Education Program

Emily Einhorn received her Bachelor of Arts in Biology and Religion from Wesleyan University in Middletown, CT.  Over the past three years Emily has worked at the Cohen Center for Modern Jewish Studies at Brandeis University on a Jewish education database, JData.com.  During this time, she also worked with middle and high school students as a NFTY youth advisor at Temple Beth David in Westwood, MA.  Emily is originally from southern New Jersey and became interested in the role of religion in education during her four years at a Quaker high school. She is excited to teach science skills to middle school students at a Jewish day school and find ways to encourage a love of science at an early age. She hopes to be able to incorporate her interest in the intersection of religion and biology in her teaching.

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I grew up in San Bernardino, California. After graduating from high school, I attended Texas Christian University and received my Bachelors of Fine Arts in Theatre Performance.  My journey to becoming a teacher has been a long, varied one and I am very excited about my studies at Brandeis. My concentration in secondary education is English. I want to teach English because I believe that storytelling is powerful.  I hope to help the coming generations find an understanding and appreciation of that power. I want them to be able to use that appreciation to understand the world around them and to tell their own story.

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My name is Cynthia Massillon.  I will be graduating from Brandeis in fall 2011 with a major in Politics and minors in legal studies and education.  Education has always been a fundamental aspect of my life.  The importance of a “good” education is what led me to become a teacher.   My definition of a “good” education is one that provides every student with an equal opportunity to learn, think and create.  The importance of history in our everyday life is what I want my students to leave my classroom with.  The knowledge to synthesize today’s world with past events.

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I grew up in Burlington, VT and attended the College of Letters at Wesleyan University, a program that combines the study of literature, history and philosophy. Thanks in large part to the enormous influence my teachers had on me throughout school and college, by the time I graduated I had a pretty good idea that I wanted to teach. Exploring the profession took me to some interesting places, including the Rocky Mountains, where I taught US history as well as wilderness and backpacking skills, and the Republic of Georgia, where I taught English in a village school. Looking to settle down a bit, I decided to get a degree in teaching history, and was drawn to the Brandeis MAT because of its small size, academic rigor, and focus on social justice. I believe this program will help me to focus my passion for learning into the skills and strategies I will need to be a great teacher, one who will inspire my students to be creative thinkers and insightful citizens of the world.

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Shira Schwartzberg received a Bachelor of Arts in Informal Education from the University of Maryland. Upon graduating she taught health education and authored health curricula in Washignton, D.C. More recently, Shira taught math and language arts to middle and elementary students in Miami, FL. She is pursuing an MAT in secondary education with a concentration in history to guide students to think critically about the influence of  history in structuring modern society, thus better preparing them to be positive influences in their world.

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My name is Drew Smialek and I am in the MAT Secondary Education program with a concentration in English. I have spent most of my life in West Campton, New Hampshire and am excited for the new opportunities life in the Boston area will afford me. I am a recent graduate from the University of New Hampshire, from which I earned a B.A. in English. It was during my years as an undergraduate that I was first drawn towards the teaching profession. I am intrigued by the challenge it offers and look forward to working with students collaboratively in the classroom in advancing knowledge in reading and writing.

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Eve is working towards a MAT with a concentration in Secondary History Education.  She has been working in experiential education for the past three years and has taught high school history on a semester at sea program.  She also has served as an Americorps VISTA in a women's shelter and she is dedicated to expanding the role of community service in schools.  Eve holds a BA in History from Connecticut College.

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I grew up splitting my time between Washington D.C. and Maryland. After I graduated from High School, I enrolled at Clark University in Worcester, Massachusetts where I studied classics and philosophy. Concentrating primarily on ancient history and archaeology at Clark, I studied Latin briefly at the College of the Holy Cross and travelled abroad to Greece to study in Athens for 5 months. For the past two years I have studied at Brandeis University in the department of Classics, receiving a Master’s degree with an emphasis in classical languages in May 2011. I hope to now complete a Master’s degree in Teaching at Brandeis University in order to teach Middle and High School history. Aside from academic pursuits, I enjoy teaching boxing, singing with my band, playing one of my countless video games, and, of course, spending time with my friends in Boston proper.

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Howard Allen received a Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering and a Master of Science degree in civil engineering from Tufts University.   In between these studies, he served in the United States Air Force, with assignments in Washington State, England, and Turkey.  He worked for over sixteen years in the environmental consulting industry, focusing on cleaning up properties contaminated with oil and hazardous materials. 

A native of Portsmouth, NH, he now lives with his wife and two sons in Norwood, MA.  Howie is an active member of Temple Beth David of Westwood, MA, where he serves on the Board of Trustees and on numerous committees.  He is looking forward to teaching in a Jewish Day School, where he can create a nurturing environment for students to discover and delve into the wonders of science in a Jewish atmosphere. 

 
I graduated from Mount Holyoke College in 2009 as a History major and Politics minor.  During my senior year, I interviewed prospective students at Mount Holyoke's Office of Admission and really enjoyed learning about the student's schools and interests. I also come from a family of educators who have inspired me to pursue a career in education. These influences coupled with my penchant for History motivated me to further my own education in order to teach students History in a secondary school setting. I was attracted to Brandeis because of its small, challenging classes, individualized attention, and enriching learning environment.

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My name is Sara Marx. Deciding to become a teacher has been a lifelong process for me. As a young person, I loved school so much that I thought I wanted to become a teacher. I was always interested in political science and international relations, as well as learning about other peoples and cultures. After I completed a semester abroad in Dakar, Senegal, I knew I had a lot to share with young people and a unique perspective on the world. I began work as editor of a Jewish educational website for middle-schoolers, and through many school visits and teacher workshops, I knew I wanted to work in a classroom, in a school, with students. Being an educator is truly a calling for me and I am excited to work with young people in a subject area about which I am very passionate. As a teacher, I hope to help young adults ask important questions and feel empowered to positively change the world.

My name is Christina Sergi, and I am in the MAT for secondary school English. I double majored in English and American Literature and Creative Writing as an undergrad at Brandeis University. I hope to take my knowledge and interest in these subjects to help students learn new avenues of creativity, whether it be learning brilliant pieces of poetry, or analyzing many of the wonderful literary works of our past and present. I hope to bring my passion for creativity and exploration into the classroom, and more importantly into the lives of the students.

My name is Alan Tso, and I am in the MAT for secondary school biology. I was a biology major in undergrad with an interest in the fine arts. I'm always coming up with new art projects to tackle, from paintings to suits of armor. I hope that I can put my creativity to good use in making science more interesting. I want to teach students that science is a practical subject with applications throughout everyday life.

Jenna Fernandes ’08 entered the Secondary MAT – English, upon her graduation in 2007 from Brandeis, where she majored in English and American Literature and was Phi Beta Kappa. Jenna did her student teaching in the eighth grade at the Richard J. Murphy School, a Boston Public School with approximately 900 students. Jenna is now teaching in the sixth grade at Ottoson Middle School in Arlington, Mass. Jenna says:

"The Brandeis MAT program allowed me to investigate what was important to me as an educator. The program was small enough for me to receive the individual attention I needed to develop my thinking into the kind of practical philosophy that now informs my teaching. The relationships I formed with professors and colleagues remain the most valuable asset of the program in my mind. The community made it safe for me to take risks and try new things, and I know it will continue to be a source of innovative ideas, personal and professional support, and inspiration in the next stage of my career for years to come."

Beth Factor ’08 earned a BA with honors in History and Sociology/Anthropology from Denison University.  After working in business at a Development and Administrative Manager for several years, she enrolled in the Secondary MAT – History.  Beth did her internship at Newton South High School and is now teaching history, psychology, and law at Salem High School.

Shauna Antley Pellauer ‘08 graduated Summa cum Laude with a BA in English from Pomona College and earned a Master of Theological Studies at Harvard Divinity School before she entered the Brandeis Secondary MAT – English.  Shauna, who did her internship in the eighth grade at the Lawrence School in Brookline and is now teaching at Newton South High School, writes about the Brandeis MAT:  
    
Teaching isn't an art that we ever "master," but the Brandeis MAT program will support your professional and personal growth as you gain the skills to succeed in the classroom.  I benefited tremendously from a small learning community of passionate teachers-in-training and individual attention from advisors and professors.  I also appreciate the commitment Brandeis makes to caring for new teachers like me through the induction program.