Natalie Yan

Tell us why you became a teacher

I’ve always loved kids from an early age. I’ve always wanted to be around them and play with them. I loved how impressionable they are, and curious kids are about the world and are excited to learn. My highschool offered a career technical program for juniors and seniors who knew what career path they wanted; I interviewed at the end of my sophomore year and was accepted. So I started the program my junior year and never looked back!

Tell us about your most memorable teaching experience

My most memorable teaching experience was trying to teach preschoolers remotely during COVID. It was extremely challenging due to the fact that preschool aged kids typically do not know how to use a computer or know how to use Zoom links. It was also difficult to plan engaging activities since children that age learn best through hands-on activities. My lessons couldn’t be too lengthy either since they have shorter attention spans. It was definitely a challenging but it made me be more creative

What would you do with the $25,000?

If I won the $25,000 I would save most of it and use it towards my student loans. I would also buy classroom supplies for my classroom, especially resources and materials that could help special education students.