Date
01/20/2025
Position Information
Position desired: Teacher
Subjects you can teach: 7-12 Humanities Teacher, 7-12 Literature Teacher, Latin-Advanced Teacher, Latin-Basic Teacher
Willing to relocate to: Midwest
Summary:
I will graduate in April of 2025 with my master’s degree in Medieval Studies from the Medieval Institute of Western Michigan University. My undergraduate degree was in Classics. I love learning and have a well-rounded background in many humanities subjects and periods. My hope is to teach Latin at the middle to high school level, although I am also open to other humanities positions. Particularly, my background is in Latin language, both classical and ecclesiastical/medieval, and in the Middle Ages. I have over a decade of experience with the Latin language, six years of post-high school Latin education, and two years of teaching experience at the undergraduate level. I have worked in history, philosophy, classics, and medieval studies classrooms.
My experience in education has taught me the importance of nurturing the whole person, leading them to learn about God’s creation and to grow in their appreciation of Truth and their wonder of the good and the beautiful. Although I thought that I might one day pursue a professorship, my teaching undergraduate students at Western Michigan University has inspired in me the desire to teach younger students. I have seen firsthand that the instruction that students receive prior to their entrance into the university level is crucial, not only to their ability to excel, but also to their mindset toward learning. My hope is to encourage all my students in the joy of learning and instill in them the ability and desire to become lifelong learners.
I am seeking a school that will all me to explore the classical model in a school that is Christ-driven in its mission. It is my sincere desire to find a community where I can make a positive contribution to students, parents, and faculty alike, while learning from those who have years of experience instructing children according to the classical model.
3577 Kenbrooke Ct
Kalamazoo, MI 49006 United States
Home Phone:
Cell Phone: (641) 828-6207
Email: picard.sophia.m@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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Truman State University | BA in Classics | December 2022 | Latin and Greek |
| Western Michigan University | MA in Medieval Studies | April 2025 |
Employment History:
| Position | Employer | Dates of Service | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Graduate Teaching Assistant | Medieval Institute, Western Michigan University | August 2023-April 2025 | Deliver direct instruction and facilitate peer discussion in undergraduate humanities courses. Prepare lecture materials and visual aids for in-person instruction. Collaborate with graduate student c0-instructor and faculty to develop materials and teaching strategies. ● Grade assessments in several humanities fi elds, including history, classics, and philosophy. |
Additional Qualifications: Along with teaching in the classroom, I have also done curriculum development while receiving my master’s degree at Western Michigan University.
Additional Experience with CCE:
Hobbies, Interests, and Family: I am originally from Iowa, where my husband and I married in July of 2023. We moved together to Kalamazoo, Michigan so that I could pursue my master’s degree at Western Michigan University. We hope to remain in the Midwest once I have graduated from my program in April of 2025. My personal interests that I have had the opportunity to cultivate during my master’s degree are Latin language (particularly the shift from classical to medieval Latin), Old French language and literature, and medieval performance and theater. My most recent graduate work has largely been about medieval performance, which is a particularly fascinating and understudied subject. Some of my personal hobbies include spending time outside in nature, reading, sewing, and working with other textile arts.
Top 5 Books:
Top 3 Books: Father and Son by Edmund Gosse–this was a requirement for a Victorian Literature course I took.
The Formation of a Persecuting Society by R.I. Moore–I was doing research into the origins of medieval persecution.
Galapagos by Kurt Vonnegut–this was a personal choice to read; when I am reading many academic books for my coursework, I frequently choose a short, more modern, fiction novel to read to pick up after I have finished my heavier reading load.
Most Influential Books:
Preferred Denomination Type:
Current Church: Immanuel Lutheran Church
Current Church Denomination: Luthera Church-Missouri Synod
Current Church Membership: Yes
Current Church Attendance: Weekly
Support of Traditional Marriage: Yes
Theology: I believe in the words of the Nicene Crede, in the efficacy of Holy Scripture, in the involvement of the Holy Spirit in my life and faith, and in the grace of God to save.
Belief in the inerrancy of Scripture?: Yes
Notes on Scripture: Holy Scripture is the way that God has spoken to us directly. I utilize the Scripture as a tool to pray and meditate on those things in my life that require decision-making, that trouble or confusing me, and that hold weight in life.
Additional classical training: I do not have any classical training. I was homeschooled according to the classical model, so I have first-hand experience, but no formal training.
Why I want to teach at a classical school: It is my desire to guide students to develop their own love of learning by bringing them into the Great Conversation with those who have gone before us. My hope is to encourage all my students in the joy of learning and instill in them the ability and desire to become lifelong learners. I feel that all my students have as much to teach me as I them, and I look forward to the privilege of walking in God’s Truth with them. I believe that the best way to engage in these things is to teach in a community of like-minded individuals such as can be found in a classical Christian school.
Final thoughts: