I feel more confident as an educator today than I have ever felt in the past. Lastly, I loved that I was accepted by the Bridgeport staff most dearly. I was given my own Bridgeport email where I was made aware of what was going on with our district. The residency program made me a better teacher because it allowed me to continuously co-plan, teach, grade, reflect and modify my lessons with support and guidance.