Student Profiles

Susan Schmidt, M.A.T. 2006 (Middle and High School), Tufts University

Hometown: Originally from Sea Isle City, NJ but now considers her home to be Medford, MA
Undergraduate Degree: B.S. Chemistry, Princeton University

My senior year in college I had plans to go to grad school in chemistry. I applied to several programs and visited the schools I was admitted to, but my research experience in my senior year made me realize that I wasn't cut out to make it in grad school. It may have been the area that I was doing my research in (chemical physics- we used IR spectroscopy to investigate vibrational modes of molecules), but I wanted to do something practical and concrete- I was fed up with theory. I have always loved kids, and had done a lot of informal teaching while growing up and a teaching internship in Trenton one summer. So I decided to get a job teaching because I knew that I would find it worthwhile. I didn't realize how hard it was going to be. I worked for one year as a long-term substitute at Newton North High School, teaching 2 AP Chemistry classes, and 2 college prep chems. I was extraordinarily lucky to be able to co-teach the college prep classes with a veteran teacher, who basically guided me and framed my teaching experience there. Looking back, I really enjoyed my time at Newton, and learned a great deal. But I realized that I needed to know more, and wanted some more training. After my year at Newton, I chose to stay home with my then newborn daughter, and now, 7 years later, I have three kids! They are a constant source of joy and angst, but never a dull moment.

I started the Tufts program in the Special student program, and was officially accepted into the program in 2002. I chose the Tufts program over Harvard's for several reasons- there was much more flexibility in the program and I could take one class per semester, which allowed me to stay home with my kids full-time and spread out the financial cost. Plus the experience that I had with the courses I took before entering the program were very positive- the professors were very caring and the class sizes were small.

What is most interesting to you in what you're doing now?

I am currently student teaching at Somerville High School. I love Somerville because of its diversity of students. It's a wonderful atmosphere and the kids are great. The teachers I work with seem very dedicated to the school and community, and that gives me a positive feeling about the teaching that I do. I really like designing curriculum and learning from the other teachers about how they approach their subject. My mission is to make chemistry fun and relevant for my students, as much as possible.

What are your plans for the years to come? What do you hope to do after graduation?

Well, my youngest child is still only 2 years old. So she has a few years before kindergarten. Ideally, I would like to find a part time job teaching, but I think I will have trouble finding something close to home. I am not averse to working in private school, but eventually I plan to work in an urban public school. If I don't find a suitable part-time position, then I'll either try to work for an afterschool program, or work at the university level doing research. I also would like to explore the possibility of working as a science curriculum specialist at the preschool level. I have done some projects at my son's preschool which have been a lot of fun- preschoolers are so curious and open to new ideas. Anyway, the future is unclear, but once my kids are all in school, I will look for a full-time job in an urban public school like Somerville High or Medford High.