Recently we sat down with Drew Crandall, a CityU alumnus and a Renton 2012 Ahead of the Class Excellence in Education Award finalist. Currently, Drew is a second grade teacher at Lakeridge Elementary school. When catching up with him, here is what he had to say:

City University of Seattle (CU): How long have you been an educator? How long have you been at Lakeridge?

Drew Crandall (DC): I have been teaching for seven years.  This is my fourth year at Lakeridge, and before that I taught at First Place School in Seattle.  I also taught English abroad in Japan for one year.

CU: Why did you become an educator or when did you know education was the field for you?

DC: I coached younger kids in basketball when I was in high school.  I knew right away that working with kids was something I loved to and found rewarding.  I still feel that sense of reward.  It’s a difficult profession, but I look forward to going to school everyday to work with my students.

CU: I understand you graduated from our Masters of Educational in Leadership program – what was your experience like with CityU?

DC: I had a wonderful experience at CityU.  The professors were knowledgeable and engaging, and I gained a lot from the discussions with my classmates.  I feel like I was able to directly apply what I learned at CityU to help my school.

CU: Do you have any words of encouragement or advice for CityU students training to enter the classroom for the first time?

DC: My advice would be to remember that teaching is a profession in which you should always be improving.  You should feel like you are constantly learning new skills and evolving  your practice.  And, remember to enjoy it!

Many thanks for your time Drew, and best of luck to you in the future!

Are you CityU alum? Catch up with us on the alumni website here .

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