I walked down the cobblestone path, turned just after the historic Paul Revere House, and walked into St. John School, an elementary school rooted in the heart of North End in Boston. It was my first day shadowing Miss Guido’s 3rd grade class and my nervous excitement had me skip-running down the uneven street. The opportunity to shadow at a high-achieving private school had before seemed like an impossibility; a wishful dream. Yet there I was, about to be professionally formed by highly-trained educators with the potential for forming connections that could transform the trajectory of my professional career entirely, and all thanks to Sattler’s strategic location in downtown Boston. 

As an Early Childhood Education major, I’m required to complete over 100 hours of shadowing work in a K-3rd classroom before completing a full semester of student teaching. This is a big favor to ask of a school and I was nervous that I wouldn’t find one in Boston willing to host me. But within twenty minutes of emailing and calling local schools, I already had an enthusiastic “Yes!” from multiple schools in the area, two of which are a mere ten minute walk from Sattler’s campus. Due to Sattler’s prime location, I was able to find a position at a quality elementary school with astonishing speed.

While Sattler’s location in downtown Boston has been significant for the opportunities I’ve received, my biggest assist came from one of my Sattler professors. Professor Miller had a connection with a local Christian elementary school and, unbeknownst to me, had mentioned my name in a conversation with his friend who just so happened to be the school administrator. Once interest was expressed, he went out of his way to put us into contact, which led to my current position as a substitute teacher at Park Street School, a high-ranking private school in Sattler’s backyard. Had it not been for this professor who took a personal interest in my life, I would lack an essential connection that has succeeded to bolster my professional experiences and given me a link to Christian education. My educational hopes have been entirely transcended by these rich experiences thanks to Sattler’s strategic location and wealth of caring professors.

Featured image courtesy of Qihao Wang on Unsplash.