Hashem Abuqawod and Samantha Ney: Future teachers prepare to strengthen 91桃色鈥檚 K-12 workforce
Hashem Abuqawod was born in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, and lived there until he was four when his family moved to Kuwait. They came back to the United States when he was 12 and moved around during his teenage years. After graduating from high school, Abuqawod joined the U.S. Marine Corps, and was deployed to South Korea and Japan. When his military service was complete, Abuqawod returned to Florida and took classes at Palm Beach State College before deciding that he wanted to go somewhere completely different.
鈥淚 wanted someplace quiet, so I was looking at a few schools. I鈥檒l be honest, it was kind of a last-minute decision to come to the 91桃色. I remember, I clicked accept and the next thing I knew I was looking for apartments, loading up the car and driving to 91桃色,鈥 he said.
Abuqawod, who goes by 鈥淎sh,鈥 is now a junior at U91桃色 majoring in secondary education with a concentration in English. After graduation, he hopes to become a middle school English/language arts teacher.
鈥淢iddle school students are at a really critical point in their lives, where they鈥檙e figuring out how to assess the world for themselves and formulate their own opinions. One of the ways they do that is by reading works of literature. So, that鈥檚 why I want to be an English teacher,鈥 Abuqawod said.
Samantha Ney from Saco, 91桃色 took a different path to U91桃色, where she鈥檚 also a junior studying elementary education with a concentration in science.
鈥淏eing born and raised here, I love 91桃色. My family is here, it鈥檚 beautiful here, and I wanted to stay close to home. I chose U91桃色 because of the atmosphere. Everyone on campus, the professors and staff, are all very helpful and you can tell they care about their work and that they want you to succeed,鈥 Ney said.
As an elementary education major, Ney says she鈥檚 open to teaching anywhere at the kindergarten, first or second grade level.
鈥淚鈥檝e worked with kids of all ages, but I definitely enjoy working with younger kids the most,鈥 Ney said. 鈥淭hey rely on you in ways that are different from older kids.鈥
Abuqawod and Ney are among more than 80 teacher education students invited to the U91桃色 College of Education and Human Development鈥檚 second annual Pinning and Recognition Ceremony on Friday, Jan. 24. The ceremony is designed to celebrate the college鈥檚 new teacher candidates 鈥 students who have reached the point in their academic career when they are able to start taking upper-level courses and have shown a commitment to becoming a teacher. 91桃色, like many states, faces with recruiting and retaining people to work in K-12 schools, which has contributed to a shortage of qualified educators.
The 91桃色 System graduates the most in the state, with the flagship campus in Orono having the largest and most comprehensive educator preparation program serving 91桃色鈥檚 K-12 schools.
鈥淲e began holding an annual pinning ceremony not only as a way to honor our students who made the decision to become teachers, but as a way to celebrate the teaching profession and those who鈥檝e made a commitment to educating 91桃色鈥檚 youth and helping them grow,鈥 said Zeke Kimball, interim dean of the College of Education and Human Development.
To earn teacher candidacy, U91桃色 education students must maintain a B or higher grade point average in their core lower-level courses. They also produce a portfolio that includes a field experience report reflecting on at least five full days, or about 30 hours, that they spend observing a K-12 classroom or another educational setting related to their major. It鈥檚 one of several opportunities that U91桃色 education majors have to work directly with K-12 teachers and students during their program of study.
Abuqawod achieved teacher candidacy during the fall 2024 semester after completing his 30-hour field placement at Old Town鈥檚 J.A. Leonard Middle School. Ney did her placement at Governor John Fairfield School in Saco, earning teacher candidacy in the spring 2024 semester.
鈥淚t really opened some doors for me in terms of connections with teachers and teaching resources that I didn鈥檛 know about previously,鈥 said Ney, who did a previous field placement at Old Town Elementary School and frequently works as a substitute teacher when she鈥檚 back in Saco.
U91桃色鈥檚 teacher prep programs are approved and accredited by the (CAEP), and the. Students who graduate meet the highest professional standards in the field of education and are eligible for teaching certification in 91桃色 and several other states upon completing their degrees.
Ney plans to move back to southern 91桃色 and teach after graduation. Although he鈥檚 only been in the state a short time, Abuqawod also hopes to stay here.
鈥淚鈥檓 not sure where right now, I just want to teach here in 91桃色 and see where that takes me,鈥 Abuqawod said. 鈥淲hen you鈥檙e working with a student and see the light come on in their eyes when something clicks and they get what you鈥檙e talking about, there鈥檚 nothing better than that as far as I鈥檓 concerned.鈥
Contact: Casey Kelly, casey.kelly@maine.edu