Date
03/09/2025
Position Information
Position desired: Other Position, Teacher
Subjects you can teach: 7-12 Humanities Teacher, 7-12 Literature Teacher, 7-12 Philosophy Teacher, Arts and Media Teacher, Latin-Basic Teacher, Logic Teacher, Rhetoric Teacher
Willing to relocate to: West
Summary:
I am a current Master of Arts in Teaching candidate at Calvin University in Grand Rapids, MI. To provide a bit of background on myself, I graduated with my B.A. in History from Hillsdale College in 2021, and I worked in banking and mortgage for a couple of years after graduation. After some consideration, prayer, and reflection, I decided that the financial sector was not providing the fulfillment and contribution to God’s Kingdom that I was seeking, so I enrolled in a teaching certification and master’s program at Calvin University. I will graduate in May, so I am seeking a teaching role for the 2025-2026 school year. As a student (both at Hillsdale and in a classical middle school program I attended), I appreciated how the classical model trains the student in diligence amidst a deep appreciation for the traditions that brought us to this point in history. I am fairly flexible as to what subjects I teach, but I will be certified in secondary (6-12) social studies upon my graduation. With my work at the bank, I am also interested in teaching economics or personal finance. I took college Latin and love the language, so I would also be open to adding Latin courses, although I would have to start out teaching at a more basic level (but I would be open to learning more to teach at a higher level in the future). I am a reformed Christian, and I deeply value the Christian community and my personal relationship with the Lord. I look forward to speaking with you!
11414 Hunters Meadow Dr
Allendale, Michigan 49401 United States
Home Phone: (616) 947-4272
Cell Phone: (616) 947-4272
Email: sarahhowerzyl@gmail.com
CV or Resume
Website
Facebook Page
LinkedIn
Highest Level of Education: Master’s Degree
Institutions Attended:
| Institution Name | Degree Earned (i.e., BA in English) | Date Graduated | Emphasis |
|---|---|---|---|
| Calvin University | Master of Arts, Teaching | May 2025 (anticipated) | |
| Hillsdale College | B.A. in History | May 2021 | pre-Civil War politics, Jacksonian America |
Employment History:
| Position | Employer | Dates of Service | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Student Teacher | Rehoboth Christian High School (Rehoboth, NM) | January-May 2025 | •Planned and taught engaging lessons for world history (9th), current issues (10th), and government (12th) • Designed both formative and summative authentic assessments to monitor student progress in learning • Differentiated instruction based on student needs and accommodations • Collaborated with other teachers to plan student showcases and events |
| Teacher Intern | St. Paul the Apostle School (Grand Rapids, MI) | September-December 2024 | • Provided support to middle school students through coaching and group interventions • Assisted in a project based learning classroom, providing guidance to students • Taught middle school social studies lessons in collaboration with mentor teacher |
| Conferences Assistant (Seasonal) | Glorieta Camps (Glorieta, NM) | May-August 2024 | •Leadership role supervising 31 employees’ attendance, morale, and housing • Organized 18 events throughout the summer including group trips, celebrations, and outdoor activities • Utilized Salesforce, Booking Central and a RingCentral on-call system to manage bookings for over 2000 guests each week • Created graphics, posters, and announcements using Canva to advertise events and activities throughout the summer |
| Relationship Banker | Old National Bank (Holland, MI) | February 2022 – July 2023 | •Developed strong relationships with current and prospective clients through calls, emails, and in-person meetings • Originated real estate loans and maintained associated deposit accounts, • Delivered in sales, exceeding personal annual targets by 150%+ (NMLS registered #2369356) • Cultivated community engagement via the local chamber of commerce, city events, and charity sponsorships • Supervised employee engagement team that welcomed new associates, planned volunteer service days quarterly, and allocated annual donations to local service organizations |
| Title Collateral Loss Mitigation Counselor | Fifth Third Bank (Grand Rapids, MI) | May 2021 – February 2022 | •Negotiated with delinquent loan clients at risk for default and/or bankruptcy to determine eligibility for loan modification • Advocate for financial assistance for those experiencing financial hardships • Promoted the interests of the bank with a focus on risk reduction with an empathetic attitude for clients’ circumstances • Community outreach leader who organized 3-4 large employee volunteer events a year with local organizations |
| Teacher Aide (volunteer) | Rehoboth Christian Elementary/Middle School (Rehoboth, NM) | August-December 2017 | •Assisted a Title 1 reading and writing teacher with student assessment and coaching toward literacy goals • Graded assessments for a middle school (7/8th) science classroom • Facilitated group projects along with lead teacher for middle school science |
Additional Qualifications: Worked at Hillsdale College as a student employee and supervisor in donor relations and fundraising (see resume for further detail)
Additional Experience with CCE:
Hobbies, Interests, and Family: – Running, hiking, traveling, watercolor painting
Top 5 Books: In order of preference:
-Paradise Lost
-Hamlet
-Willa Cather’s Death Comes to the Archbishop
-Beowulf
– Dante’s Inferno
Top 3 Books: -Travels with Charley: In Search of America by John Steinbeck (another re-read, but my dad recommended this one to me. I love the perspective and commentary on the American ethos that Steinbeck offers)
-Death Comes for the Archbishop by Willa Cather (this was also a re-read, but it is set in the American Southwest where I am currently living and student teaching)
-Educated by Tara Westover (my good friend recommended this one – it is a fascinating memoir about the value and privilege of a quality education against all odds)
Most Influential Books: -The Bible
-Paradise Lost
-Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics
-The Accidental Superpower – Peter Zeihan
Preferred Denomination Type: Reformed, Other
Current Church: Bauer Christian Reformed Church
Current Church Denomination: Christian Reformed
Current Church Membership: Yes
Current Church Attendance: Weekly
Support of Traditional Marriage:
Theology: I tend to have a fairly intellectually-rooted rather than emotional theological perspective, focused on the historical and philosophical underpinnings of the church. I subscribe to the three ecumenical creeds (Apostles’, Nicene, and Athanasian) and three historic Reformed confessions (Belgic Confession, Heidelberg Catechism, and Canons of Dort). I value the guidance of those who are more well-read on matters of the faith while interpreting scripture, and I enjoy learning about the intersections and overlaps of the more secular Greco-Roman tradition with that of the Judeo-Christian.
Belief in the inerrancy of Scripture?: Yes
Notes on Scripture:
Additional classical training: For middle school, I attended a classical co-op, learning at the grammar stages. I left the “classical fold” for a few years during high school, but I still maintained an affinity for the classical approach (for example, I took Latin via an online self-study). I attended Hillsdale College, a classical, Christian liberal arts college, where I completed two full years of classical core curriculum.
Why I want to teach at a classical school: From my perspective both as an educator and a student, the role of the school is to train up the child in diligence, challenging students to enable them to be well-equipped to be citizens and well-functioning members of a self-governing society. Classical education achieves this goal the most successfully in my estimation; the skills of reasoning, logic, and rhetoric are timeless (and perhaps more valuable than ever, in this age of technology) and students are challenged to always exceed what they thought they could achieve. Classical education is not easy, and that is the point. Beyond just my affinity for the classical method, I value integrating my faith with my teaching. Classical education without a Christian element can cross into empty morality. Why should we act toward the “good” if there is not a higher good of God? Christian classical education provides a natural answer to this question, and one that lines up with my own personal ethics and beliefs.
Final thoughts: I look forward to speaking with you about any opportunities you may have available!