Kate Featherston

1. What are some past jobs/positions you have held?

Prior to working in Trenton, I was an English and Journalism teacher at Hightstown High School for six years.

2. Were there any particular TCNJ courses/internships that helped jump-start your career?

Two of Dr. Meixner’s classes got me very interested in young adult literature — one was a methods class and the other was an elective specifically about Young Adult literature. Once I started teaching, my interest in YA lit really paid off because I ended up implementing an independent reading program that was eventually adopted by the entire English department at Hightstown High School, and I ended up writing an article about the experience that was published in The ALAN Review.

3. What are the most important skills you learned that you use today?

The ENGT classes at TCNJ really emphasize the idea of “backwards design” in lesson planning, and although I don’t think I really understood it until I got my first teaching job, I live by that method when I’m planning units and lessons.

4. Do you have any advice for current TCNJ students trying to break into teaching?

Don’t let student teaching get you down. My student teaching experience was not exactly ideal and it made me question whether or not I really wanted to be a teacher, but I’m glad I decided to stick with it.